When you buy Parallax products, what is your spousal approval level?
Ken Gracey
Posts: 7,401
Hey all,
Sales guy here, doing a bit of marketing research and we need your feedback. Just so you know that this information isn't going to be used against you to extort more money in some way, the request is simply one small piece of the pricing puzzle that often comes up in Parallax. A whole variety of factors influence how we price products:
- the design time invested;
- our manufacturing costs;
- the value delivered by the product;
- the amount of inventory turnover we expect after stocking up on parts;
- whether or not there are competitive products;
- whether or not we simply want to proliferate the design at any price;
- pricing research factors (some prices are just considered non-starters- $109.99 is a bad price);
- and sometimes we might throw in the "spousal approval level" as a bonus to justify a certain price.
But this last factor isn't really a determinant on it's own - it carries far less importance than the other factors.
And there's a bit of argument in the office about the amount of money which qualifies as requiring spousal approval. Some of us think it's thirty bucks, but others find it to be well over a hundred dollars or more.
If you are married, at which purchase is it advisable that you consult the spouse before making a purchase from Parallax? Since most of our customers are male and their spouses are usually less interested in the number of parts you purchase, and more interested in the total purchase amount, what is the total sales order amount that pushes you over the threshold?
This applies mostly to hobby purchases; does not apply to business orders.
Thank you for your time -
Ken Gracey
Sales guy here, doing a bit of marketing research and we need your feedback. Just so you know that this information isn't going to be used against you to extort more money in some way, the request is simply one small piece of the pricing puzzle that often comes up in Parallax. A whole variety of factors influence how we price products:
- the design time invested;
- our manufacturing costs;
- the value delivered by the product;
- the amount of inventory turnover we expect after stocking up on parts;
- whether or not there are competitive products;
- whether or not we simply want to proliferate the design at any price;
- pricing research factors (some prices are just considered non-starters- $109.99 is a bad price);
- and sometimes we might throw in the "spousal approval level" as a bonus to justify a certain price.
But this last factor isn't really a determinant on it's own - it carries far less importance than the other factors.
And there's a bit of argument in the office about the amount of money which qualifies as requiring spousal approval. Some of us think it's thirty bucks, but others find it to be well over a hundred dollars or more.
If you are married, at which purchase is it advisable that you consult the spouse before making a purchase from Parallax? Since most of our customers are male and their spouses are usually less interested in the number of parts you purchase, and more interested in the total purchase amount, what is the total sales order amount that pushes you over the threshold?
This applies mostly to hobby purchases; does not apply to business orders.
Thank you for your time -
Ken Gracey
Comments
It depends whether it is tax refund time as to when I can buy toys.
It also depends on whether there is something for me to build.
My wife has zero interest in electronics.
Roy you can vote the first option says "single".
-Ron
Slightly off topic. Our Roomba has amazing WAF (Wife Approval Factor). Normally you'd expect a "robot" to be rejected, but as it's actually practical and does a reasonable job then it's got great approval. Now if you sold products that some how ended in strong WAF then you'd likely get larger spend (window cleaner, duster, toilet cleaner, garden weeder, etc). So thinking out of the box on potential practical applications may lead to increased spend/justification.
Ken, I think if I ever get a spouse I will have to put a provision in there somewhere about buying stuff from parallax.
Unless... we invest time and money into education, technological skills and innovation so that we can compete. That's not just for big business to think about but each and every one of us. It's our duty to our country.
Just convert the budget deficit of your country from dollars, Euros or whatever into the equivalent value number of pairs of shoes to force home the argument.
I'm just off to beg for another 20 Euros:)
Peter
I'm sure those who are sensitive to such things can replace "her", "she" "clothes", "shoes", etc with whatever gender neutral thing makes it PC.
-Phil
I'm currently working on selling the idea of making a $100 donation to some charity...
Rich H
If I use my "mad money" I can buy whatever I want. Mostly my mad money is in my paypal account (from selling things on ebay).
I can't remember if paypal is an option for payment, but if it isn't you should look into it.
Bean
My wife, is okay with what ever I get for my electronics hobby. It keeps kids and I entertained and out of her hair.
Scribbler 1 was the gateway item as it was young child friendly, I tried Lego NXT next, then moved on to buying sensors and building circuits.
Interesting Poll Indeed!
I actually voted $25-$100, then showed the POLL to Rebekah who said that I should have pushed $100-$200 button.
LOL Gee thanks Ken!
OBC
However, out of respect, I inform her that I'm considering buying parts for projects if the amount is $50 or more. And again, she does the same for me should her projects require some bucks.
So I checked the $25 - $100 box.
DJ
Though asking is not required in our house, we usually do ask one another in the $100 to $200 range.
Unless, as Marin said, "It's educational" or for the kids...
Note: The statements made in the above post are subject to change following a review by higher authorities.
a) goat, cow, horse or equipment for same
b) piece of old furniture probably rescued from the side of the road
c) box of glassware so she can get one more bottle that will sit on top of the cabinet (always bought by the box for one piece...)
d) 1 lot of 5 boxes of books, usually old water stained encyclopedias or Readers Digest condensed books
So, that means no discussion of the items. Doesn't mean I don't hear "what Smile did you order this time" when the UPS man shows up.
If you can help me to make money from my current/additional spend then that would easily justify that I can make further spend.
As an example I put a post a while back in the "Suggestions to Parallax" Forum for a competition to write re-usable magazine articles. If I could invest (the little time I have) to writing magazine articles and some how get paid for them. Then I could utilize this to justify a greater spend and a greater time committement. If somehow Parallax can help this to happen, for example their marketting and communications team work with electronic/technology magazines around the world to identify and document how to pubish articles to make it easy. Then I could see this a win/win. Parallax gets an increased awarenss about it's fabulous product line, and it's more engaged customers get to engage more.
Personally I have no idea how to get engaged in writing magazine articles that would have a liklihood of being published and get some level of financial return. Unfortunately I really don't have the free time to investigate it to the level where I could have a degree of certainty of the outcome and to justify the investment.
Considering that Parallax doesn't publish it would be totally inappropriate (couldn't find a better word) for them to have anything of this sort. Besides, N&V pays well. I wrote a long article last July for them and made $400 for it.
Gee. I would NEVER, ever spend money without my beautiful, young, thin, sweetheart's approval! Not in a million, jillion years. It just wouldn't be right.
--Bill
ps Did I mention thin?