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RE: Stupid points system...
By TSS on 3/10/2011 8:50:10 PM , Rating: 2
It's 3 things that trick you: it's the "get something else later", the "it's only 100 points" and "the breaking up of expansions".

the "get somethign later" is easy. Most people buy too much points. If a game costs 4800 points while you can buy in 800, 4000 and 6000 quantities most people will buy the 6000 and "spend the rest later". This is money that they wouldn't have had if you'd gone to the store since then, you'd actually gotten what you wanted instead of what you wanted + something you MIGHT, but just as well might not want.

The "it's only 100 points" is simple too. The majority of people will stop converting points to money and just buy stuff that's a small amount. which means your actually paying more then you would in a store (which costs more trouble since you have to go outside and shop etc).

the "breaking up expansions" is where the devil in this all hides. Instead of selling you an expansion of content for $30 they can sell you the same content, in chunks, for $50. Druglords do the same, distribute drugs down to alot of dealers and sell in small chunks while buying in big. Hell, it's what everybody does, since everybody knows it's cheaper to buy in bulk. So it's very expensive to buy everything not only a piece, but per chunk.

Combine those 3 and you have a system that strongly encourages impulse buys and profit (remember, all of this is digital. they don't have to run a physical store for it which cuts out a lot of middle men).

RE: Stupid points system...
By tallcool1 on 3/11/2011 11:44:56 AM , Rating: 2
One thing you forgot to add is that per your comment of people buying more points than they need so that they have a positive point balance, is that you are giving MS an Interest free loan until you spend it! I am sure MS appreciate all the extra points (money) people have that go unspent on their MS account that they can make money off of.

RE: Stupid points system...


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