Dishonest Advertising On Verbum 8

Patrick Fleischmann
Patrick Fleischmann Member Posts: 64 ✭✭
edited November 2024 in Books and Courses Forum

Very disappointed in FaithLife here.  I'm looking at the Verbum 8 base package - I already have Verbum 7 - and there are many instances like what I've screen shot here with the New Collegeville Bible Commentary. FL is touting "Value if sold separately" in the right hand column and listing $199.99.  But they have also noted "Only some resources from this collection are included."  So the "value if sold separately" is MOST CERTAINLY NOT $199.99 since you're comparing one small piece that you are getting with the value of the ENTIRE collection.    Hardly ethical advertising here.  And they are doing this OVER AND OVER with touting all this value for pieces of collections with the value of the ENTIRE collection.  

Comments

  • Friedrich
    Friedrich MVP Posts: 4,772

    Patrick, great catch!  Something is definitely going on there.  I'd need to check further but it looks like they have combined a 2 volume set (one covering the OT and one covering the NT) with an expanded set with multiple volumes that narrow their scope further.  I think this is more of a website error.  I imagine if you emailed customerservice@faithlife.com they could report this issue to the appropriate personal and help you sort out what they are really offering.  

    I certainly agree it is misleading and confusing, and is an error that they would want to rectify.  Thanks for pointing this out!  

    I like Apples.  Especially Honeycrisp.

  • Patrick Fleischmann
    Patrick Fleischmann Member Posts: 64 ✭✭

    It's actually worse than 1 of 2 volumes.  If you look in greater detail there are actually TWENTY FIVE volumes when you get right down to it.  And you're getting ONE of those TWENTY FIVE volumes.  So if all 25 are $199.99 is it really even remotely ethical to so much as HINT that what you're getting in this package would be worth ANYTHING CLOSE to $199.99 when you're only getting ONE?  And I think FL is going quite a bit further than hinting.

    And when I compare the Verbum 8 Starter Upgrade (Books plus Features) to the Verbum 8 Starter Feature Upgrade (just Features) the first with all the book "value" is $73 while just the Features are $76.  And every single new feature for $76 is included in the $73 books plus features.  So basically FL is charging me $3 LESS to take a BUNCH OF EXTRA BOOKS when many are for all intents and purposes "loss leaders" so you'll hopefully want to finish off all those sets later.  It's just very gimmicky.  A lot of smoke and mirrors.

  • Craig St. Clair (Faithlife)
    Craig St. Clair (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 165

    Patrick,

    Thanks for sharing your feedback here and apologies for the confusion.  It is indeed a website error that you're seeing in the screenshot of your resources relative to Verbum 8 Starter.  There is a problem with how the overall collection is displaying versus individual volumes within that collection.

    We're looking into a fix for this error.  We'll report back to this thread once we've identified the problem and when it will be resolved.

    Craig St. Clair | Verbum Product Manager |

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    The only reason I bought the verbum 8 Library was for the 2 volume New Collegeville commentary. I will be returning it next week.

    -dan

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭
  • Ben Amundgaard (Faithlife)
    Ben Amundgaard (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 991

    The only reason I bought the verbum 8 Library was for the 2 volume New Collegeville commentary. I will be returning it next week.

    -dan

    What level did you buy, Dan? It is in Verbum Diamond and up (as the PDP indicates).

    Senior Director, Content Products


  • SineNomine
    SineNomine Member Posts: 7,012 ✭✭✭

    Patrick, this website bug has existed for years, at least on Logos.com.

    “The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    I bought Verbum Gold Anglican Gold and Standard Diamond but I am returning them all... If they cannot honour a simple thing like including 2 volumes of a two volume set what makes me confident of them honouring the forth coming titles in diamond.. I do see now that it indicates only some but having saw that the package included 2 volumesI naturally assumed 2 volumes of a 2 volume set  included them all not 1 volume and and introduction. It's perhaps my fault  but it doesn't fill me with confidence. I can take my business elsewhere if they cannot be clear.

    -Dan

  • Ben Amundgaard (Faithlife)
    Ben Amundgaard (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 991

    I bought Verbum Gold Anglican Gold and Standard Diamond but I am returning them all... If they cannot honour a simple thing like including 2 volumes of a two volume set what makes me confident of them honouring the forth coming titles in diamond.. I do see now that it indicates only some but having saw that the package included 2 volumesI naturally assumed 2 volumes of a 2 volume set  included them all not 1 volume and and introduction. It's perhaps my fault  but it doesn't fill me with confidence. I can take my business elsewhere if they cannot be clear.

    -Dan

    Dan, 

    I'm very sorry. This was an honest mistake in how we display the comparison charts on our product pages. There was no intent to deceive. We are looking into how to correct the issue now (note that it is showing up correctly on logos.com).

    Senior Director, Content Products


  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    I'm very sorry. This was an honest mistake in how we display the comparison charts on our product pages. There as no intent to deceive. We are looking into how to correct the issue now (note that it is showing up correctly on logos.com).

    I do understand that but I am not willing to pay $199 to correct it especially when the kindle price for the New Collegeville Bible Commentary: Old Testament is  $28.80... I value usability in Verbum but not that much... I do accept that it is an honest mistake, but still left a bad taste and feel like insult to injury the price to rectify that would cost me.

    -dan

  • abondservant
    abondservant Member Posts: 4,796 ✭✭✭

    Patrick,

    Thanks for sharing your feedback here and apologies for the confusion.  It is indeed a website error that you're seeing in the screenshot of your resources relative to Verbum 8 Starter.  There is a problem with how the overall collection is displaying versus individual volumes within that collection.

    We're looking into a fix for this error.  We'll report back to this thread once we've identified the problem and when it will be resolved.

    Patrick this is present in other base packages too I fear. Not just verbum. Its quite confusing.

    L2 lvl4 (...) WORDsearch, all the way through L10,

  • SineNomine
    SineNomine Member Posts: 7,012 ✭✭✭

    We are looking into how to correct the issue now (note that it is showing up correctly on logos.com).

    Oh good! [:)]

    “The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara

  • Glenn Airoldi (Faithlife)
    Glenn Airoldi (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 314

    We appreciate everyone's feedback on this issue.  We know that including partial collections has been a source of confusion in our product lists for some time, and we took steps to address this with our Verbum 8 and Logos 8 updates.  The good news is that solution exists. If you look at Verbum base packages on Logos, you will see that the problem isn't present on that site.  Unfortunately this update was not deployed to the Verbum site at launch.  We're working to resolve this as quickly as we can.

  • Patrick Fleischmann
    Patrick Fleischmann Member Posts: 64 ✭✭

    Well, I find the whole idea of these "partial collections" to be an attempt to appeal to the idea of getting a great value.  But I firmly believe it is somewhat deceptive in that you can't get a lot of value out of a small portion of a package.  (In my example of the New Collegeville Commentary, the 2 volumes aren't really 2 volumes.  It's really 25 individual volumes that have been bundled into 2 volumes.  So what it appears you get is just a FRACTION of 1 of those 2 volumes, since what is being included is really only ONE of the TWENTY FIVE.)  So the real "value" isn't so much to the consumer, it's to FL - because hopefully you'll want to buy the rest of the collection.  

    My perfect example is the Verbum 8 Starter vs the Verbum 8 Feature upgrade.  Both have IDENTICAL features.  The Starter has a bunch of extra books - many of them marginal "value" because they are just a small piece of a collection.  With dynamic pricing the Feature only Verbum 8 is $76.  With dynamic pricing the Starter with books AND features is $73.  So basically FL is GIVING ME $3 to take all these partial collections.  That tells me how they're really valuing them.  

    I have no problem with them trying to entice you to buy whole collections by giving away small portions of those collections.  But call a spade a spade.  Don't tout it as all this "value" you're giving me with all these books that would be SOOOO much $$$$$ bought separately when it's just a sales gimmick to help FL.  Period.   How much "value" is the Introduction volume to the New Collegeville Commentary when there are 24 more volumes after the Introduction?  Exactly how much value would a Bible be (itself just a collection of volumes) if the only part of it I gave you was the book of Genesis?

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 54,945

    what makes me confident of them honouring the forth coming titles in diamond.

    This is the only portion of your concerns I can address - you can be confident because they have done so consistently in the past, even when it turned out to be a much bigger deal to do than they expected (one of the Hebrew manuscript subsidiaries ... I've forgotten the details). So why did I step in, when Faithlife is "on top of the issue"? Because you are a valued member of the forum community ... I enjoy reading your posts.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • Friedrich
    Friedrich MVP Posts: 4,772

    MJ. Smith said:

    what makes me confident of them honouring the forth coming titles in diamond.

    This is the only portion of your concerns I can address - you can be confident because they have done so consistently in the past, even when it turned out to be a much bigger deal to do than they expected (one of the Hebrew manuscript subsidiaries ... I've forgotten the details). So why did I step in, when Faithlife is "on top of the issue"? Because you are a valued member of the forum community ... I enjoy reading your posts.

    Ditto.  

    I like Apples.  Especially Honeycrisp.

  • RRD
    RRD Member Posts: 311 ✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    Because you are a valued member of the forum community ... I enjoy reading your posts.

     

    Dan Francis, I totally agree with MJ. Smith.

    [Y]

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    what makes me confident of them honouring the forth coming titles in diamond.

    This is the only portion of your concerns I can address - you can be confident because they have done so consistently in the past, even when it turned out to be a much bigger deal to do than they expected (one of the Hebrew manuscript subsidiaries ... I've forgotten the details). So why did I step in, when Faithlife is "on top of the issue"? Because you are a valued member of the forum community ... I enjoy reading your posts.

    It has been a less than ideal day, I am just feeling like I am worried about the fine print. I know while it was not a major concern for me the promised NIV1984 OT RI took years to materialize. I know that FL tries hard to do their best but this issue rightly or wrongly to ME felt like a misleading offer, when I went to rectify it cost was enough for me to say enough. I don’t want to deal with this. 7 was enough in end I had plenty of resources already. 

    I do accept that this in the end is my perception and not an intent by FL to deceive. But rather than feeling this way it is just as easy to cancel the updates. 

    -dan

  • Friedrich
    Friedrich MVP Posts: 4,772

     (In my example of the New Collegeville Commentary, the 2 volumes aren't really 2 volumes.

    Patrick, I thought I had this all clear.  But the more I look at this set, across the web, it seems the way that Collegeville markets the series is quite confusing.  I was befuddled.  It seems like the OT is broken down into smaller, OT book based "volumes," but perhaps not the larger volumes per book I was assuming.  I get (I think) your frustration at feeling like something being sold as a "great deal" and it really seems like a minuscule, almost unhelpful volume (I mean, how helpful is an "introduction" to a set you can't even use as a commentary...)  You would hope to at least get a commentary section.

    The more I think about it, some of the problem seems to stem, as I said above, from Collegeville's way of marketing.  I don't think they were intending to deceive, but it is confusing.  And then Verbum together the various ways it has been marketed: I have seen it as "2 Volumes" and "1 Volume" and 25 or 36 (?) volumes.  But it SEEMS like they all refer to the same, basic collection of commentaries.

    Anyway, I am not with Logos, I'm just a consumer.  And I have had my share of frustrations with Verbum/Logos/FaithLife.  But, for the most part, I have experienced them over time to make things right and to listen to their customers.  Much more than any other company I've ever worked with.  I hope this gets sorted out and you find enjoyment with your Verbum resources.  It really is a joy to work with.

    I like Apples.  Especially Honeycrisp.

  • Myke Harbuck
    Myke Harbuck Member Posts: 1,646 ✭✭✭

    I'm very sorry. This was an honest mistake in how we display the comparison charts on our product pages. There was no intent to deceive. We are looking into how to correct the issue now (note that it is showing up correctly on logos.com).

    Very humble and transparent answer. 

    Click-baiting posts that accuse FL or anyone of dishonestly (ie: intent to deceive) without any true awareness of intent are unnecessary. It's not only unfair, it's not the Christian thing to do. Why not just make a simple and gentle inquiry about the issue and give FL an opportunity to make it right. The just, reasonable, and peaceable thing to do would be to simply ask why the discrepancy exists, state one's concern, and ask FL to make it right. It's been my experience that they always do. There's no need for name calling and divisiveness, especially over an honest mistake. 

    Myke Harbuck
    Lead Pastor, www.ByronCity.Church
    Adjunct Professor, Georgia Military College

  • Kevin S. Coy, OFS
    Kevin S. Coy, OFS Member Posts: 333 ✭✭

    “Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up until now we have done little or nothing.”  St. Francis of Assisi

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 14,356 ✭✭✭✭

    I'm very sorry. This was an honest mistake in how we display the comparison charts on our product pages. There was no intent to deceive. We are looking into how to correct the issue now (note that it is showing up correctly on logos.com).

    Very humble and transparent answer. 

    Click-baiting posts that accuse FL or anyone of dishonestly (ie: intent to deceive) without any true awareness of intent are unnecessary....

    I get the feeling you criticized the OP's assumptions about FL's motive, while you made assumptions about the OP's motives. Well, done.

    Actually, FL has a long history of this type of behavior, whatever the motive.

    This morning, I selected Logos sales, much of which the 'sale' and the impressive percent off, was nothing more than I already owned it (dynamic pricing). I'm used to these Logos 'discounts'; no complaints.

    Also this morning, was the opposite issue as the OP and Dan. When there's a partial (as they discussed), the new to you often shows a zero price, and therefore, a very low total .... implying the top price is quite exhorbitant ... but not. Again, no complants .... it's just Logos again.

    "If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.

  • Deacon Steve
    Deacon Steve Member Posts: 1,044 ✭✭

    So ... Not trying to dicount anyone’s thoughts expressed here; all important and to be taken seriously.

    This whole thing with the New Collegeville Bible Commentary (Liturgical Press) stems from the way in which it was first put in the Verbum catalog.  At the time it was put on pre-pub, which I cannot recall exactly - over a year at least, it was offered in the single-volume New Testament and a series of individual Old Testament volumes.  I do not have any details on why the contract was that way with the publisher, but it was.

    To be fair, the publisher has always put forward their flagship commentary as individual volumes (by book of the Bible) which include the text of the Bible, commentary, and some study questions for reflection.  In addition, they also ”bundle” the commentary into three separate publications that only contain the commentary; an OT volume, a NT volume, and a combined OT/NT volume.  That is what they did with the the original Collegeville Bible Commentary and again with the New Collegeville Bible Commentary.  You can look at the publisher website.  And I have several editions of the old series sitting on my bookshelf that confirm this.

    Now ... somewhere along the line it seems that Faithlife attempted to “regularize” the offer of the New Collegeville Bible Commentary as being the two volumes, OT and NT, that is offered by the publisher - but, unfortunately only included the individual OT volumes that were part of the original pre-pub offering.  That offering was inclomplete based on what the publisher current has.  In hindsite, this may not have been the best approach.  Nonetheless, it was what was offered then and included in terms of content - a single NT volume and selected OT books that included questions for reflection.

    All this is too bad as the publisher has had the complete commentary in a single volume (OT and NT) for some time in hardcover for $80 USD.  Again, this is the updated version of what Faithlife offers today - the Collegeville Bible Commentary - for $49.99 USD.  That’s the single OT and NT combined.

    I think it would be good if Faithlife reset expectations on the product as it truly is - the single NT volume along with several, individual OT books that have the questions for reflection.  It’s not clear the way it is presented today as two volumes because it is not.  Also, it seems to me that Faithlife needs to go back to the publisher and try to renegotiate a contract that has the complete New Collegeville Bible Commentary in line with what has been offered in the past.  It would help this situation and I’m thinking the publisher would want their most current one-volume offing in Verbum.

  • Doc B
    Doc B Member Posts: 3,650 ✭✭✭

    Denise said:

    it's just Logos again

    I've been around these parts for over 10 years.  The one consistency I've seen the last few of those years is, some of the folks most supportive of FL, including power users and MVPs have slowly but steadily become acerbic about the software or company.

    This can't bode well for the long-term viability of a company, when their long-time supporters walk away. It is distressing. It also means  some of the most helpful, historically,  are no longer as active helping in the forums.  Read my footer if you aren't sure how big a deal that is.

    Eating a steady diet of government cheese, and living in a van down by the river.

  • Leo Wee Fah
    Leo Wee Fah Member Posts: 596 ✭✭✭

    I think it would be good if Faithlife reset expectations on the product as it truly is - the single NT volume along with several, individual OT books that have the questions for reflection.  It’s not clear the way it is presented today as two volumes because it is not.  Also, it seems to me that Faithlife needs to go back to the publisher and try to renegotiate a contract that has the complete New Collegeville Bible Commentary in line with what has been offered in the past.  It would help this situation and I’m thinking the publisher would want their most current one-volume offing in Verbum.

    [Y]

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 54,945

    Doc B said:

    I've been around these parts for over 10 years.  The one consistency I've seen the last few of those years is, some of the folks most supportive of FL, including power users and MVPs have slowly but steadily become acerbic about the software or company.

    I've been around a bit longer ... although I thought you were on the boards. There is a second way of looking at it: as Logos/Verbum and computers have grown in their text-based capabilities, power-users, MVP, folks most supportive of FL are in a position where griping about how the software doesn't meet their needs has a realistic chance of being able to be implemented ... remember when I was a one-note Pied Piper on lectionaries, notes, workflows, case frames, word nets, Popular Patristic series, graphic organizers ...The only items I have yet to get is the ability to easily bring up a verse in the translation used by the resource and the ability to see the translation/notes/commentary side-by-side in commentaries such as Anchor and Hermenia.  In fact, so much has been gained that it is worth a new push: Open letter to Faithlife on overall direction So yes, I am feeling very free to be acerbic (in my laconic way) because I have reason to trust the company ... and recognize they've outmaneuvered most of their competitors. 

    Doc B said:

    It also means  some of the most helpful, historically,  are no longer as active helping in the forums.

    Yes, one was driven off early by vitriolic "attack theology". Several quit breathing or having a heart beat which is treated as a resignation for which family deserves sympathy, a couple of health problems, change of job positions ... in the desktop, I can't think of anyone who withdrew due to FL policy or Logos quality ...

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 14,356 ✭✭✭✭

    Doc B said:

    Denise said:

    it's just Logos again

    I've been around these parts for over 10 years.  The one consistency I've seen the last few of those years is, some of the folks most supportive of FL, including power users and MVPs have slowly but steadily become acerbic about the software or company.

    This can't bode well for the long-term viability of a company, when their long-time supporters walk away. It is distressing. It also means  some of the most helpful, historically,  are no longer as active helping in the forums.  Read my footer if you aren't sure how big a deal that is.

    I think I might have been acerbic'd. Smiling. In the same 'Sale' they included products not actually for sale, not owned by the company, nor any commitment to ever sell such items. But a great price!  Almost as good as A-Company, but not the big 'K'.

    I'd hope Logos is the beneficiary of customer churn. But my impression is they go from one program to the next, hoping there'll be a few bites. I notice dear old Noet is in doubt. She may well be joining Libby.

    "If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.

  • Patrick Fleischmann
    Patrick Fleischmann Member Posts: 64 ✭✭

    Deacon Steve:

    I hadn't intended to pick on New Collegeville Bible Commentary specifically.  New Collegeville wasn't really my point.  That was just the example I used.  Here is another one:

    I don't believe "Come and See" has the same issue with different publications of various bundles of the volumes like New Collegeville.  There are 15 volumes and FL is touting a value of $224.99 for including JUST ONE.    Maybe I'm simply too cynical but I don't believe all the instances of valuing like this is just an honest mistake on FL's part.  They are a business and they employ folks for marketing and those folks want to sell things.  And "total value if bought separately" is a way for someone in marketing to convince a consumer to buy their product.  Bible software or pickup trucks, it doesn't matter.   That FL makes a valuable product I don't dispute.  I bought Verbum for the first time this year with version 7.   I'm simply expressing my disappointment in a marketing tactic that tries to oversell me with a value that isn't there.  And that's deceptive advertising, plainly.  

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    This was my problem I am scrolling  looking at things admittedly I  have it blown up so i do not see in the window beyond this column (my sight is not the best).  I see Expand indicating more than one volume is there.. Since it is a 2 volume set it seems logical to assume receiving two volumes  means you get both.... Then I discover there is no volume 2. I search and find that after dropping a small fortune on upgrades that a key resource i wanted is going to cost me a lot more when I purchased a set I believed (mistakenly) that contained it. My request to return my packages was replied to saying there is no purchase associated with this email address (having sent it from the wrong email address). I am still feel it would have been a better thing if it has simply been New Collegeville Bible Commentary: New Testament included. 

    -dan

  • Graham Owen
    Graham Owen Member Posts: 254 ✭✭

    Denise said:

    I'm very sorry. This was an honest mistake in how we display the comparison charts on our product pages. There was no intent to deceive. We are looking into how to correct the issue now (note that it is showing up correctly on logos.com).

    Very humble and transparent answer. 

    Click-baiting posts that accuse FL or anyone of dishonestly (ie: intent to deceive) without any true awareness of intent are unnecessary....

    I get the feeling you criticized the OP's assumptions about FL's motive, while you made assumptions about the OP's motives. Well, done.

    Actually, FL has a long history of this type of behavior, whatever the motive.

    Choice of language in the context of criticising Faithlife has long been an issue on this forum and rightly, or wrongly, tends to polarise opinion quite quickly.

    While the OP could have phrased this differently and used "misleading" or "inaccurate" the reaction/response would most likely have been similar.

    It is undeniable that that Faithlife has a long history of this type of mistake but it is equally true that my personal experience, over 20 plus years, is that they "make things right". I do find it frustrating that Faithlife the business does seem to make these recurring errors and my personal view is that they do need to prioritise learning from past mistakes rather than continually repeating them.

    However, that the OP could have used alternative language does not alter the fact that this issue needed to be highlighted and addressed and I do wonder what response the OP would have received if it was Amazon rather than Faithlife that was characterised as "dishonest".

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    I would not have used the term "Dishonest Advertising" I do feel it is fair to say misleading... Now when one looks carefully and pushes all the buttons  there is absolutely no deception. However when someone scrolls through quickly I do not think it is beyond reason to expect that a 2 volume set (as listed in product description) would include both volumes when it clearly lists as you are scrolling more than one volume is there. It was FL choice to relabel the set as a 2 volume set since it is a bit misleading to call these the same books that are sold (those books contain the Bible text, FL has  in the past excised Bible texts at other times keeping them in, but when they are excised they have arguably reduced this work to its 1 volume equivalent. Indeed I assumed they may had redid it into the it's one old testament volume. I do realize the failure was mine but I also will not deny I felt mislead. The clarity was less than ideal but I did make assumptions. I do see that if you were on the Verbum site it more clearly indicates that it is an incomplete set.

    -dan

  • Patrick Fleischmann
    Patrick Fleischmann Member Posts: 64 ✭✭

    Misleading...dishonest.... Tomato ... tomato.  I stand by my original choice of words.  More than one person has posted that this type of "value" marketing has been done for a LONG time by FL.  Even a FL representative on this post has said it has been a long standing source of "confusion."  Careful thought goes into a website design and they in more than one place tout "value if purchased separately" so I have a hard time swallowing this "misleading" layout as just an honest mistake when they clearly are trying to impress upon a customer that spending the money with FL is a phenomenal value.  And this pushed that value argument envelope too far.  But it was to their advantage to leave it that way for as long as they have.  

    I made what to me was a significant investment in Verbum 7 and a good many additional books over the last 10 months or so.  I'm happy with the product.  I don't wish to see them fail, so "click baiting" to destroy them is not what this was about as another accused me of.  I have a long wishlist saved on Logos.com (because for some odd reason that feature is a "thing" on Logos.com but it isn't a "thing" on Verbum.com.)  and I have every intention of getting quite a few more books.  I will support version 8 (because you can't stay put on 7 forever - eventually you're going to want a new Mac/PC and a required operating system will eventually not support 7) but I will pay the $76 for the Verbum 8 Base Feature Upgrade only and skip the $3 cheaper Verbum 8 Starter will all the IDENTICAL features to avoid these "value" books.  

  • Jesse Blevins
    Jesse Blevins Member Posts: 639 ✭✭

    [:D]

    Dan, I had the same experience as you. 

    I was going through and checking what it would cost me to upgrade from starter to bronze and my price was 13.00 and some change. 

    I thought that for that price that I would be getting the entire two volume commentary. 

    Had I purchased the next level to only learn that it is what you’re speaking of, I would have been upset also. 

    I have been scraping together every dollar that I can trying to purchase as much as I can while “the sales” are going on because the advertised “limited time “ savings. 

    Dan, your post kept me from that headache. 

    Dan, your post have always been helpful to me. FWIW- Dont leave Logos or stop postin. As the last few days have unfolded it has become apparent that there are more than a few things that Logos needs to work on in order to bring the program up to par. 

    The nice thing is that we know that they will and I’m truly loo forward to what’s coming next. 

  • Craig St. Clair (Faithlife)
    Craig St. Clair (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 165

    I'd like to bring this thread to a conclusion and recap:

    1) Displaying the collection value instead of the actual resource that is included in the library is a website error.  It is not and was not a marketing tactic intending to deceive our users.  The recent shift to the new website platform for verbum.com resulted in this element of the base package comparison chart to be display incorrectly.  As Glen mentioned, Logos.com is working as intended and is indicated in the screenshot below.  Please note that we are striving to communicate as clearly as possible that the resource that is contained in the library is a part of a larger collection and to emphasize the resource in question's actual value (as opposed to the higher collection value).  

    Below too is the other example Patrick cited.  Again below, the Logos.com site is displaying this collection and the individual resources the way we intend, with only the values of individual resources that are included in a library being displayed.

    2) Patrick's example of the New Collegeville Bible Commentary 2 volume designation also points out a processing conundrum that we encountered back in 2015 when we licensed this series of texts.  Deacon Steve gets much of this right in his post above and is correct in his assessment that we licensed this from Liturgical Press when they offered a single New Testament paperback volume and multiple Old Testament hardbound volumes.  After we moved forward on production, Liturgical Press began to offer the Old Testament volumes as a single paperback volume.  Also afterward, Lit Press offered a two-volume set of both Old and New Testament for $64.99.  This put us in an awkward spot for a number of years.  I am currently working to bring the price of our collection down to be on par with what Lit Press is selling the collection for.  I will post a separate thread in the Catholic forum about this once I have everything in place to be able to officially make the change.

    Again, my sincere apologies for this oversight in the Verbum 8 launch and the new verbum.com site roll-out.  There were a lot of moving pieces in both launches and this simply didn't get accounted for the way it should have.  We are in the process of aligning verbum.com with how logos.com is currently functioning.  I will do a separate post here in the Catholic forum in the coming days once we know more about when the website fix will be in place.

    Craig St. Clair | Verbum Product Manager |

  • David Paul
    David Paul Member Posts: 6,073 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    So why did I step in, when Faithlife is "on top of the issue"? Because you are a valued member of the forum community ... I enjoy reading your posts.

    Get in line, Patrick. [A]

    ASUS  ProArt x570s Creator, AMD R9 5950x, HyperX 64gb 3600 RAM, ASUS Strix RTX 2080 ti

    "The Unbelievable Work...believe it or not."  Little children...Biblical prophecy is not Christianity's friend.

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    I am currently working to bring the price of our collection down to be on par with what Lit Press is selling the collection for.  I will post a separate thread in the Catholic forum about this once I have everything in place to be able to officially make the change.

    Thank you, as I said for me a big part was not so much that FL had tried to deceive but after trying to rectify the omission in the collection getting a sense of bate and switch. Complete the collection and it is only going to cost 700% more than the Ebook edition. Compared to your NT volume which is 20% more than Ebook which is more than acceptable in my mind for the value of integration and enhancement. I still think it was easy to make the wrong assumption about the OT volume being part of what was being offered but it was not a deliberate act or even one that a carefully examine look would have left me with that idea. I was excited to get new resources and I did not pay as close of attention to this set as I did to the other 2 I chose. I think changing the product description before it was actually consolidated into 2 volumes was also less than wise considering  the confusion it has caused but I am very happy to know that actual changes are coming.

    -dan 

  • Friedrich
    Friedrich MVP Posts: 4,772

    Denise said:

    This morning, I selected Logos sales, much of which the 'sale' and the impressive percent off, was nothing more than I already owned it (dynamic pricing). I'm used to these Logos 'discounts'; no complaints.

    i myself really really hate this behavior.  To me, it is no sale at all.  I complain internally. [:D]  I just don't bother to take the time to complain to Logos. 

    I like Apples.  Especially Honeycrisp.

  • Thaddeus Billman
    Thaddeus Billman Member Posts: 58 ✭✭

    I will support version 8 (because you can't stay put on 7 forever - eventually you're going to want a new Mac/PC and a required operating system will eventually not support 7) but I will pay the $76 for the Verbum 8 Base Feature Upgrade only and skip the $3 cheaper Verbum 8 Starter will all the IDENTICAL features to avoid these "value" books.  

    The reason the books+features version is cheaper is that price reflects a first upgrade purchase of 25% off.  That offer is not available on the features only packages.