Is calling sales and getting a better price a legend.......... like bigfoot :)

I have heard on the forums (and from a sales rep) that if you call in you may be able to get a better price.... I have called in 3 different times (different resources, months apart) and no deal on the resources.....

I am not "complaining" but wondering if a "deal" is as common as I first thought.....

Twice I got same line verbatim from the same fellow (month apart) "That's the lowest it will go, if anything it will go up".....

Personally if no deal is offered I will buy from the site every time........

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BillS

I am ... wondering if a "deal" is as common as I first thought.....

Hi Mike,

In my observation over many years, the answer is that the best deal is always via phone call. The best deal may be the same as what's already offered (for example on a sale price; for a 3rd party resource that Logos is able to sell; or, for a Consumer Pricing or Prepub offering). But they may at times be able to do better than the current advertised list price on a Logos developed resource or base package. Availability of a better offer seems to depend on many things... an internal sales drive we don't know about? the chance to help a quarterly result? Phase of the moon--March madness? Or the desire to do something nice every once in awhile (they're VERY nice people; you'll never do worse talking to them).

The only way you'll ever know if you could've done better is to talk to someone. It's worth saying again: you'll never do worse.

Floyd Johnson

I have heard on the forums (and from a sales rep) that if you call in you may be able to get a better price.... I have called in 3 different times (different resources, months apart) and no deal on the resources.....

I am not "complaining" but wondering if a "deal" is as common as I first thought.....

Twice I got same line verbatim from the same fellow (month apart) "That's the lowest it will go, if anything it will go up".....

Personally if no deal is offered I will buy from the site every time........

Mike --

I have to report that over several years, my experience has been the same as yours. Only once did I get a better price on items than was currently being advertised. That happened after I made a comment on the Forums (or the earlier newsgroups) and a representative from LOGOS called me and offered a better price. Only happened once - but it convinced me of LOGOS' sincerity.

Mark Barnes

I think it depends on a number of factors, of which the most important (I think) is who has published the material (i.e. is Logos authorised by the publisher to offer a discount). I think you're fairly certain to get a discount if you ask for it and:

the product was recently on sale, but that sale's now expired
if it's a collection and you already own some resources in the collection
if there's a discount code for that product in a direct mail or Facebook campaign that you don't know about

Because I qualify for academic discounts, I no longer have experience of exactly the situation now, however.

Rick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225635#Comment_225635

(i.e. is Logos authorised by the publisher to offer a discount).

From what I understand, I believe that Zondervan and a couple of other publishers will not allow the sales team to offer any further discounts.

Mike S.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225637#Comment_225637

My experience is the same with Zondervan in particular.

Ronald Quick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225637#Comment_225637

I call frequently and get a better price. Sometimes it's only a few dollars difference and other times it is substantial.

Jonathan Watson

My understanding is that Logos may have done away with the days of getting a better price via the phone, for the most part. The goal I believe is to be able to offer amazing prices to everyone, not just those who "know the secret" of calling in.

Eric Weiss

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225649#Comment_225649

My understanding is that Logos may have done away with the days of getting a better price via the phone, for the most part. The goal I believe is to be able to offer amazing prices to everyone, not just those who "know the secret" of calling in.

Well, that would be the "Christian" thing to do, IMO. [:D]

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225649#Comment_225649

My understanding is that Logos may have done away with the days of getting a better price via the phone, for the most part. The goal I believe is to be able to offer amazing prices to everyone, not just those who "know the secret" of calling in.

I think you are spot-on correct. I believe the Logos Powers-That-Be have revamped the Sales Department. There seems to now be one mission for the Sales team: "Serve the Customer" In the old days it seemed more like the "whip-sawing" model where the sales reps were in a race to not finish last for the month.

I would guess the sales reps have been given pricing floors they can not go below. I would like to think they still have leeway to sweeten the deals for long-time customers or big ticket purchases. I am still waiting for that irresistible offer on the International Critical Commentary (53 vols.) They have already hooked me for all the other big stuff.

Rick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225656#Comment_225656

I think you are spot-on correct.

In a way I hope this is the case because I hate to know that someone else gets a better deal because they are better talker than I am. Kind of like buying a car here in the U.S.

On the other hand though, I am in no way a power user of Logos and even though it is my preferred study software, if a salesperson at another company can give me a much better deal on a resource or collection, my money will go to them. I understand that many will pay for resources in Logos even if it is a higher price because they prefer certain things such as formatting, but I think that there may be a lot more people who are more simply "casual" users like myself who use at least two programs and will try to save a few dollars by going with a cheaper price. Is it better for me to do it this way? I think so. For a scholar, minister or seminary student of original languages? Probably not.

It is a tough predicament for me because I like it both business plans [:(]

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225661#Comment_225661

I typically do my orders in large chunks (30 or more items at a time, over $1000 at a time), and I do them by email to my sales rep, and I usually get better prices on about half of the items than what's offered on the web; usually it's not that much, maybe 2-5%, but sometimes it's more. Overall, though, my strategy has obviously not been the best. You can see from the thread that someone started (How much did you pay?) that I've paid an average of $7.74 per title. Others have done substantially better by buying predominantly through the bulk sales (like this past Christmas sale where everything was an average of $1 per volume) and such.

Mark Barnes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225661#Comment_225661

In a way I hope this is the case because I hate to know that someone else gets a better deal because they are better talker than I am. Kind of like buying a car here in the U.S.

I don't think it's ever worked like that. I've never every found a deal get better as I've 'persuaded' a sales rep to give me a price - though I have tried a few times when I've got a very fixed budget! I've found that if you ask for a discount, you may/may not get one, but it will be the same discount offered at the beginning of the conversation than at the end (unless you also make additional purchases, as Rosie describes).

I understand that many will pay for resources in Logos even if it is a higher price because they prefer certain things such as formatting, but I think that there may be a lot more people who are more simply "casual" users like myself who use at least two programs and will try to save a few dollars by going with a cheaper price. Is it better for me to do it this way? I think so.

I think this depends on how you use your software. If pretty much all you do is read the books, then this strategy is obviously best, and you'll end up with lots of cheap Kindle volumes - or, if you want Bible References linked, you'll end up with Accordance or some other software where that's cheapest, and Logos where Logos is cheaper.

But for me the advantages of an electronic library are much more than easy access to resources. Until there's a way to search across multiple software platforms (which I'm sure there never will be!), I can't see myself buying modules for other packages. (And the fact thay have have a no-longer-used PC Study Bible and Pradis box on my shelf, and that in 2009 I sold my copy of Bibleworks, backs that up!)

Jack Caviness

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225743#Comment_225743

if you want Bible References linked, you'll end up with Accordance or some other software where that's cheapest, and Logos where Logos is cheaper.

I have followed that pattern in the past, but I am no longer convinced that it is the best way to go. There is some advantage to having all the resources I want to consult in one place.

Michael Anda

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225743#Comment_225743

Does anyone know if one's sales rep receives credit for one's online purchases?

Mike Tourangeau

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225805#Comment_225805

Does anyone know if one's sales rep receives credit for one's online purchases?

The fellow I spoke with told me they are "commision based" so if I do decide to purchase the set to call him..... although I am not sure where the incentive is for me to call, wait on hold for the same price as the comfort of my desk and click of the mouse? Speaking strictly in a business sense of course....

This is why I buy online if they don't give a "deal"..... if I find a rep who will work with me and one whom I trust is telling me the truth (not the same stock answer) I will buy everything through him/her even if its the same price as online. To me that is the purpose of a sales team.... to establish relationships based on trust not commission.

Jonathan Watson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225805#Comment_225805

My understanding is that they do not receive credit for online purchases; also, I believe they are no longer commission-based sales, but rather on a bonus structure.

The benefit of contacting a sales rep has to do with the fact that they know Logos products really well, as well as an intimate knowledge of the sales that are happening, and sometimes even the ones that may happen in the future.

Juanita

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225809#Comment_225809

if I find a rep who will work with me and one whom I trust is telling me the truth (not the same stock answer) I will buy everything through him/her even if its the same price as online. To me that is the purpose of a sales team.... to establish relationships based on trust not commission.

Yes, I agree and I found a sales man who I have established a good working relationship with and now, whenever I want to sign up for any pre-pub, I just send him an email and he does the work on his end. On occasions, with already published sets, he has given me great discounts. There is no hard sell with him. He's friendly, courteous, professional and makes dealing with him very positive in every way.

Joe

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225637#Comment_225637

(i.e. is Logos authorised by the publisher to offer a discount).

From what I understand, I believe that Zondervan and a couple of other publishers will not allow the sales team to offer any further discounts.

So what other publishers aren't offering any further discounts?

Rick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225852#Comment_225852

So what other publishers aren't offering any further discounts?

I would be a little scared to actually name any others besides Zondervan because these things change. The last two purchases that I have made from non-Zondervan publishers, I did not get a discount at all, so this thread is starting to clue me in to as why.

Joe

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225620#Comment_225620

I am ... wondering if a "deal" is as common as I first thought.....

Hi Mike,

In my observation over many years, the answer is that the best deal is always via phone call. The best deal may be the same as what's already offered (for example on a sale price; for a 3rd party resource that Logos is able to sell; or, for a Consumer Pricing or Prepub offering). But they may at times be able to do better than the current advertised list price on a Logos developed resource or base package. Availability of a better offer seems to depend on many things... an internal sales drive we don't know about? the chance to help a quarterly result? Phase of the moon--March madness? Or the desire to do something nice every once in awhile (they're VERY nice people; you'll never do worse talking to them).

The only way you'll ever know if you could've done better is to talk to someone. It's worth saying again: you'll never do worse.

I'm looking forward to March Madness sales. Anyone know when that's going to start?

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225852#Comment_225852

So what other publishers aren't offering any further discounts?

I don't know about discounts after publication but I know Baker Academic titles are listed at "retail sales price" in the Pre-Pub program and never increase upon publication. Before you start feeling negative vibes toward Baker Academic take a look at their retail prices. They are setting those prices MUCH LOWER than all other academic publishers. I can live with that program. It just does not compel me to Pre-Order a title unless I urgently want it.

I haven't tried this yet but I don't expect a salesman can get me a further discount on:

The Northwestern Publishing House Electronic Library: Collection One (100 vols.)

(it is already 75% off!):

When I get the money together for it, I'll give Dave Kaplan a call and see.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225937#Comment_225937

It just does not compel me to Pre-Order a title unless I urgently want it.

My motivation for pre-ordering even when there's no discount is to encourage Logos to actually bring that title into production. I sometimes pre-order on Amazon.com even though they never give any discount for doing so. However the only time I do that (instead of putting the book on my wishlist) is when I'm absolutely certain I won't change my mind about wanting the book. For example, if it's one by a friend of mine on a topic of interest to me, there's no way I would not want to buy it once it comes out. Not that that happens very often...but I did pre-order this book written by a seminary friend of mine: http://amzn.com/080286449X [:)]

Joe

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/225637#Comment_225637

You know, I just added up the Zondervan Budle (for $2025) of all the individual volumes and they added up to the same price!

http://www.logos.com/product/5656/zondervan-bible-reference-bundle

In other words, you're buying a bundle with no added discount. You just get books you probably might not otherwise buy.

[:S]