Free Updated Edition: Church Leadership and Strategy

Today I received an email from Lexham Press about a free update to "Church Leadership and Strategy, For the Care of Souls by Harold L. Senkbeil and Lucas V. Woodford (Harold L. Senkbeil and Lucas V. Woodford, Church Leadership and Strategy: For the Care of Souls, vol. 1, Lexham Ministry Guides (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019)

They wrote to me and said:

We've come out with a new edition of Church Leadership and Strategy: For the Care of Souls, now called Pastoral Leadership: For the Care of Souls, available in Logos as part of our Lexham Ministry Guides series. Because you own the first edition of this product, you can get this new edition for free in digital form for a limited time.

To redeem your free copy of this new edition, simply add the Logos edition of the Pastoral Leadership: For the Care of Souls to your cart and the discount will be applied automatically. This offer expires on September 30, 2021.

This is one of the great things about digital media and Faithlife producing its own title through Lexham Press. In the past when Zondervan for example released updates/new editions to "Basics of Biblical Greek" I would go out and purchase (often at full price) a copy of the new edition. Sometimes editions would have only minor changes but when I value the work I was happy to support the author/publisher by purchasing the new edition.

However, I was not able to take advantage of the "free" update as today I also received notification from Faithlife that said:

This is to inform you that your recent pre-order of Pastoral Leadership: For the Care of Souls (Logos Edition) is now ready to be downloaded. Your credit card has been charged. Please print a copy of this invoice for your records.

So my question is what would others do in this situation? Is it right to ask for a credit for a title I could have received for free if I had not pre-ordered? Does one just accept this as one of the risks of preordering a title? I would be interested to know what others think.

Please note I am not asking what it is that Faithlife should/would do in this situation (I think I know the answer). I'm asking what others as a consumer would do.

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Comments

Brad

Hello Michael, that may just be a standard template. Have you checked to see if "your credit card has been charged" $0.00? If they actually charged you for the new edition, I'm confident that Customer Service will make it right if you contact them.

Michael Hunt

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1176022#Comment_1176022

Yes, it was charged (see snippet below and confirmed with my financial provider).

Downloadable product: Pastoral Leadership: For the Care of Souls (Logos Edition) (SKU: 303295)
Pre-order price: $12.99
Sales Tax: $0.00
Today's Total: $12.99

</end snipppet>

I am confident that Customer Services would "make it right". I was just asking the question of should I be asking them to?

Preorders I believe are designed to give Faithlife confidence regarding demand and the possibility of a pathway to profitability in producing said titles. New editions in hard copy format don't come as free upgrades regardless of changes. But they also made the offer of a free upgrade which I can't take up because of my preorder.

As you can see I am torn as to what "I" should do.

Simon’s Brother

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1176024#Comment_1176024

I had not pre-ordered and did not get the email notification but was just able to get the free update since you brought it to my attention. I understand the difficulty of your decision as to what to do. i do not believe there is a morally right or wrong choice in these situation. The best advice I can offer is along the lines of what the Apostle Paul talks about in Romans - let your conscience guide you. Also to do this prayerfully.

As you can see I am torn as to what "I" should do.

Mike Binks

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1176024#Comment_1176024

As you can see I am torn as to what "I" should do.

Abdicate! Ask Customer Services what the right course of action is.

Martin Hall

Personally, if I had made the purchase with the understanding that the download was going to be free, and that was what was communicated in the email you received, I would reach out to customer service and let them know. I wasn't aware of the new edition of the resource and it showed free for me, so I ordered & downloaded it. If I had been charged, I certainly would reach out to Customer Service and make them aware. I know that FL would not want to acquire any sales via a bait & switch marketing method. I also know that FL is very good about making the customer feel valued and making things right. Remember, you do have the 30-day return option, or they may offer credit, I don't know. What I am sure of is that they would not want to make a sale on a false presumption.

SineNomine

It seems very clear from the email you provided that it is not Faithlife's intention to charge people who bought the first edition for the second one.

Michael Hunt

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1176073#Comment_1176073

Thank you for your feedback. Below is what I wrote to customer service. If I can I will let you know the outcome.

----

Dear Customer Service Team,

Thank you for the receipt of my pre-order of Pastoral Leadership: For the Care of Souls (Logos Edition).

I have very much enjoyed reading Harold L. Senkbeil's work "The Care of Souls" since I purchased it a few years ago alongside the "Church Leadership and Strategy: For the Care of Souls" companion volume. It has been a helpful resource for myself and others who are engaged in and train others in vocational ministry.

When I heard that you were releasing new Lexham Ministry companion guides to go with "The Care of Souls" I quickly pre-ordered the whole set (ie Pastoral Leadership, Stewardship, Funerals).

Yesterday I received notification via email about my pre-orders being available to download. Alongside these notifications were receipts for each of my purchases showing the charges you made to my credit card on file. However, at the same time as I also received a separate email entitled "Free Updated Edition: Church Leadership and Strategy from you. In it, you said "We've come out with a new edition of Church Leadership and Strategy: For the Care of Souls, now called Pastoral Leadership: For the Care of Souls, available in Logos as part of our Lexham Ministry Guides series. Because you own the first edition of this product, you can get this new edition for free in digital form for a limited time."

This has left me in a bit of a quandary which I documented on the Logos community forums here (https://community.logos.com/forums/t/202272.aspx). I understand that preorders help you gauge interest / the viability of bringing a particular title to market. However, someone who preordered "Pastoral Leadership" would not have been aware that this title was essentially a minor? update to one that they already owned (something I suspect that lies behind you making it available for free for a limited time to existing owners).

On the one hand, I entered into a paid contract with you when I preorder the title. On the other hand, I was charged for a title that you then offered to me and others for free.

It was suggested to me that I abdicate to you the right course of action. I think this is helpful because I don't consider you to have done anything morally wrong by me here. However, if I was asked what might be a helpful way to "make it right", then maybe considering applying a credit to my account for the said title would equate to a win-win for both of us.

Regards,

Michael Hunt

Simon’s Brother

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1176106#Comment_1176106

Thank you for your feedback. Below is what I wrote to customer service. If I can I will let you know the outcome.

Well written Michael. I hope it all works out well for you and FL.

Michael Hunt

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1176107#Comment_1176107

Can confirm that FL has made good by processing a refund for the title. I have subsequently been able to add the title at no cost to my library using the link I was sent earlier.

Mike Binks

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1176191#Comment_1176191

I am pleased, but not surprised, that things worked out to your satisfaction Michael.

Logos tend not to have customers with 'buyer's remorse' although they do have a few with 'too lazy to do anything about it remorse'.

It is great to deal with this company.

Michael Hunt

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1176210#Comment_1176210

I found there response to be swift and accommodating to my request. And like you Mike I was pleased but not surprised.

As I mentioned earlier my quandary was over the preorder arrangements and weather it was appropriate to ask. I have only preordered a handful of titles over the years and didn't consider the possibility that the title was simply an updated edition.