Zondervan sale isn't much of a sale

Let me be the first to complain that a five percent discount doesn't warrant a month of hype. Besides the great price of the Word Biblical commentary I don't understand why it is necessary to promise an exciting sale and then basically not put it on sale.

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Mike Childs

Let me be the first to complain that a five percent discount doesn't warrant a month of hype.

Of course, any discount is better than no discount. However, I totally agree with you. Nothing exciting about this at all.

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760003#Comment_760003

Let me be the first to complain that a five percent discount doesn't warrant a month of hype.

Of course, any discount is better than no discount. However, I totally agree with you. Nothing exciting about this at all.

Hear Hear!

Mark Barnes

I agree that 5% isn't worth shouting about. For many people, however, it's the dynamic pricing that is the most attractive part of this 'sale'.

Don Awalt

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760005#Comment_760005

Dynamic pricing is no bargain unless you really want the books! I have bought a lot of Zondervan over the years, so I had all but 11 books - and none of those were commentaries or academic tomes. Yet my dynamic price was $304! No thanks.

Danny Parker

There are a few exciting pieces. The Judges volume is discounted to $9.99. That is a really good deal and one I had been refusing to pay $40 for. Unfortunately the new Joshua volumes are not available separately. Those were the three Word volumes that I wanted - one out three is not bad for Zondervan. The upgraded volumes (besides Joshua) are also cheap, if you wanted upgraded volumes. But at the end of the day, I was hoping for more as well. But I'll take the one bargain to the bank. Besides, I am right at my yearly book budget with three months to go. [:#]

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760005#Comment_760005

I agree that 5% isn't worth shouting about.

Agreed. It actually was rather disappointing.

For many people, however, it's the dynamic pricing that is the most attractive part of this 'sale'.

Yes.

ChelseaFC

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760003#Comment_760003

Let me be the first to complain that a five percent discount doesn't warrant a month of hype.

Of course, any discount is better than no discount. However, I totally agree with you. Nothing exciting about this at all.

It's sad to say, but I agree with you both!!!

Doc B

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760022#Comment_760022

Reminds me of an old quote from a random worker in the Soviet Union: "As long as they pretend to pay us, we will pretend to work."

As long as sheeple keep overpaying for resources, they'll keep overcharging for them.

Zondervan is one of the worst, or at least, has historically been one of the worst. There are badder apples, but most of them are strictly academic title publishers. I don't blame FL on this one. If I knew how to put a vertical line through the Z to make it look like a dollar-sign-doppelganger, I would. It would be poetic justice. (Maybe I should just write, "$ondervan".)

I usually don't have a problem finding a similar resource from another publisher, and so stay (for the most part) away from Zondervan. I refuse to reward that kind of behavior.

SteveHD

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760033#Comment_760033

I had set aside some funds for this. Now I get to spend them elsewhere. Then again I always tend to see the cup half full.

Rick

Let me be the first to complain that a five percent discount doesn't warrant a month of hype.

Agreed. Logos sales have become less and less appealing over the last few years. I remember when they were exciting to look forward to. Now, when I see an advertisement for an upcoming sale, I don't get anxious at all. The only sale lately that I thought was a good deal for the customer was the NIVAC and it wasn't even advertised, as if it was a secret, until someone who stumbled across the sale prices posted it in the forums. [:S]

Matthew

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760042#Comment_760042

I will add my $0.02 worth. Besides possibly an odd WBC volume or two, I will be observing the passover on this sale. I was going to pick up several titles if the discount was deep enough, but 5% is nowhere near enough to get me excited.

Ted Weis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760017#Comment_760017

Besides, I am right at my yearly book budget with three months to go.

Ha, ha, how did you know my circumstance?

Levi Durfey

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760022#Comment_760022

I agree that 5% isn't worth shouting about.

Agreed. It actually was rather disappointing.

For many people, however, it's the dynamic pricing that is the most attractive part of this 'sale'.

Yes.

That's where I came down also. I was scanning through the books and kept seeing "5%" and just starting laughing. Good grief.

The dynamic pricing is a good thing, but unfortunately, the collections are still way too expensive for me.

Ted Weis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760054#Comment_760054

I will add my $0.02 worth. Besides possibly an odd WBC volume or two, I will be observing the passover on this sale. I was going to pick up several titles if the discount was deep enough, but 5% is nowhere near enough to get me excited.

Hate to say this, but by adding your $0.02, you have reduced the percentage of savings by another percent. [;)]

John Fidel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760042#Comment_760042

. The only sale lately that I thought was a good deal for the customer was the NIVAC and it wasn't even advertised, as if it was a secret, until someone who stumbled across the sale prices posted it in the forums.

Just curious why NIVAC at 9.99 per volume is a good deal, but WBC at the same price isn't? WBC is more highly rated by many of the commentary review websites including www.bestcommentaries.com

It is a good opportunity to add volumes that may not be in one's current collection or to add those that are highly rated. I added Job, but did not add the revised or second edition volumes. At 9.99 I still may, but probably not.

Ted Weis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760033#Comment_760033

Zondervan is one of the worst, or at least, has historically been one of the worst.

And yet, for teachers who receive Z's academic catalog, you know that Z probably has one the most generous "exam copy" policies, that is, free.

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760054#Comment_760054

Until Faithlife gets their act together I will not participate in "sales."

A Faithlife employee said the sale price on the Zondervan-Nelson Bundle Sale would remain static through September. He was woefully misinformed. I was going to buy the mega combo bundle. Purchase cancelled.

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760005#Comment_760005

I agree that 5% isn't worth shouting about. For many people, however, it's the dynamic pricing that is the most attractive part of this 'sale'.

I wish I could get excited about either. I picked up two WBC volumes I wanted. That will be all.

I don't really care personally as I picked up most of the Z stuff back when they first started publishing in Logos at some very good prices, and have purchased a few more titles released since that time. I was hoping that those who have started on Logos since that introductory sale would get some good prices. 5% discount isn't a good price. I doubt too many will be tempted.

As for the Nelson stuff, when you could get it for $0.20 on the dollar (or less) it might have been worth it. The prices now are ridiculous.

abondservant

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760083#Comment_760083

I won't point out that searching across a popular vendors website (which starts with A, and offers a digital device with a name reminiscent of a type of thin wood used to start fires) one might find a number of Thomas Nelson Libronix titles still available for sale for pennies on the dollar, and others that are of more value for sale ~80% cheaper.

The MacArthur bundle for instance (interesting to me since you can't buy many of his commentaries in Logos any more) in both its 1.0 and 2.0 iterations can both be had (At this moment) for less than 100$ together, the normal price is 529$ (not sure the sale price).

The Jimmy Swagert collection (one I'm not really interested in) costs the same as ONE jimmy swaggert title from logos directly. I'm sure there are other deals, and maybe some better deals....

Geo Philips

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760067#Comment_760067

I dont think NIVAC is on sale as individual volumes

. The only sale lately that I thought was a good deal for the customer was the NIVAC and it wasn't even advertised, as if it was a secret, until someone who stumbled across the sale prices posted it in the forums.

Just curious why NIVAC at 9.99 per volume is a good deal, but WBC at the same price isn't? WBC is more highly rated by many of the commentary review websites including www.bestcommentaries.com

It is a good opportunity to add volumes that may not be in one's current collection or to add those that are highly rated. I added Job, but did not add the revised or second edition volumes. At 9.99 I still may, but probably not.

Rick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760067#Comment_760067

Just curious why NIVAC at 9.99 per volume is a good deal, but WBC at the same price isn't? WBC is more highly rated by many of the commentary review websites including www.bestcommentaries.com

My comments were in reference to the overall sale.

The overall sale is very weak in savings. Simply put, it is very disappointing. This sale had a couple weeks of hype and, once again, a let down.

Also, the sale page only mentions that you can save $35 on the entire set (not much of a sale considering the price). It conceals the fact that if you buy the volumes individually, you will probably come out ahead (I haven't bothered looking at each individual volume and doing the math). I don't know why Faithlife would not tell its customers this or at least discount the set to a more equal price as the individual volumes would be.

The unadvertised NIVAC sale was a stand alone sale and had very good overall savings.

Rick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760093#Comment_760093

I dont think NIVAC is on sale as individual volumes

They have been individually on sale in the recent past and that is what I was referencing. I'm pretty sure that John was asking me why I thought that deal was good but not the WBC. [:)]

Glenn Airoldi (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760017#Comment_760017

Unfortunately the new Joshua volumes are not available separately. Those were the three Word volumes that I wanted - one out three is not bad for Zondervan.

We've just finished making the Second Edition Joshua and 2 Corinthians volumes available for purchase individually at the sale prices.

Matthew

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760115#Comment_760115

Glenn (or anyone else, for that matter), can you comment on whether the 10% back in Logos credit is for individual volumes of WBC or whether it is only for those who buy the entire 62 volume set? 10% credit on the 62 volume set is almost completely nullified for me due to the simple fact that it costs more to buy the whole set than to individually buy the volumes I still need.

Brandon Rappuhn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760123#Comment_760123

Glenn (or anyone else, for that matter), can you comment on whether the 10% back in Logos credit is for individual volumes of WBC or whether it is only for those who buy the entire 62 volume set? 10% credit on the 62 volume set is almost completely nullified for me due to the simple fact that it costs more to buy the whole set than to individually buy the volumes I still need.

The credit is for exactly the purpose you mentioned--for customers who buy the 62 volume set, which, as you noted, was more than the individual titles combined. That way, customers who go all the way with the 62 volume set still get a great deal.

Unfortunately the new Joshua volumes are not available separately. Those were the three Word volumes that I wanted - one out three is not bad for Zondervan.

We've just finished making the Second Edition Joshua and 2 Corinthians volumes available for purchase individually at the sale prices.

As Glenn has mentioned, here are the volumes on Joshua and 2nd Corinthians:

https://www.logos.com/product/54546/word-biblical-commentary-volume-40-2-corinthians

https://www.logos.com/product/54541/word-biblical-commentary-volume-7a-joshua-1-12

https://www.logos.com/product/54545/word-biblical-commentary-volume-7b-joshua-13-24

Ron

I just purchased 8 vols of WBC for $6 less than the price I was given for dynamic pricing.

Jack Caviness

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760128#Comment_760128

I just purchased 8 vols of WBC for $6 less than the price I was given for dynamic pricing.

Interesting. Ignoring the updated volumes—which are by the same authors—I purchased the one volume I was missing. My so-called Dynamic Price then went from $42 to $126.

FL needs to get its act together. Now that the practical joke is over, show us the sale that rated all this hype. I love Logos the product—Have even been called a fanboy more than once—but FL marketing is heavy on over promise; under deliver. Can't say that I am disappointed because I have been conditioned to expect nothing better from Logos sales.

Doc B

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760069#Comment_760069

Zondervan is one of the worst, or at least, has historically been one of the worst.

And yet, for teachers who receive Z's academic catalog, you know that Z probably has one the most generous "exam copy" policies, that is, free.

You might want to look closer, then, at what your students are paying. Those free copies aren't free.

In my experience, academic publishers with liberal exam copy policies charge much more for equivalent texts.

And if you don't think textbook prices are a problem, absorb this-

Martin Folley

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760135#Comment_760135

I put the abc 62 vols into the cart an hour ago ... About $39 for four volumes ... It is now in my cart for $62 ... What is happening?

Erik

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760144#Comment_760144

I put the abc 62 vols into the cart an hour ago ... About $39 for four volumes ... It is now in my cart for $62 ... What is happening?

For me the price was $30.21 and has gone up to $117.09. That is for three vols.; it definitely doesn't make sense if yours is $62 for four vols. It's definitely broken

Gerald

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760135#Comment_760135

Did I read some where that the WBC was going to double in price after the sale?

I currently have a payment plan that I want to quickly pay off. Several times over the past few months I have received emails from different FL sales people offering to extend my plan with resources in my wish list. Their pitch is that my monthly outlay will change little, but I can extend to 21 months. The WBC would fall in this type of situation if I wanted.

In your opinion, is this series worth the "jump" for a Sunday School Teacher? I currently have the Platinum Standard.

Tim Taylor

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760153#Comment_760153

Did I read some where that the WBC was going to double in price after the sale?

I spoke with a Logos sales representative on the phone a couple of weeks ago and he told me that this is true. He said that at the end of Sept., the WBC will double on the regular sale price.

Erik

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760155#Comment_760155

Did I read some where that the WBC was going to double in price after the sale?

I spoke with a Logos sales representative on the phone a couple of weeks ago and he told me that this is true. He said that at the end of Sept., the WBC will double on the regular sale price.

Doubling the price smells like opportunism by Zondervan; I really should have learned my lesson about Zondervan after Pradis.

BriM

Don't know what you're all complaining about. I saved a packet. [;)]

When I heard about the sale, I expected to be buying a number of the big ticket Zondervan items from my wish list.

Now, I've seen the prices, I just can't make them work.

If nothing tempts you to buy, that's 100% cash saved. [:)]

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760152#Comment_760152

It's definitely broken

No, it is the new way Faithlife runs a "sale" - keep raising prices.[N]

Wild Eagle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760144#Comment_760144

I put the abc 62 vols into the cart an hour ago ... About $39 for four volumes ... It is now in my cart for $62 ... What is happening?

Seems like there was an issue with dynamic pricing, it showed that you owned more books than you really owned.

see: https://community.logos.com/forums/p/114885/760010.aspx#760010 Now with corrected dynamic pricing your cost is more. I got lucky to purchase in the morning

Martin Folley

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760179#Comment_760179

Possibly ... But both sections showed four new resources each ... And in the time since my last post the price for those four volumes has gone up again, this time to $126 dollars ...

Earlier comparisons on to the NIVAC sale suggest a per volume hike from about $10 to $32 in the space of a couple of hours.

It was offered at a proper sale price,I accepted that offer, but the offer was amended by FL whilst it was in my basket (actually looking to see if there were any other items that were genuinely in a sale) ...

it it gets harder each year to recommend logos to anybody ... Too expensive unless you were in at the start ... Before l4.

Wild Eagle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760185#Comment_760185

Each individual volume cost $9.99 now. You cant beat that

https://www.logos.com/products/search?q=word+biblical+commentary&Resource+Type=Commentaries&Product+Type=WBC+Sale+2015

Martin Folley

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760197#Comment_760197

[Y]

Thank you ...

Glenn Airoldi (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760179#Comment_760179

Hi All,

Here's the explanation of pricing on the Word Biblical Commentary.

Individual volumes are priced at $9.99 each, on sale.

The 62 volume collection is priced at $664.95, on sale.

When you do the math, the collection is priced at $10.73 per volume, which is obviously more than the sum of the parts. That's why we're offering 10% of the dynamically priced collection back as Logos credit.

Your dynamic price = (the number of volumes you don't own) x ($10.725)

We made a change to the 62 volume collection this morning by removing the First Edition of Volume 40: 2 Corinthians, and replacing it with the Second Edition of Volume 40: 2 Corinthians.

Anyone who owned the First Edition would have seen their price go up if they did not already also own the Second Edition.

Anyone who owned the Second Edition would have seen their price go down.

Anyone who owned neither, would have seen their price remain the same.

This particular collection includes a single Logos library resource for each of the volumes. Everyone should now see that what's shown in the Individual Titles section "New to you", matches what's shown as new to you (indicated with a blue starburst) in the More Details about this resource section at the bottom of the page.

Yes, we have been informed that pricing on the WBC will be going up in October. The new price for the collection will be $1199.99. Individual volumes will likely be priced between $23.99 and $43.99 each.

Erik

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760208#Comment_760208

Thank you for these details. However, it doesn't explain why prices jumped from $32 to $117 for the 62 vol. set when I owned all but three of the resources. This morning when the prices was in the $30 range for me, the 2nd ed. of 2 Cor. was in the package.

I still think FL needs to look at its dynamic pricing on the 62 vol. set; the pricing according to your math would mean I am missing 10 resources and that is simply not the case. I've since purchased the three individual vols. and decided that the 10% credit isn't worth the hassle.

Michael G. Halpern

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760211#Comment_760211

This seems real strange:

Individual Titles

Show:
All

New to you

ResourcesValue if sold separately

			Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 18B: Job 38–42	$9.99
			Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 40: 2 Corinthians (Second Edition)	$9.99
			Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 7A: Joshua 1–12 (Second Edition)	$9.99
			Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 7b: Joshua 13–24 (Second Edition)	$9.99
			Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 8: Judges	$9.99

= $50

Word Biblical Commentary (WBC) (62 vols.)

by 48 authors

•
Thomas Nelson, Zondervan 1989–2014

Runs on Windows, Mac and mobile.

Pay Monthly

Pay in Full

Dynamic Sale Price

$135.66
81%OFF!

Reg.: ~~$699.95~~

How do they come up with an $85 difference (in FLs favor)?

Glenn Airoldi (Faithlife)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760211#Comment_760211

Thanks Erik,

We found what has caused this and are fixing now. Appreciate the detail.

Aaron W

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760239#Comment_760239

5 percent?

I had to do a double take. I thought it might be April 1, not September 1. But nope. The discount does appear to be serious, not just a bad joke.

Ted Weis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760135#Comment_760135

You might want to look closer, then, at what your students are paying. Those free copies aren't free.

In my experience, academic publishers with liberal exam copy policies charge much more for equivalent texts.

No doubt, students cringe at textbook prices. However, when you compare Zondervan to Baker (two of the biggest theological suppliers), an Old or New Testament introduction runs about $40. That's relatively cheap compared to other big education publishers.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760086#Comment_760086

Get Jon Courson's essential library for $25 rather than the collection (same content minus devotional) for $85...that must be a nice glitch for some of us Thank you!

DAL

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760287#Comment_760287

Get Jon Courson's essential library for $25 rather than the collection (same content minus devotional) for $85...that must be a nice glitch for some of us Thank you!

DAL

Exactly. In a similar vein, during the back to school sale, i could get my two remaining OT volumes of the IVP "Black" Dictionaries for ca. 67 dollars--if I bought the "whole" set, many of which I already owned, but if I bought the two volume set (same exact books) it was 89.99 or something. Alas, I waited too long and that deal is gone. but it pays to look around.

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760170#Comment_760170

Did I read some where that the WBC was going to double in price after the sale?

I spoke with a Logos sales representative on the phone a couple of weeks ago and he told me that this is true. He said that at the end of Sept., the WBC will double on the regular sale price.

Doubling the price smells like opportunism by Zondervan; I really should have learned my lesson about Zondervan after Pradis.

I really blame Zondervan. I, too, have Pradis. I still limp along with that, having invested in MUCH and could not transfer that to Logos--too expensive, let alone that I already "owned" it. Anyway, while I am disappointed in the hype not matching reality, I still blame Z way more than Logos marketing. Z should be ashamed of themselves. (Listen to me, the all-knowing potentate! [:D][:O][:P])

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760324#Comment_760324

Anyway, while I am disappointed in the hype not matching reality, I still blame Z way more than Logos marketing.

I blame Z for being stingy with a measly 5% discount. But I blame Faithlife Marketing for the worst roll-out of a sale in the company's history. By September 1 9am we had already seen 5 price increases and one decrease.

Cynthia Tucker

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/760337#Comment_760337

I agree that 5% isn't much, but I spent a lot of time researching before the sale, and based on the discount on the large packages, I already knew the discount would be 5%; therefore I wasn't disappointed. I found that the largest packages weren't that useful to me, -- too much repetition with old and new editions, etc., so I spent a good 4 or 5 hours picking and choosing assorted smaller packages. And 5% of several packages still gave me a nice discount. I'm pleased with what I came up with. I returned the Collector's Edition that I had just purchased and got about $3500 worth of Zondervan/Nelson products that I really wanted. I shall have fun doing some reading over the next several months!