ZX81 Kits (was:cctalk digest, Vol 1 #633)

From: Hans Franke <Hans.Franke_at_mch20.sbs.de>
Date: Tue Jun 10 12:31:01 2003

> > May I suggest that you check Zebra's web site? Mr.
> > Newfeld has these kits priced at *$99.95*

> > A few years back he was listing them at $29.95. I
> > bought a couple, and so
> > did some friends. He immediately raised the price
> > to $39.95, then $49.95, and
> > finally the ridiculous price of $99.95. He's been
> > sitting on these damn kits
> > since the early eighties, and the only explanation
> > for the price increase is
> > plain and simple greed.

> Could be...

> Being he is the last source of them.

I wouldn't be that sure.

> Don't buy one, if you don't want one...

Right.

> Knowing how much money Stewart lost in the Timex
> Market when Timex quit, and in the Coco Market for
> products we developed and then couldn't release (for
> both platforms)...

> I wouldn't call it greed. He could easily dumpster the
> remaining kits and make MUCH more money doing other
> things.

> I guess you don't know Stewarts history as I do, so
> you call it "greed".

> Remember ORCH-80? It was a rip-off of Stewarts MUCH
> BETTER Music Box. He got stuck with THOUSANDS of
> Dollars of product that became unsellable, since the
> Orch-80 was so much cheaper (a less sophisticated
> design, and the sound wasn't at nice...), that it sold
> BELOW the Music Boxes cost, AND with one SuperZap to
> the Music Box Software, could use all the MB songs.

> Not to mention all the S-100 Product he got stuck
> with, AND the companion pieces, the Rhythym Box, which
> now wouldn't sell because he wasn't selling Music
> Boxes.....
>
> I could tell you stories.

Go ahead, seams to be quite relevant history!

> Stewart isn't quite greedy... But, definitely
> interested in making a living, as we all are. No?

Jup, and understandable. I still have a hard time
to get a complete picture here. I tried several times
to order a bunch of ZX81s from him, back when he
asked 29.95, and when the price rose to 49.95. I
never got any reply. I tried eMail and since this
didn't work Fax and finaly a real letter.

And I wanted to buy more than just one little Kit.

Now, I have a hard time to see any business minded
structure (and the whish to earn money) in ignoring
potential customers at all.

Gruss
H.



--
VCF Europa 5.0 am 01./02. Mai 2004 in Muenchen
http://www.vcfe.org/
Received on Tue Jun 10 2003 - 12:31:01 BST

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