Vanished Australia Topic

[zerodB]

October - that's so stupid. It's a long time to wait - especially since those units are available in Japan/Europe and the States now. I wonder what Sony management in this country are thinking...

[Zathura]

I wonder what Sony management in this country are thinking...

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To get rid of the current models. There is a LOT of stock. I hope people dont bitch too much... its lucky we get them at all.

[atrain]

Z is there any indication of pricing? if they come down in proportion to the overseas prices i'll applaude & pull out my wallet. if they continue with a similar price scheme i'll be less than impressed for sure. all prices relative to australian markets, direct comparisons to US prices are, as discussed earlier, silly in our market.

[MZ-NH1]

Z is there any indication of pricing? if they come down in proportion to the overseas prices i'll applaude & pull out my wallet. if they continue with a similar price scheme i'll be less than impressed for sure. all prices relative to australian markets, direct comparisons to US prices are, as discussed earlier, silly in our market.

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I couldn't agree more!

Paying $800 for an MD unit is just outta this world I think...

And that is why no-one buys them for that much!

$400 and you can get 15GB iPOD... but for $800... you can get a MD, that only plays 1GB at a time... doesn't make too much sense... I know MD's can record and all of that stuff... but still that much of a price difference..

iPOD shuffle 1GB - $230... basically everything a MD is, BUT WITH mp3, and without recording capibilities....

Some of this info may ve a little out... but I hope all get the gist of what I am trying to say... yeh?

[Zathura]

Everything I know I have already said. As soon as I know more, I will post ASAP, so yeah, no idea of pricing sorry.

I know that the new Sony MP3 players are going to be extremely competitevely priced, so they are pulling out all the stops on those.

I would think that Minidisc will remain at similar prices, as it has been told that we are dealing with it as a 'niche product', so dont expect a whole lot of price cuts.

[MZ-NH1]

Looks like everyone is interested in this topic! 8,200 views since the 1st post!

What I never was able to understand, and I sought of understand it now, is why if we bought something from America - say an MD, it would cost $500, but the same MD in Australia would be selling for $700-800...

I never understood that...?

Couldn't retailers just get shipments of stuff from cheaper sources, and sell it below competitor prices, therefore bringing in more customers... and maybe making a nice profit?

Couldn't Sony do this? Instead of making $200 profit on everything they sell, maybe make $50 profit, and they will sell more, so in the end they will make more, by selling things cheaper?!

I know there is the whole “More expensive… better the product” rather than “cheap is crap”concept, but I mean, Sony come on!

[Sefu]

Looks like everyone is interested in this topic! 8,200 views since the 1st post!

What I never was able to understand, and I sought of understand it now, is why if we bought something from America - say an MD, it would cost $500, but the same MD in Australia would be selling for $700-800...

I never understood that...?

Couldn't retailers just get shipments of stuff from cheaper sources, and sell it below competitor prices, therefore bringing in more customers... and maybe making a nice profit?

Couldn't Sony do this?  Instead of making $200 profit on everything they sell, maybe make $50 profit, and they will sell more, so in the end they will  make more, by selling things cheaper?!

I know there is the whole “More expensive… better the product” rather than “cheap is crap”concept, but I mean, Sony come on!

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I thought I gave a pretty good explanation on the pricing difference from us to the rest of the world, I suggest to go through them again

Plus again, you guys are comparing prices from Sony RRP to street prices in the US, there is hardly any dealers that sell at RRP. To be fair compare with proper AUS street prices with rest of the world street prices, yes even with street prices we are more expensive but there are other factors, again read my post.

If Sony were to make $50 profit, where does this leave their dealers who are the bloodline for Sony distributing their products?

Sony get their products out there because of their dealers, dealers need incentive to sell Sony products, without incentive Sony will be doing all the legwork. You can say Sony is a manufacturer/distributor, they do very little direct sale and this is their game plan.

Again read my post, there are both advantages and disadvantages to distributing and direct sales.

Cheaper sources like imports?

Not so easy, been there done that. The major problem is warranty.

[MZ-NH1]

Sorry Sefu, I must have completley missed your post about that stuff!

I will go back and read it all for sure!

Does anyone really know though how much Sony makes an MD for?

[Silvadragon]

Sony would have to b making profit. But i agree that the Hi-MDs are overpriced which makes this less appealing vs he iPod. But the Hi-MD is more of a recorders' pal while the Apple iPod is desgined for tools who think it'll earn them social status.

But October looks about right for the 2G Hi-MDs to come out, its around the same time the 1G Hi-MDs came out

[sippy]

Several months ago I bought a NHF 800 for $450 with the batteries and charger and disc's which I thought was a very good price, but I see JB HiFI sell them at about $360, just my luck!! But there is no comparison between them and the i pods for sound quality, the minidisc is far superiour in sound quality the the MP3 players. So Sony is heading in the right direction.

[Clocker]

Cheaper sources like imports?

Not so easy, been there done that. The major problem is warranty.

Well in my experience it has been extremely easy with a whole list of consumer electronics including; my canon digital ixus 400 (54% off the best Aussie retail price) and various computer parts.

When you are paying half the price for the unit (yes, this is realistic with the top-end models), why would you care about a measely 12 month warranty? If worst came too worst and it became a complete write-off, you could simply buy another one and be no worse off. Welcome to globalisation and the free market. Retail profitability and business viability are of zero concern to the end consumer and why the should they be? Your saying you can't do it any better and that you're hands are tied, well that's fine then - that's just the way it is.

Edited May 15, 2005 by Clocker

[Sefu]

Well in my experience it has been extremely easy with a whole list of consumer electronics including; my canon digital ixus 400 (54% off the best Aussie retail price) and various computer parts.

When you are paying half the price for the unit (yes, this is realistic with the top-end models), why would you care about a measely 12 month warranty? If worst came too worst and it became a complete write-off, you could simply buy another one and be no worse off. Welcome to globalisation and the free market. Retail profitability and business viability are of zero concern to the end consumer and why the should they be? Your saying you can't do it any better and that you're hands are tied, well that's fine then - that's just the way it is.

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I was more referring to legality and moral issues for a retailer to bring in imports, especially big name products.

It can be done but you will be frown upon and many customers are aware of grey imports which in the end can possibly give you a bad name.

We been there and I know some stores that are doing it now, its not something easy to deal with as most of these stores do not care about your warranty, they care more for their profit more than anything. Yes its a generalization but the majority of grey importers are importing for the bigger dollar with little care about the customer after the purchase.

Private imports, I really couldnt care. I do it on a regular basis if I cant get the product locally, for example I purchased a PSP last month because I couldnt wait until September.

If I had a chance I would get the Xbox 360 when its released but due to PAL and NTSC I have to wait for at least a euro release which is prob around the same time as a Aus release

Edit: I also hope for a price drop, well its expected since the rest of the world has lowered their rrp and i think the new units are made out of japan to save cost?

[i2blue]

Reading all nine pages in one go is a breath taking experience. Like an action packed novel.

Reading that 2nd gen Hi-md won't be relesed here in Oz then someone pops a 'maybe' and eventually is confirmed is a HUGE relief.

Go Aussie!!

[ozpeter]

I suspect most of the hits are from people wanting to know why Australia has vanished.

[zerodB]

To get rid of the current models. There is a LOT of stock. I hope people dont bitch too much... its lucky we get them at all.

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It's speculation I know, but in that case I do hope retailers will drastically drop the prices of 1G models just prior to the release of the 2G units. While I primarily think I'll stick with old-skool MD for now, I'm interested in the 1G units because of their full backwards compatibility, but, the ability to upload live recordings would be a real boon.

[MZ-NH1]

I think many will agree with me that one of the main problems with MD's in Australia, is just that no-one knows what they are.

You ask someone what a good portable music player is, and they all say iPOD, even if they don't have one themselves.

I think Sony need to re-think their marketing strategies, and advertising campaigns. I know this is easier said than done, but if Sony really wants to boost the knowledge of their products, then they need to let people know about them. Instead of having silly ads with monkeys, they need to have people using them, transferring tracks... stuff like the break dancing ad, but at the end, I think it would be wise to say what the product actually is.

I hope that Sony are a step ahead of me, and already know this stuff!

[Zathura]

It's speculation I know, but in that case I do hope retailers will drastically drop the prices of 1G models just prior to the release of the 2G units. While I primarily think I'll stick with old-skool MD for now, I'm interested in the 1G units because of their full backwards compatibility, but, the ability to upload live recordings would be a real boon.

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I would imagine thats pretty much a given, due to the abundance of stock.

[Silvadragon]

Sony needs to add some funk and have a UNIQUE ad, not some stupid ppl with monkey tails or stupid 'super combo' ads. Make it look more appealing!

btw, i wreckon retailers in Aus are having a hard time getting rid of stock. i bought my hi-md wen it first came out, and months later, its the same price ;p

Sony really needs to rethink price, advertising and what the general public want

[lightbulbjim]

what the general public want

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Free beer. They want free beer.

[zerodB]

Sony needs to add some funk and have a UNIQUE ad, not some stupid ppl with monkey tails ...

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Couldn't agree more there... What THAT ad is exactly for (other than pointless Sony branding) is anyone's guess...

People just don't get the point of MD... and it's so sad, for such a useful format...

[atrain]

The tails made perfect sense to me. establish a core branded ad then move on to related ads for each sub group.

the problem was the tails campagin was banned due to all the 'tails' people being black & some morons thinking it was racist.

[zerodB]

All the tails ppl were black!

... NOTHING SUSS!

Edited May 18, 2005 by zerodB

[Silvadragon]

Thats bloody stupid, i think the ad was annoying infact.

Sony doesn't noe how to get the general public into Hi-MDs.

I think if ppl could do the same thing as ipod (drag drop process) it would make hi-md more appealing. They should have a unique ad for the hi-mds, something they can learn from apple...

[zerodB]

They should have a unique ad for the hi-mds, something they can learn from apple...

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... like a whole bunch of silhouettes dancing and jiving aimlessly?

[Silvadragon]

hmmm....u have a point. Something more interesting... uhduhnuh?(idon'tnoe?)

what do u want? some stupid person jiving aimlessly down a street of ppl dressed the same without faces like the m:robe ad?

thats more interesting than:

a whole bunch of silhouettes dancing and jiving aimlessly?

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Edited May 18, 2005 by Silvadragon

[atrain]

All the tails ppl were black!

... NOTHING SUSS!

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i'll continue to ignore your sarcasm.

it was filmed in brazil. a lot of people there are black.

[MZ-NH1]

Was was an Aussie ad filmed in Brazil?

What might help is ifthey have some Australian people using it... or maybe some celebrity or something...?

[Christopher]

I'll volunteer for a commercial! I bet I could sell units by the thousands with my enthralling allure to the Aussie ladies..

[MZ-NH1]

I'll volunteer for a commercial! I bet I could sell units by the thousands with my enthralling allure to the Aussie ladies..

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AHAHAHAHAHAHA... maybe not

Nah kidding Chris!

It annoys me a little when big companies such as Sony... and others, use ads made in another country... wouldn't you expect the marketing department to make the ad around customer demands in that certain area... and I doubt everyone would be wanting the same products in completely different geographical locations.

The latest iPOD ads to be shown in Sydney, have people rollerblade break dancing, with the flashing colours in the background, and the 'white' chords and ipod in their position. At the very end of the ad, all it says is APPLE. Now because everyone knows what an iPOD is, I think this kind of advertising is fine, because there have been many ads/advertisement boards like this... but for Sony to do something like this, would be suicidal I think.

No one knows what a MD is, and be having people/animals using it out of context, and then just SONY, or MD at the end of the ad, no one would know what the ad was about.

They need to show people using it together socially, or someone recording themselves practising their music... stuff like that, which people WANT to do. Then show then put it onto the PC, then on a CD (I know it might be a bit misleading how easy it seems to go from MD to PC) and there happy!

What do you all think?

[ozpeter]

I'd suggest an oridinary-looking guy sitting at a simple table in a white room with a minidisc, a 1Gb disk, and a laptop. Maybe a little mic as well. He just explains what it is, and what it does, in a pretty deadpan kind of way. At the end he puts on the headphones, presses play, and suddenly starts bopping all round the room. Dammit, I'm tempted to make it myself and send it in. I knew someone who did that for a Coke advert, music and all, sent it in as a concept demo and made himself a fortune.

[zerodB]

I'd suggest an oridinary-looking guy sitting at a simple table in a white room with a minidisc, a 1Gb disk, and a laptop.  Maybe a little mic as well. He just explains what it is, and what it does, in a pretty deadpan kind of way.

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Seriously, that's not a bad idea. People don't just get the point - "why don't you just get an ipod?", they say. If someone sat down and explained what MD is without any flashy gimmicks, or break-dancers, it might just work... maybe...

[lightbulbjim]

I'd suggest an oridinary-looking guy sitting at a simple table in a white room with a minidisc, a 1Gb disk, and a laptop.  Maybe a little mic as well. He just explains what it is, and what it does, in a pretty deadpan kind of way.  At the end he puts on the headphones, presses play, and suddenly starts bopping all round the room.  Dammit, I'm tempted to make it myself and send it in.  I knew someone who did that for a Coke advert, music and all, sent it in as a concept demo and made himself a fortune.

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that would actually be a really cool advertisment

[MZ-NH1]

I'd suggest an oridinary-looking guy sitting at a simple table in a white room with a minidisc, a 1Gb disk, and a laptop.  Maybe a little mic as well. He just explains what it is, and what it does, in a pretty deadpan kind of way. 

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That idea, like the 2 above me said, sounds really good and simple!

A mic would be a good idea as well, because that differentiates the MD from the iPOD, as not JUST a music player.

Good idea Peter!

[The Low Volta]

A mic would be a good idea as well, because that differentiates the MD from the iPOD, as not JUST a music player.

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so, let him give his explanation into a mic, load it onto his laptop, switch discs (also a fun part of MD in my opinion) and go crazy to the (unheard?) beat

[ozpeter]

... all in 30 seconds, 'cos TV adverts are expensive! But it could probably be done with some crisp scriptwriting and editing.

[jonny mac]

Phew, I just read all 11 pages of this in one go. It was pretty interesting stuff. I also like the idea of the HiMD ad.

I'm in the UK and I worry about being able to obtain MD gear in the future. It's not hard to get it at the moment but it's getting exactly what you want at a price you're willing to pay, that's the problem. No player-only units over here so I have one on it's way from Japan. But given the higher popularity of MD in Japan if the worst comes to the worst I can get stuff from there while I gradually switch to some other format (at some point in the distant future).

It would be such a shame if Sony abandoned MD, especially as it's unique. I hope for a HDD equivalent some time in the future - a super DAP that does everything MD can do (minus the removable media) - recording, HD digital amp etc. I suppose it all comes down to price and for most people quality is not the top of the list, it has to be cheap to compete with the iPod.

[Silvadragon]

Nah, have joel turner (aussie beat box extrondenaire) advertise. Sitting in a white room, he records himself with the mic. then does some tricky transfering b/n the sony laptop and Hi-MD.Then he walks off to the beat of his music or ends up bouncing around the room to the sound of his music!

HOWZAT?

*joel turner has bound to get some customers for sony!*

Edited May 20, 2005 by Silvadragon

[ozpeter]

I think I've just seen that young gentleman on the television as part of some popular beat combo. Seems like a nice chap. (I've getting old....)

[MZ-NH1]

Nah, have joel turner (aussie beat box extrondenaire)  advertise. Sitting in a white room, he records himself with the mic. then does some tricky transfering b/n the sony laptop and Hi-MD.Then he walks off to the beat of his music or ends up bouncing around the room to the sound of his music!

HOWZAT?

*joel turner has bound to get some customers for sony!* 

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I recon that ain't a bad idea as well. Because he will be beat boxing, there will be 100's of differnt sounds and dynamics coming out of his mouth, and then he can transfer it onto his Sony laptop, and then play it back with some Sony speakers to hear how clear and awesome it all sounds!

[Silvadragon]

hey hey hey(krusty voice), good idea eh?