forums.naturalpoint.com

Hello Laruna,

I am very sorry you feel this way, and I do understand where you are coming from. I have a daughter with CP. (Cerebral Palsy). Her wheel chair that she got in November cost over $29,000. Yes, that's twenty nine THOUSAND dollars. There was no way I could ever have afforded this on my own. So needless to say, I went through 18 months of jumping through hoops, red tape and filling out more forms than there are pages in the IRS tax code to be able to get my daughter this chair. Was it worth it? Ask anyone who sees my daughter and the joy on her face that she has mobility and that will answer your question. Now why does a wheel chair have to cost this much and why does everything else have to cost 3 times more when you add AT (Assistive Technology) or Ergonomics to the end of it?

Now back to us and your first statement.

>>> I am feeling cheesed off at the product pricing...

First of all, we have the lowest price of any product in the catagory of hands free mousing alternatives at $299. Our competitors sell their units for $1400 - $3000 and up. The fact that we are able to offer a product that a person can actually afford a less than $300 rather than having to take out a loan or get a grant or go through months of government red tape is pretty darn good in my book.

When you look at it like this, one has to ask why the others are so expensive and we aren't?

#1 - We are not trying to gouge the customer on a product that has a very captive audience.

#2 - We put several hundred thousand dollars into development work to create this product and we have to be able to recoup costs or else there is no NaturalPoint company and no more Smart-NAV or TrackIR2

#3 - It's a bit technical and even more long winded to get into it here on the forum, however the TrackIR2 gaming system has a lot of restrictions that the Smart-NAV system doesn't have.

#4 - Be happy with the fact that we are selling a lot of systems to gamers because they are subsidizing a lot of the development work of the Smart-NAV

You also state:
>>> I know the package has extras in it, but that's not my point.

Actually this is a very major point and a lot of what you are paying for from the previous question.

>>>...all the more so when there is a socket for a mouse button which has been disabled, so that more money comes to you.

What is your serial number??? Only the Smart-NAV Basic and TrackIR have the port disabled. If you needed the ability to use external clicking switches, Smart-NAV EG & AT models have a fully enabled input jack.

>>> ...but if you market well, you should surely earn the reward you deserve.

We are a manufacturer. Marketing is an area that we are new to. This is why we have lots of dealers where their specialty is marketing and we let them do what they do best.

>>> At the same time, thank you!...

You're welcome.

>>> Why don't you sell the same product under a home license and corporate license

Licensing work great for software, but hardware is a lot different.

>>> Also, I suggest you merge the products, as they are essentially the same thing...

You are correct in that they are both IR devices but this is where the similarity ends.

There is a firmware chip that is very specifically programmed when it comes to the TrackIR2 vs the Smart-NAV. The software interfaces with the firmware in completely different ways to take advantage of certain functionality.

The second reason this is not going to happen is that the market segments for the two products are completely different and are focused in two separate directions and there are no plans to change at this time.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at support@naturalpoint.com and we will be able to assist you further.

Thank you,

Donald

This is a criticism, however -- it is intended to be a constructive one, as I'm very grateful to you guys for making the product, and wish to help with some feedback.

I am feeling cheesed off at the product pricing -- that disabled people have to pay more than gamers. I have no money to spare, because I cannot work due to a disability which is not generally recognised in British medicine (R. S. I.). I.e. I cannot claim disability benefits. And to get the product I need, I have to pay substantially more than people who are using it to play computer games, which generally cost upwards of 40 pounds each. If anything, those who have enough spare energy to be buying and playing computer games could be subsidising those who are on the line of permanent disability.

I know the package as extras in it, but that's not my point.

I am working as a software developer -- I write programs. It has been really frustrating trying to implement a mouse button (I have had to wire a guitar pedal into a mouse); all the more so when there is a socket for a mouse button which has been disabled, so that more money comes to you.

I don't know how your sales have been, but if you market well, you should surely earn the reward you deserve.

At the same time, thank you! Without this product I would have no hope of working again.

Why don't you sell the same product under a home license and corporate license. Companies get inspected a lot, and often pay the extra because they do not want to run the risks of doing things illegally.

Also, I suggest you merge the products, as they are essentially the same thing. Just sell one on the web page. And let the software provide both functionalitys. The decisionmaking process from first sight to the purchase should be simple and clear -- let the energy flow through all the way. Any obscurity, and the potential buyer will scratch their head, and maybe give up. When I first saw the product on the Internet I got a rush from it -- I thought "this is exactly what I need" and went straight to the web site. Then I got a lot of confusion, as I tried to work out the difference between the two products. Without that, I would have bought one straight away. As it is, I nearly did not buy one.

Love,
Laruna