General Category > General Discussion
annual update fees
jeffkyle:
This is a very good product. .. and to date has had very good support. I have actually never used my gs911 for anything other than reset the service reminder. . I carry it more as an insurance. .. not sure I would have bought if I thought there was an annual maintenance fee. However when I need it I would hope it is up todate and has the functionality I need. So I might be one of those that would freeze it until I needed it. I understand there are costs associated with development and maintenance. ..and I assumed all that was built into the original pricing. .. I would be willing to make a donation for future development... I just think if there is an annual fee fewer people would be willing to purchase...
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StephanT:
It seems Benno's choice of subject wording might be throwing everyone off a bit... ???
If you read the example, in the FAQ:
http://www.hexcode.co.za/products/gs-911/support/faq/what-do-upgrades-cost
It is not a fee you HAVE TO pay annually... if there is a release version, and you like the functionality it has and you are out of your 1 year updates window, THEN you can pay the update fee, for which you will get that update that you wanted PLUS ANY updates released within 365 days from your purchase date...
thus... you have an older model, and the new update has nothing you fancy... the why pay for it... well, you shouldn't...
make sense?
best
Stephan
StephanT:
I appreciate all the feedback, and I'm happy that this is being discussed, as this makes people sit down and think about what they are getting, and grants me the opportunity to show what we have achieved, vs what we have charged for it..
I have heard a couple of things, and am summarising between what I see on this web forum as well as our email forum.
* Some folks are suggesting that the initial cost should have included all the research and development cost
* Some folks are suggesting that we should raise the initial sales price slightly in order to cover more of the Research and development costs
* Some folks are happy to pay a fair update fee, if the updates are of useful to them or their bike model, or in other words they don't want to be charged for functionality they don't or won't use
* Michel (on the email forum) compared GS-911 to the Bavarian Technic diagnostic tool for his BMW car, for which he is not paying an update fee
* in and earlier post someone compared GS-911 to VCDS (VAG-COM) for VW, Audi, Seat & Skoda vehicles, for which they are also not paying a fee for updates
Let me respond to these...
* the initial price is always a best guestimate as one does not know what the volume of sales will be... as it were, we are happy with the sales volumes and believe we have a marginally higher market penetration than the equivalent aftermarket vehicle diagnostic manufacturers.
* At it's inception, GS-911 was called "An Emergency Diagnostic Tool for BMW Motorcycles, which is what it was envisioned to be, a scan tool that would effectively read and clear fault codes, to which we would add the viewing of live (real-time) engine data as this could also be useful in an Emergency Diagnosis situation... - Since then (and with many-many R&D hours subsequently) it has become a fully fledged diagnostic tool with upteen times its initial functionality
* As for raising the initial price and comparing it head-on to other diagnostic tools such as Bavarian Technic (for BMW cars & Mini) and VCDS (VAG-COM) for VW, Audi, Seat & Skoda (and some others like Porsche, Bentley etc...) - I don't think people have looked at the data and thus don't see the full picture in terms of the scale of economics...
* the update fee structure as described in the FAQ, states that you only pay the fee IF you want the update, and then as a bonus you will get any updates for the following 365 days... Thus in no way will you be charged or have to pay if you don't want an update!
So, I did a quick search and got the numbers for BMW Motorrad, vs BMW cars, vs VW group and I've summarised them in a table below...
(now make sure you sit down before studying this table...)
ManufacturerBMW MotorradBMW+MiniVW+Audi+Seat+Skoda2012 vehicle sales (annual report)106,3581,841,6117,305,000Volume factor11769ToolGS-911bluBavarian Technic EnthusiastVCDS (VAG-COM)Tool price$349$287349VIN limit103unlimitedBluetoothYESNoNoMobile versionYESNoNo* Cost multiplier - $4,969$23,970** Difference amortised as
annual update fee at $49*** - 101 years489 years
NOTES:
* Assuming we have the same market penetration, then this is what we would need to sell each GS-911 for, in order to make the same sales turnover as the comparative tool
** Assuming we keep the current sales price and make up the difference to sales turnover (to the comparative tool), at an annual fee of $49, then this is the amount of years of updates it would take to reach the same sales turnover
*** $49 is used as an example only, as it shows the "best case scenario" for amount of years (i.e. with a smaller fee the years would simply increase)
I hope this creates some perspective ;)
best
Stephan
Haakon:
Please forgive me, I am "laughing" now- or half crying? :-)
I guess most of the GS911 owners who have posted comments on this is like me?
I want the latest sofware- for the GS911 AND all other apps I have.
Do I need the latest beta software? Not at all :-)))
Will I pay for it? YES!
-------------
Owners of "new" bikes need the updates.
(I may too, if I ever want a new bike)
With a "new" bike in the garage I would want all the new features you develop.
My suggestion: (much like what you told already) free updates, "beta" and final for a few years after the purchase.
Then a fee (yearly or not) for new updates after that.
I think the bottom line (for me) is:
The GS911 features save me so much time and money that a update fee is well worth it.
IF you have a "new" bike, needing more visits to a BMW workshop than my old bike:
One visit to a BMW workshop usually cost more than the GS911 :-((
Haakon
Paul90:
Don't forget Stephan - apples and bananas.
With my VCDS I can code up all the control units.
So I can fit options not fitted at the factory (Bluetooth handsfree, SatNav, cruise control, etc, etc) and code them up to work as if they were factory fitted.
Now if you make the GS-911 do that we don't have to go and pay a dealer just because we want to fit a later LED tail light, etc.
Paul
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