5 ms·

Please, this is enterprise software we're talking about, sold almost exclusively through resellers, who are licensing experts and decide what the client needs.

Please, this is enterprise software we're talking about, sold almost exclusively through resellers, who are licensing experts and decide what the client needs. This is how you extract the most value.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
yathern 11y ago
Yes, I realize this - which is why I said it's not as applicable for Microsoft's position. That having been said, chasings point was more about how it would be wise for Microsoft to make their product line less intimidating for end-users - which would help sell the idea of their latest rebranding - and have benefit for them, and customers as well.
- cwyers 11y ago
  Microsoft makes almost no money off direct-to-end-user sales. It's all either OEM money or volume sales to enterprise/government/other institutions. Microsoft is not about to upend their entire market segmenting strategy just to make things less confusing for people who are at least one step removed from any of the people who actually give them money.
  - Retric 11y ago
    As soon as Dell has a dropdown for nomal vs pro, microsoft is selling windows directly to customers. And guess what, "Inspiron Small Desktopwith Windows 7 Professional". http://www.dell.com/us/p/desktops?~ck=mn#!facets=153558~0~8739391&p=1 http://www.dell.com/us/p/desktops?~ck=mn#!facets=153558~0~87... Not that I think the average user knows if they want window 7 pro or windows 8.1 which is what most of the desktops on that page are.
    - cwyers 11y ago
      > As soon as Dell has a dropdown for nomal vs pro, microsoft is selling windows directly to customers. No, Dell is reselling Windows to the consumer.
      - vetinari 11y ago
        It does not matter who is reselling what. What matters is that the consumer has to choose between SKUs and that choice was created by MS.
      - Retric 11y ago
        Resellers take on risks for unsold inventory; Dell does not take on risks for unsold copies of windows. They do take on those risks for other components. EX: Case screws. PS: This does vary by sales channel. If you buy a dell from best buy they clearly already exist, but if you get a custom dell from their website they buld it after you order it.
        Retric 11y ago
        I really don't care about downvotes, but it does amuse me when people get pissy about being wrong. PS: A reseller is a company or individual (merchant) that purchases goods or services with the intention of selling them rather than consuming or using them. This is usually done for profit (but could be resold at a loss). http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reseller http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reseller
        cwyers 11y ago
        I didn't downvote you. I also don't see how that citation does anything but reinforce the original point -- Dell is buying Windows from Microsoft and reselling it. It's not even a retail product situation, like Best Buy -- Dell isn't selling Windows, it's selling computers that come with Windows. You can't buy the computer at your link without Windows, and you can't buy Windows without the computer through Dell.
- blumkvist 11y ago
  It wouldn't be wise, because they will lose a truckload (several dozen truckloads) of money from doing so. MS doesn't make money from end users. MS licenses are resold. Either from OEM or ISV. Customers go to them and the reseller decides what they need. The reseller doesn't need simple licensing. The reseller has a floor of people whose only job is to know the licensing structures. Why hire so many people to navigate the licensing? Because that's how you extract the maximum value (money) from the market. This is why I said chasing doesn't understand how money is made in such situations. He sees something and takes it at face value. "Derp-a-derp-a-derp, I'm a clueless consumer, don't overwhelm me with so many decisions... why Microsoft sucks so much at business?" No, they don't suck at business. You do.
  - chasing 11y ago
    I don't use their products, so they may not suck at business, but they suck at getting my business. And given how successful Apple has been at courting both consumers and professionals, I don't think it's at all ridiculous to argue that maybe Microsoft needs to tweak how they present their products to the world. Especially their most successful products. Or I could use your logic: Apple makes even more money and they only offer one version of Mac OS X. They don't suck at business. Microsoft does. QED.
    - blumkvist 11y ago
      Apple sells mobile phones, Microsoft sells software, how can you compare them? Or are you arguing that Apple PCs are more successful than Windows PCs? It is very funny that you think you made your point with this example when you actually did exactly the opposite. Apple almost went out of business when they competed with MSFT in the PC/OS business, exactly because of those pricing/reseller strategies that MSFT employs.

Please, this is enterprise software we're talking about, sold almost exclusively through resellers, who are licensing experts and decide what the client needs. This is how you extract the most value.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

yathern 11y ago

Yes, I realize this - which is why I said it's not as applicable for Microsoft's position. That having been said, chasings point was more about how it would be wise for Microsoft to make their product line less intimidating for end-users - which would help sell the idea of their latest rebranding - and have benefit for them, and customers as well.

cwyers 11y ago
Microsoft makes almost no money off direct-to-end-user sales. It's all either OEM money or volume sales to enterprise/government/other institutions. Microsoft is not about to upend their entire market segmenting strategy just to make things less confusing for people who are at least one step removed from any of the people who actually give them money.
- Retric 11y ago
  As soon as Dell has a dropdown for nomal vs pro, microsoft is selling windows directly to customers. And guess what, "Inspiron Small Desktopwith Windows 7 Professional". http://www.dell.com/us/p/desktops?~ck=mn#!facets=153558~0~8739391&p=1 http://www.dell.com/us/p/desktops?~ck=mn#!facets=153558~0~87... Not that I think the average user knows if they want window 7 pro or windows 8.1 which is what most of the desktops on that page are.
  - cwyers 11y ago
    > As soon as Dell has a dropdown for nomal vs pro, microsoft is selling windows directly to customers. No, Dell is reselling Windows to the consumer.
    - vetinari 11y ago
      It does not matter who is reselling what. What matters is that the consumer has to choose between SKUs and that choice was created by MS.
    - Retric 11y ago
      Resellers take on risks for unsold inventory; Dell does not take on risks for unsold copies of windows. They do take on those risks for other components. EX: Case screws. PS: This does vary by sales channel. If you buy a dell from best buy they clearly already exist, but if you get a custom dell from their website they buld it after you order it.
      - Retric 11y ago
        I really don't care about downvotes, but it does amuse me when people get pissy about being wrong. PS: A reseller is a company or individual (merchant) that purchases goods or services with the intention of selling them rather than consuming or using them. This is usually done for profit (but could be resold at a loss). http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reseller http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reseller
        cwyers 11y ago
        I didn't downvote you. I also don't see how that citation does anything but reinforce the original point -- Dell is buying Windows from Microsoft and reselling it. It's not even a retail product situation, like Best Buy -- Dell isn't selling Windows, it's selling computers that come with Windows. You can't buy the computer at your link without Windows, and you can't buy Windows without the computer through Dell.
blumkvist 11y ago
It wouldn't be wise, because they will lose a truckload (several dozen truckloads) of money from doing so. MS doesn't make money from end users. MS licenses are resold. Either from OEM or ISV. Customers go to them and the reseller decides what they need. The reseller doesn't need simple licensing. The reseller has a floor of people whose only job is to know the licensing structures. Why hire so many people to navigate the licensing? Because that's how you extract the maximum value (money) from the market. This is why I said chasing doesn't understand how money is made in such situations. He sees something and takes it at face value. "Derp-a-derp-a-derp, I'm a clueless consumer, don't overwhelm me with so many decisions... why Microsoft sucks so much at business?" No, they don't suck at business. You do.
- chasing 11y ago
  I don't use their products, so they may not suck at business, but they suck at getting my business. And given how successful Apple has been at courting both consumers and professionals, I don't think it's at all ridiculous to argue that maybe Microsoft needs to tweak how they present their products to the world. Especially their most successful products. Or I could use your logic: Apple makes even more money and they only offer one version of Mac OS X. They don't suck at business. Microsoft does. QED.
  - blumkvist 11y ago
    Apple sells mobile phones, Microsoft sells software, how can you compare them? Or are you arguing that Apple PCs are more successful than Windows PCs? It is very funny that you think you made your point with this example when you actually did exactly the opposite. Apple almost went out of business when they competed with MSFT in the PC/OS business, exactly because of those pricing/reseller strategies that MSFT employs.