Sonic Foundry (prior to Sony), has done a terrific job of retaining customer loyalty by offering existing users a special upgrade price--more aggressive than the upgrade available once the product was available to all. This is probably my number one reason for upgrading so quickly, and for picking up applications I might never had purchased (such as ACID--which I haven't used much, but the cross-product upgrade was too tempting).

The fact that existing customer's felt they had an inside track to the killler deals helped add to the Sonic Foundry viral marketing and community--it wasn't always just the great price, but the thought that SF REALLY valued their existing customers and wanted to keep them. In fact, I have learned a lesson or two from Sonic Foundry as a benefactor of their terrific specials which I have applied in my business (As a current Chief Marketing Officer, and a former VP of Marketing at GE, having launched over 400 products, etc.).

I hope they do enough analysis and have the wisdom to keep what is working extremely well, and then add onto it, rather than flushing some very, very good promotions.

In this case, I believe they (SF/Sony) dropped the ball. I thought I didn't get my special offer in my e-mail (for Sound Forge 7.0) because my spam filter was too aggressive (even though Sonic Foundry is pegged as a friend to go straight through). In fact, I have been bypassing my spam filter several times within the last two weeks (having to wade through unwanted smut)... just to see if SF had a special offer.

Has anyone gotten SF's typical special upgrade offer?

Sony, don't break what ain't broken.

My pardon if "I" didn't get the special offer via my filtering.

I haven't gotten any email upgrade offers yet for Sound Forge.

JBJones

Neither have I, and I don't have a spam filter (I rely on healthy net habits).

However, I thought it was common knowledge; from a marketing point of view at least, it's much cheaper to keep existing customers active (and happy) than to find new.
Tor

I totally agree with you on this one Chanimal! As I was originally an Acid Pro user, I possibly wouldn't have considered Vegas (came in at v3...was a MSP user at the time) if SF had not have given me an offer to good to refuse , via their special at the time for registered SF users. I was offered a similarly good deal when Sound Forge 6 came out, but didn't have the dosh at the time. Was hoping for a similar email this time so that I could get a good deal on the new SF7...but have had no such offer, and am starting to think that it may not materialise :(
Sony could take a leaf out of tthe SF book in this respect...but hey maybe we gotta give them some time?

I received an email offer this morning - $99 before October 31. The email address for the sender is actually promotions@promo.sonicfoundry.com, but the email is in Sony Media style, with the Sony logo and all. If you are expecting an offer, but haven't received it yet, give them a call on 1.800.577.6642 - the customer service number given in the email.

Mark

By the way, don't try to send an email to the address above - it's an automated send address that you shouldn't use for replying. I mention it only because of the continuing Sonic Foundry reference.

I received the $99 upgrade offer this morning as well. Quite tempting.

Richard Hunter

Hmm! For $99, I might. For $149, I might not. But, no email, yet. Hmm!

Well, the eMail arrived. No thanks, Sony. $449.96 is a rediculous price for an existing user. And the "free" offers just cost WAY too much.

If it had been $149 and one of the free offers, well, that would be reasonable.

Well I only have gotten this one - today, September 26. I can't say I find it all that much of a "deal"

For $399 download or $450 in a box not only do you get Sound Forge you can get Screenblast Movie Studio for Free and have a full production studio! Ok - my words - here are sony's:

========
Purchase your copy of Sound Forge 7.0 software for $399 download, $450 boxed, and receive your choice of Sony Screenblast® ACID® 4.0 ($69.95 value)(boxed) OR Sony Screenblast Movie Studio™ ($99.95 value)(boxed) FREE!

[SNIP More PR and specs]

Sony Screenblast Movie Studio brings professional digital video creation to the masses. Don't be fooled by its easy-to-use interface; Screenblast Movie Studio provides real video production power as well as DVD authoring.

Combined with Sound Forge 7.0 software, Screenblast ACID or Screenblast Movie Studio applications will turn your PC into a full multimedia production studio. Get both Sound Forge 7.0 and the Screenblast product of your choice, free.
========

I like the $99 deal mentioned above better. Actually I would love to see a SoFo suite like Adobe has. This one could include VV, Sound Forge, Acid and maybe some choice plug-ins like the Spice filters and acid loops. Offer it for $399 and it would be nice.

I'm gonna hold out for a "promo" that includes Noise Reduction. Sony is offering every other combination, apparently, except Noise Reduction so they must really be raking in the cash at $279 a pop. Until then Sound Forge 5 works just fine with Vegas.

I have an e-mail offer in my box for an upgrade for $99 from Sony/Sofo

But Filmy...

Presuming you are in this forum, you already have Vegas. What do you need with Screenblast? No offense meant, just asking! ;-)

Don Seils

>>> But Filmy...

Presuming you are in this forum, you already have Vegas. What do you need with Screenblast? No offense meant, just asking! ;-)<<<

I didn't say I did want it. Notice the header on this thread is "Sound Forge 7.0 - No deals?" and my post is about a "deal" that included Movie Studio. The hype is sort of a "oooohhhhhh ahhhhhh" thing. My point was/is that isn't much of a deal to me but I did say what I would consider a great deal - and the Screenblast stuff wasn't part of it.
:)

You can get Sound Forge 6 and Noise Reduction for $299, or CD Architect and Noise Reduction for $199 at www.sharbor.com

I'm a little pissed off, as I bought SF 6 a couple of weeks ago before there was even a peep about SF 7.. it doesn't look like they have a grace period free update either which blows.

But so far what I've read of the new features in version 7 from the website, there's nothing in it I've "gotta have", so.. if it was $50 I'd do it, but not $100.

So did I. However, I am not paying 38$ US for shipping to Canada and am getting it sent to a friend in California for forwarding. The shipping charges to Canada are unjustifiable.

Peter