Piecemeal was literally the only reason I spent any money at all on D&D Beyond. I'm a player, not a DM. I don't need an entire book, I just need class features/races/etc., those things necessary to building my character.
Also, it looks like someone started a petition to bring back a la carte purchases: https://chng.it/VpHgTw8czm
I’ve since gone all in for pen and paper, but logged back in just to bump and share this.
Same on the pen and paper. After the removal of a la carte purchases and many other debacles, I just couldn't bring myself to purchase anything else. Including the new PHB. Just so everyone knows, a petition does not guarantee that it will bring pack a la carte purchases. It does, however, show how much revenue WotC could be making. Assuming they care, of course.
Trying to upgrade a character. I'm the DM usually and I don't use D&D beyond for anything but, some of my players do and once in a while I made a character to play in a one shot.. I purchased individually things I needed for the character buecasue I have all teh books on a shelf and have no need for a digital version. Now that I can't use dnd beyond for ala cart purchases.. I have zero reason to use it. Horrible decision. oh well. I have my books, pencil and paper and dice..
I get it but, also, if a company can't get out of its own way for customers to continue to benefit.. screw them. They can do without my money. I have paper and pen, and all the books on a shelf. I have zero need to Dnd beyond and will not use them going forward. Petitioning a company to allow me to purchase things from them is silly.. They don't want my couple bucks here and there.. fine.. i'll keep it in my pocket. simple.
Trying to upgrade a character. I'm the DM usually and I don't use D&D beyond for anything but, some of my players do and once in a while I made a character to play in a one shot.. I purchased individually things I needed for the character buecasue I have all teh books on a shelf and have no need for a digital version. Now that I can't use dnd beyond for ala cart purchases.. I have zero reason to use it. Horrible decision. oh well. I have my books, pencil and paper and dice..
so what you are saying is that you are not the target audience for D&D Beyond.
Trying to upgrade a character. I'm the DM usually and I don't use D&D beyond for anything but, some of my players do and once in a while I made a character to play in a one shot.. I purchased individually things I needed for the character buecasue I have all teh books on a shelf and have no need for a digital version. Now that I can't use dnd beyond for ala cart purchases.. I have zero reason to use it. Horrible decision. oh well. I have my books, pencil and paper and dice..
so what you are saying is that you are not the target audience for D&D Beyond.
...but he WAS a paying customer. Now instead of getting a little bit of money from lots of small-time consumers like Justin, WotC is getting no money from that potion of the userbase.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Absolutely want ala cart back. Why would I want to purchase a whole book that I'm only using 5-10% of or less. I'll just not buy the book as it is now, before I'd at least pay for what I wanted to use. Now, they are getting nothing for it.
I'm going to make the prediction that ala carte will return eventually. I think it was temporarily taken away to make sure that they sold/pre-sold as many copies of the new rulebooks as possible. People would've been a lot more reluctant to make those purchases if they knew they could just ala carte them after they came out. Business psychology. Will it work out for them? Time will tell, but I think in about a year (or less) we'll see them bring back individual purchases all the while selling it as a "See? We listen to our customers!" kind of ballyhoo.
I'm going to make the prediction that ala carte will return eventually. I think it was temporarily taken away to make sure that they sold/pre-sold as many copies of the new rulebooks as possible. People would've been a lot more reluctant to make those purchases if they knew they could just ala carte them after they came out. Business psychology. Will it work out for them? Time will tell, but I think in about a year (or less) we'll see them bring back individual purchases all the while selling it as a "See? We listen to our customers!" kind of ballyhoo.
We'll see.
You wanna wait a year, by all means. But if a-la-carte was to ever come back, they could have started doing it when the 2024 PHB came out. ( they practically used the tools to allow the creation of the characters, a-La-carte is just prefabed parts. )
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
" Darkvision doesn’t work in Magical darkness, and if something is magical, Never Trust it acts the same way as a non-magical version of that same thing!”- Discotech Mage over a cup of joe.
I'm going to make the prediction that ala carte will return eventually. I think it was temporarily taken away to make sure that they sold/pre-sold as many copies of the new rulebooks as possible. People would've been a lot more reluctant to make those purchases if they knew they could just ala carte them after they came out. Business psychology. Will it work out for them? Time will tell, but I think in about a year (or less) we'll see them bring back individual purchases all the while selling it as a "See? We listen to our customers!" kind of ballyhoo.
We'll see.
You wanna wait a year, by all means. But if a-la-carte was to ever come back, they could have started doing it when the 2024 PHB came out. ( they practically used the tools to allow the creation of the characters, a-La-carte is just prefabed parts. )
If they let it work with the PHB people would have waited to use it on the DNG and even more would wait for the MM.
Sales would have tanked after the first book was released.
As it is there is a natural drop off on the three book sales. PHB is the most popular the DMG the next down the list and the MM is the least popular. Why buy the MM without the other two? Why buy the DMG without the PHB?
Don't expect them to restart piecemeal purchases again until at best a year after the last book comes out. If at all.
I'm going to make the prediction that ala carte will return eventually. I think it was temporarily taken away to make sure that they sold/pre-sold as many copies of the new rulebooks as possible. People would've been a lot more reluctant to make those purchases if they knew they could just ala carte them after they came out. Business psychology. Will it work out for them? Time will tell, but I think in about a year (or less) we'll see them bring back individual purchases all the while selling it as a "See? We listen to our customers!" kind of ballyhoo.
We'll see.
I certianly hope you're right. Until then, I encourage everyone to keep their money in their pockets. Buy hardcovers if you want the new books and wait to restart your suibscriptions. Money talks.
I'm going to make the prediction that ala carte will return eventually. I think it was temporarily taken away to make sure that they sold/pre-sold as many copies of the new rulebooks as possible. People would've been a lot more reluctant to make those purchases if they knew they could just ala carte them after they came out. Business psychology. Will it work out for them? Time will tell, but I think in about a year (or less) we'll see them bring back individual purchases all the while selling it as a "See? We listen to our customers!" kind of ballyhoo.
We'll see.
If customers are reluctant to buy DnD books due to ala cart purchases, or even complete the purchase by paying the remainder after the initial ala cart purchases are made (since quite a few imply they don't want more then 10-20% of a book) then there is no incentive for a company to bring it back. Doubt it will come back.
I'm going to make the prediction that ala carte will return eventually. I think it was temporarily taken away to make sure that they sold/pre-sold as many copies of the new rulebooks as possible. People would've been a lot more reluctant to make those purchases if they knew they could just ala carte them after they came out. Business psychology. Will it work out for them? Time will tell, but I think in about a year (or less) we'll see them bring back individual purchases all the while selling it as a "See? We listen to our customers!" kind of ballyhoo.
We'll see.
If customers are reluctant to buy DnD books due to ala cart purchases, or even complete the purchase by paying the remainder after the initial ala cart purchases are made (since quite a few imply they don't want more then 10-20% of a book) then there is no incentive for a company to bring it back. Doubt it will come back.
I agree, as much as people complain, i personally dont think that enough people did ala carte to make it worth the time and effort to keep programming. A companies purpose is to make money. everything they do needs to nring in a ceartian amount of profit, if it doesnt they will cut it.
I'm going to make the prediction that ala carte will return eventually. I think it was temporarily taken away to make sure that they sold/pre-sold as many copies of the new rulebooks as possible. People would've been a lot more reluctant to make those purchases if they knew they could just ala carte them after they came out. Business psychology. Will it work out for them? Time will tell, but I think in about a year (or less) we'll see them bring back individual purchases all the while selling it as a "See? We listen to our customers!" kind of ballyhoo.
We'll see.
If customers are reluctant to buy DnD books due to ala cart purchases, or even complete the purchase by paying the remainder after the initial ala cart purchases are made (since quite a few imply they don't want more then 10-20% of a book) then there is no incentive for a company to bring it back. Doubt it will come back.
I agree, as much as people complain, i personally dont think that enough people did ala carte to make it worth the time and effort to keep programming. A companies purpose is to make money. everything they do needs to nring in a ceartian amount of profit, if it doesnt they will cut it.
But if those customers all cancel their subscriptions...
BTW, every digital sale, after R&D money is recouped, is 100% profit. So 100% of $30 is $30 and 100% of $2 is $2, and 100% of $0 is $0
But if those customers all cancel their subscriptions...
BTW, every digital sale, after R&D money is recouped, is 100% profit. So 100% of $30 is $30 and 100% of $2 is $2, and 100% of $0 is $0
its been 8 months since they made this decision, sure they lost subscriptions but apparently it wasn't a big enough loss to move the needle.
and no, a digital sale isnt 100% profit. writers and creators would get royalties, there is the cost of programing each part of the book, marketing costs, up keep on the code to maintain it pls other things we know nothing about.
but lets say its jsut the cost of development. they spend 20K a year to sell ala carte, and they make 50K thats a 30K profit. thats a good profit. But they could also take that 20K and put it towards something that will result in 100K in sales for am 80k profit. what is the better investment? there are lots of things like that going on that we know nothing about.
My guess is they are taking the costs and manpower they used programming ala carte and putting that towards Sigal, which they are betting on bringing in a much higher return on investment.
My guess is they are taking the costs and manpower they used programming ala carte and putting that towards Sigal, which they are betting on bringing in a much higher return on investment.
You might just be right about that.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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The whole thing about customer service reaching out took so long I missed out on one of the sales. Still wish they would just release bundles.
Piecemeal was literally the only reason I spent any money at all on D&D Beyond. I'm a player, not a DM. I don't need an entire book, I just need class features/races/etc., those things necessary to building my character.
I’ve since gone all in for pen and paper, but logged back in just to bump and share this.
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[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].Same on the pen and paper. After the removal of a la carte purchases and many other debacles, I just couldn't bring myself to purchase anything else. Including the new PHB. Just so everyone knows, a petition does not guarantee that it will bring pack a la carte purchases. It does, however, show how much revenue WotC could be making. Assuming they care, of course.
Trying to upgrade a character. I'm the DM usually and I don't use D&D beyond for anything but, some of my players do and once in a while I made a character to play in a one shot.. I purchased individually things I needed for the character buecasue I have all teh books on a shelf and have no need for a digital version. Now that I can't use dnd beyond for ala cart purchases.. I have zero reason to use it. Horrible decision. oh well. I have my books, pencil and paper and dice..
I get it but, also, if a company can't get out of its own way for customers to continue to benefit.. screw them. They can do without my money. I have paper and pen, and all the books on a shelf. I have zero need to Dnd beyond and will not use them going forward. Petitioning a company to allow me to purchase things from them is silly.. They don't want my couple bucks here and there.. fine.. i'll keep it in my pocket. simple.
so what you are saying is that you are not the target audience for D&D Beyond.
...but he WAS a paying customer. Now instead of getting a little bit of money from lots of small-time consumers like Justin, WotC is getting no money from that potion of the userbase.
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
this sucks. Need it back asap
Absolutely want ala cart back. Why would I want to purchase a whole book that I'm only using 5-10% of or less. I'll just not buy the book as it is now, before I'd at least pay for what I wanted to use. Now, they are getting nothing for it.
I'm going to make the prediction that ala carte will return eventually. I think it was temporarily taken away to make sure that they sold/pre-sold as many copies of the new rulebooks as possible. People would've been a lot more reluctant to make those purchases if they knew they could just ala carte them after they came out. Business psychology. Will it work out for them? Time will tell, but I think in about a year (or less) we'll see them bring back individual purchases all the while selling it as a "See? We listen to our customers!" kind of ballyhoo.
We'll see.
You wanna wait a year, by all means. But if a-la-carte was to ever come back, they could have started doing it when the 2024 PHB came out. ( they practically used the tools to allow the creation of the characters, a-La-carte is just prefabed parts. )
" Darkvision doesn’t work in Magical darkness, and if something is magical, Never Trust it acts the same way as a non-magical version of that same thing!”- Discotech Mage over a cup of joe.
I didn't say I wanted to wait a year.
If they let it work with the PHB people would have waited to use it on the DNG and even more would wait for the MM.
Sales would have tanked after the first book was released.
As it is there is a natural drop off on the three book sales. PHB is the most popular the DMG the next down the list and the MM is the least popular. Why buy the MM without the other two? Why buy the DMG without the PHB?
Don't expect them to restart piecemeal purchases again until at best a year after the last book comes out. If at all.
I certianly hope you're right. Until then, I encourage everyone to keep their money in their pockets. Buy hardcovers if you want the new books and wait to restart your suibscriptions. Money talks.
If customers are reluctant to buy DnD books due to ala cart purchases, or even complete the purchase by paying the remainder after the initial ala cart purchases are made (since quite a few imply they don't want more then 10-20% of a book) then there is no incentive for a company to bring it back. Doubt it will come back.
I agree, as much as people complain, i personally dont think that enough people did ala carte to make it worth the time and effort to keep programming. A companies purpose is to make money. everything they do needs to nring in a ceartian amount of profit, if it doesnt they will cut it.
But if those customers all cancel their subscriptions...
BTW, every digital sale, after R&D money is recouped, is 100% profit. So 100% of $30 is $30 and 100% of $2 is $2, and 100% of $0 is $0
its been 8 months since they made this decision, sure they lost subscriptions but apparently it wasn't a big enough loss to move the needle.
and no, a digital sale isnt 100% profit. writers and creators would get royalties, there is the cost of programing each part of the book, marketing costs, up keep on the code to maintain it pls other things we know nothing about.
but lets say its jsut the cost of development. they spend 20K a year to sell ala carte, and they make 50K thats a 30K profit. thats a good profit. But they could also take that 20K and put it towards something that will result in 100K in sales for am 80k profit. what is the better investment? there are lots of things like that going on that we know nothing about.
My guess is they are taking the costs and manpower they used programming ala carte and putting that towards Sigal, which they are betting on bringing in a much higher return on investment.
You might just be right about that.