Altium sums up their problem

[EEVblog]

Just got an email from Altium, it's price discount time again.
And the title was "Heard of Altium?" - Of course heard of frigg'n Altium, I'm on your customer email list you just sent out! 
Do marketing even have a clue?
But I digress.

I found this amusing,:

Altium Designer 10 has expanded the platform beyond FPGA, PCB and embedded design to include a web ecosystem. Be part of Altium's web community, share content and maximise your productivity.

And that right there folks is Altium's problem in nutshell. Biting off more than they can chew, and diluting the tool into being a master of nothing.
Having minimal capability in each wank-word area so marketing can flog their dead horse.



Dave.

[Rufus]

Just got an email from Altium, it's price discount time again.

Discounted from $5k (US)? How much? The price to get back on subscription compared to a new seat gets interesting.

[amspire]

I got the email too, and I have never been an Altium customer.I wonder where they got my address? Could have been a trade show I guess.

Looks like to get the 25% discount I will have to go out and buy a competitors product first. Great idea! If I do that, I might find I like the competitors product!

To me, a one-off 25% discount is useless. Either offer a perpetual 25% discount, or make a real offer like an 80% discount for the first year. They would be better off giving it away for the first year if it meant new customers.

[EEVblog]

Just got an email from Altium, it's price discount time again.

Discounted from $5k (US)? How much? The price to get back on subscription compared to a new seat gets interesting.

Ah yes, sorry, forgot the fine print:

on RRP AUD$6495*
when you switch before Feb 29!

* Altium Designer Board Implementation License valued at AUD$4995 and Altium Subscription valued at AUD$1500. To be eligable for our 25% discount offer, a proof of purchase must be provided to show that a competitor tool has been owned in the last 12 months.

That's easy, just buy the $50 version of Eagle 

Dave.

[alm]

How about: in contrast to Altium, the competitor's licenses are not time-limited, so my 1990 Eagle license is still valid, and therefore I still own it. Enclosed is a copy of an Eagle 1.0 invoice dated 1990.

[tinhead]

i actually got few days ago similar email, however less discount

"Your opinion is important to us! Send to us a meaningful reason, why you decided for Altium designer.
We honor this with a price advantage of 400EUR with the purchase of a new Altium designer license"

and the fine print:

"I agree that Altium may use my quotation for marketing purposes"

400EUR, that's far from 25% (EMEA price 5195EUR incl. 12M subs.)