Re: A2Central.com

[Eric Shepherd <sheppy@sheppyware.net>]

in article 20000623222201.27996.00000171@ng-fm1.aol.com, The Apple II Mail
Group at a2mg@aol.comNomail wrote on 6/23/00 7:22 PM:

(Before you read my message, please note that parts of this message are
written from the point of view of Eric Shepherd, editor of A2Central.com,
and others are written from the point of view of Sheppy, author of Apple II
software -- it can be hard to separate us sometimes. :)

> That article states, "Selling 40 copies of a product is
> now considered a success. Selling 60 copies is a smash hit." This surprises me
> and is not true. 

(as A2Central.com editor) I'm simply repeating the word I've gotten from
every Apple II developer I've spoken to (which is nearly all of them; there
aren't that many).  I haven't heard of a single product (except just now,
from you) in two years that has sold more than 80 to 100 copies.  I can only
report on what I hear about, and what I can determine from my own
investigations.

> I easily sell many hundreds of copies of disks containing my original software
> (AppleWorks-related patches, TimeOut accessories, etc.)  as soon as they come
> out. ..And not just to my subscribers; we have buyers from all sorts of Apple
> II resources.

(as programmer) Hundreds of copies of each?  Or hundreds of copies total?
If you're selling hundreds of copies of each product, I'd love to know how
you're getting the word out, because I can't find that many Apple II users
willing to actually spend money on products.  I have sold in the last two
years hundreds of items, but only typically 40-80 of each product, at best.
Sadly, my biggest release of the last two years, Wolfenstein 3D, was
required by contract to be a freeware release.

> The problem is not that the users are not buying because they
> don't buy anything. It's more likely because the users simply don't know
> what's available.

(as A2Central.com editor) That's part of the reason why I decided to start
A2Central.com.  I want it to be a place where any Apple II developer or
publisher can advertise and promote their products.  Where we can publish
unbiased reviews, and eventually host discussion and chat areas for users to
talk about them (and other Apple II issues).

(as programmer) Promoting Apple II products is a tricky business.  There
aren't many printed advertising resources available.  I don't know much
about your publication, but as I understand it it's primarily an AppleWorks
resource, so it's not an advertising resource really.  The only other viable
option is Juiced.GS, which has only about 200 subscribers, to about half of
whom I regularly sell products; that's a pretty good ratio.  Otherwise, the
only promotional outlets available to date have been posting announcements
in the various online message areas and web sites.  I'm hopeful that
A2Central.com will help *all* Apple II developers get the word out.

> I have heard about Sheppy for years, but I have no idea what he is
> selling.

(as programmer) That's why I have a web site (http://www.sheppyware.net or
http://www.sheppyware.com) that lists everything I sell.  I've advertised in
almost every issue of Juiced.GS in the past two years, usually with a full
page of advertising (sometimes in one full-page, sometimes in two half-page
ads).  I regularly visit Delphi's message boards and conference rooms, where
I freely talk about and help people with my software.  I attend KFest and
spread the word there.  As far as I know, I'm using every possible
promotional resource left in the Apple II world; I even send copies of stuff
I do to Joe Kohn and Max Jones to review in their magazines.  If there's a
promotional resource I'm not using, I'd love to know about it.

> Just another viewpoint, not meant to be argumentative. Apple II software does
> sell.

I appreciate your viewpoint, and I agree; Apple II software does sell.  Just
not as much as I think it should considering the number of people using
Apple IIs.

I'd like to see more cooperation among Apple II developers and publishers to
help strengthen our market; many of us have been working against each other
-- or at least, without any real interest in each other -- for far too long.

-- 
Eric Shepherd
Editor
A2Central.com