The *Ping* Award

User avatar
Khers

27 Nov 2017, 20:06

evangs wrote:
Khers wrote: Zeal PC, the van keyboards, keyclack, 1up keyboards.

They all deserve a nomination for milking the community. Prominent community members selling cheap stuff for serious dough to lesser versed members who don't know you can get the same thing for a lot less money. Sometimes the exact same thing, just with a HEAVY markup.

I normally just let stuff like this go, but this is simply inaccurate. Nearly everything TheVan Keyboards sells are things that we have designed and created. so you can't get the same stuff somewhere else. There is such a thing as development cost not to mention that I have gone out of my way to include support for very niche things that no one else is supporting as well as buying up inventory to meet moq. I've got 30 plus Alps international kits for LightCycle sitting in a box that will probably never find a home. You act as if I am swimming in cash and that simply isn't true. I find your post extremely disrespectful, but you are entitled to your opinion. Please, however, do not spread false information.
Ok, my statement that you’re milking the community is inaccurate and contains false information? How about some data to back it up, then?

MiniVan: $200 (I seem to recall these were originally $150 – an easy $50 on your side). Other offerings of similarly sized and built keyboards on the market include KBDFans’ niu. That keyboard kit is $105.

GMK 80s Kid: $115, 70 keycaps. GMK BBST was $100 for 139 keycaps, or $0.72 per keycap compared to $1.50 in your set. Even comparing it to other vendors, your kit seems like horrific value for money. Originative has GMK Penumbra for sale at $179 for 156 keycaps, or $1.15 per keycap.

The Banana Split: $85. The DZ60 does the same for $48. And you can get it without a plate and save $18 if you want to. Moreover, it is in stock right now, not some buy now, maybe get it later GB. It has to be said, however, that it is a significantly better deal than the humorously over priced Zeal 60.

You have other things on your site, but I got tired and thought of other things to do that made more sense. Summing things up, however, compared to other offerings on the market you must have quite some development cost associated with your products in order to not turn a profit from those margins. I’m not sure if it is poor business practices or just plain lying that is to blame. Either way, do not expect the entire keyboard community to be stupid.

Post Reply

Return to “Call for nominees”