On 6/29/02 4:42 PM, "Mike Benonis" <mbenonis_lists at mac dot com> wrote:
> I live in the US, but I also fail to see why REAL Software can't handle
> Credit Cards from other countries for the purchase of the English version of
> REALbasic. It can't be *that* hard! Anyone from REAL Software want to
> comment? Geoff?
Handling a credit card transaction from someone in a foreign country is no
different than a transaction from a US customer.
Those of you in countries where we have a distributor but found out about
REALbasic via the Internet (or perhaps through a friend who found us via the
Internet) can't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to buy from us
directly. While the distributor didn't help you find REALbasic, the
distributor does play a very important role in the success of REALbasic.
Distributors market, support and sell the product in their country. We
simply wouldn't be able to have the international presence without them. Now
you may still be wondering why you can't purchase from us directly. Well,
imagine that you are a distributor and you are marketing and supporting
REALbasic in Botswana. A Botwsanian sees an ad you placed about REALbasic in
a local magazine or perhaps met you at a local trade show, or visited your
web site. He really thinks REALbasic is cool (perhaps in part due to your
marketing) but purchases REALbasic over the Internet from REAL Software. You
have spent money marketing REALbasic and may spend more supporting this
Botswanian and yet you aren't going to see one dollar (or more accurately, a
Pula) of that sale. You can see how no distributor in his right mind would
go for this kind of arrangement and I don't blame them.
I understand the frustration some of you feel because you'd rather transact
with us directly. Please look at the bigger picture and realize that the
more people there are in the world marketing, selling and supporting
REALbasic in their local countries, the more popular REALbasic will be. This
means there are more users contributing to the REALbasic community and it
means that we can hire more people to add value to REALbasic and thus bring
you and even better version of REALbasic in the future.
--
Geoff Perlman
President and CEO
REAL Software, Inc.
512-328-7325 x711 (voice)
512-328-7372 (fax)
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