> 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.
Like we use to say in France, your argumentation is "pernitieuse": All you
said is totally true (for my part) but it doesn't solve the issues we
encountered for each RB release since RB 2. As a client we need solutions,
not explanations. You are completly able to indentifiate (using credit card
process) the origin of your sales and then report to the local distributor
his commission due to his marketing effort in the local area. The deal is
respected and your client is happy.
The problem can't be "what my distributor will think" but "what my client
will think". Your agreement with your distributor concerns you and not us:
this is your distributor, not our distributor. Since the local distributor
in unable to serve the same services that you provide in the US, you cause a
problem to your final client, and I think it's much more serious than
causing problems to your clients.
Making your clients unhappy is not contributing to the expansion of the RB
community. You can put things right in order to provide fair distribution to
all your clients around the world or your distribution system is unfair,
then it generates frustration.
After 3 problematic releases, we need solutions, not explanations.
--
Stéphane Pinel
Information system
Equinox Partners Paris
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