Panasonic Rebate support - 16gb to sub for 8gb

[faustfire]

I'm stoked that 16gig cards are going to be sent out instead of the 8gigs. The wait for the book and cards has been long but how can you complain about something that you are getting for free. At least Panasonic made the rebate easy to complete, instead of most rebates where if you forget to check a box on the form that states that you want to receive your 100$ or whatever (as apposed to those who send in the form not wanting their rebate), your form is thrown into the trash never to be heard from again. I have often purchased a product, only to see it sold the next week for less or have a rebate included with it. I have never felt cheated, or entitled to the lower price or rebate, to do so is asinine. (Not saying I didnt wish that I would have waited a week, but thats life.)

I agree with Barry, the whining makes this forum seem like it is populated by a bunch of 12 year olds. Man up.

 

[David Saraceno]

I agree with Barry, the whining makes this forum seem like it is populated by a bunch of 12 year olds. Man up.

That is kinda of strong statement, and a little personal, too.

Articulating an opinion about a policy that you don't particularly agree with isn't whining.

Nor does it make you a 12 year old.

In fact, in reading through this thread, most people are respectful and thoughtful in their responses.

Hardly the stuff 12 year olds are made up, whatever that may mean.

 

[hotchkiss]

Injustice at it's worst.

Injustice at it's worst.

What? You don't say! The rebate now includes 16gb cards instead of the 8 giggers? I only got a FREE 8 gb card...

Panasonic's benevolence is truly unjust. GIVING FREE 16gb cards to some rebate partakers and not others is dishonest and unfair. Injustice I say! I was an "earlier adopter" afterall, buying my camera in October as I did.

Afterall (as wlpeak suggested) they "owe" us rebaters a $1400.00 dollar value. Oh wait, the 16Gb cards are actually $900.00... Hmmm- I'm confused. They owe me $1400.00 in product.... but the 16GB cards now offered are only $900.00. What to do??? Maybe the Panasonic folks could cut a 16gb card in half and send me a half of a card to go with my 8gb card I recieved from the rebate. The combined value would equal $1400.00 approximately.

Or, maybe Panasonic should make retroactive, a free 16gb card to any and all HVX owners, then give a free 32 gb card to any and all users if they ever offer those in future rebates.

If not, we should do what any American would do in this situation- Sue the benevolent scoundrels !

I'm not excusing whatever hassles may have happened in the administration of the rebate for eligible recipients. Unfortunately those things happen, it's called life and Panasonic appears to be taking care of the issues.

Other than that, the already suggested term "man up" is very appropriate here.

 

[pkendall]

Are you going to complain if said Sony or JVC camera is not priced at where you think it should be?

I never complained about the price of the camera... just the cards... calm down dude..

You do fancy yourself as a pricing expert afterall, which is ironic given that you appear to have little or no undestanding of business basics such as R&D costs, ROI, profit margins, product development cycles and the like.

NO I don't FANCY any of that.... I majored in Film and TV production, not business finance.. half of us on this board just went to sleep..

I have no idea if you plan on making money with your films. Let's suppose you do. How are you going to price your distribution deal ? By letting the purchaser tell you what the film should be priced at- irreregardless of any other considerations? Do your costs matter? Do you need to pay bills? Do you hope to make more films? Is your goal just to break even, or is it to get ahead and create other options for yourself creatively and personally? DO you need to buy/rent other equipment? Do you even keep track of your expenses? Do you even need to, or is somebody supporting you? So, what say ye to these questions?

jesus, so many questions... chillax. I just want the games to stop and a cheaper P2 card... and world peace.

 

[pkendall]

And pkendall, I wasn't in any way singling you out. Since day one of this promotion being announced there has been a chorus of whining and complaining by those who didn't make the cutoff date

I'm not one of those people who whined about not getting the card... I knew the cards would get alot cheaper, that's just inherant in computer related gear.. seagate harddrives is a perfect example.... I knew that the $3000 that I was dropping on the 8gig cards in of Mar 06 wasn't going to hold the same in Mar 07.. I'd be a big baby for complaining about that.. I hate it when people do that..

I just didn't expect for Panasonic, instead dropping the price of the cards accordingly, keeping the price of the 8 gig card the same price... overcharging us for what I know is a cheaper product, now.. (they're giving them out FREE for pete's sake) if sandisk or memorex made these cards, i guarentee you that the price would drop..

 

[Barry_Green]

They dropped the 8GB card from $1200 to $700. How is that "keeping the price of the 8GB the same"? May not be where you wish it was, but it's certainly not keeping it the same!

 

[pkendall]

They dropped the 8GB card from $1200 to $700. How is that "keeping the price of the 8GB the same"? May not be where you wish it was, but it's certainly not keeping it the same!

yeah, exactly.. it's been $1500-1200 for almost a year and a half... no price drops until now, in the meantime look at the games they have played with these p2 cards...

where are the P2 Card competitors?

 

[David Saraceno]

I just feel that there is a huge difference between expressing dissatisfaction with a company's policy and what people cavalierly call "whining."

Panasonic has been all over the place with the rebate, the timing, the delay, and now the substitution of one card for another.

Jan is a great asset here, and you really can't say enough good things about Barry.

But holding a company under a microscope now then, while it won't change much, isn't "whining" or "complaining."

 

[Barry_Green]

yeah, exactly.. it's been $1500-1200 for almost a year and a half... no price drops until now

Your facts are just not correct.

A year and a half ago the 8GB card was $2200.

A year ago they dropped it to $1400.

Then they dropped it to $1200.

Now they've dropped it to $700.

Does falling to 1/3 of its original price, in a year and a half, sound like they kept the price the same?

where are the P2 Card competitors?

You tell me. If there was such an obscene profit margin you'd think companies would be rushing in to compete, right?

Well, it looks like one might be on the way, from Hoodman. Nobody's seen an actual product yet, but they made an announcement and said they'd have it in June.

 

[Barry_Green]

But holding a company under a microscope now then, while it won't change much, isn't "whining" or "complaining."

I think the rebate program has obviously not been handled to the standards that people have come to expect. Obviously people are upset. That's not the part I'm taking exception to; that's a totally different thing.

I'm just trying to stamp out the "how come I don't get it too" attitude that is counterproductive, doesn't apply in any other industry, won't apply in this one, and is just taking up space and spreading negativity.

Let's focus our energies on things we can actually do something about. We know Panasonic's listening because they changed rebate fulfillment companies once already.

 

[hotchkiss]

I never complained about the price of the camera... just the cards... calm down dude..




NO I don't FANCY any of that.... I majored in Film and TV production, not business finance.. half of us on this board just went to sleep..



jesus, so many questions... chillax. I just want the games to stop and a cheaper P2 card... and world peace.

I'm quite calm thank you.

Given that you spent the time, energy and money to get a film and TV degree, I assume you intend to or are working in this *business*. Let me know how that pans out for you given your chosen ignorance about the business end of the business you're in.

For your own sake you may also want to refrain making such pointed assertions about business practice, given your professed and apparent gleeful ignorance of rudimentary business concepts. Consequently, it's really hard to take your comments with any degree of seriousness after you've boasted of your ignorance on the matter. In context, the "I just want the games to stop..." line looks pretty foolish.

Looking for a bargain on P2 cards? The 4GB cards are a steal. Or wait a year, the 16GB cards should be a screaming deal... Yeah I know, it's Panasonic and their games again.

And no, my name isn't Jesus.

 

[David Saraceno]

I'm just trying to stamp out the "how come I don't get it too" attitude that is counterproductive, doesn't apply in any other industry, won't apply in this one, and is just taking up space and spreading negativity.

Good points.

Also might be a good time to lock this thread down for good.

 

[S A Studios]

Time to change again. ACB sucks. I have said this in so many ways, and others keep defending them and making excuses. I have never received a tracking number. Not for the first shipment or the second. Please shut me up, give the tracking number. Or better yet, give me what I paid for. This stuff is not FREE, they don't just send it to you for filling out a request. If they do can someone post the link?????

I'm not whining about price or when I bought. Nor do I want the next promotion in six month now. Just what you (Panasonic) promised when I bought there product. I have been more than patient, I think Berry has written a new book while I have been waiting. Just kidding about the book don't correct me.

PLEASE HELP? Give me what I paid for, no more, NO LESS. Thank you.

 

[Knoxworth]

SA, your concerns are justified in my eyes. I was referring to nonrebaters whining about offers they didn't get. Barry's points hit the mark.

As for me, I need to fill out paperwork to be included in the battery giveaway.

 

[DBoz699]

After reading that they're gonna send a 16GB card instead of 8...I'm really excited to get my card.

I sent my Abel Cine Tech pink invoice sheet in the mail eons ago and registered my serial number (February 20th). I've been really patient these few months..almost at breaking point of pulling my hair out. But after hearing this...I think I can wait till the end of May. Hey..its double the space...no complaints on that.

 

[David Saraceno]

If it is the end of May . . . .

 

[wlpeak]

Time until ship date

Time until ship date

As I said in the original post, they suggested the new cards will become available in 2 weeks. Now that was two weeks from the start of this thread and no telling what time reference they were using to begin with. So lets assume two from today so... last week of this month?

As to the delays, I got the impression that the memory supplier was retooling for the 16gBs, creating a 'temporary' shortage. The 16gBs therefore are probably less a reconciliation upgrade than a simple inventory expedient. ( eg Panasonic shipped all its 8gBs and now the new 16gBs are the only cards they carry in numbers. )

This is all just a guess but its pretty much what is going on in the general memory industry right now and this would certainly be a common scenario.

 

[Look 1st]

When Sony introduces a camera with Panasonics patented P2 technology, go ahead and jump on it...

wow, im not allowed to want to seek out a better price for myself?
Who said anything about sony? Or buying a Sony camera?
But since YOU bought them up: If Sony made P2 cards and sold them cheaper than Panny you wouldnt buy them?

Like I said in my earlier post- congarts to all who are getting a free 16 gb card. More people using the HVX means more development and support for it too. (and cheaper more plentiful P2 media as well)

 

[hotchkiss]

wow, im not allowed to want to seek out a better price for myself?
Who said anything about sony? Or buying a Sony camera?
But since YOU bought them up: If Sony made P2 cards and sold them cheaper than Panny you wouldnt buy them?

Where in my response did I imply that you shouldn't seek out a better price? Were you reading another thread by chance?

Im looking forward to other companies providing P2 solutions. I will spend my money there BEFORE I spend it at Panny- aint America great"

I used Sony as an example of another manufacturer besides Panasonic- who as you said won't be getting your money. A fair and reasonable suggestion.

Futhermore, no other camera manufacturer will be selling P2 for quite some time. If Panasonic ever chooses to license the technology to another camera manufacturer, it will be after they have maximized profits from Panasonic branded products (Ikegami may be the first). If you care to substitute "Sony" with Hitachi, JVC or Sanyo go ahead. None of those companies will be likely manufacutring and selling P2 cards anytime soon. The prospect of Sony bringing a P2 card to market is amusing, from several perspectives. Not the least of which is that Panasonic is highly unlikely to license the technology to their chief competitor, at least not for some time, if ever.

If Sony made P2 cards and sold them cheaper than Panny you wouldnt buy them?

No. After nearly two decades of using Sony broadcast cameras, I'd rather give my money to someone else. If you think that Sony may be a more benevolent or fair company than Panasonic - then I have to wonder how long you've been in this business. They are the Microsoft of the broadcast world. That's not a compliment.

 

[jwl]

This thread is amazing to me.

One makes the investment decision in a piece of equipment b/c of feature set and price performance. Streatching things, one might even buy perhaps based on a rebate offer. But to rant about the company for not being fast enough, generous enough or responsive enough?? I just dont get it.

Panasonic makes a breakthrough product, and we are fortunate to be able to find it in the marketplace. All the rest is gravy.

Their integrity is only bolstered by upping the ante with 16gb!

btw. I am still waiting since March for my rebate, and life seems to go on, and the workflow continues...

Now if they would only make the codecs we would really like for seamless workflow allowing direct editing with vegas, it would be devine.