Does Paizo offer a Complete PDF bundle for all Pathfinder products that have been released thus far? Maybe a few hundred bucks to just get everything in one bundle and not have to deal with all the subscriptions etc? I would buy something like that. Some companies (Native Instruments off the top of my head) do this yearly with their product catalog.
Keep in mind I am talking about just buying PDF versions. Some companies offer huge discounts with an "Everything Bundle".
As Kthulhu has pointed out, a bundle with everything would be quite a bit indeed, even if it were just PDFs. We don't offer significant discounts on bundles normally, however, this *is* the time of year where we usually offer bundles with the discounts that you're seeking.
Check back on the site on, oh, I'd say, Thursday, or thereabouts...
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Okay, I've just had a look.
There are currently 11 adventure paths currently out, with 6 books a piece.
At 13.99 a pop, that'd be roughly $924.
Lets say Paizo offers a 30% discount for bulk purchasing every PDF they have released.
That would be a discount of roughly $277, meaning you'd be paying $647 for just the APs.
That's about 10 bucks a pdf at the moment.
This is just for the APs unfortunately. Imagine if you added the hundred or so other PDFs they have released.
It just wouldn't be a viable option.
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Just for kicks I just rough figured what an everything bundle would cost:
Rulebook line: $131.86
Adventure Path Line: $895.36
Module Line: $589.41
Campaign Setting Line: $605.56
Player Companion Line: $204.74
For a total of $2426.93
And that's just the PDF's ;) (Figure may be off here and there as I didn't add everything individually.)
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I was talking about just the PDF versions.
64 AP volumes x $13.99 = $895.36
56 modules x $8.99 = $503.44
30 player companions x $7.99 = $239.70
60 campaign setting x $13.99 = $838.40 (this is an estimate, as the products in this line can vary in price...but the majority are $13.99)
12 RPG books x $9.99 = $119.88
GM Screen + Character Folio = $12.98
Total Pathfinder PDF set = $2,609.76
And that's excluding the Tales, Pawns, and Pathfinder Society lines.
Like I said before: Yowza!
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Just for kicks I just rough figured what an everything bundle would cost:
Rulebook line: $131.86
Adventure Path Line: $895.36
Module Line: $589.41
Campaign Setting Line: $605.56
Player Companion Line: $204.74
For a total of $2426.93
And that's just the PDF's ;) (Figure may be off here and there as I didn't add everything individually.)
And here I got into roleplaying because I wanted a cheap hobby with a small one-time investment. >.>
Imagine the cost for buying each and every physical book :P
Please, no one do the math on this, because I own most of them. :P
Complete bundles can run as deep as 80% discounts....maybe more.
I can't imagine Paizo selling a bundle of every PDF released for 80% off. They would be losing a ridiculous amount of money by doing that.
Interesting that other companies follow this model. Must be something to it.
Other companies don't have subscribers to whom they've made a commitment to provide the best price in exchange for basically pre-ordering every product in a line. Even when they have sales, they usually make sure that the sale prices don't undercut what they've offered their subscribers.
If they started offering steep discounts on bundles, the smart thing to do would be to cancel one's subscription and buy a bundle. That would be bad for Paizo in several ways, because they depend on monthly income, not a windfall at the end of the year, and because they use on their subscription numbers of guaranteed sales to set the size of print runs.
Other companies don't have subscribers to whom they've made a commitment to provide the best price in exchange for basically pre-ordering every product in a line. Even when they have sales, they usually make sure that the sale prices don't undercut what they've offered their subscribers.
If they started offering steep discounts on bundles, the smart thing to do would be to cancel one's subscription and buy a bundle. That would be bad for Paizo in several ways, because they depend on monthly income, not a windfall at the end of the year, and because they use on their subscription numbers of guaranteed sales to set the size of print runs.
The subscribers pay to get things first. The bundle buyers typically have to wait a whole year to get their products at a discount. This is not uncommon, I am surprised at the posts on this thread regarding this topic. It is a popular business model.
Aha! Here's the post by Vic Wertz I was looking for:
The plan you propose would essentially take the same benefits that monthly subscribers get and give them to people who drop in every six months and buy six months worth of product. But frankly, even though the credit card processing costs are higher, we'd rather get $13 a month for six months than $78 every six months; predictable monthly income, and predictable print run sizing, are the entire point of our subscription business.
Also, we want to make sure that the best time to subscribe is always "the sooner, the better". What you're proposing effectively provides retroactive subscriber benefits, and changes the best time to subscribe to "whenever."
Finally, note that the Pathfinder Advantage *does* provide a 15% discount on Paizo books and PDFs (and a lot more) so current AP subscribers *do* actually get a better deal on picking up older products... it's just not as good a deal as if you had subscribed while those products were current.
The subscribers pay to get things first. The bundle buyers typically have to wait a whole year to get their products at a discount. This is not uncommon, I am surprised at the posts on this thread regarding this topic. It is a popular business model.
Preorderers also get things "first" -- but they don't get the discount. Nor do pre-orders, which can come in as late as the day before release when the product has already been printed, help set print run sizes.
I'm sure the business model you have seen elsewhere is a popular one. It's just that it doesn't work well with Paizo's own unique subscription-based model.
For Paizo to adopt the Business Model you are proposing, DGRM44, they would need to restructure their current business model entirely, as pointed out by the posters above me.
If they offered complete bundles for $500 or $99 upgrade if you already purchased last years complete bundle I am sure the subscriber base would not change dramatically. What I am suggesting is not far fetched. I am guessing that the people who don't like the idea are the ones who can't afford to come up with $500 in one shot like I can.
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Dude, Paizo isn't going to make a special, ridiculously-low priced über-bundle at 20% of regular price just because you want it all but are unwilling to pay it. Like Liz said, check back in a few days. There will be some bundles at discount prices. But expecting Paizo to create exactly the bundle you want at exactly the price you want? Not gonna happen, dude.
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Wow DGRM44, that is a bit of an uncalled for underhand comment. You basically just called anyone who doesn't hold the same opinion as you, poor and paraded yourself around like a peacock.
First off, selling a bundle containing every pdf for $500 would be roughly a 75% discount, which is a huge slap in the face for subscribers, who subscribe to get that discount they get.
Then, each year that bundle would need to get more expensive for first time buyers, i'd estimate roughly $150 a year, or else that discount just keeps increasing. When should it end?
And I have a feeling it would have an effect on their subscriber base, as it would be dumb to not pick the bundle option over subscribing. As many people have stated in this thread, subscribers don't necessarily get their packages before non-subscribers. So what would be the point?
I'm getting the feeling you're feeling and acting a bit scorned for us shooting down your idea...
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I am guessing that the people who don't like the idea are the ones who can't afford to come up with $500 in one shot like I can.
Or the people who would like to make consistent income from loyal patrons, rather then gamble on the one shot purchasers who may or may not make a bulk purchase at the end of the year.
That said, I don't think it would unreasonable for deep discounts to be offered on complete AP's that are "x" number of years old - like Curse of the Crimson Throne for example.
