All Orbx Download Products 33% Off!

Just to prove my point hey_moe and this is the last thing I want to say about it but I guess I need it off my chest. Check their General Discussions. The good and happy thank you threads stay but too much criticism and entire threads get wiped. I am honestly done with them. No more purchases.

Instead my money went to Pacific Island Simulations. Here's what I posted. It was taken offline within 30 seconds, no kidding. They lost a once very loyal customer.


Dear John,

I wasn’t going to make a fuss about me leaving the forum. However I came home looking for updates to the thread about no more sales. I see it is entirely gone now. Once again instead of moderating a topic and eliminating bad posts it has been removed altogether. I feel this is an easy way for you (as in Orbx) to get rid of any negativity concerning your company. Even if this isn’t true, which is something only you know, then it still looks that way to me.
I just hope you realize that any of those people voicing their concern are your customers. Me personally I feel like my post has been treated equally as whatever post it was that caused you to delete this thread. I do like to be able to express my praise and my concern when needed, however I got silenced instead.

This is a shallow market and I imagine you can’t afford to lose too many customers. There have been developers before who got upset and tough at their customers. It never ended well. I do understand that you grow to love something when you create something beautiful from the ground up. So yeah, you get protective about it. I really do understand that. This is where hidden subforums come into view though. I am sure you have those for your moderators and developers. It’s the perfect place to be honest and blow of steam whenever someone disses your product or ideas. Formulate your response there and talk it over with the rest of the gang. It allows you time to cool down and present yourself with dignity. And if that even doesn’t work then install a community manager.

I’ve never liked the strict policy of this forum but it was ok. I signed up to this forum so I agreed to fall under its rules after all. Nothing is perfect in this world, however the tone at which you handled criticism as expressed by some other forum members lately has changed my mind. I’m done. It’s also a decision that formed over a long period of time.

I’ve already asked JayKae to delete my account one or two days ago and even said I was doing it through pm as I didn’t want to bring out any negativity in the forum. But I feel like I have to speak up. I’m sorry but I’m done with Orbx. Morals over quality products.

I am not mad, upset, angry or insane. Just disappointed.


All the best.
Erik Hardenbol.
(owner of 33 Orbx products)
 
I've been quiet lately as I have needed a break. I guess break time is over...

After watching this topic both here and elsewhere it is totally understandable that when you feel your ideal route (Orbx forums) is no longer available you look for an alternate. Understand that we are only going to be an alternate on this issue for so long. Over the last couple of days I think anyone that has wanted to express an opinion has had opportunity to do so. Assorted staff members have already made comments here, and now it's my turn.

The horse looks pretty dead to me. I highly doubt that anything said here is going to change things. Expect that this will be closing up pretty soon at this rate.
 
N2056 I Agree,I think the discussion has run it's course here and at Avsim,I for One will take my feelings for the way Orbx treats it's "customers" to the forum that counts.The One that you voice your opinion with your wallet.
 
Regards potential Admin actions (and I'm not an admin so you can simply ignore me -- I won't be offended), as a previous poster has indicated, people post here because they feel they can, which means you're doing a good job. I would hesitate to shut down or curtail any thread simply on the basis of some criticism, as long as that criticism is in keeping with the conduct of the forum. We don't take personal shots, we don't use foul language, we don't go out of our way to be offensive or go out of our way to be offended, we stay polite and voice our concerns or opinions. Unless the topic is totally out of the realm, I would encourage you to let things run. Companies like Orbx, which are good companies, need this whether they like it or not.

It seems to me that Orbx timing of their sale was ill-concieved and gives the impression of having broken faith with their pre-pay customers. Certainly I don't believe that was their intent but that's the impression many are left with. They then handed it poorly (in this they are not unique). This had nothing to do with how they manage their pricing margins but rather with how you manage people. Every business that sells retail has to do that, it must be core to their business model. I would encourage Orbx to conduct a little after action review before they commit to any long term policy to avoid the knee jerk reaction that comes through raised emotions. I would also expect customers of Orbx (which includes me) to remember that you don't get something for nothing and that a business often has to take action based on circumstance you may be totally unaware of.

A personal response to Orbx's is a personal response. My personal response is to take advantage of the current sale as it dovetails nicely with other items I'm interested in. I personally have decided that rather than limit myself to just the Northern or Central Rockies that I'll get both! The impact of their sale to me personally is that I will purchase these products earlier rather than later, and bundled rather than individually.

I'm not sure if that was part of Orbx's intent, but it works for me!
 
Well, I took advantage of buying some add-on airports from the sale. I guess that I too would be miffed if I had just purchased and found it on sale a week later. However, this happens at every department store in the country. I have seen some give you a guarantee that if the price goes lower within 30 days, they will refund you the difference. In hindsight, this would have been a good policy for Orbx/FTX.

My experience with John Venema is that he will go out of his way to help the customer. Hopefully, they will learn for this unpleasant experience and become an even better company.
 
Mea Culpa....

....I just went NUTS and bought Pac Fjords, RMN, RMC, and pretty much all Australian airports (already had all regions of Australia).

As for JV's post-- there appears to be no way to respond over on ORBX's boards, as they look to be "conveniently" down at this time...not a good harbinger of things to come.

Kent

LATER EDIT: I found a ay to get onto ORBX's boards. JV removed the "dating" reference-- good on him... As always, the key seems to be civility.
 
jmig said:
Well, I took advantage of buying some add-on airports from the sale. I guess that I too would be miffed if I had just purchased and found it on sale a week later. However, this happens at every department store in the country. I have seen some give you a guarantee that if the price goes lower within 30 days, they will refund you the difference. In hindsight, this would have been a good policy for Orbx/FTX.
Click to expand...

Very good point and the one I was trying to make, although you managed to state it much more clearly. If you've inadvertently made a customer error or created the appearance of one -- learn from it, move on and try and make good where you can. The one thing everyone has agreed to is that these are excellent products. Just clumsy on customer relations in this one incidence. Their customer strength I think is quick technical support, and their willingness to let you use portions of the software gratis to see how you like it (and if your system will support it)...also, lots of little freebies designed to work with your packages.


TeiscoDelRay,

The "continuous series" I've settled on is the Northwest U.S. There are four packages and multiple airfield additions in these areas. So, Pacific Fiords, Pacific Northwest, Northern Rockies, Central Rockies covers a contiguous area of the US and Canada. It's just a pretty part of the country. You should be able to go google some reviews of the software and there will be maps that laydown the actual coverage and where they meet up.

Now, explaining this purchase to your wife is your problem..... :)
 
To me the ORBX sale reminds me of running a car ..... You run around all the week on the one tank of petrol closely watching the fuel gauge knowing there will be a discount cycle 'soon'. It gets down to below 1/4 full and you start to panic and duck into the first service station you come to and spend maybe $100 to fill your tank.

You drive down the street next morning and see that petrol is 15 cents a litre cheaper. Yes I get a bit miffed about that but in the words of an Aussie shock jock "That's life, learn to live with it"

My oldest son used his credit card and purchased YWOL for me on Christmas morning. The next day my Christmas giving continued when I visited my youngest son's place to deliver their presents and he gave me a $50 gift card. When I got home I jumped online and purchased YBAS. Went to the ORBX forums that night and you guessed it. Their 33% off sale was starting the next day.

P****d off? No.

Angry? Yes at myself for forgetting that ORBX ALWAYS have a post Christmas sale with anythin from 20% to 50% off their products. Instead the next day I went online and purchased S52 with the balance of ny gift card.

I only get angry when hot heads use these forums to vent their spleen and bag a company who is trying to do their best to make a great hobby even better. And because of this ORBX has, and always have my full support.

EDIT: For the imformation of people here ..... yes John Venema and I have locked horns on several occasions both on the ORBX and the original VOZ forums. I have also been asked by him to take a couple of weeks break and cool down.
 
I got South Island today. I agree with what Pat says, it's not that big a deal.
Maybe John V got pissed off, and vented it in a harsh way, but I saw on their forum he made some changes to his earlier statements. That's good.
What they make is top notch. Now lets thrive for peace on earth, also in all forums we participate in :wavey:. Happy New Year.

Cheers, Rob
 
My new additions were CRM (so I have all four regions) and KBVS. Today I got to test CRM finally. This was delayed by FSX issues, and my use of real time weather which has been bad. My most recent flight was from Yakima to Walla Walla which are both places I have visited. I need to leave from Walla Walla again though, so I can view the wind turbines.

KBVS was fun yesterday. In combination with the Anacortes scenery I could recognize the route in to my in-laws place in Oak Harbor.
 
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