From: smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.advocacy
Subject: Re: Risc OS 3.1 supplies
Date: 6 Oct 92 09:32:02 GMT
Organization: Nottingham University

In article <gilbertd.718270207@p4.cs.man.ac.uk> gilbertd@p4.cs.man.ac.uk (David Alan Gilbert) writes:
>Archive have got 65 out of 1000
>
>And most small dealers have it.
>
>So why are Archive (who I have ordered it from)
>getting such a raw deal as far as supplies go - 
>I know people who have cancelled from Archive, and I am tempted
>to do the same - but there again they are the best Acorn dealers
>I know?

It is certainly strange that Archive have received so few upgrades (less than
10% of the number ordered), whilst other dealers seem to have received
reasonable quantities.

What do people think to Archive's latest adverts which say that by subscribing
to Archive, you will be amongst the first to receive news about new products
from Acorn? They certainly did it with the latest range of products, where
Archive magazine landed on people's doormats (early) on the morning of 27th
August, the day the new products were launched (at 11am).

From Archive's point of view, this makes excellent commercial sense. Firstly,
it encourages people to subscribe to their magazine (see their adverts), thus
bringing in more readers, subscription money etc.

Secondly, hands up all those people who ordered their RISC OS 3 upgrades from
Norwich Computer Services (Archive) because they read about them first in
Archive! The magazine always claims to be independent, and they certainly
used to make a major point of the fact that they do not produce any hardware
or software themselves (they just farm it out to LOOKsystems). However it
would seem that the magazine's policy is intended to maximise turnover for
Norwich Computer Services. NCS has ordered 1000 upgrade packs (250 for the
A5000), which I would guess is one of the largest orders from any dealer.

Archive successfully gives the feel of a user group, because almost all of the
material in the magazine is written by volunteers. However I get the feeling
that it is becoming more of an advert for Norwich Computer Services. I have
bought items from them on a number of occasions, and have found the service
very good, although I know of other people who have not been so lucky.
Archive is very fortunate to apparently maintain such great customer loyalty.

Paul Beverley (the boss of NCS) has been busy posting messages on certain
bulletin boards (not just Archive's, which seems almost dead) criticising
Acorn for the lack of supplies, and saying "Oh, why me?". He also asks that
people do not attempt to contact NCS, since they are getting approximately
one phone call every six minutes asking where the upgrades have got to. In
other words, NCS hasn't even acknowledged orders received. 

Contrast this with Beebug (not always my favourite company in the past), who
immediately acknowledged my order (later cancelled) and even sent an advice of 
cancellation.

Comments, flames, suggestions, agreement:=) welcome ?!

Simon B.
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Simon Burrows  smb@cs.nott.ac.uk +44 533 712030 Say hello at the BAU Show!
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