Spark customers get Lightbox free for 12 months

Forums › Sky, Neon, Lightbox › Spark customers get Lightbox free for 12 months

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3122 posts

Uber Geek

#1220782 23-Jan-2015 14:23

Lightbox: I

Not sure I understand the massive apprehension around this....

"Mainly because getting credit card details for these subscription type services is a trick some other companies use"
thats why . If it quacks like a duck...... :-)

There is NO GOOD REASON we could not just give you the CC at the end of the 1 year free service. No reason.

I allready have a a/c with Spark. You allready can & do bill me for ph & internet ($100+ month) . You (Spark) have had me as a customer for 25 years &
never ever asked for a credit card...

now please, do tell me exactly why you need my credit card now ? for a 1 year free subscription

richms

28192 posts

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#1220808 23-Jan-2015 14:33

Because that is how they make money from people. If you dont have the organizational skills to set a reminder 11 months in the future to evaluate if you want to keep it or not, then you have problems.

Richard rich.ms

Lightbox

301 posts

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Lightbox

#1220811 23-Jan-2015 14:37

1101:
"Mainly because getting credit card details for these subscription type services is a trick some other companies use"
thats why . If it quacks like a duck...... :-)

There is NO GOOD REASON we could not just give you the CC at the end of the 1 year free service. No reason.

I allready have a a/c with Spark. You allready can & do bill me for ph & internet ($100+ month) . You (Spark) have had me as a customer for 25 years &
never ever asked for a credit card...

now please, do tell me exactly why you need my credit card now ? for a 1 year free subscription

Our business model isn't build on tricking $15 from the odd person here or there. I can promise you that much.

Having to change your payment details (whether needing to unsubscribe or to add in a credit card) post sign up is a pain. As a provider you can either:
Subject the majority of customers who sign up and continue as paying customers later on to it...
..or subject the minority who sign up and decide not to pay for the product after the end of the trial/offer to it.

Which group would you give priority?

Lightbox - we are online TV.

1101

3122 posts

Uber Geek

#1220824 23-Jan-2015 14:48

Lightbox: [

Our business model isn't build on tricking $15 from the odd person here or there. I can promise you that much.

OK, but there are legit, well known companies who have tricked customers into ongoing CC payments. (and had large fines for doing so)
In general, just out of principle I am adverse to handing over CC for free trials. Just me , Im sure most are happy to do so.

Any reason this coudlnt simply be added to the Spark monthly bill? Surely that would get a lot more users to sign up.

Lightbox:
Which group would you give priority?

I would look at look many clicked all the way through to the stage where it asked for a CC, then decide how many were put off by that .
What % quit the signup at that stage ?
If you are trying to bring in the less tech savy & drag them away from old school TV into your new service , perhaps these are the types that are initially suspicious & less incline to hand over CC details ?

MindstormNZ1972

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1220965 23-Jan-2015 17:39

This maybe off topic but with Windows 10 coming soon and been free to anybody that has Windows 7,8 and 8.1 and also dropping IE 11 for they new browser will Silverlight work and if not what happens to people that don't have a compatible device to view light box. Has this been looked into?

Lightbox

301 posts

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Lightbox

#1221144 23-Jan-2015 21:33

1101:
Any reason this coudlnt simply be added to the Spark monthly bill? Surely that would get a lot more users to sign up.

We want to offer our service to all New Zealanders - and integrating to an existing billing system takes time and effort. But, yeah, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

1101:
I would look at look many clicked all the way through to the stage where it asked for a CC, then decide how many were put off by that .
What % quit the signup at that stage ?
If you are trying to bring in the less tech savy & drag them away from old school TV into your new service , perhaps these are the types that are initially suspicious & less incline to hand over CC details ?

Yep, we did that and decided to retain credit card up front. So did virtually all other similar online services...

Lightbox - we are online TV.

Bobdn

222 posts

Master Geek

#1221212 24-Jan-2015 00:09

I think this thread would have had less negative comments if Spark has increased the subscription price to $20 per month. It really is the definition of "you just can't win".

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

nyquist

102 posts

Master Geek

#1221740 25-Jan-2015 10:24

Yes, I'm a little bit surprised by some of the negativity. As someone with the $7.50 subscription deal nearing to the end, I was pretty stoked about getting the next 12 months free.

Personally, I think this is a sound strategy - increase their Lightbox customer base before Netflix and Neon launch, and reduce Spark's customer churn.

trig42

5816 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1223016 27-Jan-2015 10:12

nyquist: Yes, I'm a little bit surprised by some of the negativity. As someone with the $7.50 subscription deal nearing to the end, I was pretty stoked about getting the next 12 months free.

Personally, I think this is a sound strategy - increase their Lightbox customer base before Netflix and Neon launch, and reduce Spark's customer churn.

Same here.

As for the Credit Card up front "issue". It is a non-issue.
If you want a SVOD service, you need a credit card.
Either get virtual credit card from the likes of OneSmart, or a debit card, or a prezzy card, or trust yourself to cancel it after the generous free period has finished. Or, just go online and whinge and moan that a company is giving away something for a year...

loceff13

1065 posts

Uber Geek

#1223146 27-Jan-2015 12:12

People will moan later this year when TVNZ ondemand requires a login despite it being free, you can't please everyone

mattwnz

20165 posts

Uber Geek

#1223179 27-Jan-2015 12:48

loceff13: People will moan later this year when TVNZ ondemand requires a login despite it being free, you can't please everyone

I had heard that parts may be charged for. The quality of tvnz though is poor compared to lightbox. Newspapers may also be going behind paywalls this year, they have the systems in place, it just depends on who jumps first.

SaltyNZ

8235 posts

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2degrees

Lifetime subscriber

#1223199 27-Jan-2015 13:10

mattwnz: The quality of tvnz though is poor compared to lightbox.

I just watched an episode of Breaking Bad on Lightbox on the iPad app over LTE. The quality was fantastic - noticeably better than Netflix (which I couldn't use today because the Unblock-US VPN is flaky).

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

langi27

677 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1223360 27-Jan-2015 15:17

I see Vodafone officially announce they are in bed with Sky Neon service

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/65447258/vodafone-to-offer-neon-free-for-six-months-as-sweetene

as a SNAP customer i'm feeling a bit unloved.

richms

28192 posts

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#1223370 27-Jan-2015 15:31

as a snap customer I am glad that none of my spend is going towards media distributors that I have no choice on.

Richard rich.ms

loceff13

1065 posts

Uber Geek

#1223384 27-Jan-2015 16:18

Going to be a tough sell if existing voda customers have to re-sign for 12 months

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