Why?

[Akos Janca]

I've read the whole thread, understand and accept all, I don't have problem with regional promotions. But I still don't know then why I got this advertisement - and others regularly - by mail from Korg USA if it's clear that I cannot participate from Europe. (Might be a database mismatch?)

When you are first thrilled by the title "Enter to win a Korg" then you find you cannot enter - that leaves a bit bad taste in mouth. Anyhow, I'm not complaining, I'm receiving (and deleting) a bunch of mails every day.

[cello]

Exactly Akos! You have summarised it all perfectly.

[Hedegaard]

Does it really matter? USA, non-USA e.t.c
The PS60 looks...erm....like a souped-up Casio......

We have the Oasys, its the greatest there is, let other mere mortals from the streets be content with a PS60
For us god-like creatures, surely we can afford to let some casual sub-human win a single measly PS60?

[danatkorg]

This thread is totally absurd.

Guys, Marketing-1001 says that regional promotions are a totally acceptable practice.

To use 'Mail In Rebates' as an example, companies like Best Buy will do a mail in rebate. Each person filling out the forms ultimately will end up in a targeted list for some company. This is purely a regional phenomenon, not global.

Take Auto companies for example. They have incentives that are regional all the time even though most of them are global companies.

Danatkorg you are being way too generous with your time......

Let's end this now.

Thanks.

Btw - just as a corollary, here are a few more examples of current promotions and contests limited to people from specific geographical areas, including the USA, Australia, Spain, Germany, etc.

http://de.yamaha.com/de/news_events/mus ... onus_2010/
http://www.yamahamusic.com.au/promotion ... itions.asp
http://www.yamahamusic.com.au/home.asp ("The winner of Yamaha Music Australia’s Win a Tenori-On Orange SMS competition has been revealed!")
http://www.yamahakeyboardparty.com/premios.html
http://www.yamahakeyboardparty.com/img/ ... dParty.pdf

http://www.lexiconpro.com/promotion.php?id=18

http://www.shure.com/americas/news-even ... 010-rebate
http://creative.myspacecdn.com/de/adver ... /terms.htm

- Dan

[danatkorg]

I've read the whole thread, understand and accept all, I don't have problem with regional promotions. But I still don't know then why I got this advertisement - and others regularly - by mail from Korg USA if it's clear that I cannot participate from Europe. (Might be a database mismatch?)

When you are first thrilled by the title "Enter to win a Korg" then you find you cannot enter - that leaves a bit bad taste in mouth. Anyhow, I'm not complaining, I'm receiving (and deleting) a bunch of mails every day.

It sounds like you are subscribed to a Korg USA mailing list. Korg USA only serves USA customers, so they wouldn't expect people from Europe to subscribe. I don't think this would be related to the OASYS registration on korguser.net. If you're curious, forward one of the emails to me.

[Griffin Avid]

Sheesh. This is why most forums are devoid of any official voice.
It's just not worth it to go back and forth.
Reps from KORG made their point. Feelings about the issue haven't changed despite a proper and clear response.

Time for a mod to come in and close this topic.

[Akos Janca]

But I still don't know then why I got this advertisement - and others regularly - by mail from Korg USA if it's clear that I cannot participate from Europe.

It sounds like you are subscribed to a Korg USA mailing list..

Thank you for explanation, Dan, it is very likely. It's not necessary to check/remove because I'm interested in other stuff like the ProView or Marshall newsletters for example and all other Korg news.

[peter m. mahr]

Time for a mod to come in and close this topic.

Do you really need a moderator to close this topic? Does it use your webspace? Does it harm you in a way? No? ... then just ignore this thread, but leave others decision up to them. Thank you.

Peter

[Kevin Nolan]

The promotion issue, and Akos and Dan the issue with the mail, is that Korg USA are viewing www.korg.com as a US ONLY domain name and service region; whereas the rest of the world are [correctly IMO] viewing www.korg.com as the global portal for Korg globally.

I know I'm hitting hard on this point - but US-only (or UK only for that matter) promotions are wrong because many countries never, ever get that advantage; but they rub salt in the wound by promoting them on www.korg.com as if '.com' means '.us'. Korg-corporate in Japan should, IMO, put a stop to this practice and either make special offers global or don't make them at all.

Korg are far from alone with regard to the domain name issue of course - the rest of the world sees the ’.com’ primary-domain as a commercial domain, but the US sees it as the USA domain. And this is only a relatively recent but unfortunately growing phenomenon. Only in the lasty three years has ebay made the clear distinction that .com means .us in practice. And what this thread has revealed is an undelying confusion about what Korg is and what www.korg.com means - and I think Korg themselves are unclear on this. So this is where a lot of confusion and disagreement on this thread are emanating from and I’m amazed that Korg Japan allow this to persist. This is a Japanese company after all, and Korg USA are hogging the global presence of the company.

I'm a major USA fan don't get me wrong - I worked for Sun Microsystems (in Ireland) but visited SF regularly and loved every minute of it, and I'm a massive 49ers fan and overall NFL fan (and was in Wembley last week to see the 49ers beat the Denver Broncos!!) - so I'm not a USA knocker – I really mean that - but I do find this whole regional promotion business just too insular for my tastes. It leaves a very sour taste in my mouth, and I find it equally incredible and unpalatable that Amazon.com means Amazon.us, ebay.com means ebay.us and korg.com now apparently means korg.us. Very poor, and NOT taken well by your international compatriots.

Kevin.

[cello]

Good point you raise there Mr Nolan - which directly relates to my original post/view.

The common perception is that the holder of the .com domain is the company (that is actually why the .com name exists - trust me, I know having worked in the internet business in an airline context for 20 years). In this case under discussion, this means Korg. Korg USA is absolutely and utterly NOT the company - as confirmed by Dan in earlier posts in this thread.

So why do they have the domain that represents itself as the company? Surely Korg USA should be korgusa.com - no?

As Dan himself points out with the links he posted (although not the point he was making at the time), korg UK is Korg.co.uk. Korg Germany is Korg.de. Korg Japan is korg.jp. But wait a minute! Korg.jp IS the company!

So when a very simple Joe like me goes wandering around the web, I accept that mcdonalds.com is the company, ebay.com is the company, dell.com is the company - but I'm smart enough to figure out that bbc.co.uk is probably a UK enterprise (unless anyone here wants to tell me I'm wrong), so how come when it comes to the instruments that I play and have bought from Korg (for very significant amounts of money), that this particular logic is wrong? And apparently it's okay to be wrong because I don't understand the company's structure? Bizarre.

Sorry, but if I go to Korg.com I expect it to be the global enterprise. Not a regional variation. Hence my original annoyance at not being able to enter in the draw.

[Wings]

I see Cello's point, and must admit I've been slightly irritated myself a couple of times in similare situations, however...

You really need to buy a "something" and you've found the perfect ad on ebay...price is right, product is great etc.

So you bid on the product (no geographical boundries etc) and have the leading bid...
Yesssss...this is great right?

Until the time you see it's "personal pick-up only"...the product is located in Tokyo, and you're located in Spain...

And these situations get you all wound up???
Seriously...find something better worth your rage or grief.

[Hedegaard]

.....The result of which, however, has made me really angry. Why is it only open to 50 american states? ......
HOW DARE YOU, KORG.

Have you received the new email today from Korg news?
Where they're offering some rebate?

I wonder if its only available for USA customers?

I guess that would really p*ss you off now?

[cello]

Nice try!

Now that I understand how it all works, no am not p!ssed off

[ozy]

Lewt's try harder then:

I live in Italy. I received an e-mail from Korg USA. They said that, "as a former USA resident", I am "entitled to participation in rebates and giveaways"...

... "just please don't tell Cello".

It was signed "Korg dep.t of Covert Operations & M4 project".

Hope this helps soothing your fears of a conspiracy.

[Wings]

Hehe...nice1 ozy.