Korg Forums

Not related to the O but is related to Korg...

Go to Korg.com and you'll see that there's a big feature about a draw for a free keyboard... A PS60.

So I thought I'd enter in for the draw - bit of fun; you never know I might win!

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

So us Korg fans/users/investors in the rest of the world don't count huh?

So us Korg fans/users/investors in the rest of the world aren't worthy of entering?

Is Korg behind this or Korg USA? This is a clear case of geographical discrimination. Why can't other countries participate... ?

Whoever is behind this should hang their heads in shame. Korg is an international company with an international customer base (last time I looked Korg was a Japanese company) - where would Korg be without Tomita (Japanese), J M Jarre (French), Wakeman (British), ELP (British), Depeche Mode (British), Tangerine Dream (German) and Vangelis (Greek) - amongst many, many, many, many high-profile others?

Wake up America - there's other people on this planet other than you!

I feel like buying a PS60 and working up my own draw because this competition is a scandal - If it's only for America don't advertise it on a world-wide website. Keep it to Korg USA.

Deeply disappointed and badly let down - and truly hurt to have to admit it after 30 years of exclusive loyalty supporting Korg. Yes - thirty years.

I go to Korg.com as an international user - I download manuals, updates,etc. In fact the only reason I discovered the draw was because I wanted to help someone here with the link to the D888 manual!

It just feels plain wrong. Let's look at it. Korg USA want a database for marketing from the draw - that's obvious to a blind man. That's the way the world works - fair enough. But someone, somewhere within Korg should have two half-brain cells to rub together to work out, 'well if we do that for america we should do it for all our regions, so all our databases grow.'.

But apparently not. And that severely annoys me.

And we're talking what? Retail value of $899? Is that really going to bust Korg's bank to do the draw over all regions?

Someone in the organisation needs to join it up. What does the head of Korg's Marketing earn? $50,000? No I don't think so... Triple that; maybe - but probably quadruple. Possibly even quintuple.

As someone who doesn't need a PS60 it's just really really frustrating I'm not allowed to try and win it - in my region (they're not doing it so I can't enter); or yours (I am actively excluded)! If I won it I would've given it to my daughter's nursery where they do wonderful musical activities but of course is under-funded. But there you go. Clearly neither Korg USA nor Korg themselves can think that far - and because of that my opinion of both organisations have changed, perhaps irrevocably.

Over the last 30 years I've spent (on new keyboards direct from Korg dealers) around £18,000. And all this loyalty buys me what? To be geographically and actively excluded from a 'competitive' draw.

HOW DARE YOU, KORG.

www.Korg.com is the website of Korg USA, the USA Distributor of Korg Products.

Each Country Korg Distributor runs their own promotions.

This is no different than with other global products. It is very rare to have a global promotion.

Looking at the Korg UK website, I see they have a number of "buy this, get that" promotions. These promotions are NOT available in the U.S. Should I be upset UK customers get free items that U.S. customers do not?

You are over-reacting.

Cello -

I agree with you 100%.

I have flagged this on more than one occasion. Yes this is a Korg USA event - but - don't Korg realise that by not coordinating such efforts across the various national Korg distributers that they are pissing off other Korg users in all other countries?


And they've done this in a more serious way on many occasions in the past - namely - offering substantial extra free accessories (such as MOSS boards for example) with purchased Korg Keyboards only in the US only. They are saying – “rest of world – we’re OK with charging you more than US customers”. Surely they bust understand the bad Karma they create (sorry – had to put that pun in!!!).

Are Korg not “getting” that this is creating inequity and that that is one of the biggest turn-offs for any prospective customer? But they keep doing it.

Personally, on three occasions I backed away from Korg purchases because of this practice occurring while I was about to buy Korg products; but where a UK distributer could not offer the same deal as Korg US. It's such a turn off and I could not bring myself to pay as much for an instrument as someone in the US was while they got a free MOSS board, for example.

Korg must be aware of the dubiousness of this practice but it must be worth their while or they wouldn’t keep doing it. But surely they should be more respectful of all of their existing user base internationally and of exercising fairness to all new customers across all the jurisdictions they sell in; but clearly they do not care on this particular issue.

Kevin.

Yes, but...when they cancelled further developments on the Oasys why didnt they just cancel it in Am...er...ica ???

Oh dear
Billy lol

I'm sorry that you were disappointed at not being eligible for the PS60 promotion in the USA.

As Martin points out, Korg is not a global company. Korg Inc. produces Korg products. They sell to Korg distributors, generally one distributor per nation, who then sell to retail stores. Most Korg distributors are independent businesses, though a few (Korg USA, Korg UK, and Korg domestic sales in Japan) are owned by the parent company. Each caters to different geographical markets, typically with different demographics, and carries their own stock. Many aspects of sales and promotion are coordinated, but since these are different businesses with their own stock, some degree of freedom is also to be expected. My guess is that this is similar for other companies and industries.

For instance, while Korg USA has the PS60 promotion, Korg UK has a variety of their own different promotions available only in the UK, and in Germany Musik Meyer's Korg & More division has their own unique promotions:

http://www.korg.co.uk/news/news_2010_09_14_01.asp
http://www.korg.de/

Best regards,

Dan

@ Martinhines - have to disagree with your global promotions point. Do you honestly for one millisecond think that McDonalds doesn't care what promotions are being done in any particular region at any time - particularly when a new movie comes out? Or the World Cup is on?

Quite. Of course they do - and they are almost military in the precision about it and god help any franchisee that does not play to the central rules.

Korg clearly doesn't work or think or care that way! Baffles me why there is no central approach to protecting the brand... as per McDonalds.

There is no place for regional thinking in a globalised market place - this is flawed and out-dated. And please don't get me wrong; my conviction remains about how good Korg's products are - they are, in my insignificant view, the world's best.

@ Dan - thanks for taking the time to read and respond. I get the corporate set-up of Korg now. Still doesn't make it right and I think the structure then explains the wildly different support levels which become major issues with buyers. Korg Inc have taken the cheapest possible route to market thus losing control of support levels, promotions harmonisation and no doubt pricing policy as well.

All that said, my basic point remains the same. The business model down-plays the brand loyalty I've shown to Korg. But in reality all I've done is supported a dealer and a distributor. Which then means I am not a Korg customer, so can expect nothing from Korg!

The problem Dan is that Korg is not seen by the likes of us as a series of national companies - they are seen as one global entity. Rarely is Korg discussed, even here, in such context. It looks like plain “Korg” are giving preferential treatment to US customers. From my experience Korg US offer by far the best deals, not available elsewhere. Other Korg national distributers pale by comparison. So IMO Korg should be cognisant of this in how they put their foot forward - to me that would be common sense and smart for business but as said clearly it must be worth their while or they wouldn’t do it.

Secondly, whether Korg corporate or Korg USA care or not, there are many potential customers who are turned off by this. Korg have been told it here and on many other forums. To me, they are, in the round, potentially upsetting three cohorts of potential customers:

1. International customers who were about to make a purchase but who recoil from it when they realise they are being told to pay more than their US counterparts (or getting less bang for their buck).

2. New customers who JUST purchased an item only to discover that they would have received more if they'd waited (in the US) or if they happened to live in the US. While this happens in other areas such as car discounts and so on; nevertheless Korg (US) do this a lot and I would think that there are quite a number of people in this category.

3. Long term, repeat customers whose timing of purchasing new Korg items coincides with a new deal from Korg US, but who now realise that they must pay more than their US counterparts. These customers know the market and their field, and feel particularly ripped off. As said I personally recoiled from three separate purchases over the years - from a Triton Extreme, an M3 (3rd one I can't remember right now) and decided I didn't want to pay for the extra items being given to Korg US customers (and instead wait a year or so and get the whole lot on ebay). I'm not saying I'm typical, but the practice has been called into question quite widely on various forums over the years Even to this day, I recoil from thinking of purchasing an M3 module even though I am interested in acquiring one because there was a time when a Radias board was offered with it, but not now, and I will not pay that amount extra where I know that it was possible to purchase an M3 and a Radias board for the same amount in another jurisdiction (or on a past occasion in my own area).

Here's what Korg are up to with these offers - they are trying to attract new customers. that's totally fine of course. But in doing this they are annoying existing customers who paid more in other areas or in the past. So while attracting new customers, Korg are declaring that their existing customers don't really matter. At least that's they way many read it (whether we are correct or not, that's they way we read it). So I would recommend that, in the future, if Korg are for example going to make a Radias board available to new M3 purchasers that they:

- coordinate that offer world wide. And if the mechanism doesn't exist now to do that then look into setting it up for the future

- make a gesture to your existing customer base, even if a smaller gesture, such a $50 discount on your next accessory purchase for your M3. Even sucha smaller gesture would just keep existing customers on board and feel that Korg are lookng after them.

This might sound like whining or moaning - but it's not - taking more of peoples' money than they realise others are paying is one of the fundamental annoyances in business, and it amazes me that Korg in particular do not get that.

I can understand short term and selective discounts and added-extras for groceries and such, but not in this market - your customers are too internaitonal, so savy and too long-term to be playing around with your existing customer base they way you do.



Kevin.

Just to put the recorrd straight re: M.O.S.S. board. there was an offer in UK for a free MOSS board in 2003 - as I got one with my triton Studio. It was on offer for a few months, and was available to Triton Studio buyers . i just so happen to have been lucky on this one, because i was going to buy a Triton Studio at this time, rather than the MOSS "force" me into one - but very welcome Free £400 board it was.

I don't always see offers from Korg, but sometimes they are easy to miss, especially if your not interested in a product that comes with the offer(s).

Anthony

Anthony -

The basic point remains, Korg are selective in location and time of special offers. While they are perfectly entitled to do this to win new customers, it irks existing customers. As said above, a more equitable solution can be found, for starters coordinating special offers across the world so those in all other countries are not looking in on the UK, US or whoever it is receiving the offer and then feeling aggrieved. And secondly, but offering at the same time a good-will (and ultimately good business) gesture to existing customers of that same product, say by offering rebates on purchasing accessories over a certain threshold price (or even the ame special offer accessory).

Kevin.

cello wrote:@ Martinhines - have to disagree with your global promotions point. Do you honestly for one millisecond think that McDonalds doesn't care what promotions are being done in any particular region at any time - particularly when a new movie comes out? Or the World Cup is on?

Quite. Of course they do - and they are almost military in the precision about it and god help any franchisee that does not play to the central rules.

Korg clearly doesn't work or think or care that way! Baffles me why there is no central approach to protecting the brand... as per McDonalds.

There is no place for regional thinking in a globalised market place - this is flawed and out-dated. And please don't get me wrong; my conviction remains about how good Korg's products are - they are, in my insignificant view, the world's best.

@ Dan - thanks for taking the time to read and respond. I get the corporate set-up of Korg now. Still doesn't make it right and I think the structure then explains the wildly different support levels which become major issues with buyers. Korg Inc have taken the cheapest possible route to market thus losing control of support levels, promotions harmonisation and no doubt pricing policy as well.

All that said, my basic point remains the same. The business model down-plays the brand loyalty I've shown to Korg. But in reality all I've done is supported a dealer and a distributor. Which then means I am not a Korg customer, so can expect nothing from Korg!

People need quality products, not ur сunt promotions.

better korg will bring Oasys 2 then doing promotion for idiots and stop making keyboards for idiots like ps 60 is

I hate it when you sit on the fence chilly7 - but what do you really think?!!

Please note that I'm not particularly involved in this aspect of the business, but with a short trip to Google I notice that Roland does exactly the same, with different sales promotions in different regions (examples below from the US, UK, and Germany). Currently, in addition to rebates and extras, there's a contest open only to residents of France and the Benelux:

http://www.rolandce.com/eu/en/roland/we ... uage_id=FR
http://www.rolandus.com/news_events/current_promotions/
http://www.rolandmusik.de/support/promotions/index.php
http://www.roland.co.uk/protect/

Best regards,

Dan

Everybody does it.

Just saw an add on TV for a “Big tasty” Burger at McDonnels and at the end I heard “At participating stores only”.

Sharp.

cello wrote:Not related to the O but is related to Korg...
....This is a clear case of geographical discrimination. Why can't other countries participate... ?

... I think you are lucky enough to talk just about a promotion.
A few years ago I tried to buy a Korg PA1X to the local Korg distributor and that model was not on sale (not even by request) because there was no market for such model in the country according to them...

Rgds...

@ Dan - good that you highlight that it's common practice. Can't argue with that. However, without wishing to widen the debate... I wouldn't buy a Roland if you gave me the money for one I guess my reaction is because I am, believe it or not, an absolute fan of Korg and I care what they do (or don't). I believe that they produce world leading products and I so want them to support/promote/develop those in a world leading way. Doing it the same as others, is not being a world leader - and it's such a wasted opportunity!

@ Sharp - aye, you're right. That's true! Wish I had a comeback on that one. Will think on it and get back to you!