GOLD PLATED PI-STACK case

[kdakin]

The Pi-Stack range just grew bigger with the introduction of the "Limited edition" Gold plated model
.

Ebay linkhttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0908262238

The four rugged main 12mm support columns and the new internal chrome molybdenum steel columns are all gold plated.

Just 50 of these items will be offered, initially for UK distribution only, to celebrate the latest batch of deliveries of Raspberry Pis from the two UK distributors.

Overseas buyers will have to wait until at least August before a further batch of another 50 will be offered worldwide.

[nick.mccloud]

How much gold is on the plating?

[kdakin]

The thickness of gold has to be at least 0.5 microns to be eligible for the term "gold plated". The actual thickness will be greater on sections that are more exposed to wear and be 1.0 microns or greater. The corner posts will be marked with an assembly alignment arrow - signifying inward pointing - and the outer circumference of the arc will be more heavily plated to accommodate increased handling. The instructions will be updated to remind the customer on re-assembly if the item is dismantled for any reason.

[rasbeer]

Expensive - now gold-plated - case for a $35... just seems incongruous to me.

[kdakin]

Perhaps you might be interested in a book that discusses issues relating to price and cost-benefit analysis in general?
Its called "Priceless" and Its subtitle is based on the famous quote by Oscar Wilde

A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing

Here is a link for the book on Amazon (its reduced to £10.79 ) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Priceless-Knowi ... 1565849817

Have you ever considered that the Raspberry Pi, being so inexpensive, allows the saved cash to be spent on handsome accessories that add value in other more aesthetic ways?

On another level, I have always found that paying a little more up-front avoids the misery of having to buy things twice or more. My last Volvo S80 car purchase was £5,000, 7 years ago. Apart from fuel and other consumables, it cost me zero in maintenance, zero in parts, zero in headache. Guess what - I have just bought another one exactly the same (but 5 years newer) for £1,800. This is not specifically an advert for Volvo engineering but it partly illustrates my point.

[obarthelemy]

No need to get your back up. To each his own, and this is a nice case, but a very expensive one on the Pi's scale. Everybody is right, and everybody has a right to say there piece without being sniped at.

[rasbeer]

Perhaps you might be interested in a book that discusses issues relating to price and cost-benefit analysis in general?

Cost-benefit analysis & neoclassical economics generally rely on the proposition that $1 has the same value whether it's spent on a Pi-case or a cataract operation in the third world.

Doesn't take an economics professor or book to debunk that. Just a conscience.

As mr bartholemy says, it's a nice case. It just seemed to me that gold-plating it was gilding an already-gilded lilly. I certainly wouldn't begrudge you any commercial success you might have selling it.

[thexman]

On another level, I have always found that paying a little more up-front avoids the misery of having to buy things twice or more. My last Volvo S80 car purchase was £5,000, 7 years ago. Apart from fuel and other consumables, it cost me zero in maintenance, zero in parts, zero in headache. Guess what - I have just bought another one exactly the same (but 5 years newer) for £1,800. This is not specifically an advert for Volvo engineering but it partly illustrates my point.

the point that the Gold covered Case for 35 quid now will be worth 12 quid in 6 months such is the economics of supply demand and the eventual resale.

[kdakin]

"the point that the Gold covered Case for 35 quid now will be worth 12 quid in 6 months such is the economics of supply demand and the eventual resale.

Most pre-owned goods suffer depreciation. Why then do you single out gold plated PI-Stacks? While you own them however and they please you, it is sufficient reason for having chosen them in the first place. When I bought my wonderful Volvo S80 I didn't think "Oh dear it will depreciate during the time I own it so I wont buy it?". Many people wear gold plated spectacles and gold plated watches - do you begrudge their owners these? Rasbeer appears to understand this in one sense but refers to other unspecified matters of conscience on the other.

We have provided a choice that is all there is to it. The fact that it might cost a little more because of the very high cost of even relatively small amounts of gold at the moment, is something we have limited control over.

[thexman]

once again it seams when anyone posts any comments you get your back up and start it as a flame war all i said is that every thing when resold is worth less. as no one pays more unless its rare no longer available or very desirable.

ask the Radio DJ Chris Evens how much he paid for a 1964 Ferrari it was worth it because you will never see one like it again.

don't get so defensive about people making comments ..

all Press good or bad is still Press coverage even if its the forums.

[kdakin]

If you doubt that this is the case, please feel free to read our customers feedback on Ebay.
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/kdakin3420/?_ ... 4340.l2559

[abishur]

Wow, these threads can go south in a hurry can't they?

Wallee, let's say for the sake of argument you are 100% correct about the trademark thing. If this is the case (no pun intended) then the only person, to my knowledge, that is in danger here is kdakin for violating trademark laws. Since the two of you can't play nicely together on the threads about this case *please* leave them alone.

Kdakin, as the producer of a good, you're going to come across people who just don't like/think your product costs too much. You're going to have to grow some thicker skin or you're going to scare your demographic away saying "Oh, he won't handle it well if something goes wrong in shipment". You've put your product out there the best thing you can do is to let people talk about it without getting involved (just make sure when you answer legit questions you do so succinctly with just the facts, and I can guarantee that your product will do better as those who are being unjust as seen as such rather than it being a flame war between you and someone else)

tl;dr - play nice

[kdakin]

abishur
I appreciate your comments about this "flame war" as you describe it.
We have tried to answer the questions posed by one or two members of this forum fairly and squarely - only to be repeatedly told that we are not answering questions (that were actually asked and answered on the Ebay product advertisement itself in May!). Since this is a forum visited by Raspberry Pi users fairly frequently it would be unwise to allow doubters to post unfair criticism of our fine products without any defense at all. If you read our posts, you will see that we have (in the main) retained a dignified response to an unjustified hail of criticism from some quarters. We have in fact solved two of the apparently awkward problems with the Raspberry Pi:-
1) No mounting holes on the PCB
2) How to provide protection at the same time as allowing all round access.
We have achieved this and yet provided a beautifully simple and stylish product that has been greatly admired (and copied - to a degree).
We have been accused of "over engineering" our product - resulting in a more expensive product.
We have never pretended the product is cheap.
We have now made it even more "bullet proof" with the recent addition of chrome molybdenum internal mountings (we even had criticism about the term "internal" and what this meant!).
We have now been accused of "gilding the lilly" for providing a limited edition gold plated version when all we are doing is providing more choice to the customer.
We are happy to answer any questions relating to the product itself.
You are correct when you say that attacking the competition (which is what I think this is mostly about if you look at advertisements of our nearest competitors) is counterproductive - and we have not done so (except indirectly by stating that we don't use Velcro or glue!).
As we have repeatedly said - let the customer decide! If you forgive the pun - case closed!

[abishur]

You really don't have to explain anything, I've been reading all three threads as they were going and I've provided the feedback I think would best help your endeavor and prevent thread after thread of this being locked because they've degenerate into shouting matches. People are going to disagree with what you've put out there and it's a bad thing if you can't respond to those disagreements in a fashion that doesn't result in an escalation of the argument rather than a "well we each have our opinions"