Microsoft points good or bad

max2663 · March 14th, 2007, 00:35

ive just been wondering why i buy microsoft points then think oh its not real money and end up spendin a bomb on freaking backgrounds and demos and xbla games

Scrud · March 14th, 2007, 00:39

Ive only bought Geometry wars and dlc for PGR3 so I don't really waste my money too much on XBLM

nofear360 · March 14th, 2007, 02:06

I never buy new themes or pics (except FEAR picture pack which was only 40pts), only arcades. Believe it or not, I still haven't spent the 2100 points I bought May last year

.

Rossko_UK · March 14th, 2007, 02:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofear360

I never buy new themes or pics (except FEAR picture pack which was only 40pts), only arcades. Believe it or not, I still haven't spent the 2100 points I bought May last year

.

Don't the points expire after a certain amount of time?

UKJAY · March 14th, 2007, 02:20

I buy arcade games, then if I have say 100 or 200 points left over I see what other useless crap is lying around picture wise...

Cough Cough - so long as it don't affect my masculinity Ross...

lol only kidding.

nofear360 · March 14th, 2007, 02:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossko_UK

Don't the points expire after a certain amount of time?

I don't know about others but I know mine haven't. I'm 100% sure I bought them mid-May last year.

Rossko_UK · March 14th, 2007, 02:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofear360

I don't know about others but I know mine haven't. I'm 100% sure I bought them mid-May last year.

I'm sure I read somewhere that they expire. You haven't had them a year yet...

I might be completely wrong, but something at the back of mind says that they expire. Not that I can find a link of course, but be wary...

Quote:

Originally Posted by welljasona

Cough Cough - so long as it don't affect my masculinity Ross...

Depends what you buy

nofear360 · March 14th, 2007, 02:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossko_UK

I might be completely wrong, but something at the back of mind says that they expire. Not that I can find a link of course, but be wary...

There's no need for me to worry about anything because I only have left 40pts lol

TRIGGER M4N · March 14th, 2007, 03:29

How can MS points be good? They've cleaverly priced them so your FORCED to buy more than you need.

An example of this would bebuying a theme for 100 MS point,but the least you can buy is 400, so you spend that and have 300 left. Then an rcade game comes out for 400, FUCK, I can't buy 100 MS points, I'll have to buy another 400! BBBBBBBBBBBBBBULLSHIT.

UKJAY · March 14th, 2007, 03:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRIGGER M4N

How can MS points be good? They've cleaverly priced them so your FORCED to buy more than you need.

An example of this would bebuying a theme for 100 MS point,but the least you can buy is 400, so you spend that and have 300 left. Then an rcade game comes out for 400, FUCK, I can't buy 100 MS points, I'll have to buy another 400! BBBBBBBBBBBBBBULLSHIT.

Believe it or not - that'll actually be down to bank charges. Banks put charges on credit/debit card transactions under a certain amount. So if they started taking card payments under £3 they lose money on it. In the UK 100MS points is about 0.85p I think so a card transaction for 85p for 100 MS points, with the bank issuing a min ?% charge and a cost per transaction fee, you'll be lucky if they took in 30p for 100 points, where as transactions over £3, the bank will just take a small amount for the transaction without the extra fee's

So I can understand why points can only be bought in bulk amounts, I think the more you buy in one go should get discounted slightly. At the minute it's £8.50 I think for 1000 points and £17 for 2000 points, double for double. 2000 points should be £15, an encouragement for consumers to buy more, but in the long term you get more for your money too

Curry · March 14th, 2007, 14:45

Credit card payments cost 4% plus base fee, with a set minimum. So indeed, very low volume payments (picture packs and the like) are simply not feasible without a points system.

I think I have exactly 10 points now btw

Ivan Joidherpus · March 14th, 2007, 17:26

Valid point (re: transaction costs for credit card payments) but you I think what you're failing to realize is that Microsoft's account with whatever vendor is no doubt looked at differently than "Jim's Coffee Shop's" transactions. When you're dealing with a multinational, multi-billion dollar corporation like MS, you give them special perks. I doubt they are charged anywhere near what most others are charged. I can tell you for a fact that the partner service I refer my clients to for their point of sale terminals has tiered levels for their clients.
Basically, the more you process through our system, the less each transaction will cost you. Buying in bulk = same concept.

/my two cents, minus all applicable service/handling fees (approx 2.5% of total sale).......

UKJAY · March 14th, 2007, 17:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by mass9

Valid point (re: transaction costs for credit card payments) but you I think what you're failing to realize is that Microsoft's account with whatever vendor is no doubt looked at differently than "Jim's Coffee Shop's" transactions. When you're dealing with a multinational, multi-billion dollar corporation like MS, you give them special perks. I doubt they are charged anywhere near what most others are charged. I can tell you for a fact that the partner service I refer my clients to for their point of sale terminals has tiered levels for their clients.
Basically, the more you process through our system, the less each transaction will cost you. Buying in bulk = same concept.

/my two cents, minus all applicable service/handling fees (approx 2.5% of total sale).......

Yeah lol paypal works that way too..

I think themes and gamerpics should be 100% free, at the end of the day I look at gamerpics as a form of marketing - everyone with gamerpics relating to a certain game are promoting it widely across the 'live' network. We should not be paying points on advertising games. Points should be for arcade games and downloadable in game content only, - advertising and fan base stuff like themes and gamerpics is ripping people off. Also 800 points to change your name is another one.

Ivan Joidherpus · March 14th, 2007, 18:31

I always thought that you should get at least a couple of pics and maybe a single theme for any retail disc you actually play in your system. Like how some XBLA games give it to you once you purchase the full version.
This can't be too much to ask? Can it?

Thryon · March 14th, 2007, 20:46

I like MS points. They make great giveaways (Prizes, gifts etc..). Also, MS points do go on sale every once in a while. I have seen the 1250 points card for $5 off at my local electronic shop. I can use these discount points to buy anything I want from the marketplace. This would not be possible with pay per item basis.

Curry · March 14th, 2007, 21:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by mass9

Valid point (re: transaction costs for credit card payments) but you I think what you're failing to realize is that Microsoft's account with whatever vendor is no doubt looked at differently than "Jim's Coffee Shop's" transactions. When you're dealing with a multinational, multi-billion dollar corporation like MS, you give them special perks. I doubt they are charged anywhere near what most others are charged. I can tell you for a fact that the partner service I refer my clients to for their point of sale terminals has tiered levels for their clients.
Basically, the more you process through our system, the less each transaction will cost you. Buying in bulk = same concept.

/my two cents, minus all applicable service/handling fees (approx 2.5% of total sale).......

Post is absolutely true of course, but point remains that it's unusable for transaction below $1.

Ivan Joidherpus · March 14th, 2007, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curry

Post is absolutely true of course, but point remains that it's unusable for transaction below $1.

also very true....
I still think that we should get a couple freebies for shelling out $70-$80 CDN for a retail game. Throw me a fricking gamer pic fer christ's sake!!!

Chris · March 14th, 2007, 23:14

throw me a bone here.

charmed699 · March 14th, 2007, 23:45

Well some games give you free gamerpics as I found out when I got Amped 3 and there were 5 of them. I like how some other games like gears of war make you feel like you achieved something when it rewards you with a gamerpic for playing hard.

nofear360 · March 15th, 2007, 01:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by charmed699

Well some games give you free gamerpics as I found out when I got Amped 3 and there were 5 of them. I like how some other games like gears of war make you feel like you achieved something when it rewards you with a gamerpic for playing hard.

I second that. I loved the one I got for beating it on Insane

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