ProPortable, Why is Asus giving U.S. Customers the cold shoulder?

Check this thread out and then go to the sight, Can this be explained at all? Why is the W3J debuting in the UK with the 1.8 GHZ Proc but not here in the U.S.?

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=43223

 

Well, something about the market, just like how the M6va, W1v, W1v Carbon, M9 among others never reach the coast.

It's a pity, but, well, it's just how it goes

 

Just curious, does this usually happen with Asus' new notebooks? Will they be upgraded later on in the year to 1.8ghz? I was always under the impression (just assumed it was this way) that the reseller had a choice of which specifications to sell for the premade notebooks.

 

First of all.. it's not the cold shoulder - it's the tightwad issue with US customers..... The 1.66ghz core duo is going to give you more performance than what.. the 2.1 dothan - at least? Not that anyone needs it, but it's how it is. Asus has a price point to meet (where research shows what prices work for them)... so to meet those prices, they need to have a certain configuration. They wanted to keep the same prices as the outgoing models and to do that, they needed to step down a notch in terms of speed because at the same speed - going from a dothan to a yonah is a 50% increase..... even the 1.66 is about $25 more than the 1.8 dothan.... so they're actually giving more at a better price at this point, if you look at it that way.

... but it's not a cold a shoulder - it's what the US will support and frankly it's not a pity on Asus' side.... you have to consider the numbers they have to bring in to give the price they're giving and there aren't enough people who can afford a fully loaded system...... but your only talking about the difference between the 1.66 and 1.8...... basically, in my eye, this isn't even a topic to talk about.... because the difference isn't going to be seen in anything outside of a benchmark.......

Basically - the only difference most people would see between going froma 1.66 to a 1.8 core duo would be that it cost them $100 more. If Asus wanted to put the new W3j at $1899 instead of $1799 and thought people would buy it.. .they would. But you'd be paying $100 more.....

know what I mean?

 

Yeah, we do - but Asus will only import one model at a time (at least right now they will) ... so they take into account what important dealers have been selling and what configuration they feel will sell best.

 

so, justin, is the w3j in production yet? i was under the impression that it wasn't.

 

That's just it, I am willing to pay more and that's why I'm frustrated. Price point would not be such a concern if they were to offer the W3J as a customizable unit, in fact it would allow for greater flexability. Yes U.S. Citizens want the lowest price possible but they (IMO) are also willing to fork over the cash for the performance they want too.

As far as the whole emsemble VS. Cutomizable thing goes, even the monolithic giants (HP,Dell,etc..) are beginning to learn that they need to offer their customer more choices not less. If Asus ever hopes to mainline their products in the U.S. this is a lesson they will need to relearn.

 

i went to a Samsung store in NyC, and noticed everything there was msotly availble overseas, and NOT in the USA..i asked a salesperson, and he told me that the markets is very different. he said the phones offered in japan can play cable TV on them, mp3s, record videos..etc...yea its nice, but in the USA there are less people who would want that, and therefore samsung doesnt put out that product for the usa market.

i dont doubt it would be the same concept here. if they can make more money from another country with a certain laptop, then they will put it out that market, and stay away from the markets with much less demand for it.

pb's $.02

pb,out.

 

Right, but that's just it.. Asus has a different business model and it is what it is. So before you you complain about not being able to get a 1.8ghz cpu - understand there's being an underlying business model that Asus has been working with for two years now..... your complaint is valid, but only if you had no idea how they work. Now that you do, complain about - but if you want it that way... get it from the UK. It's not an arguement worth having.

There are people who will pay to have a top end cpu... that's not the point. These models come in as one configuration... there is a custom line that you can configure however you want. However, you're not going to get the exact same models on both ends of the table..... but if I have to get into that again I think my head will explode....

.. I understand you..... I've tried to argue the validity of bringing in what are ensemble models as barebones to custom configure..... but Asus will counter with - the majority of places that are selling their ensembles are not set up to custom build a system...... they just sell them..... So, the ensembles will come in however the come.. You want a 1.8 and are willing to pay another $100 - great. but I can almost bet you that you'll never see a difference between the two anyway. You may want to pay it, but since there isn't a huge difference, saving the consumer $100 is more what they're into.

Now, in June or July when the cpus drop in price, the next batch (which I would predict would be mid July - will start to come with a 1.8 probably... that's just how they've always done it.....

 

All I will say is the world is bigger than the USA...and sometimes international companies have just as important markets in other places. For ASUS the US is still a new area....just how many people in the street would have heard of them compared to say dell or apple??? Thus they have to balance what they do in order to survive. Like Justin said, they have done there research and they then cater to each specific market. In the US most people want the lower price, esp when there isnt the huge brand recognition like dell behind them. So is ASUS gonna possible loose money cause one guy will pay the extra 100 over the 500 who pay less, unfortunately no. Other parts of the world have different markets thus they also get a different range of notebooks from ASUS to best suit them.
Is just plain economics...nothing personal against the US or any other country, just some guy in accounting crunching numbers, so dont think so highly of yourself that ASUS cares enough to personally give you the cold should..lol
a

 

... also you have to consider how the ensemble and custom lines are set up.. and also consider the new Lambo line - which will cater directly to that person who wants a balls-out machine that is unfrotunately going to also have to be priced that way.... but it should come with maxed out specs.


... I don't usually use the term "balls out"... but Mike Brown from FEMA was using that last night when talking W about Katrina.... since it was said on the nightly news, I guess it's not that bad of a phrase.

 

I think its a fine phrase...maybe we can induct it into the ASUS phase book...although with regards to katrina cockup maybe a better term???
a

 

Samsung is a Korean company.

 

How do they lose money by making it customizable? People pick something then they pay for it, or not pick something then not pay for it. The cost of the upgrade is absorbed by the customer.

 

We're not even getting into this argument..... If you want to know, do some research and start by searching this forum. The simple answer to your question is that... well search for it, I'm sick of repeating myself.

 

Who's arguing? I thought this was a peaceful debate...

 

It's a conversaion for all I care - but it's not worth having again... people who hear it asked all the time and those people who answer it all the time don't like to keep hearing it. Mainly because it just shows the person asking it hasn't done a whole lot of research because it's easily found.... I'm just going to say debate, argument, conversaion, whatever... I'm the one who always answers it, so if I don't, it's going to be hard for someone else to unless they just copy all of my old responses. If you want a 1.8 in your ensemble, now....... either import it, or buy it and swap the cpu and sell the other one on ebay and void your warranty. Those are your two choices at the moment.

 

Justin, quick question for you please.

I apologize if this was mentioned before, but I only noticed it for the first time in this thread. You had mentioned that you believe from experience that the next wave of ensemble notebooks may be released in June or July. Have you received any confirmatory information regarding June or July releases? I'm asking so that I can best plan when to purchase my notebook. June would be absolutely the latest I could manage, but I'll be willing to do so if something possibly better is coming down the pike.

Thanks in advance,

Adam

 

Adam,

I base what I say about anything that's more than 30 days away on past years experience and that's it. But basically, there are two options when a cpu drop comes (and I don't know that's it's coming in June because thats up to intel), but if it did, the computers could drop $100 or they could bring in new models at the same price, but with the slightly faster cpu.... Typically in a model year they'll do both..... but waiting till June to get $100 drop or the next speed cpu is honestly a waste of time unless you don't need the system till then - becuase there's not going to be a noticable difference anyway...... It's just a way to keep prices the same through price drops, or make adjustments for the same reasons.

 

just because it is a korean company, does that mean that they only have one market? doesnt seem very profitable...my point was the difference in the market. japan has different demands then usa does, and therefore we get things they dont, and they get things we dont. also, i was commenting on what the salesperson said, never once did i say they were a japanese company.

pb,out.

 

I tend to think ASUS should have brought the W3J into North America with the 1.8Ghz Core Duo...but It would seem they haven't and so we're just going to have to deal with it.

Justin, you said his only options would be to either import the UK model or swap the CPU out himself...correct me If I'm wrong, but aren't there still other resellers in the USA and North America that are willing to customize the ensemble systems? He'd lose his global warranty in place of that retailers, but he'd have his customized W3J with a 1.8 Core Duo none the same. Just curious why nobody's brought up that option in this thread?

 

Yeah, that's an "option" as well but you've voiding Asus' warranty... and you can't get an extended warranty through Asus either....... but I'm not even going to get into that, but I'd be the last person to bring it up because we've sworn off that policy for two years now due to the issues surrounding it... like any part pulled from the original model can't just be thrown out, but must be sold to someone else in a configurable model..... On our side that would be lying to a customer who expects their system to be made with new parts...... when really they are salvaged from a system that's already been built and tested... I guess it's more of an ethics thing than anything else.... but like I said, I won't be the one bringing that up and I guess the person buying the configured ensemble has nothing to worry about, unless of course they consider they could easily be on the other side of the equation and buying a custom system that they think is made with new parts but it's not......

 

Thanks for your reply, Justin, and for the info. I agree, and wouldn't wait an extra few months just for a small jump in CPU. I won't notice the difference anyways.

Thanks again,

Adam

 

Every person is going to be different, but I see people waiting a year or more for like the "next big thing" - and that's not even worth it... you have to consider the productivity you'll have with the new system - and also what happens if you put it off a few more months. When you buy a computer, there is always going to be something new... period. The people who get pissed off the most are the people who buy the fully loaded systems and then in a month or so the cost of them is a lot lower than what they paid. But when you figure something like a small cpu jump.... in three years you're never going to see the difference anyway... so if you need it now and have the money now... start being productive with it.

... if you look at it that way - you'll realize more and more that when I say... just get it when you need it - is really the best sane way to look at the purchase and be happy with it.