TiVo Community Forum banner
  • TiVoCommunity.com Ambassador Program Now Open! >>> Click Here

No upgrade incentive from TiVo!

19K views 91 replies 35 participants last post by  crxssi 
#1 ·
TiVo is obviously not too anxious to encourage existing TiVo owners to “upgrade” to a Roamio! I attempted to do so today, but they won’t “cancel” my old service contract (goes to 2/2014) and start a new service contract on the Roamio. I either have to pay off the old service contract or pay the early termination fee. I don’t need the extra DVR and I don’t have a relative or friend who wants to take on the contractual obligation, even if I give them my Premier box. I believe this will result in a loss of revenue for TiVo in the long run as I suspect 6 months from now, they will reduce the price of the Roamio, or something better might come along from another company. It’s my understanding that TiVo is already in some financial stress; they could help alleviate it by providing some financial encouragement to existing TiVo owners to upgrade without actually reducing the price of the new product. They may lose some owner loyalty to this practice!:(
 
#52 ·
No matter what incentives you may decide to offer to encourage adoption of a new product, the one thing you do first is take advantage of everyone willing to pay full price to get it now. It would be stupid for TiVo to offer anything special on the Roamio's for at least a month or two, if not longer. You don't give something away someone is willing to pay for if you don't have to.
I agree with this.

I expect all of us buying now are paying more than we will have too in a few months, my guess is at least $100 more for the base Roamio with lifetime (my guess - $600+/- now vs $500+/- by Christmas). I decided buying now was worth it to me.

Expecting TiVo to give you a special deal on these now is just foolish.
 
#54 ·
But also based off history since every new series except maybe the series 2 has had an upgrade offer at launch.
Are you sure?

I believe the TiVo HD wasn't discounted at all until almost 12 months in. I bought mine about 1 year in when they offered it at $100 off which I believe was the first deal/offer I had. Just as a side note there was also no lifetime offered for the first year of the TiVo HD either, when I ordered it lifetime wasn't available by the time it was delivered they were offering it again so I spent $500 (plus sales tax) for a TiVo HD with lifetime.

For the Premiere I believe the upgrade offers started pretty fast (I bought mine about 9 months in), but we all know why TiVo had to do that. The Premiere with lifetime deals where $500+/- and the Roamio with MSD Lifetime is $600+/- now so they may have the deals already baked in.
 
#55 ·
Are you sure?

I believe the TiVo HD wasn't discounted at all until almost 12 months in. I bought mine about 1 year in when they offered it at $100 off which I believe was the first deal/offer I had. Just as a side note there was also no lifetime offered for the first year of the TiVo HD either, when I ordered it lifetime wasn't available by the time it was delivered they were offering it again so I spent $500 (plus sales tax) for a TiVo HD with lifetime.

For the Premiere I believe the upgrade offers started pretty fast (I bought mine about 9 months in), but we all know why TiVo had to do that. The Premiere with lifetime deals where $500+/- and the Roamio with MSD Lifetime is $600+/- now so they may have the deals already baked in.
I missed the TiVo HD and Series 3 launch, but I believe those had the $199 lifetime transfer option. I remember people comparing it to the Premiere since the Premiere wasn't the transfer. Maybe it wasn't at launch then, but I swear people said it was.

The Premiere launched with the upgrade offer, but you had to buy direct from TiVo. I preordered both of my XLs this way. They offered $199 lifetime upgrade with eligible box. You got to keep lifetime on your old TiVo also.
 
#56 ·
Well, this is the first box in a while with so much hype and product love from media outlets. No need to discount to get the early adopters/fast followers to buy, as was necessary with other launches.

Hmm, does Apple provide discounts on new launches? Not a bad pricing model to follow if your product is popular.
 
#57 ·
I think that TiVo is worse that cell carriers and phone manufacturers, because is both at the same time.

I got a Tivo Elite at March 2012 because I need the 4 decoders because 2 are not enough at this recording series style life, I purchase the extended warranty and lifetime subscription. So a few month after they decide change the name from Elite to Premiere 4XL, well suppose only a faceplate name change but my Elite was depreciated instantly.

Now the new line coming more than a year after and I welcome the 6 decoders inside and new improvements in the User Interface, the Netflix & YouTube fix (that never work on my Premiere 4 series), but I cannot accept that the old Tivo 4 series cannot gets the updates right away and we'll wait unknown term to get some new version.

By example Apple is working in the iOS7 and an old phone like iPhone 4 can be updated to this new version maybe not all the features but the most at the same day will be released to the new phones 5S. Tivo is making obsoletes our DVRs and pushing to buy a new hardware and a lifetime service with a big disadvantage to their customers.

In the AT&T case I can upgrade my phone with the same subsidy price after certain time and get an extension of contract (such a lifetime service pay) but I don't pay the full price at the beginning of the contract.

I got a Tivo Mini to replace a Tivo Premiere at my Kids Room, at first I thinked get a Lifetime Service ($150) on it but maybe 2 years service was not enough time to get a new model coming. Today TiVo with the Roamio Series make think the nonsense of pay a lifetime service when you will get in less of 2 years a new model with more features, with not upgrade path, and the same cost of purchase a new box and new lifetime service to the loyal customers.

So meantime TiVo realizes that the Roamio would not sells as good it expects and makes me an offer to the Black Friday or Christmas, I got a 1TB DVR Expander on Ebay to my old Elite and save my money to purchase the new PS4 that will play better Netflix and YouTube streams that the old Tivo system.

Trade
 
#58 ·
I think Tivo could easily offer the original poster a compromise. Why not give him a new Roamio with a one-year commitment plus the remaining on the old unit (18 mos.) instead of the standard one year? Maybe even require return of the original equipment (a TRUE upgrade).

Maybe their software cannot handle it, but I would think they could do something to make that work.


What I do not support is what the OP was tying to do: stop the subsidy subscription in favor of the new subsidy subscription with no penalty. As has been pointed out repeatedly, this is a definite loser for Tivo. If they constantly did this, they would go under fast.

"lose money on every sale but make it up in volume"
 
#60 ·
The sell-out nature of this initial release is just going to prove that Tivo, at this time, has no incentive to offer special upgrades. Either they have TONS of new customers who have been waiting for a Tivo DVR solution, or have TONS of older generation customers who have wanted a new HD box.

Great for Tivo, bad for me to have to wait to upgrade until (hopefully) the price drops after the holidays!
 
#61 ·
The sell-out nature of this initial release is just going to prove that Tivo, at this time, has no incentive to offer special upgrades. Either they have TONS of new customers who have been waiting for a Tivo DVR solution, or have TONS of older generation customers who have wanted a new HD box.

Great for Tivo, bad for me to have to wait to upgrade until (hopefully) the price drops after the holidays!
I don't know if it is truly a sellout nature rather than slow initial stock. My local BB still doesn't show any stock and have yet to get them. You still can't order the Pro from BB, but you can the Plus except it is backordered and has been since it showed up. The base is available and has been online, but still no stock in Florida. I tried asking a manger when their shipment was coming in, but all he could tell me is soon. This is the same response BB is giving in their forums.

Weaknees was waiting for their shipment today. Amazon gets their shipment tomorrow, but had a few boxes initially. They are also handling the shipping for TiVo though.

Walmart only shows the Pro, but ship to store by 9/2.

I think either TiVo held back the shipment and/or waited to notify the vendors until after the announcement.
 
#63 ·
Well, I'll put it another way. Can anyone ever remember tivo having a shortage of units with the release of a new box? I cannot.
TiVo has plenty of stock unless they have since sold out.

Like I said I think TiVo waited to ship their units to stores so it is more like a soft launch where you can only buy it direct and 30 days later the stores will have them in stock.
 
#64 ·
I don't know if it is truly a sellout nature rather than slow initial stock. My local BB still doesn't show any stock and have yet to get them. You still can't order the Pro from BB, but you can the Plus except it is backordered and has been since it showed up. The base is available and has been online, but still no stock in Florida. I tried asking a manger when their shipment was coming in, but all he could tell me is soon. This is the same response BB is giving in their forums.

Weaknees was waiting for their shipment today. Amazon gets their shipment tomorrow, but had a few boxes initially. They are also handling the shipping for TiVo though.

Walmart only shows the Pro, but ship to store by 9/2.

I think either TiVo held back the shipment and/or waited to notify the vendors until after the announcement.
I agree with you there's not enough stock, and will be a smart movement, because instead make by example 100 thousands of each model, they can measure the demand with the short stock that are offering and make more of the product most demand.

Also the lower stock is measure in the time of shipping of the Tivo sold on the own store. Be realistic this is not the new PS4 or Xbox One, inclusive I think that they will be making offers to sell the stock of old Premieres in the next month.

I will wait until December to see what Tivo can gives a better offer.
 
#65 ·
I don't know if it is truly a sellout nature rather than slow initial stock. My local BB still doesn't show any stock and have yet to get them. You still can't order the Pro from BB, but you can the Plus except it is backordered and has been since it showed up. The base is available and has been online, but still no stock in Florida. I tried asking a manger when their shipment was coming in, but all he could tell me is soon. This is the same response BB is giving in their forums.

Weaknees was waiting for their shipment today. Amazon gets their shipment tomorrow, but had a few boxes initially. They are also handling the shipping for TiVo though.

Walmart only shows the Pro, but ship to store by 9/2.

I think either TiVo held back the shipment and/or waited to notify the vendors until after the announcement.
I had to order from the Magnolia department at one of my local BB stores. In the regional warehouse they had around 28 Roamio Pros and around 14 Roamio Plus models. Plus the Magnolia Department had 36 months no interest financing on any purchase. Supposedly it will show up at the store on Tuesday or Thursday for me to pick up.
 
#66 ·
I disagree here. I think Tivo is making a huge mistake not upgrading alot of premiere owners... quite frankly they should allow anyone under contract on a premiere to purchase a roamio and restart there 1 year commitment. with the exception of the few fanatics here.. they will lose alot of customers not happy with the premieres relative performance..
Lots of complaining about decisions made. Good thing we are all adults.
 
#67 ·
Lots of complaining about decisions made. Good thing we are all adults.
If Weaknees coupon still works it still the least expensive place to purchase no tax and free shipping and $25 off the Plus ($40 off the pro and $15 of the basic). They expect more stock today or Tuesday.
 
#69 ·
I had to order from the Magnolia department at one of my local BB stores. In the regional warehouse they had around 28 Roamio Pros and around 14 Roamio Plus models. Plus the Magnolia Department had 36 months no interest financing on any purchase. Supposedly it will show up at the store on Tuesday or Thursday for me to pick up.
I tried at might, but the manager didn't feel like it. He wouldn't even look to see if there were any coming in. Soon was his only response when I asked about the TiVo.

I know they get shipments on Tuesday and Thursday so I figure I will check the Best Buy site tomorrow.

The soft launch makes sense from a support standpoint. I just wish they had announced a firm date for stores to have stock.
 
#70 ·
Tivo is making obsoletes our DVRs and pushing to buy a new hardware and a lifetime service with a big disadvantage to their customers.
How is it obsolete? My Premiere XL still records the shows I want. Guide is updated daily. It's doing what I want it to do. With the Roamio Pro arriving tomorrow the Primiere XL will happily co-exit with it, giving me eight tuners and 600 hours of hD recording.
 
#72 ·
None of these gen 3 or later boxes are obsolete, they just don't have the features of the newer boxes. I still run an HD in a guest bedroom which has no cable or antenna, but folks staying over enjoy the ability to stream from other boxes in the house and I keep a bunch of movies on that box as well.
 
#75 ·
If your state charges sales tax, you are still required, by law, to report it on your state income tax forms and pay the sales taxes.

Not that anyone does it, but just saying :)
You are correct, and I report all my out of state purchases on my state tax return, but I don't have to do that till next April, so I am earning interest on my tax savings. I think my bank is now paying me .01% per month, the pennys add up.
 
#76 ·
Lots of complaining about decisions made. Good thing we are all adults.
I think TiVo has their beancounters who are tasked with maximizing revenue, as they should. The multi-unit discounts let me add another LT unit for $300, but of course that will create an extra unit at the back end. TiVo must know the secondary market is there for LT machines, and accepts that, VS an offer of $xx to truly 'transfer' service, i.e. kill the LT service of the old machine and for a fee, move it to the new one.

(And since an LT HD or Series 3 will still fetch $300, effectively, I have that deal already)

To the other comments about obsolescence, I recently bought a Series 2 single Tuner for my sister in law. With LT service, it was worth all of the $60 I paid, and works fine with her DTA from Comcast. She has a small TV, and one tuner is fine for her.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top