Why did Tivo send out the $149 Tivo HD plus Wireless adapter deal to a select few?

[techieunite]

So, I called the number posted about the Tivo HD and wireless adapter for $149 deal.

I have two tivos that I pay monthly for. A Toshiba RS-TX20 and a Series 2 DT 80 hour.

I call the number, give them the promo and they say that my account is not eligible. A real bummer, especially since I've paid monthly for almost 4 years now.

Anyway, I was thinking why Tivo sent out these emails.

A cable company DVR has dual Digital tuners.The people who got this email supposedly were people who were paying the full $12.95 monthly sub and were not under any existing service contract.(month to month)

I only pay $6.95 for each of the units that I pay for. So this would automatically exclude me from this offer.

I think Tivo felt that those that had cable and paid the full monthly fee of $12.95 were most likely to switch to a cable company DVR.

In my area, a Comcast HD Dual DVR is $13.99.

Anybody else think this is exactly what Tivo was thinking? Of course, the loyal customers that have discounted subs will probably stick with Tivo because they have the benefits of MRV between their existing Tivos.

A person who only has one box and pays full price may not want to keep paying Tivo especially when you could switch to a Cable company DVR that does HD for not much more than what they were already paying Tivo.

[priv]

I got (and took) the deal. I had a regular S2 (540) and am allowed to transfer my $6.95 grandfathered MSD slot.

The phone sales guy was a bit shocked to pull the deal up, but initially sent me on a wild goose chase, mistaking my 11/00 S1 for a 01/00 S1 that would qualify for the lifetime transfer deal.

[DrewTivo]

So much for that theory -- it is odd that Tivo would be selling at a low price without requiring a contractual commitment or any higher price than the $6.95 MSD. If there's anyone for whom it makes little sense to extend this offer it's a person with MSD at the old rate unless a contract is required. Those folks are (a) not likely going anywhere (b) have a great rate they're not likely to give up. So why hand out a DVR at a lower price?

Not to say it's not great for those getting this deal--I'd snap it up too!

[ZeoTiVo]

So much for that theory -- it is odd that Tivo would be selling at a low price without requiring a contractual commitment or any higher price than the $6.95 MSD. If there's anyone for whom it makes little sense to extend this offer it's a person with MSD at the old rate unless a contract is required. Those folks are (a) not likely going anywhere (b) have a great rate they're not likely to give up. So why hand out a DVR at a lower price?

Not to say it's not great for those getting this deal--I'd snap it up too!

it seemed to tie in around the transition to Digital OTA - not so much who would move from TiVo to cable but perhaps from TiVo to some other OTA solution

I have all kinds of TiVo DVRs on my account and some are single tuner monthlies - none are OTA though and no deal for me.

[Burrens]

So, I called the number posted about the Tivo HD and wireless adapter for $149 deal.

I have two tivos that I pay monthly for. A Toshiba RS-TX20 and a Series 2 DT 80 hour.

I call the number, give them the promo and they say that my account is not eligible. A real bummer, especially since I've paid monthly for almost 4 years now.

Anyway, I was thinking why Tivo sent out these emails.

A cable company DVR has dual Digital tuners.The people who got this email supposedly were people who were paying the full $12.95 monthly sub and were not under any existing service contract.(month to month)

I only pay $6.95 for each of the units that I pay for. So this would automatically exclude me from this offer.

I think Tivo felt that those that had cable and paid the full monthly fee of $12.95 were most likely to switch to a cable company DVR.

In my area, a Comcast HD Dual DVR is $13.99.

Anybody else think this is exactly what Tivo was thinking? Of course, the loyal customers that have discounted subs will probably stick with Tivo because they have the benefits of MRV between their existing Tivos.

A person who only has one box and pays full price may not want to keep paying Tivo especially when you could switch to a Cable company DVR that does HD for not much more than what they were already paying Tivo.

I have a DT series 2 with a monthly plan that I pay $12.95 for. I have been out of my contract period for about 9 - 11 months now. I called to see if I could get the offer, but I was not on file as being eligible. So there must be other qualifying factors. Maybe they are offering this promotion in waves, as to not run out of supply? You guys think eventually every body with a series 1 or 2 that is out of contract will get the offer? What is surprising is that the offer is only valid until 9/25/08 (according to the email that is posted). That's a very small promotion window.

[jlb]

Anyone else note that the OP stated that he pays $6.95 for both machines he pays for? Unless he has a third machine that is lifetimed or is a MSD qualifying machine, the only way to have two machines at $6.95 is to have called threatened to cancel and then had the CSR give them a special pricing retention deal.

If this is the case, stop complaining about not getting an offer of a discounted HD and adapter and go use your monthly savings on it elsewhere.


Of course, if there is something I am missing about your situation, then I retract my statement.

[dianebrat]

Anyone else note that the OP stated that he pays $6.95 for both machines he pays for? Unless he has a third machine that is lifetimed or is a MSD qualifying machine, the only way to have two machines at $6.95 is to have called threatened to cancel and then had the CSR give them a special pricing retention deal.

Unless those machines were put on MSD before the update in price to $9.95

Diane

[supernova]

Can someone post the promotional code? They won't give out the deal without it if you didn't get the email.

[techieunite]

I'm thinking that Tivo is feeling the squeeze of cable company DVRs. I originally started this post.

In my area, standard definition cable box is $5.99.
HD cable box is $6.99
HD Dual DVR is $13.99

So, a series 1 or 2 subscribed at $12.95 a month recording one digital channel at a time is $12.95(to be paid to tivo) and $5.99 to be paid to Comcast.

That equals $18.94 for a single, standard definition DVR cost every month.

Comcast HD dual DVR is only $13.99. $0 goes to Tivo.

If you get a Tivo HD, then all you need is a cable card. In most cases, you either get a "free" STANDARD definition cable box or cable card as your first device.

So, basically you're only paying Tivo at this point the $12.95 and the cable card was free.

As much as people love Tivo, I'm sure that those paying $18.94 every month on a old series 2 with a digital cable box would jump to a Comcast DVR pretty quickly. If they could get a deal on a HD Tivo, Tivo could keep them as paying customers.

Those with multiple tivos and MSD discounts on their accounts are not as likely to abandon the tivo service all together.

I am one of these people. I have a great MSD rate of 6.95 for each of the two boxes that I pay monthly for. If I cancel, then sign back up, I'll have to pay $9.99 a month. That $19.98 a month instead of $13.90. I have a lifetime box on my account right now which is why I get that rate.

Still, they should offer this deal to all of their loyal customers. I could have definitely purchased another one at this price.

[MapleLeaf]

Can someone post the promotional code? They won't give out the deal without it if you didn't get the email.

Code is HD149. See my post here for further details regarding what I did/said to secure this deal even though I never actually received the email offer: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=6692614#post6692614

[Crrink]

I was offered the deal and I have 1 lifetime S2 and 3 $6.95 MSD S2's. All single tuner, all using basic cable, none set up for OTA access.

I don't think I'm going to take advantage of the offer because Charter cable uses SDV in my area. I'll either wait for the tuning resolver to be available, or see what the next version of TiVo offers. Until then, it's MOXI for my HD viewing, which isn't so bad, but sure isn't TiVo.

[supernova]

Code is HD149. See my post here for further details regarding what I did/said to secure this deal even though I never actually received the email offer: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=6692614#post6692614

Thanks for the info, I hope somebody else can take advantage of it. I got not quite as good a deal by complaining to the customer retention department. The sales guy was clueless but I think if I had of had the code he would have given me the deal.
The retention person was very helpful and let me keep my $6.95/month
for my second TiVo.