What's the point in NDA's ?

[Dicehunter]

I have never seen the point in NDA's especially when it comes to hardware producers.

A friend of mine who works at one of the bigger e-tailer's in the UK got me very frustrated when I asked a question about weather or not to stay with a certain piece of hardware in my system or not and when the release is, All he said was "Well I can't tell you anything yet until the NDA lifts", I know he has to follow the rules or he gets spanked by some pig headed gimp at the top but it's annoying.

I could understand if these things were a cure for cancer but they are not, They are just bits of hardware that make the pictures on your screen go by a bit faster or smoother with each new iteration.

I have even seen similar things happen when I worked in an electronics store few years ago *I'll give you a clue, They like to have "i" in front of everything, Don't judge me, The money was good ^_^*

There were quite a few customers who would ask about a certain product and we could only say "We can't say anything yet until it's out" even though we knew all there was to know about the product.

More often than not those customers would go and purchase the competitors version of said product and the company with the tardy NDA would lose out because they withheld information because some fat cat wants to keep everything hush hush like a little princess.

I've even seen this in the fitness industry which is my line of work and it's truly frustrating not be able to tell the customer the information they should have access to.

So why do they exist ? They benefit no one and frustrate everyone.

Thoughts ?

 

[barnsley]

They generate large amounts of hype at the extent of a few customers. Point in hand every top end graphics card launch last year.

 

[MadShadow]

It gives reviewers time to review before the actual finished product comes out. It gives shops time to stock up. As a bonus for the company, it builds hype!

 

[tinytomlogan]

Also its good to have everyone launch at once....

 

[Dicehunter]

It gives reviewers time to review before the actual finished product comes out. It gives shops time to stock up. As a bonus for the company, it builds hype!

Reviews could still very easily be done even if the information was given out to the general public.

Also its good to have everyone launch at once....

The products could still all launch at the same time but information would be more available.

 

[tinytomlogan]

The products could still all launch at the same time but information would be more available.

A lot of the time they like to keep people guessing - keeps the rumor mill running. If it has to become available somewhen then you set a date - the product launch is fine. LOL

 

[maniac]

maybe to allow reviewers from different countries to release reviews at the same time? since most of them its their primary job, the ones living far from where items are shipped will get the items late and hence less views and less money. maybe Tom can clear this up a bit...

 

[MadShadow]

I think it is just to get the word out quicker than the competitors. The point of the NDA is to get people interested, not have to promise anything, and avoid showing an unfinished product.

 

[ShaunB-91]

I think its good. I like the pre-order wait as well. I hate it when its like "YOOHOO LOOK, IT'S OUT IN THE MORNING!" "What?! F*** where is my money at?!"

 

[Dicehunter]

Getting rid of NDA's wouldn't automatically mean reviewers would be out of a job and it doesn't mean it would be released straight away so it wouldn't give you time to get your money together.

It would just mean people have the chance to be more informed a good chunk ahead of time instead of all this rumour mill bullshit.

For example I knew way ahead of the release of a certain Apple release what exactly the specs were and they were good compared to the competition at the time, Stupidly marked up but still good.

If Apple would of allowed us to inform our customers, When we were asked, We would of had a lot more units sold.

 

[SuB]

It keeps people buying inferior products because they don't know anything better exists, otherwise people will always be waiting for the next thing.

We may all run on the rumour mill, but Johnny average consumer-man does not.

"Oo an iPhone 26, how much?"
"£4500"
"okay I'll take one"
NEXT DAY:
"NEW iPHONE 27, for the same price of £4500 you get TWICE the speed"

Basic business 101

 

[Snortan]

I think its good. I like the pre-order wait as well. I hate it when its like "YOOHOO LOOK, IT'S OUT IN THE MORNING!" "What?! F*** where is my money at?!"

I don't care about NDA's tbh, but pre-orders should die. They only encourage the release of a buggy product without any benefit to customers.

 

[MadShadow]

I don't care about NDA's tbh, but pre-orders should die. They only encourage the release of a buggy product without any benefit to customers.

I think it's up to the customer if they want to pre-order. It shouldn't "die", because so many people have benefited from pre-orders. Take GTA V for example. No doubt, it was a successfull game, and people were satisfied with their pre-orders. As long as one knows what they are getting in to, pre-orders are fine in my opinion.