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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Sim-shops : Updated with PcAviator



Our world is globalized for a long time already. We can buy and download everywhere but how sim-shops deal with us ? Which payment method ? What is the size of their "portfolio" ? Some answers here.

Tuesday last, Airdailyx sent emails to six major sim-shops. These are only pure distributors and don't develop products themselves. 3 of them answered us : Flightsim pilot shop, Flightsim Store and Simmarket. One sent us back an email but didn't have the time to answer in due form (JustFlight) and one didn't answer at all, AVSIM Simpilot. We will try later to work on a second article, focused on others distributors ; those who have some development or co-development.

Some explanations on criterions ;

You shouln't be afraid by the number of downloads. Webshops make clear that you can reset your amount of downloads. Simshops who didn't answer me have most probably the same policy on this matter.

You will find this criterion, the release date mentionned. As a matter of fact, only a few of them (Sim-shops) are mentionning the release date of their products. If you don't have this information, you don't even know if this old/new stuff. You buy an aircraft, you think it's brand new but it has been released 2 or 3 years ago...
Policy regarding bankrupted designers : now, this is important. Simmers hardly know which designers have disappeared or been bankrupted. If you find their products and buy them on a webshop, what will be the real custom support ? We asked that to the sim-shops and their answers are rather vague..

The sim-shops who answered us are the largest by their library/portfolio size. They have more than 1000 downloadable products.  Most of these simshops have clearly mention their term and conditions, their headquarters and payment methods. All except one, the AVSIM store simpilot. There is simply nothing. No address, nothing "about them" and just two laconic lines on store policy. Maybe there is something once you create an account but if that's so, it's unusual.

I am ready to update the article if some comments can prove me wrong.



Flightsim pilot shopFlightsim StoreSimmarket
LocationU.S.A., FloridaAustralia Germany
FloridaShellharbourMainz
Base currencyUS dollarAustralian dollarEuro
Payment medthodsCredit cardsCredit cardsCredit cards
PayPalPayPalPayPal
Bank wireBank transferBank transfers
Check paymentCheck (within AUS.)Immediate
Cash (within AUS)Bank transfers
Cash
Number of downloadsUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
Size of Portfolio (downloads only)More than 1500More than 1000More than 1000
Exclusive editors, designers  :Don't wish, cannot disclose nature of vendor's agrementFTX Orbx (download),
Real Environment X V2 standalone (download)
Pete Dowson,
Ernie Alston,
Burkhard Renk, Felix;.
Release date mentionnedYes, in customer's accountNO (possibly soon)YES
Policy regarding bankrupted designers« We require all developers to provide prompt support or a customer would be eligible for a credit »If a product cannot be supported by the developers or publishers we will discontinue selling itAs soon as we are aware of the situation we stop sales of their products as we cannot guarantee support.


Updated with PcAviator :
(Just Flight is a Distributor/developer and will be in the next questionnaire).


SimPilotPcAviator
LocationU.S.AUS.A.
Loris, SC
Base currencyUS DollarUS Dollar
Payment medthodsAirdailyx did not receive answersCredit cards
American Express
PayPal
Money orders
Check
Phone/Mail orders
Number of downloadsAirdailyx did not receive answersUnlimited
Size of Portfolio (downloads only)200more than 600
Exclusive editors :Airdailyx did not receive answersNo exclusive designers because it limits their sales so we don't ask for it.
Release date mentionnedNOWill have in 6 month
Policy regarding bankrupted designersAirdailyx did not receive answersWe don't carry any product from bankrupt designers. We discontinue their products.








Airdailyx will update this table upon request.

Article copyright Airdailyx August 2011

2 comments:

Biggles said...

In my view, quality of products is a real issue. I have purchased items that looked very good but turned out to be rubbish. Scenery that was not even as good as average freeware, for example. At least if you buy from Aerosoft you know that the product will be good. The other shops appear to sell anything.

Anonymous said...

Biggles is deluded if he thinks that Aerosoft only sell A1-Quality AAA titles. There's a lot of really bad products on their store. Really, a publisher is there to make a profit margin, and often does not install every single product they sell on their store (it would be impractical or impossible). Ultimately it is down to the customer to do their homework, read review and check forum feedback before purchasing. Also, if a developer offers demos or freeware, that's the best way to get a feel for their product quality.

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