I have a TiVo and think it absolutely awesome. Incredible. I love it. I found out about it by way of a billboard in San Francisco. Piqued my curiousity just enough to mentally store www.tivo.com for the next time I was on the web. But their site was very light on graphics, and though I may be a bit dense, I just didn't get it. Was it a box? Was it a service? Lay it out with a picture for me. Their references to media endorsements led me to replaytv.com. They finally explained it... replaytv has a nice site. Then I want a replaytv, not a tivo. But I decided to study the newsgroups. Ahh, there I found out the subtle ways why tivo is better. Anyway, my whole point is, this is a GREAT, AWESOME product, but tivo has to improve their marketing... first their website, then the big challenge... retail stores... when I picked up my unit at Fry's, they had prime endcap placement but no point-of-sale display. No way anyone is going to figure it out if they see it for the first time at Fry's. Then I checked Good Guys. Same price. Same display problem... nothing. How in the world will anyone get excited by yet another black box with a remote and a $500 price tag. This product will take forever to catch on if they don't figure out how to market within a store, and on their website. I understand there is nothing more difficult than creating a whole new market... I don't regard the Tivo as a new and improved... not at all... this product is a whole new concept. It will change the way you watch tv. But the hefty price requires a thorough explanation of the features and benefits. I don't think TiVo is doing it. Not in the two stores I've seen. And not on their website. Why in the world, for instance, do they not have a promotional poin-of-purchase video recorded and locked onto the harddisk (not the intro video that comes on the first time you plug the tivo in once you have it home)and a looping feature in the software so that the sales people can just have the running. It blows my mind they are just putting this black box on a shelf with a $500 price tag a hoping it sells. How about a little showmanship TIVO?? Conclusion... buy one and you will LOVE it, it will change the way you watch tv, however, I would not buy the stock until there is a sign they can market this wonder.
BTW, for anyone who says, well, their marketing worked on me... I am not a typical consumer... I have more curiousity and technical interests than the typcial consumer. I have no position in this stock, though I have considered a small long position. I'll be watching them.... |
