For every post or forum thats started with "Why do alien bees have to be so..."
Tons and tons of people become aware of the brand.
Every argument, every comment just brings ABs into awareness...
The reason they sell is not because of the graphics. And if someone doesn't buy them, it's not because of the graphics.
So my only question is, Paul how much are you paying Cinieski to generate brand awareness, and can I get in on it?
Paul Buff wrote:
...What other explanation can there be for his sales to be setting new records every month during the global recession that is dragging competitors into the toilet and his rate of takers for his 60 day satisfaction return privilege is on the order of 1/10 of 1%?
Maybe the Alien Bees flash units send out mind controlling light pulses, sorta like the Katarian Game from ST:TNG.
Paul, I don't think people are saying you don't make a good product for your price market. The build quality of the PCB stuff rocks and as much as I like it, some don't. Different strokes for different folks.
I think what people are saying though is that it is a good idea for you to stay off forums. I like it when you post on here and give information about and advice about your products. But obviously you are too invested in your company (as any hard working business owner should bee) and get defensive when people start nitpicking at it. Sounds like time to hire a PR person for the forums. Calling people idiots and telling them that they don't know much about anything...really?
Paul. You just solidified the problem. Can you take a step back and reread what you just wrote and see how personal you take things? And that after taking things so personally, you fire back at people angrily......which in turns gets people to fire back when their first intention is simple discussion?
Paul Buff wrote:
Surprise - here I am watching a bunch of idiots call me an idiot while the entire photo forum industry permeates itself with posts about some egotistical fool that doesn't know anything about much of anything, yet somehow convinces the majority of the the industry to buy his products over the one's proclaimed by forum experts to be far superior.
Gee, he must pay them to buy his stuff because, surely, he's a lousy designer and treats his customers with contempt when they treat him with contempt. What other explanation can there be for his sales to be setting new records every month during the global recession that is dragging competitors into the toilet and his rate of takers for his 60 day satisfaction return privilege is on the order of 1/10 of 1%? ...Show more →
It's sad that something like the internet becomes a place that makes it too easy for people with no REAL knowledge to fire rocks at those who do.
Paul comes on here to actually contribute and if anyone has intimate knowledge of his products, it would be him! Too many people like to nitpick in this industry, and complain about every single little facet, and true, not every product is for everyone... But he's also a person, who has feelings, and I can only imagine how hard it is to sit and watch something that is a labour of love become picked apart by people that probably have never even touched one, much less used one of the products and actually know what they're complaining about, but rather regurgitating "facts" they have heard from someone else online!
Can we just stop picking internet fights, and can't we all have a grown up conversation? Use something like this forum as a place to work together?
I am a bit troubled by all this piling-on, harsh criticism of Paul. There have been a lot of redundant comments about Paul the person, however, there have been very few in regards to his products. Most of this, though, is due to Paul's actions on these boards. He proclaims that he's checking-out of this forum, then comes back almost immediately. He removes the forum from his own site, only to put it back up (in read-only format), or so I've heard. And when he does return, he comes back with defensive, caustic comments.
Now, I understand where he's coming from. I wouldn't want to have my character assassinated on a public forum that caters to my core demographic - or any forum, for that matter. But Paul must understand that most of this is a reaction to his hyper-emotional behavior on these forums. He's a bit of train wreck in this regard, and should realize that his presence on these forums are what create these often hostile threads. He's been kicked off another forum, and must bear some responsibility and come to an understanding that these are battles that he can never win.
There are many conversations about his gear on this forum, almost all of them tempered and filled with glowing reviews about his products. Many on this form sing the virtues of his low prices, customer service and reliable gear without causing the fury so common to the threads he responds to in defense of his company.
Simply put. Paul should not be here. His presence constantly undermines his own efforts to protect the image of his brand. There are many here who have experience with his gear that are able to comment on both the positives and negatives of Paul's products, and I think Paul might be surprised to find that there are far more positives that negatives.
I think the bottom line here is that on some level, Paul sees the inherent weaknesses in his gear and responds bitterly because it's a painful reminder that he doesn't care to face. But all gear has its limitations whether it be lights, cameras or lenses. Paul needs to chill out and understand that no matter how good his products may be, there are going to be those who find them less-useful for their way of working than other brands -- and they're going to be critical of his and other brands because of it.
In the past, I've been critical of nearly every brand I've owned. I've found fault with my Speedo's, Photogenics, Hensels, Profoto and, yes, even Alien Bees. There's always some features that bug, but the good typically outweigh the bad. Paul, your products can speak for themselves quite nicely without your own defensive commentary. Let them do so.
Paul Buff wrote:
Surprise - here I am watching a bunch of idiots call me an idiot
You know, if you didn't come on here and behave like one, you probably wouldn't be branded as such.
Funny that.
I'm sure your products are terrific, and I've been considering buying some, but honestly, your behaviour in public makes me wonder how long it'll be before your company implodes due to your bizarre behaviour.
You need to stop wasting your time on the forums, which is clearly counter-productive anyway, given your behaviour, and get back to trying to get product out when you said it would happen.
Which do you reckon is more important - shipping gear when you promise it will, or making a fool of yourself, and your company, in public?
RobertLynn wrote:
I'm pretty sure when I buy my AB's I'm getting them in White. Who gives a crap what color your lighting is, as long as the output is there, and quality components go in? I could care less about the "childish" marketing. Plenty of professionals use them and don't say about how they are going to buy elinchrom or whatever in the next shoot but use that equipment because it works for them.
Plenty of professionals use Elinchrom (myself included), Profoto, Hensel, Broncolor, etc, and don't say about how they are going to buy AB, White Lightning, Photogenic, Speedotron, Bowens, or anything else. They use their equipment because it works for them. So I guess I am missing your point...
