I guess Ricoh wants to exit the wide format business like Xerox did a few years ago.
One of our P4P Hotel members emailed me while I was away and alerted me to the fact that the LDP price on the W3601 will increase by almost $3,000 and the MSRP will increase by $3,800 or so because some dumb ass at Ricoh US decided that Plot Works software should be included with the main frame purchase. Basically it's a 27% increase on MSRP, and a 40% increase on LDP.
So, what is PlotWorks? It seems PlotWorks is Ricoh's answer to not having the Ratio software anymore, however in the past the cost for the RW controller I think was about $1,200 or so above the cost of the present print controller and then there was the cost for the Interface card. Either way you slice it, it seems we (salespeople) are getting hosed. Most of my low end wide format customers have not needed PlotWorks and yes we found a few work around for batch plotting, and yes there were a few deals that I could not win because I did not have something like the Ration software in the past. But I've won more deals without the Ratio than I've lost and I think that holds true for most of us that have been selling the W3601's. Personally, I see this as more of a MDS approach for larger customers or you might say, accounts that RBS needs traction in for a full end to end solution.
Why not just give us PlotWorks as an option? Let us decide when we need to sell it and when we don't need to sell it. It's obvious to me that in order for Ricoh to obtain the rights to the PlotWorks software that they had to commit to "x" amount of licenses ( could be wrong but I doubt it). Thus the easiest way was to have PlotWorks included with every main frame. I tell you, whoever made this decision for including Plotworks should be tarred and feathered.
I'm out hear fighting to keep my existing base from the likes of LED systems from OCE, KIP, along with the lowered end color inkjet solutions from Canon. Which brings me to this side note, why did Ricoh not make it mandatory on the new CW220SP, it's because the CW2200SP is $5k over priced as it is!! Seems like Ricoh US has settled on letting the CW2200SP be the low end no frills box for low end users. Little does Ricoh US understand is that most users will find the footprint on the CW2200SP to big, paper too costly (for an image that is close to the W3601), too slow, and too expensive when compared to the Canon MFP 40's.
I looked on the Aficio League to find out more about PlotWorks and there is nothing, only the new pricing. Thus I took a trip to PlotWorks, here's the link http://www.plp.com/view/product-comparison , it seems there are three different versions of PlotWorks. My question would be is which version of PlotWorks is it, the next would be is there a yearly maintenance and support fee, and then you the **** is going to train me on this?
My opinion is that this increased wholesale cost of $3,000 or more (since my dealership will have to mark it up) will kill most of my potential up grades for older W2400's or W3600's and even a few 240's here and there. I have very few users using the Ratio software any more.
I like the fact that Ricoh finally did something to address the batch plotting, but embedding it in the cost will only push wide format dealers to find other hardware solutions. Maybe Ricoh feels that this will push more users to the CW2200SP, and maybe the thought is that they make more profit on the ink than they do the toner and consumables. Again that's me thinking out loud.
The MSRP for the 3601 will now be almost $26K. This is for any of you Ricoh US marketing folks; Most low end users of W3600/2400's and 240's will not want to migrate down to a 3ppm ink system that's over priced for hardware and ink, in addition to dealing with a system that can't stack copies or prints.
New LED prospects will have sticker shock and will opt for used, refurbished or inkjet MFP's. If they are in informed buyer we will be hard pressed to sell them on the CW2200SP that's priced $5 more than the Canon's.
What I'd like to hear from is OCE and KIP p4p'ers, I believe that the 6ppm systems come with batch plotting, just post here what is the MSRP for a single roll unit with print, scan, and roll feeder for those devices.
Can some other p4p'ers please chime on what the MSRP price is for the OCE and KIP that has a single roll, color scan, network print and batch plot that is equal to the W3601?
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