Virtual Container Pricing to Preserve Item Value Perception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional sales promotions, such as direct discounting of virtual item prices, lead to short-term profit gains but result in long-term negative effects like decreased sales and altered user perception of item value.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes virtual containers, where users can purchase a container instance at a reduced price for a chance to obtain one or more virtual items, allowing for indirect discounting without changing the base price of the most valuable items, and mitigating the negative effects of direct discounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If direct discounting of virtual item prices is used, then short-term profits are boosted, but long-term profitability and user perception of item value deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the virtual item offering into two distinct components: (1) a virtual container sold at a discounted price, and (2) individual virtual items that maintain their full base price. This segmentation allows the container to drive short-term sales while the items themselves retain their perceived value and long-term profitability are preserved.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual container acts as an intermediary product between the discounted promotion and the full-price virtual items. Users purchase the container at a reduced price as an entry point, but the actual valuable items are accessed through the container mechanism without directly discounting the items themselves, thus protecting long-term value perception.
2Productivity
If direct discounting of virtual item prices is used, then short-term profits are boosted, but user perception of item value deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the pricing of containers from the pricing of individual items, the system maintains clear price information for items themselves while offering containers at discounted rates. This prevents confusion about item value since items retain their full base price tags, while containers provide the discount incentive.
Solution Approach 2:
The container serves as an intermediary that absorbs the discounting function without transmitting it to the items. Users perceive they are getting a deal on containers, but the items themselves maintain their full value perception, avoiding the devaluation that would occur if items were directly discounted.
3Productivity
If traditional sales promotions are used, then short-term profits are boosted, but sales decrease after promotion ends
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by selling containers at discounted prices before the promotion ends, encouraging users to purchase during the limited-time offer. Since containers can be activated to obtain items continuously, this creates sustained interest and reduces the sales dip that typically follows traditional promotions.
Solution Approach 2:
The container system enables continuous useful action by allowing users to activate containers and obtain items over an extended period rather than in a single impulse purchase. This continuous availability of items through activated containers sustains engagement and sales activity beyond the initial promotional spike.
Data Source
AI summary
An approach to facilitating pricing of virtual containers is provided. Item prices associated with obtaining item instances of virtual items in a game space may be determined. Probabilities that container instances of virtual containers will provide individual ones of the item instances of the virtual items upon activation by users in the game space may be determined. Container prices to be associated with obtaining the container instances of the virtual containers may be determined based on the determined item prices and/or the determined probabilities. A store interface may present offers to the users to purchase the container instances of the virtual containers at the determined container prices.