PC+ worth it?
marble
Posts: 7,500
I have been in and out of PC+ over the years but, if I recall correctly, not for at least 4 years. I would join when there was a sale on a 3 month membership, buy whatever I fancied (usually something from Jack Tomalin) and just not renew my membership. The thing is, and this might be subjective, that I don't believe that most PC+ products are of the same quality as the general store items. I mean, for example, clothing that does not have morphs and/or very few adjustments; or a lack of texture/material options. In short - just the basics. I have scanned through the PC+ offerings and fail to find a single item I would want to buy. Which all, to me, says that paying for membership would be a waste of money for me.
Yet it always seems that many forum members here take it for granted that everyone is a PC+ member. They talk about the store discounts where we need to buy a "New" item to qualify and usually suggest a PC+ item which is low priced - but only if you are a member and, for a non-member, probably not worth the full price and not advatageous when it comes to the overall discount when paired with a sale item. Yet that reason alone does not make membership worthwhile - or does it?
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Even if you don't like PC+ products (I do), all DO products are 30% cheaper than for non-members. Plus you get $12/month worth of coupons you can use on items that are other than PC+ items. To me, these two alone would be worth it. But you have to do your math and see if you'd be able to save more than what the membership costs with items that you typically buy.
I've been a DAZ customer for 20 years. Like you, I've left and rejoined the PC Club many times. I rejoined 3 months ago, and spent more in one month than I had in years. I'm most thrilled by the ability to get entire ProPacks at deeply discounted prices. I wait till I see one for under $50, and look for any other good prices. My 3-month membership expires in a couple days. I am hoping to snatch a deep discount on a year's "new membership." I won't have as much money to spend, but I'm waiting.
it's great for new users and those that want to get the latest and greatest when released since it gives you the 30% discount. I do like the monthly coupons and use them regularly. I have been in and out of it for years and find that I usually get a great discount on it right before membership is up, so I have been regularly active for the past few years. Good thing is, when there is a sale, it works with existing time and just prolongs it. Mine was going to expire in may and then came a deal for around 60% off, so I reupped for another year
I tend to agree with your findings also that the PC+ items are not usually the best quality when it comes to clothing, but I do take advantage of shaders and poses when i need to use a PC items to qualify for a discount and the buildings can be rather nice.
Yeah, I see your motivation there but, unlike you, I never buy Pro bundles. Again, most of what they contain are of little to no interest to me. Also, I buy very few DAZ Original characters. I prefer buying the Bluejaunte figures and a select few others. I recently bought Mrs Chow but she was on a very big discount at the time and that sums up my buying pattern - wait and wait and eventually it will be heavily discounted. That's the great thing about the browser add-on from Ati. I believe that saves me more than any PC+ membership.
As for doing the maths, it is a little difficult to judge which is why I'm asking for opinions. Even when I had the PC+ coupons I often didn't send them because I just couldn't find something I wanted.
I don't buy many (hardly any?) of the PC+ items, but for the discounts on the DAZ originals, the monthly/weekly freebies, monthly cuoupons, and other occasional discounts/offers, it's more than worth it for me. I watch the sales so I can get a really good discount to renew my annual membership (usually months before it's due). Over the years, the discounts and freebies have more than paid for the cost of membership. That's coming from someone that doesn't buy a lot of stuff! I've been a PC/PC+ member since I started actually buying at DAZ in 2007. To me it just makes sense to help save money.
I do feel that some PC+ items, and some DO's might not be the same quality as some of the PA's here produce. But they also aren't as expensive, especially when you have PC+. However, any slight lack in quality (I'd say typically it's just small details) doesn't keep me from using them, and getting great results. Without PC+, my library would be extremely limited. Overall, I'm very happy with PC+. I realize others have different priorities and needs, but for me it's pretty much a no brainer..
marble, I hear you. It's safe to say the value of PC Club is an individual determination. Does DAZ offer sufficient discounts for the items that interest you the most?! It's also good to hear the opinions of others, when they explain the factors that determine their perception of worth. I wish, for you, to get the best bang for your buck (Pardon an old saying!)
I really have to wait for big discounts otherwise I could not afford this hobby. Also, I tend to split my buying between here and the other store who also have lots of sales and hefty discounts. I'm still not sure that I buy enough to justify a PC+ subscription but I may try the 3 month thing again next time it is on sale.
I can't say I have noticed the lower quality of PC+ products, most are well made. Some may have less included than a more expensive non-PC+ item, but that is too be expected for the price point.
Personally I like PC+ products, there are a lot of prop sets and shaders that I find useful, and in addition the clothing tends to have a better gender balance than PA clothing. It also includes more niche stuff, like historical clothing, whereas PA clothing is more commonly fantasy, sci-fi or skimpwear, for the obvious reason that they sell better.
Given I have paid around $15-25 per year (not per quarter) for the last 4 years or so of membership, it is a very cheap club to sign up to.
While i agree with some of the critics, i think the only way for PC+ sub to not be worth it, is if you don't spend money in daz.
You like DO, it pays too easy by itself and give even more value if subscription is discounted. I have been given over $100 in the last 3 months for a subscription i pay for $12.
You like PC+ or PA? You have the Save6 coupon. That is up to 33% discount there, and it stacks with featured artists discount or flash sales that don't require coupon.
Any of the two coupons pays for the subcription.
If you can't find in all daz something to use any of the coupons, then your problem is not PC+; it is you just don't like what is released here, be it DO or PAs.
I have kept my PC subscription for years. The coupons and freebies alone make it worthwhile for me. Found a lot of great items in PC+ too.
...one of the promos Daz has done recently are PC+ For A Day sales which highlights some really nice products at PC+ prices. I've already easily made back the full cost of an annual membership on the alone (the savings I made during one sale month where there were multiple PC for a day offers and special PC+ member discounts could pay for the next several years of membership). There are also special PC+ discounts during sales where members get a higher percentage off than non members.
I must be a niche buyer because I buy neither historical nor Sci_Fi. I am only interested in contemporary assets: modern, every day clothing, homes, rooms, furniture, props, etc. Nevertheless, if I can find a $25 per year deal like you mention, I will probably take that. I think that most of the shaders I bought were while I was a member so that is one saving I have made at least.
Just checked ... My last 3 month membership expired at the end of 2017 which is more recent than I thought. No special offers on membership right now though.
I have a hard time keeping track of the various offers or sales. But I'm trying to look for a discount in renewing my PC membership in the coming month.
Unless you already have a LOT of products in your Daz library/are a longtime customer, or mostly do your own modeling of clothes and such, I'd say that PC+ is very much worth it, My rule of thumb for people is that if you are planning to spend say $200 or more a year in the Daz store, yeah it's worth it.
WITH THIS CAVEAT. Buy your PC+ membership ONLY when it goes on sale. 30% off PC+ happens often enough, 40% off happens a few times a year, and 50% off does come up occasionally. So yeah it can pay to wait for the next PC+ membership sale, as that'll leave you more money in your Daz budget for other purchases.
The PC+ freebies are mostly 'yeah that's kinda nice to have' but occasionally some really nice stuff ends up in the weekly freebies. Also, as noted the $6 of DO's, well you can usually find something to buy/discount with that coupon each month. The $6 off of $18 monthly coupon is a bit less useful, particularly if there are other coupons in play in sales, as you are only allowed to use one coupon on each cart purchase, but if you spend say $50-$100 a month in the Daz store, you should be able to put that coupon to use.
What I generally 'save' on purchases with PC+ offsets the cost of my PC+ membership renewal within a month, but then I tend to spend $60 or more on Daz stuff every month. Note that I regularly buy gift cards as well when they go on sale for decent discounts, so those GC discounts translate to other stuff being cheaper when I buy it with my Gift Cards/Store Credit.
PC+ members also get extra discounts in various sales over the year, so depending on how often you participate in the Daz sales, yeah those 'extra bonus for PC+ members' do come up often enough.
So in short, unless you don't buy a lot of stuff in the first place, it's generally worth it. Just don't pay full price for a PC+ membership if you can avoid it, as membership sales tend to come up at least once a month usually.
I have my doubts about its value to me too, it is subjective, and my decision applies to my situation. I have a limited amount of money & a lot of things I want to do with the money. DAZ is probably on the outer edge of my discretionary spending. I do a fair bit of work in my home machine shop. Tooling for the lathe & mill come ahead in the priority list. A 1.5 kilo (3lb) collet chuck costs less than 3 monthly components of an annual PC+ subscription (the last one, an ER32/R8, cost me £12.46 inc postage from China, and I couldn't get the steel to make it myself for that locally) and I'll still be able to use it to mince metal in 20 years time.. That puts it in my perspective.
Looking at my spending over the last year, I spent $80 (give or take a few cents) at DAZ. Everything I bought was discounted. The PC+ weekends were good and showed nice discounts, but when it comes down to it, I can't justify spending $10 less than my annual spend to get the priviledge of spending yet more on deeply discounted items. So, in my situation, I don't think it's worth it for me.
When my free PC+ for being a new user ran out awhile back, the difference in what I was paying for awhile was very noticeable. Even if you don't buy PC+ items all that much, the monthly PC+ freebies, monthly DO coupons and 30% discount on DO items more than pays the price of the sub and then some, and that's if you get PC+ at full price. For a quick perspective, one of 2 coupons you get each month doesn't require a minimum purchase, and if used each month in a 12 month period (assuming you grab a year sub) will net you the full price of the sub at the end of the year. That $80 the previous user richardandtracy had mentioned spending in the last year? If those were Daz Originals, had they been PC+ that would have cost them $56 with the 30% discount, and much of that would have likely been outright free with the given coupons on top of that.
The thing is, and this might be subjective, that the overall quality of many non-PC+ products isn't that much differentthan what you described above nowadays. Yes, you usually get one or two additonal texture sets with clothing, and all the morphs needed for all "named" figures, but stuff like dress/undress or just "open zippers" morphs are usually totally lacking (except for some PAs that invest more work in their products and are loved by me because of it...)
So as stated by others: PC+ is a great deal, if You get it with a nice discount (like 50% off, which does happen sometimes..) as the coupons and special deals will make you cash in the invested money and a lot more.
About half of last year's spending was DO, but even if 100% was, lets get an estimate of a revised expendature. With a 30% PC+ membership discount, PC+ = $49, so with 100% of my $80 spending $80 * 0.7 = $56 Add in the PC+ membership = 49 + 56 = $105. My intention for PC+ membership is to reduce costs... Really doesn't seem to work in my case, might in other people's cases. I don't count the freebies towards the value because on the 2 PC+ weekends I saw them, I was not enamoured of the type of items and would not have bought them. As a freebie, OK, as an item I would have liked anyway, no not really.
I think that as DAZ is such a low priority for my spending, to commit such a large proportion of my potential annual DAZ spend towards a PC+ membership in the hope I'll find stuff I like, would be unwise.
Which is exactly the reason why I don't have a Renderosity Premium account anymore :)
I'm not sure that you can calculate your savings by estimating the cost of items before PC discount. Sure, if you buy new items regularly you are going to save but I don't. I wait. Things come up on big discount days eventually. That's when I buy most of my content.
I agree about waiting for a discount before buying - I don't think I've bought anything full price since not long after my first purchase in 2004. I was hypothetically assuming the PC+ discount would be applied as a multiplier on the discounted price. I am not sure it is, but neither am I sure it isn't, so the calcs above assumed it was to allow comparisons with the most attractive possible version of PC+.
PC discount also applies to items on sale. Granted, the difference is less money that from non-sale price, but you still save.
Add in the coupons for deeper savings to that as well.
If you only spend 80 per year, then a $70 annual membership is not likely a very good deal. But 50% discounts are not rare at all. And getting that to stack with other discounts not that rare either. Last month annual was less than $20 by stacking discounts.
I was a PC club member for 10 years back in the early 2000's but since then, it hasn't been worth it to me. I just wait for sales, on the very few things that I ever buy anymore. After you have all your lawn care tools, and when your clothes closet is full even if you move to a bigger house and have another kid, a lot of what you have becomes hand-me-downs (or more appropriately, hand-me-ups).
In my case, patience is more advantageous than subscriptions.
It depends on when you purchase the products.
For example 77% off discount, PC+ is only 1% off.
On the whole, PC+ has been a very good deal for me. With patience and good timing, the membership can be had for far less than MSRP.
It's been a good deal for me over the years, especially since I always look out for the occasional really deep discount renewal. I don't always buy all the weekly new batch of PC+ goodies, but the freebies, coupons, and regular DO discount, plus the members-only sale offers, mean that my membership usually pays for itself in only a few months.
i forgot to really mention this, which can be a huge plus. The PC+ for a day offers of PA items have been really good for me, I've been able to pick up items that normally I wouldn't due to price, and preferring other products more. As a result I've gotten some products that I really like that I would have missed (some things have been much better than their promos would indicate), which also means I now watch and purchase from vendors I didn't before. The extra two $6.00 coupons for PC+ members last month and this month is an extra $24 worth of free DO's, or very nearly free (just watching the sales, when DO that I wanted got 70% or more off, I would use the coupon). Without PC+, due to losses of work from the pandemic, I would have not have picked up much of anything since the first week of March.
Of course, my DAZ budget is bigger than richardandtracy, and I can see where he might not be able to take advantage of PC+. But my budget isn't huge either, I try to keep it under $45 a month (some years it's averaged $20-$25 a month). I'm really thankful for PC+, but that's just me, On the flip side, I haven't been able to justify purchasing a membership at the other site because it seems as if I need to make additional purchases to get anything out of it. With PC+ I can get value without any additional purchases.