Comments on: Venting About a Vendor

By: JJY

JJY — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:16:38 +0000

I had the same experience with UTD. I was told by a representative they don't provide bids before doing a trial. We're looking at DynaMed instead.

By: How Evidence Based is UpToDate really? « Laika’s MedLibLog

How Evidence Based is UpToDate really? « Laika’s MedLibLog — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:11:36 +0000

[...] and strict denial of remote access. I don’t know if you have seen the recent post of David Rothman on a very unpolite, aggressive vendor trying to push a trial. Most of David readers guess the vendor was from UpToDate (2nd: MD consult). Is it reasonable to [...]

By: llh10

llh10 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:42:30 +0000

Could this possibly have been MDConsult?

By: Headlines for Mar 24-29 | Health Content Advisors

Headlines for Mar 24-29 | Health Content Advisors — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:31:36 +0000

[...] » Venting About a Vendor [...]

By: Courtney

Courtney — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:08:29 +0000

Unfortunately, I think this is a new trend. I just purchased a new product (not UpToDate) and that is exactly how it went down. I have a sales background (diamonds, to be specific) so I quickly recognized this, gave them an crazy low "allowance" and got exactly what I needed for a really great deal. Everyone was happy:)

By: rvandieen

rvandieen — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:32:33 +0000

Pricing for electronic products like databases can be negotiated very much into the extreme, as the vendor has no additional costs, only profits to win. Most librarians don't (dare to) negotiate. I think they shouldn't do but leave it to the procurement officer. That can be a reason for a vendor not giving a price upfront, but it remains stupid as you asked for it.

If I were you and you have the possibility I would by the product somewere else.

Good Luck

By: Jenny Reiswig

Jenny Reiswig — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:22:36 +0000

I'm guessing this sales person previously worked in real estate. How much is it worth? Whatever you'll pay! ARGH!

By: David Rothman

David Rothman — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:37:27 +0000

Got an emailed comment from a reader who wishes to remain anonymous but gave me permission to share her experience.

My vendor rant relates to a salesperson’s response to my request for a quote for a reduced number of simultaneous users. I explained that we had to economize and cut back and his response was “Is there anything we can do, such as offer you XXX, along with your current XXX subscription, for no additional cost? I am trying to get creative and would be open to any suggestions or ideas.”

My (internal) response was, How about giving me the info I requested, not suggesting we pay the same amount and also receive a product we don’t want? His creativity left a lot to be desired. While he promised me the quote that same day, I had to send another email a few days later requesting the quote again which I didn’t receive for a week after my original request.

…

This same vendor once opened up access (unbeknownst to me) to one of their products for our entire campus for a month and then had the nerve to quote me usage stats as an indicator of interest then insisting we should purchase it. Boy that salesman…got an earful from me.

By: David Rothman

David Rothman — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:32:41 +0000

I didn't know you'd decided to make PubGet free to libraries, Ian! That's spectacular! The trick with vendors of information resources is that sometimes there really isn't an appropriate product available from a competitor.

By: Alan F

Alan F — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:58:28 +0000

This sounds an awful lot like UpToDate. I once spent a fun afternoon trying to pin an UpToDate sales person down as to how their product pricing worked. There were a number of failures of logic in their explanation.