Really stupid response from Razer, can you believe this?

[Heinrich]

I know that Hollywood screenwriters get script ideas pitched to them and they really hit reject fast so that someone cannot claim that their idea was stolen.

I sent in a ticket to Razer saying they needed to add a few features to their software - including, print capability, ability to program different key fired on 'key release', and the ability to adjust how many lines are scrolled when using the scroll wheel on the mouse. I got the below form letter:

I'm really turned off by this. I wasn't giving them an idea for a Blockbuster Hollywood movie that I could sue them on later.

We at Razer appreciate the time and energy that gamers exert in making suggestions for future gaming peripherals. Our company policy, however, prevents us from accepting for review any unsolicited ideas. Often in our industry, an idea being submitted will be identical or similar to one already used by other companies, or already being independently developed by or for a company. Therefore, Razer has adopted the unalterable policy of refusing to accept or look at any unsolicited submissions or ideas.

Thanks for your interest and I am sorry but we will not be able to accept further input on this matter.

 

[greenhawk]

I'm really turned off by this. I wasn't giving them an idea for a Blockbuster Hollywood movie that I could sue them on later.

true, but it might not be you that does the sueing. It might be some other maker of goods.

Welcome to the world of IP, where no one does anything new for fear of tripping over a IP from several years ago that has since been edited to change it's intent.

Sucks majorly as a consumer as many great ideas that could be put together to make a excellent product, but you end up with deciding which part of the idea is best suited to your situation.

 

[gsaldivar]

^ What greenhawk said.

Welcome to 2011.

 

[Pia]

I understand the argument for not considering novel ideas.

This, on the other hand...
"Often in our industry, an idea being submitted will be identical or similar to one already used by other companies"
Ugh, morons. If a competitor offers a feature, it's not a secret and there is no way Heinrich can sue you for implementing that feature in your own product. You are expected to match and best the features of competing products!

 

[gsaldivar]

This, on the other hand...
"Often in our industry, an idea being submitted will be identical or similar to one already used by other companies"
Ugh, morons.

Meh.

The staffer probably didn't have a full understanding of the intent of the policy. Not surprising given that those aren't usually the most informed people in the world.

 

[Heinrich]

I do this regularly - I've NEVER had a company rudely and proudly refuse to listen to a customer.

 

[gsaldivar]

I do this regularly - I've NEVER had a company rudely and proudly refuse to listen to a customer.

There is nothing rude about the email you posted.

They are simply stating their policy, providing a brief (if misguided) explanation of that policy, and informing you that they cannot receive further feedback from you on that subject.

It seems like you're taking a form letter far too personally. I can assure you, they aren't singling you out for special treatment. They have probably been sued in the past for an IP violation and are now gun-shy of receiving any further unsolicited ideas.

Believe it or not, there are bottom-feeding slime in this world who actually make it their mission in life to send out these "helpful ideas" with the intent of suing companies later on if they can make a case that their submitted idea was indeed used without payment...

 

[JSt0rm]

This is pretty standard actually.

 

[Heinrich]

I'm not taking it personally. I think they'd treat any customer this way. It's pretty ignorant.

 

[WoodButcher]

Put your suggestions in the form of feedback at newegg. Some manufacturers actually respond to those fools,,,, well most are legit but I consider the rest pure entertainment.

 

[Soundmanred]

This is standard for most companies as prevention of future legal problems.

 

[DirkGently1]

I applaud their honesty. Perhaps they are trying to make a statement about current IP law too?

 

[Pia]

I sent in my own feedback on a ticket (please make BlackWidow N-key rollover to match your competitors who all offer N-key rollover even at lower price points).

Interesting to see if they come back with that form letter or not.

It should be enough for them to thwart potential lawsuits if they control what actually reaches product development department. The customer service flunkies have to read everything anyway, to be able to even decide whether to send the form letter. Feedback like mine that has nothing even reminiscent of an "invention" or "product design" in it should be forwarded and collected somewhere.

 

[corkyg]

I see it as a reasonably polite way of standing behind their stated policy . . ."We tell it like it is: some can pretend to co-develop products with professional gamers, but gamers don't develop technology: scientists and engineers do (and ours just happen to be gamers as well).

"We develop and design our products in our own labs and then put them to the test with top professional gamers who use them in pro-level tournaments and then provide us with feedback. Then we iterate on the product, refining it with the feedback - over and over and over again. That's how it's done, that's how a Razer product is built from ground up. No marketing BS and no hype."

It is likely part of their security policy - they are in a very competitive business, and must be prepared to insulate themselves from unsolicited suggestions by unknown sources which could be detrimental to their disciplined process of development.

 

[yottabit]

I remember when the iPhone came out, I wrote apple asking them to make a version without the phone, just WiFi, and a user accessible file system

I got most of what I wanted :/

 

[HeXen]

sounds like features that only a very slight few would even want to use anyway. I want an anologue stick on my keyboard for games, but likely i'm the very few who want that.

 

[Pia]

It is likely part of their security policy - they are in a very competitive business, and must be prepared to insulate themselves from unsolicited suggestions by unknown sources which could be detrimental to their disciplined process of development.

Oh please. If features were being requested as supposedly increasing someone's gaming performance, then sure, there's no point in listening to a random Joe's opinion on that. But in no way would listening to general feature requests concerning drivers etc. from plebeians contaminate their development process. (What are they, sponge-brains?) At the very least, they could keep a tally of "random shit people have requested" and occasionally take a look at the most highly-ranked ones in case they are doable.

You know who does read customer feedback? Apple. Compared to that, Razer's "disciplined process of development" is a big ol' LOL. I don't see Apple incorporating in their products all the crap people ask for, but there is no harm in listening. I'm sure they have found more than a few customer-infuriating gotchas which they have been able to iron away thanks to the feedback.

(Yup, I just received the bullshit form letter as a response to pointing out that all their competitors have N-key rollover and I can't buy their keyboards until they follow suit.)

 

[corkyg]

Agree - the letter was not well stated. But, they simply do not want to have to even spend the time to consider suggestions from outside of their area of control. And, that is their choice. Don't like it - don't buy it.

 

[HeXen]

at least someone read it and responded. They could have just pitched it and you'd never know a clue that they considered it or not. so now you know they wont consider it..move on to another company.

 

[Heinrich]

Holy poo, got an email from Aliph asking for suggestions on how to improve my headset. I guess they aren't worried about being sued.

 

[Heinrich]

I'm sorry but doing printouts of my controller setup is a very basic feature that every freakin' manufacturer has. The fact that I play 20 something games, I need and want a printout. Worse, if I live the Razer configuration tool open while playing a game I get terrible lag. But I have to open for a quick refresher. If every company has a printout, and even my Thrustmaster friggin joysticks could print out back in 1995, how the heck is it a legal threat for me to tell them to get off their buttocks and let us print out our profiles?

 

[Soundmanred]

how the heck is it a legal threat for me to tell them to get off their buttocks and let us print out our profiles?

I don't think you understand the "legal threat".
If you send them an unsolicited idea and they end up using it, they are afraid that litigious people would say "I told them to do that, they owe me money!".
I'm sure it's happened before, and is the basis for the form letter you recieved.

 

[Soundmanred]

Apple:
http://www.apple.com/legal/policies/ideas.html
eBay:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/unsolicited-ideas.html
McDonalds:
http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcd_faq/unsolicited_new_ideas.html
Husqvarna:
http://corporate.husqvarna.com/index.php?p=contact&s=legal
Dickies (clothing):
http://www.dickies.com/general/unsolicited_ideas.jsp
Chik-Fil-A:
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Media/PDF/UnsolicitedIdeasPolicy.pdf

The list goes on and on.
IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE COMPANY.

 

[paperfist]

I understand the argument for not considering novel ideas.

This, on the other hand...
"Often in our industry, an idea being submitted will be identical or similar to one already used by other companies"
Ugh, morons. If a competitor offers a feature, it's not a secret and there is no way Heinrich can sue you for implementing that feature in your own product. You are expected to match and best the features of competing products!

You haven't noticed Apple suing the pants off their competitors for copyright infringement?

 

[wjb663]

Anonymous submissions? With a checkbox giving up all rights and ownership to suggestions?