Welcome to the new Linn website

[Briain]

(2011-10-18 12:47)oliverh Wrote:  If anyone needs a manual, there's a large collection of old manuals here:

ftp://manual:packet@ftp.linn.co.uk/manual

I'll add the remaining pdfs for the products that have been discontinued in the last couple of years.

Hi

I'd like to make an observation which makes a case for reconsidering the above strategy (and thus making all the information obviously available; even if it's just by including the above FTP link on the main site):

I've often bought used products (older TV's etc), or have been asked to help friends/relatives to get their own older products working properly. I sometimes have to resort to the manufacturer's web site to download the user manual, and when I find one, it's really excellent and I am impressed; I tend to think to myself, 'that's a great company as they make information available about older products'. The reverse of that is when I try to find instructions on something like a TV setup procedure and find the site only has the current (and maybe previous) models. When I come across that, I tend to think the company is crap at customer support for older devices and I make a note not to buy any of their products (nor to recommend them to people who ask me for advice). It's not just me who considers that; many people I know also take that into consideration when deciding on the merits of a company.

To ponder a plausible example that could impact on real sales. Imagine a younger enthusiast buys something like an old LK1 from eBay as their first preamp and accidentally push the record - (or whatever the display lock combination was). If they look on the site and find instructions on such an old product, it would likely impress them (and thus might influence their brand loyalty when they start earning enough money to buy a new Linn system). Of course, the reverse is true if they can't find the product information; they might have a feeling that Linn don't care about owners of older devices and thus it could give them a very slightly less positive impression.

Even ignoring the above arguments, I feel that it would be a great shame to loose that older product information from the site (particularly when it's already up there on a FTP server) so why not just put that link to the FTP site on the new web pages (call it 'historic product manuals' or something similar to that) as that would keep them all available, but not incur lots of work (and thus any cost) from having to keep any HTML links updated to these older documents.

Just my thought for the day!
Bri