I went to the EVE Store today ready to buy one of the larger Skill Training Boost Bundles. I am a believer in paying for good value, and my grandfather used to tell me “they are cheaper by the quart.” Bulk pricing is one of the oldest principles in economics because it rewards larger commitments with proportionally better returns.
After looking closely at the bundles, I noticed something surprising. Every package from the smallest to the largest provides the exact same number of skill points per dollar. There is no scaling benefit, no bulk incentive, and no reason to choose a larger bundle except convenience.
Here is the breakdown:
Bundle
Price
Total SP
SP per 1 USD
Undock Boost (1x)
16 USD
648,000
40,500
Afterburn Boost (3x)
48 USD
1,944,000
40,500
Warp Boost (6x)
96 USD
3,888,000
40,500
Jump Boost (12x)
192 USD
7,776,000
40,500
As someone who made straight A’s in economics, this stood out immediately. When all tiers offer identical marginal value, the largest package is not a true value tier. A rational buyer simply purchases the minimum needed or bypasses the bundles entirely in favor of other methods.
That is exactly what I did. Instead of purchasing the large package, I used PLEX in the NES to pick up the skills I needed because there was no incentive to buy the bigger bundle.
I do not think this is intentional. Many online games use bulk pricing successfully because it encourages stronger investment and makes buyers feel rewarded. Even a small efficiency bump for the larger bundles something as small as three to five percent would create a clear price signal and make higher tiers feel like the correct economic choice.
At the moment, all tiers are mathematically identical. The math says “buy small” when good pricing design would encourage “buy big.”
I am posting this respectfully and in good faith. I would love to see bulk incentives added so that larger bundles genuinely feel like larger value.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I will attach a screenshot showing the uniform pricing for reference.
You’re right that the bundles are limited to one each, but that doesn’t really change the math problem I was pointing out.
As for the “you’re playing the game wrong” bit… look, everyone plays this sandbox differently. I’ll keep it polite since the ISD has a fast draw, but let’s just say opinions follow the same universal rule: everybody’s got one.
I’ll spend my money how I want, you’ll spend yours how you want, and New Eden keeps spinning.
Keyword with the skill bundles is 'Single Purchase’.
You cannot buy the same bundle multiple times, so stacking the smaller boosters to obtain the same skill boost as the large pack is not possible.
This allows CCP to sell many skill bundles at various price ranges so that anyone interested in skills can buy a skill pack of their preferred amount of SP, up to a maximum of ‘buying all the skill bundles’. This limit allows CCP to limit the amount of instant SP sold directly.
Most other packs like Omega and PLEX that CCP sells are available as many times as you’re willing to pay. So no ‘single purchase’ limit.
This is why the other packs do give bulk discount.
Edit: I see Antihrist Pripravnik brought up the same detail.
CCP intentionally limits how fast you can grow your character through the use of your wallet. It’s the only thing they don’t sell where you pay less per unit the more you get.
Actually you missed the fact that the 1x bundle has one Genius accelerator and the 3x and above all have two….which on their own are worth $5. So, pro rata, you are effectively getting a discount….though only above the 1x level.
Why are you trying to insult me for being in a newbie corp? I like being in a newbie corp, it allows me to explain basics to new EVE players. And they’re fun people, not all of them newbies either. A core group has been in the alliance for years.
I enjoy figuring out games, and like helping others with their questions. In this thread I explained how CCP instead of using ‘bulk discount’ as an incentive used a different economic trick as incentive for players to buy the bigger packs: ‘limited to one sale’.
I’m sorry to hear you’re not open to such feedback though, a reasonable person might have taken the new information and learned something new, or have started a discussion about how they think I am wrong. It takes an unreasonable person to instead make fun of me or my choice of corporation for explaining the thing you were confused about.
Your use of generated images reminds me of someone. I now realize who Aiko meant earlier when she said I had already blocked another alt of you. Given your attitude and needless attempts at insults haven’t changed I’ll block you again.
I hope one day the forums disallow players to make new characters to circumvent forum bans and circumvent ignore lists.
You’re saying you can’t argue my point? I get why you don’t want people to notice how ineffective you are. Feel free to block me if it helps your day. Right now you’re just buzzing around like a mosquito looking for an easy meal.
