After all, that what is happening to the Gavick?

We are 4 months without a new theme released, unless the redesign News.
Segment companies and even with the same size customers Gavick has launched themes every month.

Since Christmas, no updates on facebook. only on twitter. Holiday? Issues? Greater investment in TidyCustoms, other projects?

The Gavick stopped on time and had everything to be the largest in the segment. And that's a sadness for us. Clean code, innovations, the best news module. I am subscriber many clubs the top and there is no more preferred than the Gavick.

I would like a pronouncement of what the company's policy toward the signatures and launch of themes this year.

Agree +1

Totally agree, Gavick was always my first option when looking for a new template to use on any job, what are we paying for?

To be honest adding new versions of existing templates like Quark does not count as a new release? Are u dead Mr Gavick? Gone on a sabbatical? Nervous breakdown?

Gavick? No comments? Talk to ur loyal customers, explain what is happening please.

Yes, an answer would be nice. Rumors are bad companions.

Hi Guys,

First of all my sincere apologies for delay in replying to you.

Referring to your questions about our theme release schedule, as the last release was TechNews several months ago; I'd like to take the time to explain the business situation GavickPro currently faces, and what are our plans for the future.

Having previously been relatively successful in the Joomla! template space, over the last 2 years we've experienced a steady decline in sales; something that many other template providers have been experiencing too. This general downturn can be attributed to two key factors; one, the Joomla! CMS is simply not as popular as it was in past years, and two, the amount of competition (at least in terms of quantity) has grown by a large margin.

There can be no doubt that Joomla! is still an excellent choice for any website owner, but pressure from WordPress' growth as well as the uncertainty that came with the multiple change in development structure after the release of Joomla! 3.2 has taken some of the wind out of its sails. It still does a great job, and the change in the roadmap looks to be a great decision from the user point of view, yet there may be a long time before it can recover its userbase; something that negatively affects the number of eyes on our products.

Competition in this limited space has also seen major growth; when Gavick first started we were only the fourth or fifth company offering such services, but now it'd take a couple of days to count up how may providers there are. This isn't a negative in and of itself; more competition can lead to improved services for users, however in this case the issue is that the market has been flooded with quantity over quality, negatively affecting new customer perceptions of the Joomla! space.

We've have taken many actions to expand the scope of our business to help offset the downturn; four years ago we started by introducing WordPress versions of our templates to the market, but even after this time there has been little profitability in this area due to the severe competition provided by the large number of theme sellers, and in particular due to the proliferation of a single theme marketplace, which effectively strangleholds smaller developers; we've seen more than one theme club go under as a direct result of this competition.

There have also been some external factors to the theme business in general that have had some major effects on us; in particular, our company's location in Poland is detrimental due to the high costs associated with running a business. As a comparison, the same business in Asia generates only a third of the associated costs as running within the EU does.

Let me give you a prime example; in December 2014 a new regulation was introduced in the EU regarding payments for electronic services, and specifically, VAT (MOSS) - sellers of digital goods were now obliged to pay VAT in the buyer's country. This may be a fair ruling by the EU, but in practice the obligation to detect where the buyer comes from falls to the seller. This might seem a trivial check; the IP tells us all we need to know. However, this isn't in-depth enough; what if I'm a Polish man living in France, but when I make the purchase I'm on holiday in Spain? Because in order to comply with these regulations we needed to take more information from users our checkout process had to be expanded, making it more unwieldy and frustrating for users who would often jump to alternative companies that were not based in the EU and didn't have these requirements to meet; this directly affected our customer experience and directly impacted sales.

Google's ever-updating search algorithms also caused an insurmountable number of headaches; instead of focusing on quality and effectiveness of content related to the business, it expects us to post constantly with unique, sophisticated content like we're exclusively a blog, rather than offering a product. With the majority of our staff engaged in the creation, support and management of our templates it isn't viable to expect them to be writing articles about Joomla! daily. Also, though older but still relevant content could be ignored by Google, duplicate content would not; frequently we would encounter black-hat-style tactics where our articles, theme descriptions and other website content would be cloned & mirrored across a number of websites, which Google would flag as duplicate, and we all know what Google thinks of duplicate content...
So, with the combination of a general downturn in Joomla's popularity, increased competition from larger companies (along with some unregulated providers using some rather unsavoury tactics), and the need for huge spending to achieve relevant Google results placing, we decided to shift to a pure sales rather than a subscription model; on June 1st 2014 we moved to selling each of our themes individually, or as a complete package.

Increasingly since then, with the introduction of the new VAT rules and continued drops in earnings, we've had to stagger our release schedule as it was not possible to maintain the staffing levels required for a monthly release without a drop in quality of the themes, which is something we did not want to compromise. Many of our team members that previously worked on developing our themes have moved on and created their own company, Tidycustoms, focused on providing high-quality bespoke customization and optimization services for websites directly rather than building and selling individual templates due to the uncertainty in the theme market; they'll also be introducing an additional writing, translation and proofreading service shortly, expanding their services even further.

At this point, our monthly turnover is extremely low, which makes maintaining a regular release schedule an impossibility for the time being. For now, we are operating with a small team focusing mainly on maintenance releases for our existing projects and support for these current templates for our existing customers; later in February we will be releasing updates for all our current releases to make them compatible with Joomla! 3.5. However, that is not to say we are not working on new templates at all; we are still working on new releases, but as you might imagine nailing down an exact release window is tricky. We intend for our next release to become available somewhere between the end of February/beginning of March, though this is of course subject to change as the current business climate prevents us from setting release dates in stone.

I want to be honest about our situation and not hide anything from you - it's not good. But at the same time, it's not completely bad; we are still here, still doing what we can to make improvements, and I do hope that we will be here with you for some time yet.

--
Robert

Hello Robert and Gavick Team
Important your explanation of the facts that lead to delay a new template. GavickPro always had excellent templates, even with the odds, would be important to continue the effort, certainly not creating a template per month, but make sure to upgrade to the following versions of joomla.
The best luck to your work.

Robert Gavick,
I am very happy for your attention and wish improvements for the company.
I know Gavick the years and is the only club I use for my projects, even have more than 10 signatures on other clubs.

The differential Gavick is on innovation and clean code without need for frameworks and other addons.

Would it not be nice of you to focus on development of paid extensions?

Again, I hope the Gavick overcome this crisis and return to the top.
Good luck

Hi Everyone at Gavick

Your templates and help on forums are excellent, and while i may be wanting to see new templates i'm perfectly happy to wait as i know when you do release they are head and shoulders above the rest.

Hope you guys get past this sticky patch.

Mike

Gavick is awesome!
Guys, im waiting new templates.
Im with you since 2011.
Thank you Gavick! Joomla is better than WordPress!

Good to see a topic about this, I was actually wondering the same.

Few things I have to say:
- I don't understand the fact that there is a 'life time' subscription, I think new people shouldn't be able to get this, cause you pay one time and after that no more money will be received by Gavick anymore. Not sure what is possible with the people who allready have this subscription (like I have)
- Communication about this before people asked would have been better
- New updates might actually draw in people, doing nothing does the opposite.
- And, but realize this is easier said than done, I suggest focusing on Joomla instead of Wordpress, back to the roots.

I cannot judge things from your business perspective, but these things look good steps. Offcourse I am just an outsider, so it's up to Gavick to do something with it or not based on the facts..

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the update.

I have used Gavick since 2008 and love your templates and extensions. Always state of the art and new thinking.

BUT – I have to be honest. The last 18 months it has been going downhill. Your templates are not that good anymore, they don’t stand out as they used to. With your post I now understand why.

Yes, it is not always easy to make business within EU and Yes, the Joomla template competition is big and strong.

BUT I believe that there is always room for quality!
And quality is what Gavick has delivered over many years.

I agree with “Rvdz” – you need to change your business model.

1) Stop selling life time subscriptions. Sell single templates or yearly subscriptions. I don’t see how you can make money with a life time subscription?
2) Stop making Wordpress and Ghost themes – at least until you have the Joomla business running well again. Focus!
3) Consider splitting the template and extensions in two subscriptions!
4) Create new and update your modules – you have some great ones!

Personally I am prepared to give up my life time subscription and start paying yearly, if this will help Gavick back to where you were years ago.

What do the rest of the life time subscription members think?

Cheers,

Agree, rethink the business model, and focus on Joomla. Not releasing any new templates will definitely mean the end of Gavick. That would be a big shame. Come on guys, There's is always need for quality!
Good luck!

I agree with JPACK
If it helps Gavick, I do not insisting on my current lifetime subscription. A year subscription would be ok for me.
Good luck

I may be a little cyncial here but things definitely went downhill after the lifetime subs were introduced, a very cynical person may even think that this was a way to get a big chunk of cash before closing the company

I do hope this isn't the case, as for some of the other posters comments I totally agree, I used to choose Gavick as my first choice for nearly every site, now... well ur way behind, way, way way behind.

Very sad

I agree to abandon lifetime membership,
good job Robert

The next release can be your template, is very nice

Hi Gavick Team,

I'm sad to read this. You are my favorite Joomla! template provider for years and your support is just great.
Hope things will go better and that you'll provide new great templates for the upcoming 3.5.

Sandra

Hi gavick,
I'm french and I love your templates ... your templates are great, cool and always a very good design or creativity
I'm sad because you have difficulties ....
I read all the message from different people and I often agree with them
I WANT YOU TO SURVIVE. (I'm ready to quit my lifetime licence Joomla & Wordpress )
I hope a better futur for you and your team
Francuzi kochaja Polske i nastepnym razem kiedy bede w Polsce, sprobuje Was odwiedzic.
Gavick jest najlepszy i jestesmy z Wami.
On pense fort a vous de Marseille ne baissez pas les bras
See you soon

Hi,
we can wait two types of subscription Gavick?
One for private and one for agencies?

I understand the EU is an irritant with the extra demands for administration of "automatically sent products" like your templates.
Another excellent producer in the Joomla ecosystem is Les Arbres Design, they found a way to circumvent these demands: [url]http://www.lesarbresdesign.info/support-information/european-sales[/url]
They also relocated their business from France to the UK because the VAT rules in the UK for a small business give them exemption when their yearly bussiness returns are below a specific maximum amount.

I find your templates excellent and hope you will find a way to continue a healthy businesses making and selling them.
I tell others that your forum is a wonderful place to ask questions and get answers. You could promote this more than you now do (I know other template clubs where the atmosphere is not so friendly en not so positive).

Greetings,
Paul

Happy easter for all Gavick team!

I came across this thread just today and as long-time customer I'd like to add my thoughts. Your themes over the years have kept the focus on strong design, usability and flexibility and are always a pleasure to work with (Your commitment to the benefits of K2 is also a big selling point to me).

It's clear that the landscape of your entire business has changed and you are in survival mode - which of course is the most difficult time to allocate resources to unproven new directions. Whatever way you choose to develop your business, I'd just like, as a customer, to reaffirm some of your strengths which really distinguish you from competitors:

1. Clean Design with attention to detail. This defines Gavick's work and isn't opportunistic or cynical; it's innate and is reflected in the details much more so that most competitors.
2. Simplicity of implementation. To modify your work is usually manageable fairly quickly and easily. Time is money for me too and I can't be dealing with (*cough..ja*) unnecessary bells, whistles and layers of fashionable complexity.
3. Adaptability. Naturally your themes are ostensibly for "Events", or "Magazine" etc but because of 1&2 above it's normally fairly easy to adapt to any purpose.

What all of the above means to me is that Gavick is uniquely positioned to provide exceptional themes suitable for small agencies/professionals. By quadrupling (or more) your pricing and focussing on this sector you remove yourself from the no-win downwards spiral of Envato marketplaces and the like and focus on creating fewer but better themes with a support/modification element which could be fulfilled by Tidy Customs. This model unlike a "theme club" would be closer to a theme group-buy with your customers contributing requirements and suggestions regularly. A smaller customer base means email delivery is also a viable alternative bypassing EU VAT legislation.

Clearly you know your business and its demands but it's clear that you have a loyal client-base, a percentage of which would be willing to pay far more to keep you in business.

Just some food for thought. Feel free to ignore. Either way I look forward as always to your new work.

- David

Some month ago we tried to join the Gavick Affiliate program. Three weeks after getting registered and hear nothing from Gavick we asked what is missing.

The short answer was: "I do apologise but your webiste apparently does not fulfill our requirements." We work with Gavick Templates since the last seven years. The website is done with "just" a standard Gavick Template and the site content is about Joomla and how it works...

Without to pick at Gavick at any point, there could be a lot of potential and money.

Bye the way: Gavick is not the only Joomla developer in Europe. Yootheme as example is based in Hamburg (Germany) and there is a monthly interval for a new template. Maybe you should have a talk to them too.

Agree with JPACK!

Annual subscription!!

Hi Gavick,
I think it would be good if you guys can support more popular extensions like Community Builder, SobiPro, Uddeim, Kunena, DOCman, JEvents, any ticketing system, online booking, etc....Because all this time, most of it is just a blog, articles.

Gavick is always my 1st choice but there's to much blog out there, not just Joomla & Wordpress.

For me, Gavick still rocks!

I have used many other template services, and Gavick is my favorite. Sure, I have problems with certain things from time to time, but I like the functionality, and have grown used to the issues so it makes it easier to create additional websites using Gavick templates.

Anyway, I'm disappointing to hear about your troubles, as someone that cares about small business, and of course, as a customer, that relies on your products and paid for a lifetime subscription.

Hi Gavick,
It saddens me to read this post. Nevertheless, as far as I can see, there are still a lot of positive things left - loyal customer base is one of them.

I am a lifetime member (bought it for 99€ - now 79€), but let's face it, from the business point of view - it is ridiculous.

If I may suggest a few things...
Since "single" and "all themes" have identical features in terms of support, copyright removal etc. you should make change there - exclude "support via forum" and "extra coupons" from "single", and leave the price under 30€ level. For "single" charge 5€ for download (1x limit) of one module.

Charge (all themes) members fee - 20€ (paid only once). Gain for members would be - "support via forum" and "extra coupons" options, plus special price for yearly subscription for all themes up to 60€ (5€/mo), and free modules.

I don't have any suggestion for "VIP support" - in some cases 99€ per minute is not enough

Also, I would avoid 'Personal' and 'Agencies' subscriptions 'cos your product is excellent but it is not exclusive (e.g. Livefyre)

Bottom line is that company needs money if it wants to grow.

Best regards

Robert

It's such a shame - you guys were one of the best providers out there.

Hopefully you guys can continue to grow - but maybe you need to look at things like themeforest.net? Almost every design agency I know either gets their stuff posted there or downloads from there now.

I believe they've created a separate company under a different name, but haven't heard them officially admit that....

sry, but it is a big lie. You complain that don't have money but you don't want to sell your wordpress themes (when cost about 80 euros a 1 year old theme, the price is prohibitive).

I believe they've created a separate company under a different name, but haven't heard them officially admit that....

Message was edited, and all I did was mention another company but I'm sure it is the same company. I wasn't even complaining, I actually like both, And subscribe to both. I prefer the new stuff, so I wasn't faulting anyone, but I don't think it's cool that you edited my message.

hi all,
I've used Gavick templates for years and they have always been the best (in my opinion), I owned a small private company with more than a dozen clients (a couple fairly big), for personal reason everything was sold to another company.
Taxes are prohibitive in Europe and I can understand the reasons of the new low Gavick's profile.
What I wish to remark is that i's INCREDIBLE that after all, I still prefer working with your template, they are still very very good, and I hope that there will be 2 or 3 template per year...
things change, and the good wind will be back sooner or later

bye:)

"Taxes are prohibitive in Europe and I can understand the reasons of the new low Gavick's profile." - False. Yootheme, a company based in Germany, how can it succeed?

Another "company" that sells Gavick templates:
https://joomlab.org/templates-gavickpro/gk-box

Hi Robert and Team.
My thoughts to think about:
0. Creating additives Joomla makes sense because of the number of customers for this product.
Producing cars is better than the only repair or tuning.
1. Diversification is a great way to market such innovative services as Joomla.
2. PAID ONLY ONCE - This bold and very good way to gain new customers and repeat customers.
The price of such a service should be min. equal to two years the price to be paid for Subscriptions are in another company. Otherwise, customers come poor and one-off.
3. Normal crisis company that exists on the market, is not afraid to take chances and create new things.
You know well how many new clients you brought the offer "PAID ONLY ONCE".
If the business model today does not lead to development should change it to another.
4. You have to their clients. Why not zrbić research in the form of a poll: Do you have a service of "ALL THEMES PAID ONLY ONCE" What are you more interested in? More modern templates within a year or faster technical's support?
5. In an anonymous survey should ask some other questions that will test the market, the type of customers and the needs of these customers. This survey may be a permanent part of downloading a template or an additive in a premium.

The crisis is the choice of the way of further development of this nomralna thing in any business and a team that is developing.
I believe that your services will be even better thanks to such "crises".
Best Regards.

Hey,

It is over a year now since the explanation and I was just curious as to how things are traveling. There haven't been any new releases from Box and that was some time ago.

Bring back the Gavick of old.

Let me give you a prime example; in December 2014 a new regulation was introduced in the EU regarding payments for electronic services, and specifically, VAT (MOSS) - sellers of digital goods were now obliged to pay VAT in the buyer's country. This may be a fair ruling by the EU, but in practice the obligation to detect where the buyer comes from falls to the seller. This might seem a trivial check; the IP tells us all we need to know. However, this isn't in-depth enough; what if I'm a Polish man living in France, but when I make the purchase I'm on holiday in Spain? Because in order to comply with these regulations we needed to take more information from users our checkout process had to be expanded, making it more unwieldy and frustrating for users who would often jump to alternative companies that were not based in the EU and didn't have these requirements to meet; this directly affected our customer experience and directly impacted sales.

Hi, just started selling extensions for Joomla myself and found myself within no time in MOSS 'hell'. Luckily found rd-subscriptions (from rd-media) that enables me to create and sell subscriptions with joomla one click update (downloadid) in place. Best part is that it is 'MOSS compliant' including a EU-VIES check and automatically updated VAT % for the member countries.
In the end it generates reports that can be used to do MOSS VAT administration.

Note sure if this will help, but if it can help you stay in (joomla) business then feel free to contact me for more information. Would hate to see you (and your fantastic templates) leave the 'scene'.
regards,
Ruud.

Hi

Any update on Gavick direction? is this still an active project?
There was a comment a while back that Gavick theme was selling themes under a different brand, can Gavick confirm this? or refute.


Thank you.

Regards

Hello Paulo,

We never sold out products under a different brand. What makes you think this way?

Any update on Gavick direction? is this still an active project?

I am wondering the same. Just upgraded a huge website with a Gavick template and it feels like 'Russian roulette' with Joomla 3.8 and 4.0 on the horizon...
If the project isn't active anymore, would it be an option to push the templates to github so the user community can maintain them?

Hello Paulo,

We never sold out products under a different brand. What makes you think this way?

Hi Robert,

It was a claim made by another user on this forum. don't realy remember the topic, but itihnk it was this one.
He also suggested under which brand it was.
If you're interested to know, I can send you the brand name via PM.

Other than that, can you share some details on whats planned ahead?