HTC's announced a new monthly financing plan for the Vive system and said that it will sell the device in nine more regions this Spring.
Cost is the biggest factor preventing many people from adopting high-end VR. But for others, the problem isn't money so much as it's the fact that in many places, they simply cannot buy a Vive system. HTC's trying to solve both of those problems with these announcements.
In North America and China, the company is now offering financing options to let prospective Vive owners spread out the system's cost. North American customers can choose 6-month or 12-month 0% financing or 24-month financing at 7.99%. The financing plans split the purchase into monthly payments of $138, $66.58, and $40.13 per month, respectively, all of which are easier to stomach than a one-time payment of roughly $800.
Chinese customers get different financing terms to choose from, including a ¥2,296 per month 3-month term, a ¥1,148 per month six-month term, and a ¥574 per month 12-month term. All three options are offered at 0% financing. HTC said that select European retailers would soon offer similar financing programs but didn't offer a specific timeframe. Vive purchases can be financed through Vive.com in North America and JD.com in China.
HTC is also increasing the scope of the Vive's distribution channels. Starting today, the company will accept orders from customers in Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cypress, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The first shipments to these nine new regions will begin on March 1.
