Comments on: Demo Version Problems http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/ Modern Art makes me want to rock out Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:07:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Alex http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-26295 Alex Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:34:30 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/#comment-26295 That would have worked in this situation too- I'd be happy to buy it if I was confident that there was an easy way to "return" it. Nordstrom has a top reputation that makes this work. To be honest, in the software industry we suck. There is no way I'm going to set myself up to wait on hold for 60min somewhere to go through a bunch of hassle for a refund if the software doesn't actually perform as advertised. But to use your Nordstrom example a bit more- its not like Nordstrom forces me to buy clothes without trying them on. So if you really want to smooth things over to sell your software you probably need both a clean trial mode as well as an great refund mechanism (that doesn't require a phone call). This is of course most complicated for software that is occasional use. If I'm buying something that I'm going to use all the time, its easy to come up with trial terms. But for something like disk repair, there is certainly the issue that people feel like they just need it once... That would have worked in this situation too- I’d be happy to buy it if I was confident that there was an easy way to “return” it. Nordstrom has a top reputation that makes this work. To be honest, in the software industry we suck. There is no way I’m going to set myself up to wait on hold for 60min somewhere to go through a bunch of hassle for a refund if the software doesn’t actually perform as advertised.

But to use your Nordstrom example a bit more- its not like Nordstrom forces me to buy clothes without trying them on. So if you really want to smooth things over to sell your software you probably need both a clean trial mode as well as an great refund mechanism (that doesn’t require a phone call).

This is of course most complicated for software that is occasional use. If I’m buying something that I’m going to use all the time, its easy to come up with trial terms. But for something like disk repair, there is certainly the issue that people feel like they just need it once…

]]> By: brett http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-26036 brett Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:26:10 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/#comment-26036 i offer a counter proposal. i think the software industry has spoiled users with freeware and trials. i can't go into nordstrom and as for a free 15-day trail of a nice new sweater. but i can buy it, bring it home, decide if it goes with my existing wardrobe and then return it for a refund in 14 days if it doesn't fit. software should be the same. the nero website should have enough product information to remove the ambiguity about what you will get when you buy; and they should offer a return-guarantee within 14 days if you don't like what you bought. less free-loaders downloading stuff with no pruchase intent - and a better experience for intenders - the full feature set - in exchange for a little payment info up-front. i offer a counter proposal. i think the software industry has spoiled users with freeware and trials.

i can’t go into nordstrom and as for a free 15-day trail of a nice new sweater. but i can buy it, bring it home, decide if it goes with my existing wardrobe and then return it for a refund in 14 days if it doesn’t fit.

software should be the same. the nero website should have enough product information to remove the ambiguity about what you will get when you buy; and they should offer a return-guarantee within 14 days if you don’t like what you bought.

less free-loaders downloading stuff with no pruchase intent - and a better experience for intenders - the full feature set - in exchange for a little payment info up-front.

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