Pricing Policy

[Stef123]

You can always get stuff cheaper somewhere sometime, but I've never been much of bargain hunter. So when I bought the Standard license a year ago, I did what I always do: Went ahead and bought it, in good faith that I could upgrade (within a reasonable time frame, of course) without being worse off than going for the upper class right away.

Now I am surprised to face a "penalty fee" of 14 bucks. This is not to say the lifetime option were a bad deal, on the contrary. I am just wondering if the upgrade calculator works as it should?

[admin]

"Penalty fee", what a bizarre way to look at the upgrade discount that I introduced not that long ago (v12.00.0000 - 2013-01-28), wow.

[admin]

Went ahead and bought it, in good faith that I could upgrade (within a reasonable time frame, of course) without being worse off than going for the upper class right away.

PS: I have never seen such a model. Sounds like economic nonsense to me. Do you have an example?

[grindax]

.

[admin]

The don't even have a lifetime license.

[Stef123]

Didn't mean to upset you, Don.
Like I said, the lifetime option is a great deal. What I am not used to is the surcharge (forget "penalty fee", that was too strong), the difference to pay more, when upgrading later on.

Went ahead and bought it, in good faith that I could upgrade (within a reasonable time frame, of course) without being worse off than going for the upper class right away.

PS: I have never seen such a model. Sounds like economic nonsense to me. Do you have an example?

Every software I own. From the most mundane (recently upgraded ESET to include more users, they subtracted the days already passed by, and the discount for more users, of course) to the most outlandish like Samplitude ProX or AstroPlus (also lifetime license).

Economic nonsense?
Where's the drawback if you make a customer pay the current price MINUS whatever he has paid the first time around when he was still in doubt? Makes his first-time purchase even easier, instead of postponing the decision.

We're not talking trading in pretzels on sale. This is NOT about missed opportunities on BitsduJour or places like that, but the regular pricing scheme. I am not arguing the price per se. Just the policy that made me regret I didn't crunch the numbers beforehand. Again,

Call me naive, but I didn't expect a monetary disadvantage (irrespective of the amount itself) when not opting for the more expensive version right away. Never happened to me, not with software vendors.

[admin]

Well, I'm coming from the other side. First there was only the Lifetime License, that goes back to 1999. Then in v6.30.0056 - 2007-10-08 13:17 I added the Standard License. Then in v12.00.0000 - 2013-01-28 I added the upgrade discount. So maybe in 2017 I will increase the upgrade discount to 37.5%.

[admin]

Call me naive, but I didn't expect a monetary disadvantage (irrespective of the amount itself) when not opting for the more expensive version right away. Never happened to me, not with software vendors.

Really? That would be throwing away money to the intermediate payment services. Every transaction costs me a couple of euros, and there is also my customer care overhead. It is really MUCH better for me if a user buys the Lifetime License right away (luckily most of them do!), and I give him 14 US$ for this.

[Stef123]

Yes, really. In all honesty and seriousness.
Cannot tell you how all the others are doing it, but the fact remains: I've never come across this in 20 years of buying software. No matter how many steps the customer takes to climb up to the most bang for his buck, he won't end up paying any hidden fees involved for the vendor.

Don't wanna blow this out of proportion. I am not haggling over 14 bucks. I am merely telling you I suspected a webpage error, called it up several times, double-checked my license information.

Guess what also threw me off was the 20% discount which - subconsciously - makes you expect an even lower amount than the ballpark total you have in your mind. Actually, that discount is very unusual too (outside of a seasonal sale). It implies that you're better off buying it piecemeal.

But that's just ruminating in hindsight, at the moment of purchase your page does not show any upgrade prices. You have to buy first, then you become aware of the disadvantage.
Anyway, your policy is so different from all other software I own that I would like to ask the reverse question: Do you have examples of software that also handles it your way?

[admin]

I think I see your point. But, as I already said, it would be economically impossible for me to do this. It would be a nonsense approach. I fail to see how others can do this. There must be other factors or differences involved.

Do you have examples of software that also handles it your way?

Nope. But does not affect what I said above.

Now, if you don't mind let's go back to file management. It's so much more fascinating.

[Stef123]

I think I see your point. But, as I already said, it would be economically impossible for me to do this. It would be a nonsense approach. I fail to see how others can do this.

Not pushing this further, but I fail to see why you cannot afford an open price policy like most vendors, being crystal clear up front:

Standard: $ 30
Lifetime: $ 80
Upgrade to Lifetime: $ 64

Leaves a much better impression IMO than hiding your hidden transaction costs from the user as well, not to mention the 20% off (which sounds more like a clearance sale than an upgrade).

[admin]

You know I just came from that kind of concert where your mind starts to wander and mine wandered to the XY Pricing Policy, haha. And you know what, I see things differently now, lol. However, it's a LOT of work to change the Pricing Policy so I cannot do it now. I make a note for later and togther the next price rise (14.00 probably) I might change the policy.

Thanks, I think this will go in a good direction.

[kunkel321]

I dunno, I just clicked on the "Buy" button at the top of the forum and it didn't take much clicking around to see the different options. I can't image that anyone would make a purchase from that page without checking out all the different options... I'll admit that saying, "$14 upgrade fee" might be less ambiguous than "Entitles you to 20% discount." Awkward wording is not the same as "hidden" though.

FWIW, IMHO having a "stepped" option is kinda' nice for us low-income folks... I can't afford $80 right now, but maybe I can afford $30 now, then $60 later. I'm the type of person that would plan to do this, over time. If I see that I'm going to end up having to pay 30 now, then 65 or 70 later, I might decide to avoid that software.... Using this same "lay-away plan" mentality.. A more appealing pricing policy might be $40 now for latest version plus one year of upgrades, then later I can upgrade for the other $40 plus a $10 vender fee. That way I'm never paying more than $50 in a given year.

EDIT: I'd also just like to say that if Don gets rid of the little shopping cart and paper airplane icon graphics we mutiny!!! jk

[admin]

For now I made the pricing a little more explicit: http://www.xyplorer.com/purchase.php

[Stef123]

This puts you on par with every other reputable vendor. Just my opinion, of course. Objections, anyone?