Should trials be free?

[chucky]

In the tradition of consumerism, since time in memorial, there has been a level respect between buyers and sellers.
When looking to make a purchase the customer is given an opportunity to view the goods on sale.
The vendor will take the customer's money at purchase time , rather than hold their wallet at the cash register. That would be deemed insulting and as a result , bad for business.
I don't believe SM are helping themselves or their customers by taking upfront payments and dressing up a refund period for trials.
IMO it's rather petty, pretty insulting, appears a little desperate and discourages sales.... surely the bottom line SM.
The logic of the software is undeniable, as for SMs logic.... cough.

[heyvern]

They aren't taking any money for the trial period.

You have 30 days, free and clear. You are NOT charged anything during the trial. Before the trial expires you cancel and you aren't charged anything. If you don't cancel, only then are you charged. Yes, it's not like any other trial period for software but it's still a free trial. It's unusual, and different. Maybe it is frustrating for some, but it's not "shady". They aren't "holding your wallet".

-vern

[Imago]

It's a piracy countermeasure, I guess...
There are a lot of sites that permit you to download Anime Studio 5 and 6 for free, serial included.
I'm a good boy ( ) and I've always purchased my copies on AS, but there is many people who don't care about the work for a software.
Smith Micro have to defend against them. The "menace" of the charging after trial period is only a "reminder"
But can also create some AS demo that can't be cracked or registered without a good serial.
There is many methods like online validation.
In this way SM can give a FREE demo.
If I'm wrong, tell me, huh!

[barryem]

I'm kind of curious what all this unhappiness is about. I was participating here when AS 6 was released and I remember a few complaints about there not being enough new features but nothing like we seem to be getting this time.

I suggest that those who don't want to upgrade don't. I'm glad I did.

Barry

[neeters_guy]

I'm not sure how many people you can rally behind this in sufficient numbers to hurt SmithMicro's bottom line. Seems like a lot of users are going full steam ahead and the buzz is certainly more positive than the 5.6 to 6 upgrade (which actually prompted some members to leave the forum as barryem alluded to).

I agree it's tough to buy without a trial. I bought 5.6 pro without a trial and was so frustrated with it that I stopped using it for months. But after reading the forums and doing tutorials, I finally "got" it.

Think of it as a commitment. Once you buy it, you are obligated to make it work. Read the forum. The power users are incredibly generous about sharing their work. It will inspire you to persevere. If you can't make this promise, then maybe making animations with ASP isn't that necessary for you.

My perspective is skewed to the hobbyist who has extra funds ($130 is pretty cheap for a hobby investment), so your call may have wider appeal to other types of users.

[sbtamu]

My perspective is skewed to the hobbyist who has extra funds ($130 is pretty cheap for a hobby investment), so your call may have wider appeal to other types of users.

Agree 100%, for 130 bucks you get a lot of fun for a year or more at least until the next upgrade. My bar tab on a Friday night with dinner can reach 130 buck easy with just me and my wife.

I know the economy is bad for some but over all it's not the cost of the upgrade that you should point at.

[chucky]

I'm not sure how many people you can rally behind this in sufficient numbers to hurt SmithMicro's bottom line.

There's no rallying, Do you think I expect placard waving militants marching outside Smith Micro? Due to a forum posting . ROFL
It will be the as it is with all issues that regard customer/fan/voter bases.

It'll be just enough to affect a few, that few may have bought but didn't get the demo cos it meant grabbing a credit card.
Anyway that few didn't tell their colleagues, and their professional work never included it, others weren't inspired etc. And so the next tier of contact isn't motivated into checking out this great new program.
It doesn't take much to turn newcomers away, I just think the exponential benefits of trials designed to entice customers are lost as soon as they become obfuscated through a process of hassles and untimely personal intrusion.

And on a simpler level, if you have to approach the purchasing officer in a business to get this trail arranged (you'll have make sure they remember to cancel the automatic deduction, mind you), product assessment might be prove that little bit too difficult to bother with - think about the lost potentials in that moment.

I can't help noticing the locale of opinions that consider this upgrade price chicken feed and credit card trial ok. I see That GFC hasn't dented everyone's bravado.

[sbtamu]

If you go to Best Buy or target to pick up a copy of AS7 you have to pay for it then get a refund before 30 days, I don't see any difference.

[chucky]

If you go to Best Buy or target to pick up a copy of AS7 you have to pay for it then get a refund before 30 days, I don't see any difference.

Yeah now there's no free trial.

I'm out on this, and I have a right to my opinion.... sorry.

[sbtamu]

This kind of practice is more common place than most know. Every online MMOs I play I had to give a CC number to get the 1st 30 days free, for example all Of Sony's games and a lot of their software calls for a CC number to try them out. I'm not sure about Vegas tho.

chucky,
you have every right to your opinion and were right on in your observations. I was just pointing out the facts as they are. Just some of us accept it and some others don't its always going to be that way on every new product; being an animation program, video game, or any other product being offered by a company.

[heyvern]

My complaint about this specific topic is it's NOT ACCURATE.

You imply the trial version must be PAID FOR FIRST. That is not true. The CC info is NOT USED until the trial expires. You are NOT CHARGED FOR THE TRIAL unless you don't cancel it before the time expires.

-vern

[chucky]

My complaint about this specific topic is it's NOT ACCURATE.

You imply the trial version must be PAID FOR FIRST. That is not true. The CC info is NOT USED until the trial expires. You are NOT CHARGED FOR THE TRIAL unless you don't cancel it before the time expires.

-vern

You are quibbling over details guys, look this issue right in the eye and see it for what it is , typically corporate cyber-ethically bankrupt ,

sbtamu you can look that up, if y'all like.

indefensible, bully boy tactics. No one in their right mind would suggest this. Phonies, lackeys lap dogs and mouthpieces would however I know you guys are defending this, you dodn't actually suggest it.... I hope.
- Ok I'm being cheeky now for effect. I do mean this , but more to challenge, not to offend... But hey go ahead be offended, comprehension and dollars seem to be all out of balance round here anyway.
They take your credit card, that's one hand in the pocket
DON"T YOU GET THAT????

W.O.W.??????... The day I compare anything to w.o.w. I will dispatch myself with great prejudice.

[jahnocli]

Chucky, you are right. But if I could afford to upgrade, I would...However, I'm a long-time user of the software. If I wasn't, I'd think twice about handing over credit card details just so I could have a look.

[neeters_guy]

There's no rallying, Do you think I expect placard waving militants marching outside Smith Micro? Due to a forum posting.

"Rallying" was meant figuratively. Your line from the other thread "I'm starting a poll....who's in?" sounded like a rallying cry to me. My apologies if I misread your intention.

...typically corporate cyber-ethically bankrupt ,

sbtamu you can look that up, if y'all like.

indefensible, bully boy tactics. No one in their right mind would suggest this. Phonies, lackeys lap dogs and mouthpieces would however I know you guys are defending this, you dodn't actually suggest it.... I hope.
- Ok I'm being cheeky now for effect. I do mean this , but more to challenge, not to offend... But hey go ahead be offended, comprehension and dollars seem to be all out of balance round here anyway.
They take your credit card, that's one hand in the pocket
DON"T YOU GET THAT????

W.O.W.??????... The day I compare anything to w.o.w. I will dispatch myself with great prejudice.

Chucky, can I make a suggestion? You will win over more people if you don't resort to namecalling and cheekiness. You have a point that SM may increase sales by offering a non-CC free trial. But does their decision not to, make them "ethically bankrupt"?

And why impune other users? If someone can afford an upgrade, does that make them unsympathetic to the victims of the global financial crisis and a "corporate lagdog"? And your rebuke to sbtamu was rude (even after he gave you props) and does nothing to support your argument.

I know you want to challenge people, but you can do it without putdowns and namecalling. You are better than that. Lets keep it civil and to the facts, okay?

[Rhoel]

To be fair to SM, the launch of 7 has been a significant improvement on 6 - lessons learned; this time it has been a lot more professional and it's noted.

As for the 30 days free, I didn't read the small print. I just saw the $130 headline and walked - I had my passport and visa stolen last week and to get another one will set me back almost a $1000. So any non-essential spending has been deferred. But with an obviously free free trial and the need to spend more time at home, I would have set up the download manager/s and waited the week or so for the program to arrive. But time the licence expired, my situation would have changed and I might well be financially stable enough to return to normal spending.

It's not a big deal but I do wonder how many people like myself read the $130 upgrade price and deferred: Had users had the program in their hot sweaty hand, the experience of playing with physics et al might have had them reaching for the cc.

Rhoel