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SUMMARY.TXT
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1994-02-24
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The following is a very brief summary of the Shareware Author & User
Case Study. Copyright 1994, by Daniel Corbier. All rights reserved.
Answers are based on survey responses from shareware users, and
successful authors. Standard disclaimers against liabilities apply.
Q: What is the average price users pay for shareware programs?
Users pay between $5 and $200 (US) per program. The most popular
price is $25, and the average price paid per program is roughly $30.
Q: Which methods of payment are used for registration?
Most shareware registrations are done by check, followed by credit
card. Some customers use both, while others indicate a strong
preference for one over the other. People also register by money
order, Compuserve, online doors, and cash.
Q: How much time does it take users to evaluate shareware programs?
Some register after the first use, while others register after years.
How soon a user sends a payment depends on factors such as frequency
of use, learning curve, personal cash flow, and more. Users do not
always start using programs right after downloading them, neither do
they always keep track of how long they evaluate these programs.
Q: What prevents users from registering shareware programs?
"Unreasonable price" represents by far the most common reason for
not registering. It's followed by crippling, and then payment
difficulties (currency exchange, etc...), nag screens, lack of
support, unreachable authors, bugs, bad documentation, lack of money,
expiration, laziness, too few reminders or promised features,
inadequate upgrade policy, and bad author attitude.
Q: Which factors motivate users to register?
High quality, usefulness and then understanding/appreciation of the
shareware concept or honesty are mentioned the most. Affordable
price comes next. Other motivating factors include support, full
functionality, good interface, free upgrades, extra features,
reminder screens, good documentation, positive author attitude, easy
methods of payment, printed manual, and limited time offers.
Q: Which incentives are used by authors of programs users register?
Users mention extra features the most, then free upgrades, followed
by printed manuals. Other incentives include nag screens, full
functionality, support, quality, usefulness, delays, random key
press, price specials, source code, and expiration.
Q: What percentage of users register?
A shareware program gets registrations from anywhere between 0% to
80% of its users. Registration rate depends on many factors. A
number of successful authors estimate that 5% to 10% or so of their
users register.
Q: What kind of people register?
Some programs are mostly registered by businesses & corporations,
others mostly by home users, others mainly by sysops, etc... Some
are registered by a good variety of users.
Q: When does the first registration come? When does success come?
The first registration usually comes within a few weeks of first
release. It takes between 8 months to several years before shareware
programs have a chance to become successful.
Q: Do customers usually contact the author before registering?
Most users simply say "no". Some do usually contact the author,
however. Others check with the author only if there are problems
that need to be resolved or if the program is old.
Q: What are primary sources for obtaining shareware programs?
Most users mention BBSes as a primary source. Authors also mention
BBS distribution as a primary source of registrations. The next
most popular choice is FTP. Other sources mentioned include CD-ROMs,
commercial online services (Compuserve, AOL, BIX, ...), disk vendors,
friends, racks, and cover disks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For an in depth explanation of what makes users register, and what
makes some authors successful, obtain a copy of the Shareware Author
& User Case Study. On BBSes the file name prefix is SAUCS1.
This brief summary may be distributed separately from the main
document, and may be posted on forums, used as a bulletin, or
included inside another document, as long as it is used in it's
entirety (including this notice), and without any modifications, and
as long as it is not sold, or included in a document which is sold.