Really sorry you didn't have a good experience. I'm not sure why you weren't able to get support. I've always done my best with that and I've recently formalized the process with a support center, ticketing system, and community based support.
If you're interested in trying the new version please open a ticket (http://duetapp.com/ticket) and I'll just give you a copy of 2.4, the current version. No fee. Just let me know what email you used when you made the original purchase.
The issue was something to do with the software being slow. You said it was probably my server. When I asked for a refund you politely refused. Again, this was several years ago and I don't remember the exact details. I just moved on and made a mental note never to buy your software again.
BTW, thanks for the offer but I'm happy with what I'm using now. Best of luck to you.
Google searches on his domain for "Fast", "Quick", "Speed", etc. returns nothing. He never claimed his product was faster than the competition. It is however cheaper.
Why would you be entitled to a refund? Do you buy a Hyundai Accent and then come back the the seller asking for a refund because you saw a Mustang drive faster than you?
> I've recently formalized the process with a support center, ticketing system, and community based support.
What system(s) did you choose for these? I have a small side project and finding support software that doesn't suck or cost the earth or make my life more difficult or make providing support slower, is a nightmare!
I offer refunds, but it's usually only if the actual product is defective and if it's something I'm unable to fix. It's a bit different than what people are used to with SaaS because the product can't be returned. And I can't 'turn off' access once they have downloaded it. I try to be fair though, and in cases where I can't offer a refund I always try to offer something else
EDIT: I should add that if someone legitimately can't use the app, I would give a refund. I'm just pointing out that unlike SaaS apps that have a policies that provide refunds regardless of the reason, I would rather work with you to solve the problem, because 99.9% of issues are solvable.
Some advice: you may want to re-consider this approach, even though it may feel like you risk being ripped off, your reputation and overall sentiment about your product are probably worth more than the 59$ you don't want to give back.
If someone feels they can't use your product - for any reason - it's going to feel unfair to them that they can't get a refund, no matter who's fault it is.
Note that the top reply to your thread is a dissatisfied ex-customer who felt obliged to post about his bad experience (fair or otherwise), and I bet that may have almost immediately cost you a few sales.
I'm not saying give everyone a refund who asks for one, but just saying "it's not a SaaS product and I can't turn it off" might not be the best rationale (and certainly won't impress any customers who are legitimately unable to use your product).
I would err on the side of trusting your customers, and accept that some might rip you off but most won't, and you'll partially salvage a bad product experience with some good customer service.
I agree with everything you said. I definitely give refunds. I just ask for the opportunity to help customers solve their issues first. Over the course of the last 3 years, 99.9% of refund requests were solved once I actually understood the issue that they were having and I was able to fix it for them. But I agree with you, fairness and goodwill are important. I was probably too rigid with that in the past.
So my suggestion would be to have the service registered via a license key that can only be used on 1 IP or an email address. Then you can turn off the license remotely and offer the refund.
We did this with my VERY last product working at Humankind (Bullet Viral Traffic). It was a WordPress plug in, and you bought site licenses for it 1 site, 10 site and unlimited.
Every function call did a "phone home" to validate the license. When it came back unverified, we would only print an error message to the screen.
Can this be subverted, yes, but 99% of the time it wasn't, and, honestly, it was just a lead-in to training.
I realize this is your bread and butter, but maybe work training in on the back end for a little more money. Lead them in with this outrageously low price, then stun them with offering a recorded seminar/webinar for only a couple hundred bucks.
My company dropped $20k on training for InfusionSoft AFTER dropping $1200/mo just for the service. There is more money to be had in training than the product (99% sure).
To be frank, your position is hurting you, and doesn't make much sense to me. If you supply customers with your source upon purchase, you're already working on a trust model -- without much effort, they could give copies to a thousand people who wouldn't have to pay. And if you're working on a trust model, you might as well give the benefit of the doubt to a paying customer asking for a refund.
This is terrible. I won't even consider trying Duet after hearing that.
If you're an independent software developer, the absolute worst thing you can do is to treat your customers poorly. Refusing refunds shows that you don't have faith in your product or your customers.
There's a reason that almost every successful online company has liberal trial and refund rules.
> > When I asked for a refund you denied me.
> This is terrible. I won't even consider trying Duet after hearing that.
This is absurd. I know that most people are used to get refunds for anything, but if you know nothing about the problem you can't say they deserved the refund (I'm not saying they do, I'm saying we don't know).
You go to a fast food restaurant and get a hamburguer, but it's a rat? refund and lawsuit.
The same restaurant but you get food that is really disgusting and you notice as you receive? Either free meal and/or refund are ok.
You go to the same restaurant, get the food, enjoy it, and then ask a refund because they had blue balloons in there? No.
> Refusing refunds shows that you don't have faith in your product or your customers.
Considering when to refund and when not to also means that you value your product.
No hard feelings, but you didn't back your work (or even offer to troubleshoot the problem) so I won't be buying again.