Why We Agonize Over Buying $1 Apps

theodp writes "When it comes to explaining decision making and behavioral economics, Dan Ariely is the man. In his latest blog post, Ariely tackles the irrationality of app buying, explaining why the thought of paying even $1 for an app turns into an agonizing decision for those perfectly willing to spend $4 on coffee, or $500 on devices that they arguably don't really need. Had Apple created a really low minimum price for apps — say $0.15 — instead of offering free apps on day one, Ariely suggests, we would be anchored to the idea that apps should cost something. 'Then paying more (maybe even $2) for an app would be a simpler step,' he concludes, 'maybe one that we could take as easily as paying $4 for a latte.'"

Comments

People don't understand technology

[Chemisor]

I think it's much simpler than that. People don't understand what software does and really see no difference between the device and the programs that run on it. From that point of view, when you buy an app you are paying for something that's "already there", since it was a device that ran apps before and it's a device that runs apps now. The only change is the new app, which is not a tangible thing, but a behaviour. Paying for behaviour seems kinda like paying someone to teach your dog a new trick, and that's just plain silly.

Well what do they do

[Riceballsan]

I think the biggest issue, is there are very few apps that do anything that isn't expected of free software in the PC world. 95% of the games are more or less repackaged flash games that we have been playing for years, most of the productivity apps are weaker than google docs or libre/open-office which we have had for ages, and most of what's left is basic generic things that have been free for years. Bottom line there just aren't many apps that aren't exact duplicates of programs that have been free on the PC for years, has nothing to do with apples management it is just the trend of the entire software market. Right now in software people will pay for on any platform

Top of the line office software, IE only Microsoft Office

Top of the line AAA games, IE Skyrim

Other then that... corporate users need security software, and gullible home users will also buy it (reason I say gullible is primarily because there are few to no features or increased reliability of free vs paid antivirus's that I've seen). Had nothing to do with how the tablet market was set on launch day, the phones were based on the market of software, and in the end phones and tablets do not currently support much in the way of software that people aren't used to having for free.

Re:SHOULD "Apps" Cost Something?

[DigiShaman]

Which is why I prefer free apps to try before I purchase the ad-free, full, extended, HD version or whatever. The fear of buyers remorse is the real agony here, not blowing 1$ on an app that you know you will like. So yes, I'm in total agreement with you.

Re:SHOULD "Apps" Cost Something?

[dissy]

This is spot on!

And this is why I "pirate" apps. But before you judge, I can make two statements with total honesty:
1) I have ZERO pirated apps on any of my devices. ALL paid apps I have, have been purchased paid for.
2) Every last app on my mobile devices has been "pirated" for 5-10 minutes.
Every last one (Excluding built-in and free apps of course)

My purchasing process goes like this:

1) Is there a free version? If so, get that and try it, then jump to step 5
2) No free trial/demo? Then I fire up installious and find the app in question.
3) App not in warez form yet? Then stop - This app is no longer an option.
4) Try warez version for 5-10 minutes or so, hitting 'deny all for session' in firewall, and then delete the app.

5a) Did I like the app? If so, I return to the app store and purchase it.
5b) Did I hate the app? It's already long deleted, so we are basically done here.

The developers that DO provide a demo/trial version, you guys rock. Makes it very easy to decide if your app is for me and buy it, with 2/5ths the steps and much less time involved.

The developers that don't, well, deal with it. If I can't demo it somehow, you are guaranteed to have lost a sale, and if I happen to have placed your company name in my memory, you have potentially lost all sales to me.

I've easily spent over $500 on the apple store, and $200 on the Cydia store, in apps alone over both of my devices. It isn't worth it to me to fuck around with managing pirated apps in the long term, and have no interest in that.

The first app I was ripped off from was a silly $1 game. It literally would not run on either of my devices. I was pissed but since it was only a dollar I let it slide.
The second app however was a $10 development tool that was literally NOTHING like the description.

BTW, the scam app was: App Designer HD, v1.2, Seller: Nate Chiger
I see he lowered it from $10 to $1, no doubt trying to rip off even more people than before.
If you read the description, that is not anything close to what the app really does.
You get ONE of each GUI widget type, and can move the icon around on the screen like they were cutout on paper.
Want two buttons or two switches on your screen? Too bad.
In fact it would be easier and have MORE features to just use pen and paper instead of this piece of crap app.

The developer nor Apple would refund the price. Ever since that day I won't even consider an app I can't try first, one way or the other.

I ended up trying two different apps that filled this roll.
iMockups (Also $10 but AWESOME) for doing GUI layout and design,
and Codea ($8) for rapid prototyping (In Lua no less.)
Both "pirated" for 10ish minutes each, and immediately purchased after deleting the warez copy.

I have no problems paying for software. I do have problems getting ripped off.