I started building websites in 1996. At that time, websites were hand coded in HTML, version 3.2, if memory serves me right. Later versions sported tables and frames, but in the beginning, it was very straight forward and possibilities were limited. You could add an image, but had to be careful it wasn’t too “heavy”, for bandwidth was small and precious. Most screens were limited to a display of only 16 colours, and to connect to the internet, people used a modem of 56 kB/s.
Nowadays, most websites are created using specialised software. You don’t need to be a nerd to be able to build a website. For our websites (Ananda and JustGoPink!), we use WordPress, which offers in and of itself quite some possibilities. But not enough, so we use so called plugins for enhanced features. And we are nerds which is both an advantage and a disadvantage.
Advantages and disadvantages of being a nerd
Let me start with the advantages. Even though you do not need to be a nerd anymore to build a website in WordPress, it does help. Some knowledge of coding (be that HTML, CSS or PHP) is a definite advantage when tweaking a website to you liking. Because you can do a lot without coding, but not everything. To get an element in an exact place, or in a certain colour for example, a little coding will get you a long way.
However, we use many plugins on both websites, and that’s were the disadvantage props up. You see, as nerds, we want to create a product (Ananda) that performs seamless and intuitive so our customers can work with it without fault. That’s why we a carefully testing and testing and testing again. We expect the same from software created by others.
Try before you buy
Before installing any plugin, we carefully review options and read reviews written by users. Based upon that, we make a choice for a product. Many plugins offer a free version with limited features so that you have the possibility to try before you buy. But some do not offer that possibility, and that’s where it becomes a bit tricky.
We recently bought a plugin that we thought offered all the functionality that we were after. We installed it and tried working with it, and ran into some problems. Which is acceptable. We had quite some communication with their helpdesk, which was very helpful, and we got everything to work. In the end however, we discovered that the plugin couldn’t do what we wanted it to do. We asked for our money back and got it without a problem. Thank you Joomunited!
So then we bought another plugin, also without a free version. It seemed like the right choice. We paid for it and installed it and started to work with it. Unfortunately, it is build in a way that doesn’t correspond with our intuition. At all. So we couldn’t figure out how to operate it and had to revert to the helpdesk to get started.
Once started, it produced an error. We reported it to the helpdesk and they offered a work around, while they try and fix the error. And still, we were unclear on how to get the plugin to do what we want it to do. So in the end, we decided to change our plans and simplify things in a way that eliminates the need for certain plugins. So we once again asked for our money back.
No refund
No luck this time. In the small print of the company that sells this plugin, it states that they do not offer refunds in case the software doesn’t live up to your expectations. That’s just tough luck. Period.
Huh? Sure we signed for this, because you cannot obtain the plugin without signing, but how many people actually read all those pages of legal mumbo jumbo when purchasing a product? Anyone? Not us… It’s not the loss of money that upsets us (it was only $ 22,80), it’s the attitude.
Making money and having satisfied customers
If your goal is only to make money, regardless of customer satisfaction, you’re on the wrong track. Even if the product is good, there will always be people who change their mind for one reason or another. If you buy something in a brick and mortar shop, you have the chance to return it and have a refund. Which is fair. So why not do the same with a digital product? Why not give people the chance to try it out? What could you possibly lose? Nothing, right?
On the other hand, maintaining a no-refund policy, you have much to lose. Building a good reputation is not easy and takes time. Breaking someone’s reputation is, nowadays, with internet and social media, very easy. All we have to do here is reveal the name of the plugin and the company that sells it, and create a link to them, and the damage starts.
Do the right thing
However, we are not going to do that. We are going to give them the possibility to respond and do the right thing. Which would be to not only refund us, but to change their policy. Either by creating versions of their software that can be used for free (with limited functionality), or by simply refunding people who change their mind for some reason or another. Because it is the right thing to do.
