The point about transaction experience is well taken, but there is a flaw in your comparison of MacHeist to the T-Shirt Deli both apparently add value to the *experience* of the purchase, but MacHeist devalues the individual products it bundles, selling them for far less than even some of the individual apps go for at retail. The T-Shirt Deli *adds* value, and commands a higher price than the individual parts would alone.
Marc
· 9 months ago
Great article and I completely agree.
There's value in the chase itself. Also, I believe there was a lot of reason to call the initial MacHeist a sham. In a lot of ways it was.
However, any developer selling apps as part of MacHeist III can't claim ignorance—they've gone in with their eyes wide open. I really hope the developers involved in the third iteration leave with a good taste in their mouth. There's nothing wrong with bundles, except maybe that they push the expected price lower.
hmurchison
· 9 months ago
I don't think something as intangible and superfluous as "value" is under the purview of the developer. MacHeist is a prime example of this. I loved getting WireTap and LittleSnapper and SousChef but others only cared for a small subset of apps that triggered their purchase. I think a lot of developers fall into this trap where they feel things like Macupdate and MacHeist promos devalue their work. I feel this is arrogant in the presumption that their potential clients will see the application as equally valuable. Different eyes, different perspectives. Another is that many trivialize the effects of marketing or rather good marketing. Yes you have a webpage and are hooked up with Kagi but consumers are a fickle lot and they can affect power in the way they shop because there are always competitors eager for their business. I think the reality is that you need a substantial userbase of paying customers and today even having someone that has paid a small portion for your app is better than the bloke who will attempt to get it for free.
Will Shipley gave me a great deal on Delicious Library I repaid him by upgrading to version 2.0. I think he's got the marketing thing down more than many indies. Leverage the hype into growing your userbase and your odds of getting people to stick around and keep your revenue going are better if you can deliver further innovation.
I'll be back for MacHeist 4
Rodney Sanches
· 9 months ago
So what does you shirt say?
Selch
· 9 months ago
I like the way you think. They are buying the services of a master marketer. I've been a Mac user for decades and keep a close eye on the rumor mill and Mac software market. However, I haven't heard of half the apps in this year's MacHeist. Well, I have now. The developer's aren't getting squat as far as cash goes but hopefully they are getting some long term customers who might gladly pay retail for future major upgrades. And what a way to kick off new releases like Espresso 1.0. I think they're getting more than just some pocket change from each MacHeist sale.
AA
· 9 months ago
Some get their epiphanies while trodding the streets of Chicago, I get my humble opinions about MacHeist on the streets of Budapest and Tallinn. And there things still look different. No matter how many shiny Mac logos you see in perfectly Western cafes. Yes, there (here) people also buy macs and, no matter what are their reasons for doing so, I personally think that this is a good thing. One thing about this (that) region is that it is not used to buying its software at all. Indie or not, does not really matter. Buying software is just isn't cool. Same way like smoking just is. Now, Macheist is cool. Even by local standards. Because of the extent to which - yes, you are right on that - it takes the buying out of buying, making other things more important...
Mickey
· 9 months ago
That is exactly the reason why I don't like MacHeist. If I want to buy something, I click the button that says "buy," and hope that doesn't lead to a waste of time. I also don't get the theft motif. Why is the fantasy of stealing when buying something considered fun?
Incidentally, you paid a premium at the T-shirt deli for fun, but MacHeist-ers get a discount. Sounds like a fishy comparison.
What Mac indie developers need is an App Store. Maybe MacHeist is succeeding to the extent that it provides a substitute for that.
Eric
· 9 months ago
I think it's sad to see the software go so cheaply, but honestly it's probably a good thing just to get the brand out there/buy some mindshare.
I think I'm what would generally be referred to as a 'power user' and fairly in the know, but I've only heard of two apps in the bundle before today (Acorn and World of Goo). The fact that people see these out there is great.
It's also, in my opinion, a great indicator of the power of the App Store. One sales channel to rule them all may not be great for everyone, but it's awesome for indie devs trying to get their name out there.
Peter Nordstrand
· 9 months ago
I assume the price of the shirt was about 5% of what those things usually cost, right?
LKM
· 9 months ago
I don't know, I think all of the criticism and positive feedback for MacHeist is kind of a bit missing the mark. I think rather than arguing about whether MacHeist is good for the participating developers, or whether it's good for the MacHeist customers, or whether it's a nice experience, or whether the developers are getting great marketing, I would be interested in knowing how it affects the Mac shareware market as a whole.
What influence does Espresso being in the bundle have on Coda? Does the fact that hundreds of thousands of people will effectively get a free copy of Espresso hurt Coda? Does it negatively impact the amount of money people are willing to pay for an app like Coda or Espresso? Does it affect Panic Software's business, or Bare Bones' business, or MacroMates' business?
How does the fact that hundreds of thousands of people will have The Hit List impact the Mac market for task management software? How does WireTap Studio being in the bundle affect Rogue Amoeba's business? How does Acorn's sudden wide distribution affect Pixelmator and Iris?
I think the real question isn't whether participating devs get a good deal, or whether customers have a great experience. The real question is whether this hurts the Mac indie software market as a whole.
Brian Flanagan
· 9 months ago
Is it masterful marketing? Would MacHeist be so successful if it weren't such an enormously marked down price?
I hope your kosher pork was a good fit.
Puiz
· 9 months ago
Here's my theory. People like 2 or 3 titles in the bundle, and so they buy the whole thing. They may try out the other stuff as well, but I don't think most of those apps will even make it into the Applications folder.
And as far as marketing is concerned: I think buyers will just scroll through that. They want a good deal, they get a good deal, and then they leave as soon as possible.
So basically you sell your app at a humongous discount, and hope for the best. That is, that users will later buy new versions at your regular prices, or they will start browsing your other apps and buy some of those as well.
I think both of these are pipe dreams.
Another thing to investigate would be whether this works as a market segmentation tool. Are you getting revenues from users who would otherwise never buy your app? Are you converting crackers? Or are you cannibalising real sales instead?
Problem is, these questions are difficult to answer. People won't tell the truth in questionnaires, and sales figures may be subject to other trends as well.
Chris Suter
· 9 months ago
Right, but would MacHeist get so much attention if it wasn’t offering the products at such steeply discounted prices? There’s nothing clever about that.
It’s like someone discovering 100$ bills floating about; it wouldn’t take long before everyone knew about it and was scrambling to get some. No master marketing involved there.
scottmcdaniel
· 9 months ago
That's a great analogy. I understand that some MH developers don't make much money from the sales, but that's really not the point - the goal is to get eyeballs on those products, which leads to eyeballs on the devs sites, which leads to sales of other products down the road. Not to mention upgrades...
I like to think of it as an online tradeshow/expo - you walk in the door and are given freebie after freebie all in the hopes of future sales.
PS: Yeah, what does the shirt say? :)
Travis Butler
· 9 months ago
Yeah, I think the exposure is the point. People who buy it for WireTap and World of Goo get Acorn in the deal, take a look at it just because they got it, and say 'Hm, I like this,' when they never would have looked at it otherwise.
schwa
· 9 months ago
Not sure I necessarily agree with you there (although the t-shirt deli does looks fun). The t-shirt deli metaphor really doesn't work too well I think - they're actually custom making you a new t-shirt, they're not taking cool shirts from bustedtees or somewhere and selling them for pennies.
I would have to say the game part of Macheist has basically dwindled to not relevant. Macheist is now really just a package of N apps for $X. You go to the site, you buy the package, you get the apps, a few days later you'll get the other two apps unlocked (which is pretty much a certainty). Where's the game?
buzzandersen
· 9 months ago
Fair enough, maybe I don't actually know enough about how it actually works. I've never given it more than a look, really, but I think their presentation is great, and whether or not it's a real game, I still think they've dressed the whole thing up in a pretty nice experience that has a lot more pizazz than the usual software buying routine.
As for the metaphor with the shirts, frankly, I think people are trying to take it a bit too literally. I wasn't trying to argue that the economics of the T-Shirt Deli are exactly like MacHeist. I was trying to argue that we can all learn something from the way both MacHeist and the T-Shirt deli take a mundane, fairly commoditized experience and make it exciting.
I recognize that the devaluation of software is a bad thing, and I'm no happier about it than you, but I also get pretty annoyed at how sanctimonious people get about that subject. I guess I just look at us as all being in a market we have to adapt to, and it's a little silly to expect everyone to say "OK, if we all toe the line we can keep our prices up." Software is increasingly commoditized, and I think the people who provide exceptional marketing/buying experience are the ones who will be able to succeed long term. This, BTW, is the exact same opinion I have about the App Store.
Perhaps Panic is a better example of what I'm talking about--they actually manage to provide a T-Shirt Deli-like experience without sacrificing prices. Frankly, sometimes I guess I just like to play devil's advocate when there's a blogosphere pile-on like the one on MacHeist, and, while I've acknowledged over and over that they may not be an ideal model, I still think it's worth trying to see if there's anything we can learn from their success.
schwa
· 9 months ago
Yup. They certainly get what it takes to market the bundle.
Personally, I really don't have any trouble with the concept itself. Developers are making money (otherwise they wouldn't do it), charities make some money, consumers win more than anyone else. I don't think it is necessarily driving down the value of Mac apps (if it was run monthly then sure - that would be a more valid argument) . I just have problems with the guys running it. I don't shop at Walmart because I don't like their business practices, I moved my domains off of godaddy.com once I knew the owner was using godaddy as a forum for his xenophobia, etc, etc. I don't like funding douchebags.
However that's a personal thing and I have to say, The Hit List and Expresso for $40 is VERY compelling.
dda
· 9 months ago
Did you even *try* MacHeist? I did all the heists and yes, they were puzzles (and some were quite hard), not games, really. But they were fun and they took a non-trivial amount of work to set up, including doing video now.
Yes, you can stop in, buy the bundle and leave. But you can also join, do the heists and get the rewards (or not, as you choose) which, to me anyway, makes it a lot more fun.
dance
· 9 months ago
Don't forget that the unlocking mechanism, and the referral links, also transforms every purchaser into an additional marketer.
Sooner or later, people will stop focusing on the "sizzle vs. steak" argument, which is very subjective, and focus on the objective problems, not with supporting the software developers, but supporting the MacHesit crew themselves. The fact, for instance, that they have sold enough vaporware of their own creation to choke a horse, assembled the biggest scam in recent memory by way of MyDreamApp.com (hey, I bet those winners are really glad they'll get 10% of the sales of their apps as part of their prize. Oh wait, you mean they never actually have shipped a single app? How convenient..." -- in the meantime, they received how many tousands of ideas, which the submission agreement says is theirs to keep forever? Was I the only one to read that fine print?), and they have the developer attention span of a gnat, where anything that's new and shiny and they can make several throusand dollars off of just to a high-gloss shine gets their attention over supporting stuff they've already sold ("Well, I could maybe update Disco or AppZapper, but hey, maybe this tip calculator would make me a bunch of money with almost no effort. Yes!"). Remember that a few of the original MacHeist apps were THEIR OWN APPS. And any time they're strapped for devlopers to join in, they throw in yet another copy of AppZapper and it's laughable "lifetime free upgrades" promise. Easy to uphold if you NEVER EVER SHIP AN UPDATE EVER AGAIN. But what do I know? I'm just a guy bitter that he defended their initial offering tooth and nail, back when part of it went to charity (does part of the proceeds go to charity anymore?), and then turns out all I got in my MacHesit loot bag was Delicious Library, an aging TextMate and a bunch of rocks.
If I'm wrong, then please someone clarify, but to my mind, these guys are snake-oil salesmen that taint anyone and anything they come in contact with. They've definitely assembled some realy trustworthy and good developers for this latest go-round, but ethically, I can't put money in MacHesit's pockets until they prove me wrong.
dda
· 9 months ago
25% of each bundle price goes to one of 10 charities (or evenly split if you don't want to choose); the requirement to unlock WireTap Studio was $100k to charity and the requirement to unlock BoinxTV is $400k. I don't know the requirements for The Hit List and Espresso but I am assuming it will be a charity target of some kind.
I got a lot more in my loot bag than rocks; I got things I use to this day.
Bob Bucktown
· 9 months ago
Not to be too picky, but The T-Shirt Deli is located in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago, not the Wicker Park neighborhood. Since many outsiders don't know the boundaries, it's more common to refer the area as "Wicker Park/Bucktown" just to avoid nit-picking corrections like this one. :)
buzzandersen
· 9 months ago
Ah, yes, you know I debated that very distinction when posting, but Yelp had it listed as Wicker Park so I went with that :-). Changed in the post.
Victor
· 9 months ago
As someone who participated wholly in all the experience leading up to the bundle, I can say that a happy consumer. Don't get me wrong about my concern for the developers. I too hope that they're getting a fair cut. As many have spoken before me, it's almost expected that developers are going into this with their eyes open and the terms of compensation are a lot more fair. It is in its third incarnation after all... you know the adage about shame on you, shame on me. Because it's a bundle, I'm assuming some developers are likely getting some money from people that wouldn't even have bothered buying from them. I think part of the perceived value for developers may be from people who wouldn't have bought otherwise, and, admittedly without any stats, I can only hope that the power of numbers will leave all of the contributors to MacHeist happy.
Aside from the price-value analogy which seems kind of opposite of MacHeist, I agree with the perception of the experience. For those who visited the site only a couple of days ago just to check out the bundle (unfortunately, it seems like some of the commenters may be such), there was a whole lot to the user experience that would have been missed. MacHeist is basically a sophisticated treasure hunt based on a bunch of pretty complicated puzzles under the guise that you're an agent trying to accomplish a mission to help Apple. There are plenty of users that relish simply the quest portion of the MacHeist experience. I think for some, the bundle is really just the icing on top of a fun time that the MacHeist crew put together. Certainly for people who don't care for such pursuits nor for the community aspects of this social game, I presume that value is lost.
Bill Bessette
· 9 months ago
Are the applications devalued if the public would not have purchased them otherwise?
Are dedicated users less valuable to the developer when it comes time to ante up for the upgrade 2 years down the road, simply because they joined on a discount rate?
I think not. By and large the target market for your product will find and buy your product. It's getting your software in front of people who didn't know they needed you that is the key to growing your user base.
Brian Pan
· 9 months ago
I'm a Mac user/lover but I gotta slap my head at all of this- only in the Apple world do we have discussions about whether it's a good idea to buy things at a discount.
Pricing is marketing. Coupons and discounts are offered in every market there is. To not take advantage of using one is ridiculous. To refuse to offer a discount for your product is your choice. It may be a valid one, but don't complain when the other person or company's creatively-priced widgets are flying off the shelf.
Bart
· 9 months ago
I wonder how everyone would feel if instead of being $39, these programs would be FREE. Free for X amount of days, free until we get X amount of downloads. Get more people to download, we'll unlock the next program and make it free too. Would the bloggers against MacHeist be talking about it being demeaning anymore? Or just a temporary offer to get more customers?
This is just giving away the razor (by charging a low price) to sell the blades (future upgrades). Like many people, I haven't heard of most of these programs before. Now some of them will get money from me in the future.
Also, to the people complaining about the t-shirt store analogy. That store charges more for the shirts because they *have* to. It's more expensive to run a store like that, to pay someone to spend more time wrapping the shirts like that and putting the stickers on it, to put the bag of chips in, to do the custom iron-on, and keeping the store organized the way it is. MacHeist doesn't need to add a premium to distributing software online, but like the t-shirt deli they distribute it in a more exciting way.
chris
· 9 months ago
A bunch of crap products for $39 is still a bunch of crap products for $39.
Marty
· 9 months ago
True. But that's not what this is. I fell in love with Little Snapper a couple of weeks ago. It solves a huge problem for me, and does it in a seamless, elegant fashion. I use it every day. And Wiretap Studio Pro is just genius. If I didn't already own them both, I'd buy this bundle just to get my hands on those two apps.
(But what about the rest of these products? Hmm. Not a one appeals to me.)
Art
· 9 months ago
MacHeist offers marketing. It's that simple.
Developers gets exposure and pay via large discounts.
Revenue opportunities exist via future updates once they have us hooked.
Xavier Muñiz
· 9 months ago
Agree with schwa.
You say about the T-shirts: " they’re a far cry from the quality of a real screenprinted shirt", and that's not the case of the indie software in the MH bundle. I think most of the software on the MH bundle (I don't know well all the products) are great high-quality pieces.
So it's not a thing of buying software because it's fun, but because the price is really low.
An example:
Espresso 1.0 was released on this week, and I think there's a lot of people who wants to have it, but most of that people also knows about the MH bundle, and they are using the trial for a while and waiting for MH to "unlock" Espresso to save some money.
brianarn
· 9 months ago
The argument against piracy being a big deal usually reads something like "The pirates aren't people who'd buy the music/software anyways, so it's not a lost sale."
In a sense, it's much the same way here. I already own one or two of the applications, and so now I have dual licenses (as I don't really know anyone else I'd have gifted the licenses to). I've bought into every MacHeist so far, and out of all of that, I maybe actually *still* use one or two of the apps. The rest linger, gathering digital dust and cobwebs, eventually to be AppZapped into oblivion (the irony being that I got AppZapper in MH2).
Delicious Library would be an exception. I still use it on occasion and enjoy it, and I've paid for the upgrade to DL2. I wouldn't have used it, were it not for MacHeist, and now he's gotten more of my cash because I'm willing to pay for a product I enjoy.
I happily bought into MH3. It's an amazing deal. I don't see myself using 90% of it more than for a few days as an amusing cheaply-paid trial. If I wind up sticking with some of them, I'll become a paying customer for further upgrades, as well as a word-of-mouth promoter, because I like to make noise about great software.
(I may have to co-opt this comment for a post on my blog, hehe)
Derek K. Miller
· 9 months ago
The question for developers about MacHeist is, ultimately, is the money invested (not "lost") in reduced revenue from MacHeist sales just as or more effective than the same amount of money spent on other forms of advertising and marketing? Some people complain that customers buying the MacHeist bundle are simply cheap, but are we similarly cheap if we watch a "free" TV program subsidized, in part, by software advertising, or read a website paid for, in part, by one of the same companies?
It's not unreasonable to argue than in both cases, companies are increasing their expenses by letting us get something for less than it's worth. In MacHeist, the developers' spending is just more obvious and direct, because it's their own product they're subsidizing, not an entertainment program or a website.
By the way, I've never bought a MacHeist bundle or otherwise participated in any way, but I have purchased some of the included products on their own, at regular prices. But I don't think MacHeist is a bad thing.
Thom
· 9 months ago
Calling people who buy MacHeist "cheap bastards" (hello Simone) is not only missing the points you make here, but the ultimate point - that these developers are adults who chose to make their software available this way. Where's the controversy in that?
Ken
· 9 months ago
Here's my take on the MacHeist.
As a new user to the Mac in April 2004. I was happy with my Mac with iLife and iWork. Aperture, Final Cut Express and Logic Express came later. I bought into the whole Apple regime. I was happy and content with that.
Then I started hearing about MacHeist (and MacUpdate) bundles. The whole heist thing didn't make any sense at first.
I've seen some of these programs before, but they didn't have the Apple stamp on them. They weren't "blessed" so I didn't buy them. A few I downloaded and tried, but not really got into them. Why? I didn't want to like the program. I didn't want to feel like I *had* to own it. "If I like this program and it works then I need to fork out $$$". I didn't want to do that.
So I bought the first MacHeist bundle. I don't even recall what programs came with that. I don't even know if I've used any of them.
It did however, make me think that the "indie" software was OK. As a developer indie is a cool word, something to strive for. As a user indie means not a "real" company and something that can disappear, etc.. Who wants to buy into that besides other indies?
The bundles made me think. Program A and B both look nice and they are both worth or valued at about the same price as the bundle. So, if I get the bundle and I'm not happy with A or B at least I have something else. I won't have to deal with a return, trying to get my money back or the dreaded buyer's remorse. I also won't care, because I felt like I got a good deal even if I don't use ANY of the programs in the bundle.
I ended up liking C more anyway. I wouldn't have even tried it if it wasn't in the bundle.
I just got the MacHeist 3 bundle. I don't have ANY direct use for ANY of the programs (so there's money to developers they would have never received). But now I can try them on MY own time and not be limited to a 15-30 day trial. The best part is - if I like it I already own it which removes my original fear.
Oh, I've already downloaded Voodoo Pad, just because I thought Acorn was cool.
NICCAI
· 9 months ago
Finally, someone that gets it. I bought the bundle for the first time this time around, because there were a couple of apps I was looking at. Would I have bought them otherwise? Maybe. Hard to know. But for the others, they have my interest and they now are installed on my machine. These "other apps" and even some of the bigger ones have an incredible inroads to gaining word of mouth reconginition. At the very least, they gain familiarity for a time when a problem arises and a solution is needed. MacHeist may devalue the true value of an app, but they provide an incredible service - marketing done at its best. It's not often you get the chance at a guaranteed return on investment - in this case, on your advertising dollar.
All Comments
There's value in the chase itself. Also, I believe there was a lot of reason to call the initial MacHeist a sham. In a lot of ways it was.
However, any developer selling apps as part of MacHeist III can't claim ignorance—they've gone in with their eyes wide open. I really hope the developers involved in the third iteration leave with a good taste in their mouth. There's nothing wrong with bundles, except maybe that they push the expected price lower.
Will Shipley gave me a great deal on Delicious Library I repaid him by upgrading to version 2.0. I think he's got the marketing thing down more than many indies. Leverage the hype into growing your userbase and your odds of getting people to stick around and keep your revenue going are better if you can deliver further innovation.
I'll be back for MacHeist 4
Yes, there (here) people also buy macs and, no matter what are their reasons for doing so, I personally think that this is a good thing.
One thing about this (that) region is that it is not used to buying its software at all. Indie or not, does not really matter. Buying software is just isn't cool. Same way like smoking just is.
Now, Macheist is cool. Even by local standards. Because of the extent to which - yes, you are right on that - it takes the buying out of buying, making other things more important...
Incidentally, you paid a premium at the T-shirt deli for fun, but MacHeist-ers get a discount. Sounds like a fishy comparison.
What Mac indie developers need is an App Store. Maybe MacHeist is succeeding to the extent that it provides a substitute for that.
I think I'm what would generally be referred to as a 'power user' and fairly in the know, but I've only heard of two apps in the bundle before today (Acorn and World of Goo). The fact that people see these out there is great.
It's also, in my opinion, a great indicator of the power of the App Store. One sales channel to rule them all may not be great for everyone, but it's awesome for indie devs trying to get their name out there.
What influence does Espresso being in the bundle have on Coda? Does the fact that hundreds of thousands of people will effectively get a free copy of Espresso hurt Coda? Does it negatively impact the amount of money people are willing to pay for an app like Coda or Espresso? Does it affect Panic Software's business, or Bare Bones' business, or MacroMates' business?
How does the fact that hundreds of thousands of people will have The Hit List impact the Mac market for task management software? How does WireTap Studio being in the bundle affect Rogue Amoeba's business? How does Acorn's sudden wide distribution affect Pixelmator and Iris?
I think the real question isn't whether participating devs get a good deal, or whether customers have a great experience. The real question is whether this hurts the Mac indie software market as a whole.
I hope your kosher pork was a good fit.
And as far as marketing is concerned: I think buyers will just scroll through that. They want a good deal, they get a good deal, and then they leave as soon as possible.
So basically you sell your app at a humongous discount, and hope for the best. That is, that users will later buy new versions at your regular prices, or they will start browsing your other apps and buy some of those as well.
I think both of these are pipe dreams.
Another thing to investigate would be whether this works as a market segmentation tool. Are you getting revenues from users who would otherwise never buy your app? Are you converting crackers? Or are you cannibalising real sales instead?
Problem is, these questions are difficult to answer. People won't tell the truth in questionnaires, and sales figures may be subject to other trends as well.
It’s like someone discovering 100$ bills floating about; it wouldn’t take long before everyone knew about it and was scrambling to get some. No master marketing involved there.
I like to think of it as an online tradeshow/expo - you walk in the door and are given freebie after freebie all in the hopes of future sales.
PS: Yeah, what does the shirt say?
:)
I would have to say the game part of Macheist has basically dwindled to not relevant. Macheist is now really just a package of N apps for $X. You go to the site, you buy the package, you get the apps, a few days later you'll get the other two apps unlocked (which is pretty much a certainty). Where's the game?
As for the metaphor with the shirts, frankly, I think people are trying to take it a bit too literally. I wasn't trying to argue that the economics of the T-Shirt Deli are exactly like MacHeist. I was trying to argue that we can all learn something from the way both MacHeist and the T-Shirt deli take a mundane, fairly commoditized experience and make it exciting.
I recognize that the devaluation of software is a bad thing, and I'm no happier about it than you, but I also get pretty annoyed at how sanctimonious people get about that subject. I guess I just look at us as all being in a market we have to adapt to, and it's a little silly to expect everyone to say "OK, if we all toe the line we can keep our prices up." Software is increasingly commoditized, and I think the people who provide exceptional marketing/buying experience are the ones who will be able to succeed long term. This, BTW, is the exact same opinion I have about the App Store.
Perhaps Panic is a better example of what I'm talking about--they actually manage to provide a T-Shirt Deli-like experience without sacrificing prices. Frankly, sometimes I guess I just like to play devil's advocate when there's a blogosphere pile-on like the one on MacHeist, and, while I've acknowledged over and over that they may not be an ideal model, I still think it's worth trying to see if there's anything we can learn from their success.
Personally, I really don't have any trouble with the concept itself. Developers are making money (otherwise they wouldn't do it), charities make some money, consumers win more than anyone else. I don't think it is necessarily driving down the value of Mac apps (if it was run monthly then sure - that would be a more valid argument) . I just have problems with the guys running it. I don't shop at Walmart because I don't like their business practices, I moved my domains off of godaddy.com once I knew the owner was using godaddy as a forum for his xenophobia, etc, etc. I don't like funding douchebags.
However that's a personal thing and I have to say, The Hit List and Expresso for $40 is VERY compelling.
Yes, you can stop in, buy the bundle and leave. But you can also join, do the heists and get the rewards (or not, as you choose) which, to me anyway, makes it a lot more fun.
http://www.seoxys.com/the-macheist-argument/
If I'm wrong, then please someone clarify, but to my mind, these guys are snake-oil salesmen that taint anyone and anything they come in contact with. They've definitely assembled some realy trustworthy and good developers for this latest go-round, but ethically, I can't put money in MacHesit's pockets until they prove me wrong.
I got a lot more in my loot bag than rocks; I got things I use to this day.
Aside from the price-value analogy which seems kind of opposite of MacHeist, I agree with the perception of the experience. For those who visited the site only a couple of days ago just to check out the bundle (unfortunately, it seems like some of the commenters may be such), there was a whole lot to the user experience that would have been missed. MacHeist is basically a sophisticated treasure hunt based on a bunch of pretty complicated puzzles under the guise that you're an agent trying to accomplish a mission to help Apple. There are plenty of users that relish simply the quest portion of the MacHeist experience. I think for some, the bundle is really just the icing on top of a fun time that the MacHeist crew put together. Certainly for people who don't care for such pursuits nor for the community aspects of this social game, I presume that value is lost.
Are dedicated users less valuable to the developer when it comes time to ante up for the upgrade 2 years down the road, simply because they joined on a discount rate?
I think not. By and large the target market for your product will find and buy your product. It's getting your software in front of people who didn't know they needed you that is the key to growing your user base.
Pricing is marketing. Coupons and discounts are offered in every market there is. To not take advantage of using one is ridiculous. To refuse to offer a discount for your product is your choice. It may be a valid one, but don't complain when the other person or company's creatively-priced widgets are flying off the shelf.
This is just giving away the razor (by charging a low price) to sell the blades (future upgrades). Like many people, I haven't heard of most of these programs before. Now some of them will get money from me in the future.
Also, to the people complaining about the t-shirt store analogy. That store charges more for the shirts because they *have* to. It's more expensive to run a store like that, to pay someone to spend more time wrapping the shirts like that and putting the stickers on it, to put the bag of chips in, to do the custom iron-on, and keeping the store organized the way it is. MacHeist doesn't need to add a premium to distributing software online, but like the t-shirt deli they distribute it in a more exciting way.
(But what about the rest of these products? Hmm. Not a one appeals to me.)
Developers gets exposure and pay via large discounts.
Revenue opportunities exist via future updates once they have us hooked.
You say about the T-shirts: " they’re a far cry from the quality of a real screenprinted shirt", and that's not the case of the indie software in the MH bundle. I think most of the software on the MH bundle (I don't know well all the products) are great high-quality pieces.
So it's not a thing of buying software because it's fun, but because the price is really low.
An example:
Espresso 1.0 was released on this week, and I think there's a lot of people who wants to have it, but most of that people also knows about the MH bundle, and they are using the trial for a while and waiting for MH to "unlock" Espresso to save some money.
In a sense, it's much the same way here. I already own one or two of the applications, and so now I have dual licenses (as I don't really know anyone else I'd have gifted the licenses to). I've bought into every MacHeist so far, and out of all of that, I maybe actually *still* use one or two of the apps. The rest linger, gathering digital dust and cobwebs, eventually to be AppZapped into oblivion (the irony being that I got AppZapper in MH2).
Delicious Library would be an exception. I still use it on occasion and enjoy it, and I've paid for the upgrade to DL2. I wouldn't have used it, were it not for MacHeist, and now he's gotten more of my cash because I'm willing to pay for a product I enjoy.
I happily bought into MH3. It's an amazing deal. I don't see myself using 90% of it more than for a few days as an amusing cheaply-paid trial. If I wind up sticking with some of them, I'll become a paying customer for further upgrades, as well as a word-of-mouth promoter, because I like to make noise about great software.
(I may have to co-opt this comment for a post on my blog, hehe)
It's not unreasonable to argue than in both cases, companies are increasing their expenses by letting us get something for less than it's worth. In MacHeist, the developers' spending is just more obvious and direct, because it's their own product they're subsidizing, not an entertainment program or a website.
By the way, I've never bought a MacHeist bundle or otherwise participated in any way, but I have purchased some of the included products on their own, at regular prices. But I don't think MacHeist is a bad thing.
As a new user to the Mac in April 2004. I was happy with my Mac with iLife and iWork. Aperture, Final Cut Express and Logic Express came later. I bought into the whole Apple regime. I was happy and content with that.
Then I started hearing about MacHeist (and MacUpdate) bundles. The whole heist thing didn't make any sense at first.
I've seen some of these programs before, but they didn't have the Apple stamp on them. They weren't "blessed" so I didn't buy them. A few I downloaded and tried, but not really got into them. Why? I didn't want to like the program. I didn't want to feel like I *had* to own it. "If I like this program and it works then I need to fork out $$$". I didn't want to do that.
So I bought the first MacHeist bundle. I don't even recall what programs came with that. I don't even know if I've used any of them.
It did however, make me think that the "indie" software was OK. As a developer indie is a cool word, something to strive for. As a user indie means not a "real" company and something that can disappear, etc.. Who wants to buy into that besides other indies?
The bundles made me think. Program A and B both look nice and they are both worth or valued at about the same price as the bundle. So, if I get the bundle and I'm not happy with A or B at least I have something else. I won't have to deal with a return, trying to get my money back or the dreaded buyer's remorse. I also won't care, because I felt like I got a good deal even if I don't use ANY of the programs in the bundle.
I ended up liking C more anyway. I wouldn't have even tried it if it wasn't in the bundle.
I just got the MacHeist 3 bundle. I don't have ANY direct use for ANY of the programs (so there's money to developers they would have never received). But now I can try them on MY own time and not be limited to a 15-30 day trial. The best part is - if I like it I already own it which removes my original fear.
Oh, I've already downloaded Voodoo Pad, just because I thought Acorn was cool.