The psychology of hesitance - Buying Apps

[Maeks]

This has been something on my mind recently, well, since I got my Touch, and have had access to the app store. Every time I buy an app, I always get a bit of the sense of buyers remorse. Like I made a huge mistake or something.

Why is that I wonder? Looking on these boards (and through the app store reviews) there are so many people out there seemingly completely unwilling to spend $1.99 for a game, but willing to spend $.99. Myself included.

Why is it that we (and by "we", I mean the general app store customer population) so hesitant to fork over even $.99 on certain apps? Even ones that look good. I mean, I go almost every day to the convenience store across the street and spend a dollar on a drink I don't need (because I have plenty at home). Routinely I spend money (usually no more than $3 or $4) just to try some new food out. Something that potentially could last me less than one bite (seconds, and perhaps vomitting time) I'm willing to take the plunge for.

Perhaps it's just the internet as a whole, I find myself getting the same feeling when I buy something on Amazon or eBay. That "Oh crap I just pressed "Buy" feeling. It's the anxiousness of not having something physical in our hands, something that we can see right away. We simply take the word of what other, anonymous people have to say on the matter.

But yeah, been thinking about that recently as I found myself cringing over the $1.99 Samurai Puzzle Battle, which is a very fun game.

And happy New Year! It's 2009 in Japan.

[pablo19]

Originally Posted by Maeks

Perhaps it's just the internet as a whole, I find myself getting the same feeling when I buy something on Amazon or eBay. That "Oh crap I just pressed "Buy" feeling. It's the anxiousness of not having something physical in our hands, something that we can see right away. We simply take the word of what other, anonymous people have to say on the matter.
.

I believe that's it, It doesn't feel right to pay for megabites on the internet because they aren't physical, even when buying computer games, you have a case and a CD. The same thing happens with music, people don't usually buy songs from itunes because you can either get it illegally where you don't have to pay for it or you can buy the CD from a store, where you get the case, the cover and you know that you have it. Also, in itunes you can't return a song once you have purchased it. In stores you can.


IDK, we are just strange beings us humans.

[brewstermax]

That is very true, but I think it makes it easier. I can just hit buy, have my game and never give it a second thought. Which is likely a formula for disaster in the end.

[istopmotion]

Well, sometimes I argue whether or not to purchase a game and once in a while, I end up hating the game right after purchasing. That's usually when buyer's remorse hits me.

Sometimes I feel like I need new games even though I have hundreds of other fantastic ones. It's just like I'm bored with them and I want something new, and I always feel bad about buying games because of that.

Although, I'm not too addicted to buying games anymore, this does happen to me once in a while when a new game comes out and I can't resist buying it.

[brewstermax]

Originally Posted by istopmotion

Well, sometimes I argue whether or not to purchase a game and once in a while, I end up hating the game right after purchasing. That's usually when buyer's remorse hits me.

Sometimes I feel like I need new games even though I have hundreds of other fantastic ones. It's just like I'm bored with them and I want something new, and I always feel bad about buying games because of that.

Although, I'm not too addicted to buying games anymore, this does happen to me once in a while when a new game comes out and I can't resist buying it.

Yea, thats it exactly. I have almost 9 full pages of fantastic games, yet I always want something more. The reason: the lack of depth to the games.

[DavidLeblond]

I think maybe because there are so many good free games out there, it makes it harder to purchase one. For instance, I got TapDefense and had so much fun with it, I decided to buy FieldRunners. The game looks a lot better but has like 1/4th the depth, so I didn't purchase another game until Rolando came out.

[D.Sync]

I had the same thought either. I usually buy thing that seems appealing to me at first look, like the icon, screenshots and video reviews. I didn't actually give any thought like 'how many times will I use this app in the future', 'will there be any updates', 'oh come on, it's holiday sale!' and so on.

So far I've regretted to spent around $50 out of $250 of all the app I had purchased. Most of them are only used once, then left behind. Eg: UNO, Monopoly.

The bottomline is, do research and read comments from other user before purchasing an app. That really helps.

[Maeks]

Originally Posted by D.Sync

The bottomline is, do research and read comments from other user before purchasing an app. That really helps.

Now that's a good piece of advice.

Since finding this site, its been a lot easier finding the good out of the heaps and heaps of bad in the app store. For said reasons, I'm fairly picky about what I actually spend money on (If its free though...), but when I do buy something I usually read, like, every post in a thread about the game. Although I bought Snail Mail on the basis of TA's review alone. Good decision.

[Thorero]

Originally Posted by brewstermax

Yea, thats it exactly. I have almost 9 full pages of fantastic games, yet I always want something more. The reason: the lack of depth to the games.

You said it. I'm sitting here looking at my iPod, and I've got 9 whole pages of games, All in all, I probably only play 1 page worth of them(16). And I wonder, why did I even bother spending money on it?

And as you said Brewstermax, There's no depth to them, I was in a game shop today, and I thought, "So the iPod has Multi-Touch, Accelerometers, The games are cheap compared to say the DS, But in the long run, I'd rather buy this 20 Euro DS game, because it has depth."

I'm not regretting buying the iPod, It's just it's a bit annoying that there's no in depth games for it.

Originally Posted by Maeks

It's the anxiousness of not having something physical in our hands, something that we can see right away.

I agree, even with your example of the soda can, you can hold it, open it, drink from it, and then bin it. But at least you knew you paid money for something "real". Unlike buying a game on iTunes.

[Maeks]

On the general theme of the thread, although not related to Apple or an iPod in anyway, me and a friend were talking about movies.

In particular our complete willingness to go to the theater and spend $10 on a movie, without so much as the slightest hesitation (if, of course, it is a movie we want to see!).

But when I go to Wal-Mart or somewhere and see the bin $5 DVD, I say to myself "I don't know five dollars", and even some really good movies I've passed up.

The exact opposite of problem with the app store purchases.