About the Poll that asks what our price point is ....

The poll that's currently running asks, "When it comes to buying software or games that you're interested in, what is the price point where you start to really have to reconsider whether you want it?" The bottom price listed is $39.95.

I've got say though that even that amount is too high. I start asking myself if I really need a game or software if it's over $25.

Now that doesn't mean I never buy software. I spent about $160 bucks upgrading my Office software just last week and I probably spend over $350 a year on games. I probably buy over a dozen games a year, not counting $10 shareware impulse buys.

But I shop aggressively, pricematching and bargin bin diving.

This isn't meant to knock people who do things differently. I just wanted to point out that setting the lowest price at $40 is ignoring a chunk of the market.

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kyhlwch,

I see your point , and see the pollster's point as well,
usually $20. and under software is shareware, or trialware.
I think most people will pay that price for shareware.

software out of the box,and over $25. is generally the newest release or highest quality.(yes there are exceptions).
bargain bins tend to house elderly software, many programs there have more up to date counterparts at the higher price, or are obsolete to the current OS

almost all software that comes in just a jewell case and is marked from $5.-$19. is shareware,(you know the rack at wallmart that has nothing but jewellcased games and apps with an average price of $9.98) and only part of the program is accessible, forcing you to purchase more software to access the whole game/application/etc.

I think #39. is a reasonable estimate for high end software and something which you might think twice about purchasing. personally though $49. is my cutoff , at that price I have to have a really good reason for making the purchase (object desktop, antivirus,firewall,)

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paxx

Join Date 03/2001

I agree with kyhlwch. Under 20$, most likely if I want it, I'll get it without thinking much about it. Over that amount, it will have to be a planned purchased, budgeted and justified. I won't get online, see a new 30$ piece of software and say "Oh, I want it!" and buy it on the spot. No, most likely, I'll take a few days to think about it. Is it something I will use often, or something I'll use a few times and get tired of it? If I decide that I need it, then I'll check the bank account, the upcoming bills, making sure I won't come short at the end of the week. Now, if the softaware is above 50$, then it's even worse. It will take some serious planning and may take me a couple of months before I get to buying it - that is if I consider it's something major that I can't live without.
As for games, I don't buy 60$ games. I just can't justify to myself spending that much money on just a game that I'll play for a couple of weeks then leave it on the shelf. The games have were either a birthday/xmas present, an older game on sale somewere for 20$ or less, or a used game. Sometimes, I "group purchase" games: I get together with 3 or 4 friends and we throw in each 20$, then we play in turns. Most games I never touch again once I've played through the whole thing once.

So, in short, my price point is 20$.

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