....hmmm....questionable post to have right above one promoting a 15% discount at Pocket Gear. I'm sure it was unintentional.
In my business, and in fact in most businesses supplying a product to retailers, we would love to get 60% of the "profit." I don't, by any means, defend all of Handango's policies, but to take a 40% cut for promoting and delivering a product seems rather fair.
I'm always a bit leery of retailers who may overprice my product to the point that it effects sales, but one thing I have learned is that the more money a customer makes selling my product the happier they are doing business with me and the more product they buy from me.
I'd be curious to know....as a developer, back when they were taking a 25% cut, how much were you willingly giving back to support their awards program or all the free giveaways they do?
I don't mean to come across as argumentative, it just seems to me that it's not that bad of a deal when you consider all that Handango, and Pocket Gear do.
I've often wondered why more developers who are not happy with the arrangements don't get together and start some sort of co-op site?!
... I'd be curious to know....as a developer, back when they were taking a 25% cut, how much were you willingly giving back to support their awards program or all the free giveaways they do?
I don't mean to come across as argumentative, it just seems to me that it's not that bad of a deal when you consider all that Handango, and Pocket Gear do.
They actually did not have any of the "awards" programs when they were charging 25%. Note that the "awards" program and giveaways come directly out of the developers cut, not out of Handango's. So when Handango gives a member reward, Handango takes 40% of the non-discounted price and the developer eats 100% of the discount despite having no say at all in the discount amount. When Handango gives a download for free as part of a promotion, Handango doesn't charge a commission.
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Handango takes 40% of the non-discounted price and the developer eats 100% of the discount despite having no say at all in the discount amount.
That's not much of a two way relationship is it?! I'll bet it is the relationship, or lack of one that bugs developers more than anything? Personally I've always thought that the best deal, or business relationship is one where both sides are equally happy with the arrangement. Listening to developers it seems that Handango, and Pocket Gear don't quite grasp that....If everything else came out a bit more equal perhaps you guys wouldn't mind the 40% cut so much, right?
I also do worry for the money that HandanGo takes from the developpers given the service they provide (the site is useful but it is quite messy if you do not exactly know what you are looking for). I have heard about another project called Modaco and it promises 80% for the developper. Do you know it? http://fairdeal.modaco.com/homeSoftware.asp
If yes, what is your opinion about it? It seems the provide an alternative to more greedy solutions like H&G and PG.
(the site is useful but it is quite messy if you do not exactly know what you are looking for). I have heard about another project called Modaco and it promises 80% for the developper. Do you know it? http://fairdeal.modaco.com/homeSoftware.asp
Exactly! By design, Handango needs to make it hard to find products. In this way they can force the top tier products to buy advertising. Handango promotes nothing on thier own.
And the problem with modaco is that no one knows about them. the M$/Handango relationship has put them in a monopolistic position.
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I'm not a mobile developer nor do I play one on TV
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This topic always resurfaces every so often and the same idea always comes to mind. I always post it and never get any replies. So here goes again.
What about developers forminng some kind of membership union and form a competing distribution channel. Membership dues can pay for the upkeep, management and house keeping. Maybe even a little advertising. Then the more members that come on, the more finances for expansion and advertising.
Let it compete side by side with Handango and PocketGear. Then developers have an alternative if they decide to withdraw from the other two. Perhaps this could become a negotiating point for some of the more popular developers. If a developer decides to go solely with this channel, then they can potentially lower prices because they're not paying a percentage. Or atleast its a union agreed upon amount.
I can see the caption now... "For Developers by Developers."
Its basically the notion of power in numbers.
Developers can then decide their own fate and maybe even undercut the prices due to lack of overhead.
Think what would happen if a WebIS, or an SBSH gave their support to this 'union' channel.
just a thought.
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As a developer, I offer products on both Handango and Pocketgear. The 40% is just the start as in order to drive real business one must also advertise on their sites. Only the highest volume software can support even the a modest advertising campaign at these sites.
I believe that Microsoft helped promote Handango when they first released Windows CE devices years ago. This helped establish them as pretty much a monopoly. If you don't sell on Handango, you probably won't be found. Heck, even PPC Thoughts has no incentive to promote a product if not on Handango as their Members Discount site is linked directly to Handango's Commerce Engine.
Furthermore, Handango and Pocketgear will not provide the developers with the e-mails of those that download trial versions. I would like to provide incentives and promotions to all those that download a trial, but I never know who they are. I am sure they are afraid that we will try to sell directly. However, the commerce engine at my site is Handango's! Yet, Handango only takes 30% (not the full 40%) if a customer orders from my site so they treat me as a competitor even though all my orders go through Handango!! The bottom line is the consumer loses because they pay a premium.
There are only two solutions to this problem:
a) Competitive sites to Handango and PocketGear are created
b) The Developers organize so we might be able to pressure Handango and PocketGear.
Until some true competition is introduced, the customer will have to pay extra!
As a customer and software buyer, I can assure you that (1) I never, ever used Handango or Pocket Gear to find software that suits my needs - I always use usenet (google groups) or sites like this one, because I'm interested in userss opinions, not dumb advertisement. (2) I never buy from Handango if I can buy directly from developer - simply because I don't need a 3rd party and it's easier to get billing problems solved, (3) I never, ever, ever give my real email when downloading trial software.
I think generating enough exposure on Usenet will do much more for you, then Handango ever could - this is how most of the people I know find out about software. I did buy from them a couple of times, if developer's site directed me there. That was before Download Protection scham - that's pure extortion. I would not buy from Handango.
I to have seen this issue brought up time and time again. I have used both Handango and PocketGear and find that neither have actually created any market. It is the software developers who created the programs people asked for and filled a need. So if software developers who can afford to don't take control of their own product then they can't really complain. Although I doubt any of the big name ones will. Others should try another way if possible since without software both sites are nothing. And we as consumers just should not buy from them if we know they are over charging and using unfair sales tactics. They need us more than we need them as with all goods. You can always find it or something better elsewhere.
Is it just me...or is it that everyone that has replied to the original post a bunch of cry babies?
First, you can shop where like. No body asked you to shop there. No body made you not unclick the download protection checkbox.
Second, if a developer chooses to sign up with Handango and does not read what he/she is getting into, too freaking bad. They are up front about the charges.
Lastly, correct me if I am wrong, but the complaints boils down to this; you are too lazy to unclick a checkbox, to lazy to get your credit card, to lazy to look for software somewhere else, and too lazy to write your own program in the first place.
I think you all are pissed off you did not think of the Handango scam yourselves.
Come on!!!
With that said, in my opinion the cost of the programs are rather small to begin with. I do write programs for different applications in a few different languages. It take alot of time to dream up, write, debug and rewrite a program.
I hope you all realize that someone who writes programs for a pocketpc is not going to get rich in the first place and they know that. They do it for the satisfaction of programming.
Come on!!!
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