07-27-2006, 08:00 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 349
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Biting the Handango that Feeds It: Are You Getting Your Money's Worth?
It's like going to the dentist. You know that it does some good to visit, but it's a painful experience every time. As both a developer and a customer, I constantly try to justify the reasons to be there. Handango started off as a modest portal for mobile games and applications. Now, I just don't know what to make of it.
The "developer" side of me hopes that I get the proper exposure my programs need, but at what cost? By slicing off as much as 40% of the listed price, what I am actually left with (and taxed on) is hardly an appreciated profit, and by overpricing my products, it's no wonder that piracy remains rampant. The "customer" side of me just has a hard time sifting through the various pages of repetitive junk (from ringtones, wallpaper, eBooks, and fake or pirated programs) and re-releases of the same version of software just to stay on the front page, then trying to charge me for things like "Download Protection." And, in my experience, response times and support by Handango staff have been close to non-existant, especially in the case of their online contests - does anyone ever win?
I've heard of incidents where customers have resorted to contacting the developers directly to "PayPal" them a more "agreeable" price for full versions of their software, and have seen developers price their software according to the markup that the portals impose, and/or offer a "free" version with a subtle hint to visit their own site for the "real" version. As a developer or a customer (or both), what are your thoughts on Handango and its cost of dealing with them?
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07-27-2006, 08:10 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 74
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I will NOT use Handango again. I agree with all of the above compalints.
Most baffling is their 'download protection'. What the @#%$ is that? I thought when I purchased one program and paid $5 for protection that it covered all of my previous and future downloads. It does not appear so. Ridiculous.
I also do not like the fact that I have to dig out my old credit card numbers to redownload previously purchased sofware.
I am now back to PocketGear.
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07-27-2006, 08:20 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 61
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AMEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS...RIGHT ON!!!!!
I too can't fathom that download protection stuff when you can download a trial of updated software from theirs or some other sites, input the reg code and get going again. Granted there are some items that you can't do that but very few in my experience and many times can work with the developers directly to work something out.
Being a part of the vast right wing conspiracy, I'm all for making a buck and the capitalist system overall but they might as well hold a gun to your head when you click on the "confirm purchase" button. The only purchase I have left with them is to close out my points account and that will like be it.
Probably will print out my account page with regististration numbers just in case they start to charge for that access as well. Most of it is in ewallet but you just never know!
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07-27-2006, 08:24 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 14
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I have to agee with that crazy "download protection" scam. Just a complete ripoff. And navigating Handango is an exercise in frustration.
I've been going to Pocket Gear (easier for me to navigate) or directly to the software maker's website to purchase directly from them. Does Pocket Gear do the same shady things as Handango?
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07-27-2006, 09:04 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 541
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I must say I had zero problems with my purchases on Handango, and I never used download protection.
But 40% markup, for what?
The only question is, does Pocket Gear also charge that much to a developer?
I guess most of my software purchases in the future will be done directly from developers.
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07-27-2006, 09:13 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,389
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I have had nothing but good experiances with Handango. and nothing but bad with pocket gear...
To this day i still get 4 copies of their monthly spam mail. I have tried to unsubscribe time and time again to no avail. I refuse to use pocket gear.
So what am i to do? 
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07-27-2006, 09:28 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 444
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Trying to purchase and download direct from the developer is the first stop for me. Sometimes, the developers site directs you to Handango or another online software distributor which upsets me, a little.
Another thing to me is that when I purchase something online, I am giving out my personal details. I feel if I purchase direct from the developer, my details are going somewhere where I feel comfortable. If I didn't want them to have my personal details, I wouldn't buy their product. When purchasing through Handago (and other distributors), I feel my personal details are going more places than they need to go.
I want to eliminate the middleman when ever possible (in all my purchases).
I don't want to imply that I think what Handango, or any other online middleman, is doing is wrong. I think that they are within their rights to charge for any service they offer.
As a consumer, I can accept that.
If I was a developer, I might not be able to accept that.
What I want to know, do developers have a choice to distribute their own software or is the process of handling your own software distribution just not worth it?
Maybe to some developers, the price they pay to Handango is worth it.
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07-27-2006, 09:31 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 172
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Although I have used Handango extensively for the past few years (over 80 purchases, mostly Pocket PC but some Palm), and have never had a problem with them (except for the silly having to re-enter a credit card number after downloading the fourth upgrade to a product I bought there), I would much prefer to use PayPal to pay the developer directly. Many, many years I ago I developed shareware and I know how hard it can be to make money at it, and that having 40% lopped off the top would not make me happy. Until about a year ago, I thought that Alex Kac made 24.95 off of each PI sale on Handango, and to find out that he only gets 60% or so of that just doesn't seem right to me. He works very hard to give users great products and I think he deserves to be appropriately compensated for it (not to mention all the free insights he offers in forums on this and other sites). I mention Alex because everybody knows he deserves to be paid well for great products and great service, but he is certainly not alone. Amit and CTitanic are two other greats that immediately pop to mind. Of course these folks can speak in their defense and can probably list many upsides to their relationships with Handango. I'm just saying I would prefer to pay them direct.
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07-27-2006, 09:35 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 92
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Handango
Agreed - download protection doesn't seem like something I'm likely to buy any time soon.
But having said that, I've had nothing but good luck with Handango support. Among other incidents, they went to bat for me with Fonix. I bought a Fonix voice control app (trying to save a buck and not buy MS Voice Command) but it didn't have all the advertised functionality. After repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact Fonix failed, I went to Handango. They were also unsuccessful in contacting Fonix and gave me my money back.
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07-27-2006, 09:35 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 110
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Hmmm?
I usually buy all my stuff from handango for the rewards program, however I still buy from pocket gear too. Both sites are OK.... nothing really drives me to them other than I do not know where else to go? IF there was s place that developers could post I would definately check it out.
I have always wondered how much money the actual writers are making, they are the ones that I want to support so that they can keep writing software, I really could care less for handango.....
Perhaps the idea is to write a starter version of software that costs a buck or so from handango, then when the software is purchased, have a link that takes you to the real website where you can buy the real thing? That is definately clever. But if handango is HOGGING all the money, they really don't need to be in the picture.
Maybe PPC thoughts could have a place where developers could post for a small fee, then we could frequent this site more and learn what is new out there.
Another way is to get everyones e-mail and always inform them of the updates and upgrades via- their personal e-mail and do not post the upgrade on handango. Then they will always go to your site for the update and purchase there instead of handango. I am always buying the updates as they come out, usually I don't know that the software had even been upgraded cause no one sends out and e-mail to inform me of it. I think that the best company for this has been Iambic. They always send me e-mails of their updates and I have bought every time. I bought iambic for my palm from handango the very first time, ever since then all the updates I have bought off their own personal web site.
No one should ever be stuck in a handango rut. There should be ways to maximize your marketing somewhere........
Thanks for letting me post!
-kirk
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