Offer pop-ups

[avaster78]

Is it possible to disable those "update to paid version" pop-ups?

[REDACTED]

No, you can't, and yes...they've recently cranked up the number of times they show offers...about every day or every other day for me.

Even if you buy the paid version, I'm betting they still spam you every other day about taking a survey to "help them with their mobile software".

They've really changed from back in the day when they were not intrusive...to now being quite nagging.

[Rednose]

Even if you buy the paid version, I'm betting they still spam you every other day about taking a survey to "help them with their mobile software".

In the paid versions you can switch that off.

Greetz, Red.

[avaster78]

It's already popped up twice today 

[DavidR]

I guess I'm lucky as I can't recall any offer popups today on avast free 2015.10.2.2214.

EDIT: just got one, which took all of two seconds to close it.

[REDACTED]

They replaced the defs updated message with ads.  When you see the pop up it coincides with your definition version updating.  You want to get rid of them, pay.

[avaster78]

They replaced the defs updated message with ads.  When you see the pop up it coincides with your definition version updating.  You want to get rid of them, pay.

Will they go away in silent mode?

[REDACTED]

Will they go away in silent mode?

Seems like it.  However, it also seem, like intended, to block all notifications without exception, including important ones like virus alerts, deepscan. 

The very recent program version or update removed the option to "turn off notification box after automatic updates."   Thus it seems whenever there is a definition updates you get ads, thus the multiple ads per day assuming there are multiple definition updates on any given day. 

[avaster78]

Hmm. i changed the pop-up display time to 1 second. Let see if that works.

[DavidR]

Hmm. i changed the pop-up display time to 1 second. Let see if that works.

I believe it probably won't - previously when this was piggybacked to the auto update notification (which it still appears to be even though that isn't shown), it didn't comply with the update popup duration.

[lakrsrool]

As a very long time (15+ year) user I have to say it's frankly bordering harassment the way Avast is now attempting to "market" their product to their own presumably "loyal" customers (that I think we can ALL be rest assured are certainly fully aware of the Avast products available to them).

For perhaps close to a decade we've had advertizing built into the program interface.  OK, so as users we can decide to add a product module if we want and I suppose it's OK to keep the users informed of deals being offered from time to time.  However that's where it should STOP!!!

But now in the past couple of years or so we get POPUPS with ads now that I think we can all agree are a function (popup) that should be considered an "ALERT" and used as such, yet it amounts to even MORE ADVERTIZING!!!

And as if this was not bad enough now for VERSION 2015 we actually have a functional TAB as part of the interface that includes a SHOPPING CART!!!! .... JUST WOW!!!!

I WILL NOT go to a version that has a "shopping cart" tab (unbelievable) but instead AFTER 15+ YEARS as an Avast user, once version2014 is no longer supported (or perhaps before if the popups get any worse) I will finally find Virus protection elsewhere if this form of advertizing harassment doesn't change.

As a long-time user of well over 15 years I'm going to try and help Avast out by continuing to post my comments regarding how things have gone from bad to worse considering that we now get "advertizing" popups that cannot be disabled in the "free" version which is bad enough (and as we all know we already had advertizing windows as part of the interface), now we even have a "shopping cart" tab as part of the application interface in version 2015, REALLY, just WOW. 

If Avast doesn't wise up and realize that people do not need to be continually prompted to add module options all the time I'm thinking that Avast will lose business as I know of FREE AV programs that do just a good a job or better without all the bombardment of ads.

IDEA: What Avast ought to do if they feel a need to "advertise" their products to their users is after 10 years as an ongoing customer for example to allow these annoying adds to be "turned off" for these users, after all a user with them this long is clearly very well aware of the products available to them, RIGHT?   Or how about another IDEA: Try implementing "learning" software (code) that at some point recognizes that the user is FULLY AWARE of the products after a number of POPUPS have occurred. Let's be clear here, it's not like users aren't aware of the products available to them after all. Now that a creative idea that makes sense as opposed to ultimately lose more customers, wouldn't you think?
 

I am fully aware there will be those who say "PAY UP"!!!!  Well let's be clear here, there are those who just will not, period when there are FREE alternatives.  Perhaps these people cannot seriously afford annual cost put upon them for protection that can be acquired free elsewhere.

Here is another IDEA: Consider how much "GOOD WILL" and "POSITIVE WORD OF MOUTH" that occurs regarding those customers who cannot afford to "PAY UP" (as some on this board will characterize it) but ARE HAPPY with the free product.  POINT BEING, AVAST WOULD BE BETTER SERVED TO HAVE PEOPLE RECOMMENDING THEIR PRODUCTS ALL OVER THE WORLD even if they are FREE customers as opposed to LOSING FRUSTRATED CUSTOMERS TO THEIR COMPETITORS..... MAKE SENSE Avast?.... MAKE SENSE Avast "marketers" telling people to "pay up"?  Facts are, some cannot comfortably "pay up", (hence WILL NOT) and at the same time are fully aware of the products available and as a matter of fact WOULD provide a "positive" WORD OF MOUTH if in fact they happen to be satisfied users of Avast (which in some cases may not be the case as a result of advertising harassment that Avast apparently from their perspective concludes is cost effective)

It seems that perhaps "greed" is getting in the way and ruining a reasonably good product, now I'm finding that some modules will actually "auto renew" membership costs and it's like "pulling hens teeth" to undo the "auto renew", unbelievable!!!  Things are going from bad to worse for Avast, they'd better grow a brain as far as how their customers are treated because there ARE other good FREE AV programs available without all of this user harassment to squeeze more dollars out of users.  What's next, email campaigns to sell products? (maybe I should have not mentioned that )

If Avast doesn't wise up and realize that people do not need to be continually prompted to add module options all the time I'm thinking they will lose business as I know of AV programs that do just a good a job or better without all the bombardment of ads. KEEP IN MIND AVAST, your product is ONLY AS GOOD AS HOW HAPPY AND SATISFIED YOUR USERS ARE!!!  Losing business MAKES NO SENSE, even if it only amounts to FREE users who you can be sure will pass the word along to others regarding your products and to be sure WILL bring more business as a result.

Marketing can be effective in many ways including bringing along more happy users, regardless if they "pay" or not, who pass along to others their "positive" experience as opposed to the frustrated and unhappy users who will in turn pass along their "negative" experience. Just food for thought for Avast to consider here.....

As I now recall there was a time back in the mid-90's or thereabouts (a time when Avast was pretty much unknown to many people then of which I'd say it is closer to 15+ years instead of the 15+ years I've previously posted hence changed this) where at that time I had recommended Avast to an entire computer class I was taking including the instructor who passed this on to his subsequent classes who at that time was not aware of Avast and was recommending another FREE AV program to his students. So who knows just from "word of mouth" how many adherents to Avast my comments to the class and instructor were brought about through out the ensuing years.  And of course back then during my days as a IS student I always made sure I took every opportunity to recommend an AV program (Avast) simply because I was happy with it back then and wanted others to know about it.  This is what I'm talking about as far as "word of mouth" in regards to satisfied users.  Of course way back then this was a time when Avast was very new on the scene, as contrasted to now when Avast is very well known and established and apparently as such cares very little about losing what they might consider a relatively "few" customers as a result of their more aggressive marketing tactics.  And of course up until recently I have continued to recommend Avast to all I know, both family and friends.  And again it is important to keep in mind, this is where Avast will lose customers as people become increasingly unhappy with these advertizing tactics and subsequently recommend other alternative AV programs to their respective friends and families as well.  It is through "word of mouth" that Avast is where it is today and it can be through "word of mouth" that can change that as well.

As I say each time I post: I'll put in my 2-cents every time I get a chance (since Avast doesn't seem to care or get the message) regarding the annoying popup ads considering that I'm a very very long time user that is frankly getting fed up and will eventually move on if things don't change with Avast regarding this harassment crap.

I know I'm just one user albeit a very long time user of over 15 years so my "going away" is no big deal obviously. But that said, if over time enough think as I do about this "aggressive advertising" approach now increasingly being used that is presumably considered from the perspective of Avast to be a successful tactic as a "marketing tool" could very well eventually negatively impact Avast customer retention at some point.  As such this aggressive advertizing tactic that is increasingly being used by Avast could very well end up backfiring and ultimately result in a loss of revenue over time as opposed to the anticipated gain in revenue.

Again, I'm just one customer offering my 2-cents here, but it may be something that the powers that be should start seriously considering.  I'm not a "marketing expert" so perhaps I'm wrong, but be assured time will tell who's correct.  The fact remains there are always competitors, and as such every business would be wise to keep this in mind.

WORDS TO CONSIDER: Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers

[REDACTED]

The entire amount of time it took you to write that is probably equivalent to the entire time those pop up messages show up on your screen... if you had avast for another 20 years!!!

They pop up, they have an x on them, close them... total time on screen in a 24 hour day... under a minute (under 30 seconds if you just close them manually).

It's a free product, they have a right to advertise.  I personally cant stand them either but seriously unless they take a drastic step and do something stupider in another round of attempting to advertise then just consider this tolerable.  This is hardly aggressive.

[lakrsrool]

Up front, if you aren't inclined to read that much or just don't have the time then please just read the common sense bolded part below.

The term "aggressive" is subjective, hence cannot be reasonably debated.  I would add that it's not the "time" it takes to close a popup that is what is annoying but rather the repeated barrage of advertising of which as we know we get everywhere we look.  If advertisers were reasonable then we wouldn't be needing software like Ad Block Plus (ABP) for example.  It seems in an attempt to capture more buyers we find that advertisers are continually upping the tactics to do so until at some point people become saturated and look for ways to suppress the barrage of ads.  In my case of course it will be to look for another FREE AV program of which I'm fully aware there are some out there that are very good.

That all said, let's consider methods and the ultimate goal of advertising.

First of all, can we all agree that advertising is the most effective when it is something that is to a large extent relatively "new" to the buyer hence generally relatively "unknown" and is of course something that would interest the consumer.

Second of all, when advertising reaches a point of saturation in which it is something most if not all are fully aware of then the cost as far as a risk of annoyance increases exponentially as opposed to the effectiveness of providing the advertisement in the first place.  I wonder how many times will people finally reach a point when ads become so obtrusive as a result of consumer saturation the consumer then says to themselves, I'm certainly NOT going to buy that product darn it!!!  RIGHT, anyone else feel that way at times?

My point is that one must consider how aware potential customers are of a product and to what extent badgering a potential consumer with what becomes excessive ads really ends up helping.  I'm pretty certain that consumers simply do not succumb to advertisement saturation but rather most likely tend to "rebel" instead.  Anyone disagree?

In the case of Avast, I think we can agree that a large proportion (perhaps 90%+) are provided enough awareness of the products Avast offers via the "ad page" that is always made available to user within the application at or near the bottom of the application interface as we all know.  Or alternatively, if it's concluded POPUPS are the way to go then how about a "cleaner" interface without the static ad always embedded in the interface, point being do we REALLY need BOTH?

So then the question remains how much additional awareness is achieved via repeated popups versus on the other hand the growing aggravation that the popups tend to create for the user.

My premise is that a "smart plan" that would help avoid customer attrition as a result of irritating the current customer base with far too much unnecessary advertising is a wise approach.

What would that approach be? Exactly what I've suggested assuming that marketing models results suggest that popups are helpful.  I think it is reasonable to conclude that assuming marketing models do in fact show popups to be helpful and presumably provide increased consumer interest, common sense would suggest that there is a saturation point at which time this marketing model would start to fail as the number of popups reach a point of irritation to the consumer.  Make sense? As I suggested before, I frankly doubt very much that studies will conclude that "badgering" a consumer with excessive ads will result in the aggravated consumer "giving up" so to speak by buying the product (to stop the ads) but rather more likely the consumer will actually just disappear as a viable consumer altogether.

So with this in mind, we can all agree that at some point every user will become well aware of the products available once informed.  And beyond growing the customer base with "new" customers, I think we can also all agree, to some extent "customer retention" does in fact remain a critical factor in the success of any business.

What I have already proposed.....

I have suggested TWO alternatives to practices currently in place by Avast (I'm sure there are many other as well that people can conjure up):

1.) After a period of years (say 5, 10 for example) the POPUPS will for the most part stop or at the very least occur at a bare minimum.

2.) After a period of time the software "learns" a users predilection toward adding paid modules and in so "learning" the propensity of a specific user the frequency of popups that occur would lower in number which I would add would be similar in nature as to how SPAM is dealt with in email programs of which as we all know software learns what is desired as well as what is not desired by the user.

This in turn would act to REWARD THE LONG TIME USER and would provide the opportunity for a much larger user base that would in turn provide a pathway to a far greater number of people recommending the product to others and in my view result in growing the user base to a far greater extent in the long run.  To be sure, from a novice in regards to marketing it would seem to me that THIS IS A CRITICAL POINT to consider as far as growing any business.

These are in my view clearly COMMON SENSE measures that would go a long way to prevent user attrition due to "irritants" caused by excessive and to be sure "superfluous advertising" of already well known products once the user has been made readily aware of what is available to them and at the same time would provide the "newer" user the necessary information to make a decision on whether to acquire additional paid products that remain available. 

The premise here is that at some stage a user has ultimately been made enough aware of all the possible alternatives available to them so that at that point any consequences from any further advertising techniques can only serve to do no more than produce an irritate that can only lead to the one possible outcome of which would be the eventual loss of the customer.

If I'm wrong anywhere here, I more than welcome alternative views.

[midnight]

If you don't like the ads pop-ups..........buy the paid version.

[avaster78]

If you don't like the ads pop-ups..........buy the paid version.

That's not (or shouldn't be) the reason upgrade to the paid version. You upgrade, if you want/need all those extra features paid versions offers.