Prevent Pop-up Ads in free version?

[CraigB]

Another long winded post, jeez 

[Tgell]

I would have no problem if this came up once a month. Better than seeing a freaking ad with an umbrella everyday.

[user_1000]

Would you find something like this acceptable?

Yes. No problems. 

[MrRAlan]

Hi again,

we're considering sending out this specific popup (the $9.99 Summer promo) once more. There's a couple of reasons behind that, one of them being that many people may have seen the popup but didn't have enough time to read it and/or think about the offer (as the popup automatically disappeared in 20 seconds).

Would you find something like this acceptable?

Generally, I'd say the offer is really attractive and does deserve more exposure but of course, at the same time we don't want to irritate our users (like you). Again, it's all about the balance.

Plus, I'd say the toaster popup in avast is fairly unobtrusive (it doesn't steal the keyboard focus, doesn't generate any sounds and automatically disappears after a short while).


Thanks
Vlk

Can you allow the advanced users to add an entry to an .ini file to prevent these?

[rdmaloyjr]

Would you find something like this acceptable?

Yes. No problems. 

+1

[deetee]

What about giving the users to option (as a tick box) to not show this ad again? Or maybe in "settings" an option to not show pop-up offers.

I've seen it twice in a week btw. I don't think it's very "cool" ... I can understand the need to market your product, but perhaps it could be done differently. 

[cliffa.onsite]

It's me again...

Now that I've had time to get used to it... I like it even less.

Look how about this? How about popup a message that simply says

Code: [Select]

Avast is running a special you might be interested in.

Click here for more info.
The popup is always the same and there is no actual advertisement being displayed.  This might seem like splitting hairs but it makes a huge difference.  It's less confusing than the current ad, can link to the Avast Website which can have all the info on the promotion(s) instead of just the price, and since the ad is always the same and doesn't mention specifics it doesn't have that "invading your home to sell you crap" vibe to it... which is exactly what people have a problem with.  It still says your wanting to sell them stuff... but your inviting them to come to you rather than barging onto their desktop uninvited. It's a psychological thing (as all good marketing is).

Quite a lot of my clients are always on the lookout for good deals and would click through to the actual ad. I can also say quite a lot of my customers have ended up purchasing your flagship products... and would have likely jumped at the chance to upgrade for less. But I can also say that a certain subset of them would have had a fit or gotten confused (or both) had they seen the ads Avast is showing now.

Look... I understand advertisements are inherently invasive. There is no way to advertise without being invasive to some degree.  But there are certain places where people are less tolerant of that invasion than others.  If your going to invade those spaces you have to be more tactful than normal.  The desktop is one of those places.

I think products should only display messages on the desktop when there is something relevant to the programs purpose going on.  Never for advertising unless done very tactfully.

EDIT: and also... orange is a bad color for it... its too close to both red and yellow... which are both "warning colors." How about blue, purple, green, black, white, grey, etc?

[bob3160]

But I can also say that a certain subset of them would have had a fit or gotten confused (or both) had they seen the ads Avast is showing now.

It was one single ad and only displayed once.

[CharmCityCrab]

Microsoft Security Essentials is, as far as I know, completely ad-free.

While it may be reasonable for a business offering a free product to include an occasional ad, if your competition is also free and doesn't have ads, customers are going to consider migrating.

I like Avast a lot and have used it for years and recommended it to people, but if these ads become a regular thing, I am going to consider switching my anti-virus software.

The first ad, I ignored.  The second one, I decided to look up this forum to see what's going on and register to post.  The third one, who knows?  I may switch to a different company.  I'm thinking about switching for the first time in years.

It used to be that Avast's main competition either charged an annual fee or offered an ad-riddled free product.  In that environment, if Avast had started inserting these advertisements, it probably still would have been the best of the bunch.  MSE has changed the game, though.  If they are free and have no ads, why would I use a product that is free and does have ads?  Maybe inertia -- but when the annual registration time comes around, or if the ads get to be too much -- that reason will no longer exist.

[Gargamel360]

Well, I don't like it much myself, but.....MSE can do that because, after all, it is made by MS, a company that got so profitable the US government stepped it to break it apart a little.  MSE doesn't need an advert because if you are using MSE, they already made plenty of money off of you already. 

[DavidR]

But I can also say that a certain subset of them would have had a fit or gotten confused (or both) had they seen the ads Avast is showing now.

It was one single ad and only displayed once.

Second round pop-up has just displayed

[msgreyberry]

But I can also say that a certain subset of them would have had a fit or gotten confused (or both) had they seen the ads Avast is showing now.

It was one single ad and only displayed once.

Second round pop-up has just displayed

Same here!! Not happy

[deetee]

Yeah, that second round was really a kick in the teeth. :\

[Gargamel360]

Well, Vlk already said earlier in this thread;

we're considering sending out this specific popup (the $9.99 Summer promo) once more. There's a couple of reasons behind that, one of them being that many people may have seen the popup but didn't have enough time to read it and/or think about the offer (as the popup automatically disappeared in 20 seconds).

....so, I'm not surprised, "we're considering" is a nice way of saying "unless the sky falls or the oceans dry up".

[newview]

I absolutely HATE this advertising popup disguised as an Avast update notification. This could very well spell the end of my use of Avast.