OK, so if you’ve been reading this blog then you’ve read me pose some basic (one could say stupid) questions about the domain I’m entering in my new job. For example, what causes someone to install my product?
I refrain from saying “buy” because we also offer a free edition; more on that business model in a later post.
I was reflecting on what triggers an act of installation. I came up with a few:
1. you just got a new PC and decide you need such a product. Also, maybe you didn’t want to pay $50/year for the product pre-installed on your machine
2. you got a virus or malware on your machine and install something to prevent it from happening again
3. your subscription to a product is coming due, so you decide to renew or upgrade or switch products
Why does this matter? Well, the user’s experience during these events is critical to understand so that a vendor can satisfy the user’s desired experience. Was it easy to find my product? Install it? Keep using it? Why would you be deterred from switching? Etc.
So, gentle readers, you are my guinea pigs. Can you think of any other “triggering events”? Keep it simple. I’m guessing there are 3-6 major ones in all.
Don MacLennan | High Tech Yankee 
Best reason is word of mouth. In our case, that came from our PC guy, one of many consultants who help home users buy and maintain systems.
Also, the slightly more techie home users will go to a PC magazine and look for freeware recommendations. (Which is probably where our guy learned about the solutions he recommended for us. We have two different anti-virus freeware pgms. And at least one is from some Slavic country…)
Today, I believe more and more in the channels, most recent, the service provider owns the key to the customer.
Each region in the world has its own channels and the vendor who can add value to that channel will get access to the market.
I’m also sure that there are differences in how channels operate. “Pure cost players” – “Vertical focus” – “End user / Reseller focus” – ” Quality players”
Product you previously used stopped satisfying you, be it because they have increased the price, or maybe new version conflicts with some other software you use (namely that was a reason for me to change from AVG to Avast).