How Dropbox handles downgrades • Hacker News Board

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#21

Post by chipperyman573 » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 4:29 PM UTC

dismal2 wrote: post #18

I think the core problem is that you lose that available space even if you paid out through the month/year. I have a suspicion this is an intentional dark pattern to keep people from downgrading and not some weird engineering constraint. So it’s a bad and maybe unethical user experience. Why couldn’t it be: “Thank you for using Dropbox, you have access to your 1t (or whatever) until X date, after that your files will…

So if I pay for a year, then cancel 6 months in, I lose my 1tb immediately?

Do they give you a pro-rated refund for canceling? Otherwise (unless I'm misunderstanding your comment) that seems like they aren't giving you what you paid for.

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#22

Post by newscracker » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 4:31 PM UTC

I feel the downgrade flow could still be shorter (fewer steps) without affecting the amount of information provided on the downgrade or the level of influencing that happens in these screens to get the user to stay.

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#23

Post by dismal2 » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 4:32 PM UTC

chipperyman573 wrote: post #21

dismal2 wrote: post #18

I think the core problem is that you lose that available space even if you paid out through the month/year. I have a suspicion this is an intentional dark pattern to keep people from downgrading and not some weird engineering constraint. So it’s a bad and maybe unethical user experience. Why couldn’t it be: “Thank you for using Dropbox, you have access to your 1t (or whatever) until X date, after that your files will…

So if I pay for a year, then cancel 6 months in, I lose my 1tb immediately? Do they give you a pro-rated refund for canceling? Otherwise (unless I'm misunderstanding your comment) that seems like they aren't giving you what you paid for.

Yes, or at least that was my experience a few months ago. I’d have to check if anything changed.

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#24

Post by nerdponx » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 4:34 PM UTC

vondur wrote: post #20

Off topic, but I wonder how much money they are not getting by offering a lower priced tier of like 5$ per month?

This is a deliberate pricing decision. They would lose money on people switching to the cheaper plan, who were otherwise willing to pay a higher price but not use the full plan's potential.

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#25

Post by lotsofpulp » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 5:01 PM UTC

Spooky23 wrote: post #17

nrki wrote: post #3

How Dropbox makes customers jump through sales hoops before doing what they actually want.

Dropbox is infuriating. I love the app but will be switching this year. The Apple, Google, and Microsoft products are offerings are either good enough or close to it and are cheaper. I pay a premium for their basic service, which lacks features like search, but even then I can’t escape ads and nags. If I was a business, I might be interested in Dropbox business, but I’m not. Leave me alone!

Too bad iCloud doesn't have sharing yet.

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#26

Post by barkingcat » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 5:05 PM UTC

None of this is "good". User wants to downgrade, let them downgrade without asking a bunch of questions and clicking next 5 times.

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#27

Post by teknopaul » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 5:10 PM UTC

kristianc wrote: post #19

Personally, I'm done with these kind of mind hacks. While not quite in Facebook 'Your friends will miss you' territory, it still feels quite scummy. They belong to an era of the Internet where growth and retention stats trump all. Just let me cancel. Oh, and if you cancel and are over the limit and login, Dropbox will give you a nag screen and hold your files hostage till you cough up. How this is in any way an examp…

Agreed, this is a horrible practice. I've a free account that's never getting upgraded now!

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#28

Post by Spooky23 » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 5:32 PM UTC

scblock wrote: post #10

nrki wrote: post #3

How Dropbox makes customers jump through sales hoops before doing what they actually want.

Agreed. While this is better than many services, which make it easy to upgrade on the web but impossible to cancel without a phone call, it is still user hostile.

Sometimes the phone call is a hassle, but not evil. People don’t always understand the impact on their data and talking can help.

Other companies make that a black hole as well. Back in the day Vonage would put you on hold for >30 minutes. I ended up cancelling via AMEX disputed.

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#29

Post by notyourwork » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 5:33 PM UTC

kristianc wrote: post #19

Personally, I'm done with these kind of mind hacks. While not quite in Facebook 'Your friends will miss you' territory, it still feels quite scummy. They belong to an era of the Internet where growth and retention stats trump all. Just let me cancel. Oh, and if you cancel and are over the limit and login, Dropbox will give you a nag screen and hold your files hostage till you cough up. How this is in any way an examp…

What if you rent a 2000 sqft apartment and don’t renew your lease because of price. You decide to move to a smaller apartment with cheaper rent or move back in with your parents where rents free. Can you keep your stuff in the original apartment?

I don’t disagree with you but your analogy is flawed. At least Dropbox keeps your stuff to reclaim whereas a landlord would kindly shuffle it to the garbage while cleaning your old apartment.

That nag screen is a nice way of sayig we’re still paying for your hard drive space.

Re: How Dropbox handles downgrades

#30

Post by sambe » Fri, Feb 23, 2018, 5:35 PM UTC

My interpretation: “no big deal, not scummy, better than average by a distance”. And: please buy userflowpro.