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Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

googleenterprise.blogspot.com

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Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#61

Post by loceng »

joahua wrote: post #21
therealarmen wrote: post #5

Please note this change has no impact on our existing customers, including those using the free version. I give it six months before they start strong-arming free users into paid accounts.

It's been nearly six years of free. That's pretty gradual strong-arming. Note that per user limits continue to apply, so people have as much incentive as they ever did to upgrade, plus for any new domains/projects people will naturally either migrate to other options (then consolidate services around these, moving themselves off Google) or start paying. Not convinced there's any need for hostility on either side.

This is to kill the competition; At minimum to gain a competitive advantage.

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#62

Post by cynix »

lawdawg wrote: post #55
georgemcbay wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt the support costs were very much. As with all things Google other than being an adsense buyer, support was basically "send us an email and we'll respond with a robo-faq that may or may not have anything to do with your question". And Google Apps was actually quite easy to setup, partly because Google documented it pretty well but mostly because many DNS providers would basically do a one-click Google Apps set…

Google Apps for Business has 24/7 phone support. Maybe you would know that if you actually used Google Apps for Business or read the blog post.

> Google Apps for Business has 24/7 phone support.

Not for the free version.

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#63

Post by [deleted] »

indiecore wrote: post #33
zmmmmm wrote: post #24

I really hate it when companies try to sugar coat a decision that is all downside for their customers. It may be really hard to do, but Google should just come out and say it: there is no upside for this to anyone except Google . It is not about giving you a better experience or making things more straightforward . It is all about Google deciding to maximize their profits at the expense of their users. That's fine, i…

>When I see ridiculous sugar coating it breeds distrust and disbelief - congratulations, I now believe every single future thing you say a little less, well done. And I will especially distrust any new "free" services you decide to offer.

[deleted]

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#64

Post by gm_ »

thpoul wrote: post #38

I wonder how this will affect the various hosts around who offer easy "free" google apps integration.

Dreamhost has added a disclaimer:

(Google may charge you to use this feature.)

Also, when you attempt to sign up, the link redirects to a google apps free trial page.

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#65

Post by burke »

ams6110 wrote: post #47
burke wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How so? It's essentially the same service as gmail, only with a different domain. The incremental cost to them is zero, and they make the same revenue as they do from a gmail user.

Google's cost != Value to You.

I was responding specifically to the 'It clearly costs money' statement. It definitely costs them $0 more than gmail.

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#66

Post by indiecore »

alanctgardner2 wrote: post #51
zmmmmm wrote: post #24

I really hate it when companies try to sugar coat a decision that is all downside for their customers. It may be really hard to do, but Google should just come out and say it: there is no upside for this to anyone except Google . It is not about giving you a better experience or making things more straightforward . It is all about Google deciding to maximize their profits at the expense of their users. That's fine, i…

This is a pretty pessimistic view. Customers are self-interested too: they want free content and services, but they also want absolute privacy, to ad-block everything, and generally cut off any possible revenue stream. This seems like it leads to a sort of local maxima where you produce the minimum quality required to drive users, with as little cost as possible. By cutting off ad-supported free users, Google is atte…

by cutting off free users they just opened themselves to getting undercut by a smaller company that can offer fewer, cheaper, targeted options.

I just wanted an email for my domain and that's not worth 50 bucks a year. I'll just set up my own email system at this point, call it a learning experience and never be exposed to the rest of whatever was in Google Apps.

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#67

Post by barredo »

dotBen wrote: post #8

Contrarian view... by offering One could argue that the removal of the free tier at this point is simply because they've created an entrenched position, but one could also suggest that this creates a modicum of opportunity for another player to try to enter this space. Certainly until today the $ size of the addressable market in the small business email space was practically $0 given Google's position. [discuss :)]

Same with Google Reader. After they shut down Google Reader social features most heavy users flock to newly created services.

When Google Reader was social & free (and without ads) it wasn't perfect but it was good enough to destroy competition.

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#68

Post by alanctgardner2 »

lawdawg wrote: post #55
georgemcbay wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt the support costs were very much. As with all things Google other than being an adsense buyer, support was basically "send us an email and we'll respond with a robo-faq that may or may not have anything to do with your question". And Google Apps was actually quite easy to setup, partly because Google documented it pretty well but mostly because many DNS providers would basically do a one-click Google Apps set…

Google Apps for Business has 24/7 phone support. Maybe you would know that if you actually used Google Apps for Business or read the blog post.

Frankly, I read the blog post and I have Google Apps for Business at work (and use the free version for my domain), and I missed this. It's kind of buried in the middle paragraph, and I don't remember it being trumpeted on the upsell page when I signed up.

If it's anything like the Play Store phone support, it's basically a placebo so you feel instantly gratified, while the CSR sends an email to the real support team ( with ~48 hour turn-around).

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#69

Post by eikenberry »

indiecore wrote: post #15

GOD DAMNIT I was literally 10 minutes away from signing up.

Be glad it came when it did. It would suck to just get all setup then find out the service has been deprecated.

For everyone with an account, I suggest looking for an alternative soon.

Re: Google Apps stops accepting free sign-ups

#70

Post by indiecore »

aeturnum wrote: post #48
indiecore wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>When I see ridiculous sugar coating it breeds distrust and disbelief - congratulations, I now believe every single future thing you say a little less, well done. And I will especially distrust any new "free" services you decide to offer.

It seems like the current free customers are just fine ("Please note this change has no impact on our existing customers, including those using the free version."), so how would it cause you to distrust their offers in the future?

because I was about to be a free user but they cut this process off between me checking it out at the end of work and me getting home. All I wanted was a custom email address but I'm not paying 50 dollars a year for something I can manage on my own and thus I'll never be exposed to whatever else was in Google Apps.
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