Hello everyone, I’m opening this community discussion thread as a developer of modules for Dolibarr (I have several on Dolistore, such as the two-factor authentication module, and some themes like Dark and Solarized) to kindly ask the people in charge of Dolistore to PLEASE change that text label that appears below a module’s info sheet on Dolistore that says “Negative feedback rate” in reference to the “number of users who requested a refund after purchasing the module”.
Why do I ask for this change? Because it is very far from the reality of the module and the sales and/or refunds it has had. As we all know, there are always people who LIKE to buy something to try it out and then return it (which is nearly impossible when the purchase is a PHP module) or ask for their money back.
The refund policy itself in the case of our Dolibarr modules is already a BAD POLICY, especially for those of us who provide abundant screenshots, user guides on our website or the wiki, and even videos, and even DEMOS where you can test the module BEFORE USING YOUR CREDIT CARD! Why does this refund policy exist?
Anyway, the refund policy issue is a topic for another occasion. If you ask me about it, I would vote in favor of letting each developer choose whether or not to offer the right of refund.
But apart from this refund thing, what does seem totally wrong and detrimental to the reputation of my modules is that IF SOMEONE REQUESTED A REFUND after purchasing my module which has barely more than 25 sales (it’s only 2 months old), it shows this below the module specs:
- This module has been purchased 27 times
- Negative feedback rate: 3.7%
This is false! It’s not the same for someone to decide that the module really wasn’t what they needed versus the module functioning poorly, or even worse, that the developer doesn’t assist them, etc…
So, as a developer who has maximum availability with my clients, who CONNECTS VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE whenever possible with those who purchase my module, for example when they have sometimes had a problem even installing it because they use a third party hosting platform or docker or things THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND (
)… and who also corrects any MISALIGNMENT that may occur on a specific client’s server (or Dolibarr configuration) from one day to the next… it seems PROFOUNDLY UNFAIR to me that below my module it says “Negative feedback” to indicate the number of refunds !!!??? that’s not “feedback”, not even “negative”!!
And on top of that 3.7% ??? I think you have to change that… PLEASE. It would be enough to simply say what it is:
- Refund rate
But it is highly unfair for it to say “NEGATIVE FEEDBACK”… even more so when I HAVE NOT RECEIVED any FEEDBACK from that client who requested the refund. But here we would already be getting into the current refund policy. Which to do properly, the parties involved should be consulted and present to the store manager (Philippe?) the email conversations regarding the reason for the refund between the buyer and developer.
I suppose I’m not the only developer quite upset about this issue, I read months ago something about some controversy in another “thread” on this forum (maybe it was in another language)… but months go by and I see nothing changes.
One detail only: at the time that person demanded a refund and a blatant 5.4% “negative feedback” appeared on the module specs, sales PLUMMETED: it went from 2 per week, to 1 every 2 weeks !!!?
I mention this data to “try to convince” whoever may doubt my anger with this issue. That on the other hand, I think we also have to see it this other way: with this situation
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preventing Dolibarr users from taking more advantage of good third party code, discouraging purchases with that dreadful and FALSE “negative feedback” message
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ultimately, Dolibarr becomes less useful and less complete for those users, and lags behind the competition in prestige
… I’ll leave it there. Sorry, but someone had to say it. If you want to “play marketplace”, you have to pay more attention to these “commercial details”. Some of us depend on every euro that comes in, whether open source or not, and we like to always do a good job, but also for it to be SUSTAINABLE. Attacking sales of my modules this way only forces me to re-think the effort the next time I want to develop a module.
And I say it because for the module I’ve been talking about I’ve put in at least 200 hours of work (10,000€?) and have barely sold it 27 times… and it costs 40€. Do the math and put yourself in my shoes before giving your opinion.
“Free software” is not “free” like beer.
Anyway, if you’ve made it this far, thanks for your attention. Hugs
