I have an insane idea...

The longest i've heard is 20 years. I would think that you would have to say it well enough not to sound like a used-car salesman and ideally be a reputable establishment...a ma-and-pa store offering 40 years isnt much use to me since the appearance says they will be going under in 6-monhts

Well what if I use your product for 20 years... I have no use for it now and want my money back... isn't that unfair to you, after making the software or creating an ebook or what have you?

You should set limits to the life cycle of what you are selling.

It would be good business practice to provide a guarantee but just for quality and results, no the life cycle of what ever you are selling.

To Your Success

When I was bum marketing diet products I actually found a product that had a limitless guarantee. My first thought was that the product must be REALLY good for someone to be willing to offer that. My second thought was the same as iMarketing Cafe's "What if I get my use out of the product and don't want it anymore. I could always ask for a refund."

I also subscribe to the thought that most people are honest . . . or will forget about the product. Personally, if you really think you've got a great product that will get the results that people are looking for, a life time guarantee could probably boost sales.

Just my two cents.

I would say guaranteed for 2 years, but nothing more. Just seems very unbelievable and annoying if anything more.

I think it sounds a little gimmicky. The way I see marketing is: The more outrageous the claim/guarnty, probably the more full of shit the offer is, but I'm a bit jaded too.


- joel

And I supose you want stress and a migrain for 40 years with that offer.

I think lifetime guarantees are credible when they relate to physical products - auto bodies, clothing, hammers etc. Software? Info products? Not so sure - I'd guarantee that they'll solve your problem in 60 days etc or your money back...

A 40 year guarantee sounds like a gimmick.

So split test it and find out which one gets higher conversion...a 30 day guarantee or a 40 year guarantee.

If you give a short time limit on guarantees people feel like they have to hurry up and see if they want their money back and it stays in the forefront of their mind. If you give a lifetime guarantee then they can always do it later and later becomes never. Plus, if I had a customer who kept track of one of my products for 20 years and then asked for a refund, I say they deserve it for having that kind of tenacity. It seems a little arrogant to think that your customer is going to be thinking about your product for the next 20 years. My guess is they'll have forgotten it after a month unless it's really good and they become a fan.

Tim Ferriss talks about this in The Four Hour Work Week. He says you should give as long of a guarantee as possible, lifetime if you can, because less people will actually use it. I know when I buy an expensive product online that has a 30 day or 60 day guarantee I mark it in my calendar to remind me to ask for a refund if I'm not satisfied. If it's a lifetime guarantee then I don't bother because it's always there and I'm always going to procrastinate and start singing the Tomorrow song.

People who would abuse a lifetime guarantee would abuse any guarantee and if you don't have a guarantee they'll abuse their credit card's chargeback policy. I really don't see how a lifetime guarantee could really hurt you unless you're selling a product with a shelf life that is expected to die after regular use (like a car).

Oh boy, Brice, a software to remind you to ask for a refund! I take it you buy stuff with no real reason if it sits long enough for you to forget it is going out of guarantee.

A perpetual guarantee has one major advantage over a two year guarantee.
Inflation doesn't have much impact over two years but just imagine the cost to you today if you received a refund request on a $20 product bought 20 years ago.

I think it works well for premium priced 'real' goods but not so sure about virtual ones unless of course there is a premium on those. Snap-on are one example of high price tools with a lifetime guarantee.

If you want to go crazy with this try something like:

"22 years 16 days and 5 hours" guarantee. And come up
with a damn good reason why !

Igor

Hi I think that a lifetime guarantee will look a bit gimmicky IMHO. If you look at what Frank Kern does in his marketing he manages to get you to like him and bond with him first, then gives you proof of what he is doing works and you then buy into him rather than just the product. Maybe that is something you could try instead? Not trying to spoil your idea but just give feedback!!

Cheers Keith

I've seen one or two unlimited guarantees in IM...

Don't forget to mark you calendar for the 365th day of the 40th year.

That is too funny, I was just talking about this to a friend and we were kicking around the idea of a LIFETIME Guarantee, basically with the though that in 40 years...I probably won't be around either!

I do think most people are honest, and if they got good out of it, they won't return it.