Is it ever good to confuse customers?

[svero]

I just saw the thread for Hardwood Backgammon, which I'd never tried so I went to the site and downloaded it. However.. I was searching around the page for a download link and he had "Play Hardwood Backgammon" or something like that. Clicking on the link brought up the download, but I was momentarily confused and searching.

A lot of sites do this... they use

"Play" instead of "download"
"get" instead of "buy" or "purchase"

etc...

Now I can understand how the average person might be more inclined to click on a link that says play, or how play might be the right word to use when your demo is a web playable game, but I have to wonder, does the use of this obscured language really work? or do people just accidentally click it and then hit cancel when a download comes up because it wasn't what they were expecting? Or do people search for a link to buy a game but give up not finding it because you said "get it now". I think on average I'm an advocate for clarity and direct language, but then Im not much of a fancy used car salesman. What say you?

[svero]

Just one additional comment. Naively this seems like something you could just test, but to me it also seems like something where the test results can be obscure or hard to interpret. Like those old ads where the ad looks like a windows button to trick people into clicking. Yeah maybe you get more clicks, but does it actually sell or interest people in your product? I've noticed those sorts of tricky ads aren't much in style anymore.

[electronicStar]

I agree it's very annoying when I search the download link for 15 minutes and it is under "play" or when I just want to test the game online and end up with a download promp.

[Davaris]

I think "get" instead of purchase or buy is tricky, but "play" instead of download isn't. Download is a word only an internet/computer savy person would have heard of.

You may find this hard to believe but some of my friends are so clueless about computers, they are afraid to touch them, for fear of breaking something or looking stoopid.

[svero]

I think "get" instead of purchase or buy is tricky, but "play" instead of download isn't. Download is a word only an internet/computer savy person would have heard of.

I believe that, but then if you're someone who doesn't know the word download how are you gonna react to hitting play and it actually INITIATES a download? And that's the point of the question really. More people might click play but does that actually lead to more plays/purchases. People who've never heard the word download.. are they likely to download and buy something? For them the best solution may be something simpler like a download client or a realarcade type of thing. Im not sure you can trick them into downloading when they think they're playing.

[Andy]

I believe these are exactly that guys who use "GET this full version NOW" and later ask why so many visitors come to their Buy page and regnow and don't purchase anything.

We always try to be honest and clear to our customers. If they buy or download we want them to be sure what they do. And ask them to try everything for free at first. May be this is why we get no any refund requests later. After all we believe we deliver good games to them - not anything that should be sold in dark corridor.

[Sharpfish]

I'm using "PLAY" and "BUY" buttons with small text "Free Download" and "Get Full Version" underneath so it's clear to both kinds of people what each button does. If they don't understand that, I doubt they could even install the demo!

Also imo "Play" sounds like a tempting, positive and fun word - "DOWNLOAD" sounds clinical (to non computer savvy people). As long as you make it clear what your "play" button really means I don't think any of it matters. If you have traffic and a game people want to try then it will be downloaded.

What I don't like is just a "PLAY NOW" button with no description (filesize etc) so you can be led to think it is a browser game or something (even us "experts").

I don't think there is anything wrong with either style intrinsically but you could always swap them around on a month's rotation to suit everyone (and test results).

[Game Producer]

When in doubt... do both.

Have PLAY link with "download our N meg game"
Have a GET link with "buy the game just for M euros"
(or the opposite way around)

It depends on your target market. People who aren't familiar with games/computers don't know what "download" means. But they sure understand what "play" means.

[Nexic]

In my eyes 'play' really will confuse people which is why I still use 'free download'. Play is going to be associated with an online version. Though if your audience is likely to be very computer illiterate (young children, old people) then 'play' might be better than download.

'get full version' on the other hand I think is perfectly fine. Sure a lot of people will click without realising they have to pay for it but other than lowering your buy page > sale conversion this isn't going to do any damage. I'm not sure 'get full version' has any real extra benefits, I don't think it will make people buy who weren't going to. But a lot of people won't download a game if they think it's not totally free, by not putting prices and words like 'buy' and 'purchase' on your site you will get more people to download in the first place. Then some of those people who weren't looking for something to buy will perhaps then change their mind once they have given the game a chance.

[walkal]

Download is a word only an internet/computer savy person would have heard of.

A Google search on "download" gets about 3.7 billion hits. I haven't looked through all of these, but on the first page of results there are a few big companies like Adobe, Macromedia, Microsoft and Winzip running "Download Centers" and the like.

I suppose these companies have no hope of getting their products widely distributed while they use such techy terms as "download".

[Sharpfish]

A Google search on "download" gets about 3.7 billion hits. I haven't looked through all of these, but on the first page of results there are a few big companies like Adobe, Macromedia, Microsoft and Winzip running "Download Centers" and the like.

I suppose these companies have no hope of getting their products widely distributed while they use such techy terms as "download".

Since when have casual games players (lowest common denominator) been users (or downloaders) of Winzip and Macromedia?

It's a broad spectrum of users. The majority will have no problem with "download", conversely if that is the case they have no problem with "play now" so long as it's made clear it's not a web browser game (if it is a download) and pref with some extra file details. Also many real "play now" links often require addition plug-ins or flash downloads (again for non computer savvy people who may not have it installed) which brings up a download window anyway. Which is why I think neither matters for the discussion we are having (misleading text). "Download" is fine, "Play" is fine so let's stop worrying and get Playing! (downloading)

[svero]

I think the bigger point is being missed here. I don't care about play vs. download specifically. Im more interested in whether it's ever been shown conclusively that being indirect is beneficial over saying exactly what's meant. I was hoping someone who knows something about marketing to point to some tests etc...

[arcadetown]

Does your normal joe user or grandma really understand what "download" means? Doubt it. "Buy" is a negative word to users involving spending money. "Get Full Version" or "Order Now" is what they want to do. I'd back up buttons with some html text explaining it so it's crystal clear to users.

It drives me nuts how many developers do "buy now" buttons within their games, instead of saying "order now". Think like a user and how they'll see it, instead of thinking about what you want from them. Sales 101.

[svero]

See.. I think "buy now" is better than "order now".
I think "download" is better than "Play"

If you don't know what a download is what are you going to do when the dialog in xp comes up titled "file DOWNLOAD security warning"?

I'm really an advocate of direct clear language. I don't see at all how "order now" is an improvement on "buy now" -- they seem about equal to me. Has anyone got really clear test results that show definitively that using this kind of language really helps SALES and not just clicks? I don't, so I could be wrong, but I'm far from convinced that "order now" qualifies as sales 101. I could just as easily argue that the word order is off-putting and confusing and leads to less sales because customers aren't sure what's meant. I don't want to order it. How long will an order take? Buy Now! Now there's a button. I want to play it now. Good impulse purchase language. Doesn't that argument make as much sense?

[Sharpfish]

"order now" always makes me feel uneasy, It also makes me think "why am I ordering it? does it have free delivery? Will it be in stock? How long will it take?" that is just the word "Order".

However "get full version" yeah I agree is less negative than "BUY NOW". (primarily why I like "Play" and "Buy" is because they are similar size for gfx buttons rather than the text itself. Again in my case "free download x mb" and "get full version" text underneath is giving all the info.

I can see why Steve is looking for concrete facts though as we could all just go round in circles discussing our tastes until the cows come home!