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Woopra – a lesson in how not to launch a new service

This is bait-and-switch at its finest: I was reading the coverage of a new web stats service called Woopra launching on TechCrunch this afternoon and, because I’m a sucker for stats and always game to try a new product, decide to register for it and check it out.

I go ahead and sign up through a pretty painless procedure, download their software, browse through their pretty slick site, and then I hit a snag: all is fine, until you want to actually add a site to get statistics from to your account. At that point, you are supposed to enter an invitation code… which you don’t have and won’t get anytime soon.

At this point, you have spend 10 minutes on signing up, downloading and installing software (inluding downloading and uploading and activating a Wordpress plugin) and suddenly, you are stuck. I checked the confirmation email, and it made no mention of an invitation code either.

What a great first impression. If I sign up for something then I expect it to work – if you want me to sign up for a beta, just make me give you my email address and send me a message when you are ready. At least give me an idea that I’m not signing up for a full product – and don’t make me download your software if I can’t use it. That seems to work just fine for every new web service besides Woopra – and given that Woopra is entering a pretty crowded web analytics market, they just managed to drive lots and lots of users into the arms of their competitors.

I caught it before I downloaded anything since I don’t run Wordpress and was using the manual steps. I thought I was in until there was that little required invite code

This was weak. I signed in and didn’t have an invite code. Done. Not going back, unless something massive changes.

And it just seems like such a stupid thing to do… if you’re not ready to launch, just tell me from the beginning. It’s also lame that Arrington didn’t notice this when he wrote it up on TechCrunch.

Obviously, I did the exact same thing and had the same exact reaction (followed by about 30 minutes of trying to discover why I didn’t receive an invite code by reading documentation, googling my butt off and finally stumbling onto this post where my suspicions were officially validated).

Anger aside, any ideas as to when this “invite code” will be available to the public?

[...] Woopra – a lesson in how not to launch a new service [...]

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Same thing for me. I went through the process only to find out I can’t use it because I don’t have the code.

Very disappointing.

I was all excited until I got to the end of your post. Damn you Woopra!!!

[...] Woopra – a lesson in how not to launch a new service :: The Last Podcast – Frederic is good enough to give a new startup called Woopra some advice on how a product launch should go – which is pretty well opposite of what Woopra did. [...]

Yep. Same Thing here. Argh.

NOW I see all of the posts about an “invitation” code after downloading and giving them my email.

I agree, program looks cool but this way of doing business turns me away. Why launch something and let people sign up if they are not ready. Just do a private beta first and let people know what’s up Before they sign up.

But hey, I found your cool site & bookmarked by searching for woopra invitation code. Thanks

I posted a demo video of woopra and made a small competition on my blog for those really wanting an invite, pass by and give it a shot if interested

[...] The Last Podcast – Woopra – a lesson in how not to launch a new service [...]

[...] Last Podcast – Woopra: A Lesson In How Not To Launch A New Service [...]

Ehm. Really a lame post. Do you usually download everything you need for some service before you even register with it? If yes it’s your own fault so don’t blame it on Woopra.

If you have a invitation code your site is approved as you submit it. If you don’t have a code you must wait for it to be approved. I think it’s only right. No one was bitching when Google analytics needed an invitation code and you really had to wait for some months to get it.

Read more!

@kosir – I don’t think you fully understood the issue here.

The problem was that Woopra let you to believe that you were a fully registered user, only to ask you for a code at the last step of the set-up (not registration!) process.

This is the language from the sign-up process, even today: “By signing up for a Woopra account, you will be able to add websites and download the Woopra client.” Thing is – you are not able to add websites to your account. That’s why Woopra is to blame – it’s misleading users by signing them up and not asking for an invitation code right away. Completely different from what everybody else does.

Yeah, they way Woopra doing this is stupid. I have bad impression with Woopra now. You know, I downloaded and installed Java,client and wp plugin. I was getting so excited with Woopra, but I fed up with no invitation code.

Same here. Not to mention that I’m a Mac user, so I had to sign up for Apple Developer Connection program AND installed Java 6 for Mac OS before install Woopra, then suddenly found out about the invitation code.

Woopra registration worked fine for me a few weeks ago. I’m using the service quite heavily at the moment and it works fast, installed fine and I am finding myself using it more and more over Google analytics for the live, customer interaction features. I can’t understand everyone’s issue with it, unless of course they are overly loyal to google analytics.

[...] was a little bit down on Woopra when they made me think I had made it into their beta program but in the end was [...]

thank you for the post

This post is on the money. Ditto on the experience… oh – I also had to download the Java update too which will probably hose some other apps that I can actually use. GetClicky rocks anyway. I found your post because I was hoping someone was going to tell me there was a workaround.

This post is on the money. Ditto on the experience… oh – I also had to download the Java update too which will probably hose some other apps that I can actually use. GetClicky rocks anyway. I found your post because I was hoping someone was going to tell me there was a workaround.

Happened to me too. Kinda blew the air out of my excitement of trying it balloon.