On: Zenefits launches free payroll software for small ...

[tvladeck]

I know this is now "industry standard" but I hate the practice of quoting a yearly price as if it were a monthly price. There is a meaningful difference between $120/year (where you pay once, upfront, for the full year) and $10/month (where you pay each month).

Note here that they quote $4/month/employee in the "Pro" plan, but the prices are actually $48/year/employee or $6/month/employee. There is no $4/month plan.

[pbreit → tvladeck]

I see what you mean but don't think it's that bad. The actual cost is $4/employee/month. It's not like using it for less than a year is a common scenario.

[tvladeck → pbreit]

But using it for non-whole multiples of a year probably is.

Also, it both obfuscates the price and creates the impression that you can trial the product without being locked in.

If it didn't confuse people (even if only unconsciously), it wouldn't be such a widespread practice.

[TeMPOraL → tvladeck]

> If it didn't confuse people (even if only unconsciously), it wouldn't be such a widespread practice.

And this is the key observation about those sales practices. Most of them work, because you're being dishonest. You only call it "growth hacking".

[eitally → pbreit]

It absolutely is in the service & manufacturing industries.