
This actually happened. Guy found us on Indie Hackers, decided to review our product, hit the landing page, got mad there's no free trial, refused to pay $59, and then recorded eighteen minutes of feedback on a tool he never used.
Eighteen. Minutes.
I've sat through shorter dentist appointments.
His verdict: not ready, needs work. From a guy who never saw the product work.
The twist: the paywall is doing exactly what it's supposed to. We sell a B2B tool (see here). Real customers know what intent data is worth and $59 isn't a barrier for them. A guy who won't swipe his card for $59 is, almost by definition, not the buyer. He bounced. System worked.
But honestly, respect for the commitment. 18 minutes of confidently reviewing something you've never opened is a skill. There are politicians who can't pull that off.
We're growing fine. Customers are happy. The non-customers are on YouTube giving 18-minute reviews of landing pages.