5 ms·

Show HN: Retention Booster – Increase your users' retention rate in seconds

47 points by makyol 12y ago

rbinv 12y ago
Isn't it somewhat problematic (with regards to privacy) to just send over users' email addresses this way? Other than that, I like the idea. Good for site owners who can't code something like this themselves.
- empressplay 12y ago
  Yes, anything that sends information in the URL is obviously visible to anyone who cares to look at it, and would breach most privacy legislation. This is a good idea in principle but the execution isn't really viable in its current form. They need to re-think how they get the e-mail addresses and how they keep track of users.
- jnorthrop 12y ago
  In addition they offer no privacy policy. That means they have complete freedom to aggregate all of the information you send to them, via your app, and sell it.
thowar2 12y ago
I dont understand what you are offering, it seems like a more limited version of Google Analytics! Also theres mixpanel and tons of other analytics services. You need to explain your product a lot better and explain how you are different than all the other analytics platforms. Perhaps consider working with a marketer?
- bilalhusain 12y ago
  They are focusing on tracking and taking action for a special type of event (login). A retention email ("Hey, we haven't seen you for a while") is a great strategy to convert idle users into active customers.
  - kevin_thibedeau 12y ago
    Why would you need a third party to handle that? Just analyze your logs and spam the inactive users for free.
  - thowar2 12y ago
    Yes but the copy on the site doesnt explain this, why should anyone sign up for vagueries? Additionally, most other analytics tools do this, but this one seems to have a similar price and limited functionality. Not saying it wont work, just that the messaging needs a lot of improvement.
- rbinv 12y ago
  The presentation is not the best, I agree. This service allows you to auto-send emails based on tracking pixel hits (which is something GA can't do).
bilalhusain 12y ago
Great job. You need to fix a couple of things - https - http://retentionbooster.com/site/api_addaction?action_name=login&email=EMAIL&api_key=b4bc7effa8f3e55e1afb82325bbfa31c http://retentionbooster.com/site/api_addaction?action_name=l... should return a pixel not a text/html 1 - the response when a returning user logs in is currently a 500 error (insert into rb_retentions fails because of duplicate email) - anyone can login to dashboard with a non registered email or non-email http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email={random}&password= http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email={random}&pass... - make sure the retention email doesn't end up in spam folder
- rbinv 12y ago
  > - anyone can login to dashboard with a non registered email or non-email http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email={random}&pass.. http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email={random}&pass.... Does not seem to happen, here (shows the home page). Maybe you're cookied/logged in? > - make sure the retention email doesn't end up in spam folder That's not really up to him (except, of course, for basic sender stuff like SPF and DKIM).
  - bilalhusain 12y ago
    - login (use something like http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email=a43abe&password= http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email=a43abe&passwo...) - choosing a good transactional email service might be helpful.
    - rbinv 12y ago
      That's a pretty good idea (as long as these are considered "transactional" by the provider). edit: Can confirm the authentication behavior now. edit 2: In fact, the username is printed without any escaping.
- spacefight 12y ago
  You have a page "Company". If you are a registered company, indicate its name and place of registration. That would add credibility.
FLUX-YOU 12y ago
The copy on this website needs work. Ditch the smiley faces.
syewell 12y ago
How is this different from intercom.io or customer.io
- makyol 12y ago
  [Founder here]: Retention Booster focuses on increasing retention and let you to create automated responses to re-activate your idle users.
  - destraynor 12y ago
    Intercom c0-founder here. We've had that since 2012 http://insideintercom.io/automated-emails-customer-respect/ http://insideintercom.io/automated-emails-customer-respect/
syewell 12y ago
How is this different from intercom.io or customer.io
rdlecler1 12y ago
This is a good idea, but I wonder about the shelf life. As more sites start to use email responses and follow ups it increases the chances that people start flagging this as spam or ignoring it altogether. Email is a valuable but delicate channel.
song 12y ago
I wasn't sure what you were offering, so I clicked on "How it Works" where I learned how to signup by entering an email and password. Thanks for this useful information, I'm not sure how I managed up until now without knowing how to signup to websites :-) Joke apart, I do think that it's a good idea but you really need to make it clearer. The first page is very vague: A dashboard that allows you to see what's going on in your operation? Are there any other types of dashboards? You need to explain right from the beginning that you're product will help with sending emails to increase retention.
ahmtada 12y ago
Great service, good job!

47 points by makyol 12y ago

rbinv 12y ago

Isn't it somewhat problematic (with regards to privacy) to just send over users' email addresses this way? Other than that, I like the idea. Good for site owners who can't code something like this themselves.

empressplay 12y ago
Yes, anything that sends information in the URL is obviously visible to anyone who cares to look at it, and would breach most privacy legislation. This is a good idea in principle but the execution isn't really viable in its current form. They need to re-think how they get the e-mail addresses and how they keep track of users.
jnorthrop 12y ago
In addition they offer no privacy policy. That means they have complete freedom to aggregate all of the information you send to them, via your app, and sell it.

thowar2 12y ago

I dont understand what you are offering, it seems like a more limited version of Google Analytics! Also theres mixpanel and tons of other analytics services. You need to explain your product a lot better and explain how you are different than all the other analytics platforms. Perhaps consider working with a marketer?

bilalhusain 12y ago
They are focusing on tracking and taking action for a special type of event (login). A retention email ("Hey, we haven't seen you for a while") is a great strategy to convert idle users into active customers.
- kevin_thibedeau 12y ago
  Why would you need a third party to handle that? Just analyze your logs and spam the inactive users for free.
- thowar2 12y ago
  Yes but the copy on the site doesnt explain this, why should anyone sign up for vagueries? Additionally, most other analytics tools do this, but this one seems to have a similar price and limited functionality. Not saying it wont work, just that the messaging needs a lot of improvement.
rbinv 12y ago
The presentation is not the best, I agree. This service allows you to auto-send emails based on tracking pixel hits (which is something GA can't do).

bilalhusain 12y ago

Great job. You need to fix a couple of things - https - http://retentionbooster.com/site/api_addaction?action_name=login&email=EMAIL&api_key=b4bc7effa8f3e55e1afb82325bbfa31c http://retentionbooster.com/site/api_addaction?action_name=l... should return a pixel not a text/html 1 - the response when a returning user logs in is currently a 500 error (insert into rb_retentions fails because of duplicate email) - anyone can login to dashboard with a non registered email or non-email http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email={random}&password= http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email={random}&pass... - make sure the retention email doesn't end up in spam folder

rbinv 12y ago
> - anyone can login to dashboard with a non registered email or non-email http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email={random}&pass.. http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email={random}&pass.... Does not seem to happen, here (shows the home page). Maybe you're cookied/logged in? > - make sure the retention email doesn't end up in spam folder That's not really up to him (except, of course, for basic sender stuff like SPF and DKIM).
- bilalhusain 12y ago
  - login (use something like http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email=a43abe&password= http://retentionbooster.com/site/adduser?email=a43abe&passwo...) - choosing a good transactional email service might be helpful.
  - rbinv 12y ago
    That's a pretty good idea (as long as these are considered "transactional" by the provider). edit: Can confirm the authentication behavior now. edit 2: In fact, the username is printed without any escaping.
spacefight 12y ago
You have a page "Company". If you are a registered company, indicate its name and place of registration. That would add credibility.

FLUX-YOU 12y ago

The copy on this website needs work. Ditch the smiley faces.

syewell 12y ago

How is this different from intercom.io or customer.io

makyol 12y ago
[Founder here]: Retention Booster focuses on increasing retention and let you to create automated responses to re-activate your idle users.
- destraynor 12y ago
  Intercom c0-founder here. We've had that since 2012 http://insideintercom.io/automated-emails-customer-respect/ http://insideintercom.io/automated-emails-customer-respect/

syewell 12y ago

How is this different from intercom.io or customer.io

rdlecler1 12y ago

This is a good idea, but I wonder about the shelf life. As more sites start to use email responses and follow ups it increases the chances that people start flagging this as spam or ignoring it altogether. Email is a valuable but delicate channel.

song 12y ago

I wasn't sure what you were offering, so I clicked on "How it Works" where I learned how to signup by entering an email and password. Thanks for this useful information, I'm not sure how I managed up until now without knowing how to signup to websites :-) Joke apart, I do think that it's a good idea but you really need to make it clearer. The first page is very vague: A dashboard that allows you to see what's going on in your operation? Are there any other types of dashboards? You need to explain right from the beginning that you're product will help with sending emails to increase retention.

ahmtada 12y ago

Great service, good job!