Our first OzBargain campaign didn’t go as planned — but it gave us valuable lessons about pricing, positioning, and how to engage with one of Australia’s toughest deal-hunting communities.
When we recently listed an exclusive deal for QRco.au on OzBargain with discount code OZBARGAIN25 , we knew it might be a challenge. OzBargain is one of Australia’s most active bargain-hunting communities, and members are famously direct when it comes to evaluating value.
The campaign didn’t take off in the way we hoped — but it gave us valuable lessons about both our product positioning and the community we serve.
1. OzBargain Loves Free & DIY
The first (and loudest) feedback we heard was: “Why pay when there are free QR code generators?”
And that’s fair. For casual users who only need a static QR code here and there, free tools are absolutely good enough. OzBargain members thrive on finding DIY solutions — even if they take more work to set up.
Lesson: OzBargain isn’t the best place to market business-grade SaaS products that focus on convenience over lowest cost.
2. Be Clear About Value vs Free Tools
What we offer isn’t just a QR code generator — it’s a platform:
- Dynamic links (editable after printing)
- Analytics and reporting
- Password protection and scheduling
- No ads, no branding
- Local Australian hosting & support
These are features aimed at small businesses, not hobby users. But we realised that in the fast-scrolling OzBargain environment, we needed to make that distinction much clearer and much faster.
Lesson: Always lead with the difference — don’t assume the audience will know or care about business features.
3. Price Sensitivity is Real
Our $149/year deal (down from $199) was seen as “too high” by many commenters. Several pointed out that they would only consider paying if the price was closer to “$1/month.”
That doesn’t mean our product is overpriced — it means our audience was wrong. OzBargain members value bottom-dollar pricing over convenience or local hosting. But in B2B, customers often pay more for peace of mind, data residency, and simplicity.
Lesson: Match the right offer to the right audience. On OzBargain, deeper discounts (like 50% off) are more likely to resonate, even if only as a one-off promotional push.
4. Engage, Don’t Hide
One comment accused us of doing a “post and run.” We stayed, replied to questions, and clarified our value. Even though the deal itself didn’t land, being present showed that we take feedback seriously.
Lesson: Engaging openly, even in a tough crowd, builds credibility and helps us refine our message.
Closing Thoughts
Our OzBargain campaign reminded us that not every channel is the right fit for every product. Free-seeking communities want free tools. Our value lies with small businesses who need ongoing management, analytics, and secure Australian hosting.
Would we post on OzBargain again? Yes - but with a bigger discount, clearer messaging, and realistic expectations.
Every campaign is a chance to learn. This one taught us where our true audience is, and how to communicate our value better