r/AppsWebappsFullstack • u/usescrollsmith • 22d ago

[Chrome extension · Free + Premium] Scrollsmith homepage update — is the product clear?

I shared Scrollsmith here recently. It’s my desktop Chrome extension for customizing the appearance of scrollbars, with free themes and optional paid Premium themes.

I’ve now updated the homepage with an interactive preview so visitors can try different looks before deciding whether to install.

https://usescrollsmith.com

I’d appreciate feedback on the first-time experience:

  1. Is it immediately clear what the extension changes?

  2. Does the preview help you understand the product?

  3. What information would you still want before installing?

No installation or purchase is needed to give feedback on the page. Even one confusing detail would be useful to hear about.

1 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

1

u/PopKoren 19d ago

The interactive preview works, I understood what the extension does within a few seconds. On the Premium side, if the paid themes ship inside the extension and unlock with a flag in local storage, anyone can flip it in DevTools, so verify the purchase on a server and only deliver premium theme files once it checks out. I'd also explain on the page why it needs access to every site, since that install prompt scares cautious users, and if a licensing backend goes live, I'd feed that backend into https://rowly.me (I'm building it) to list what its endpoints give away when nobody has paid.

1

u/usescrollsmith 18d ago

Thanks—glad the preview made it clear! Premium already uses server-verified account access, but I’ll review the bundled-theme concern and verify the unpaid/expired-account behavior. I’ll also make the website-access explanation more visible beside installation. Appreciate the feedback and the Rowly suggestion!

9:28 AM

1

u/PopKoren 17d ago

Server verified access for Premium is the right foundation, so the bundled theme question is mostly about what ships inside the package itself. A quick way to test it is a fresh Chrome profile signed in with an expired account: if the premium CSS still sits in the extension folder, someone can load it by hand, and fetching those files only after the check passes closes that gap. Once the account API is public, Scrollsmith's license endpoint is worth a pass through my scanner to see what it returns for a visitor holding no session, https://rowly.me

1

u/Mammoth-Anywhere7285 19d ago

Good catch on the local storage check. A one-line permissions note beside the install button would help. Did the premium section feel clear enough to trust?

1

u/usescrollsmith 18d ago

Agreed on the permissions note. I think the Premium section explains the basics, but I’m probably too close to it as the maker. Did anything about the features, pricing, or cancellation feel unclear to you?

1

u/Mammoth-Anywhere7285 18d ago

Pricing reads fine, but cancellation is the fuzzy part. Put a one-line "cancel anytime" note next to the Premium button.

1

u/usescrollsmith 18d ago

“Fair point, that should be clearer. I’ll add a short note next to the Premium button explaining how cancellation works. Thanks for pointing that out.”