Education·Willingness to pay
Why users don't pay
Your funnel shows how many people left at the pricing page, but not what they were comparing or what worried them. "Too expensive" is rarely the whole story.
How one study led to change
The challenge
A kids' coding school had strong trial turnout, but fewer than one in five parents enrolled. In follow-up calls, most just said, "we'll think about it."
How the study ran
We interviewed parents who didn't enroll after a trial class. The AI asked how their child did that day, what they compared, and what still worried them.
What we found
The main reason parents didn't enroll: they couldn't see what their child learned
What changed
Teachers now spend five minutes with parents after each trial to go over how their child did and the initial learning goals. The full course also offers monthly billing.
Kids' coding trial class: why parents didn't enroll
Price isn't the issue, and kids like the course. Parents just can't see what their child learned. After the trial, share the child's progress first, then offer monthly payment.
Key findings
- 54%The main reason parents didn't enroll: they couldn't see what their child learned
- 42%Paying a full year's tuition up front feels too risky to parents
- 22%Class times clash with other activities
Recommended actions
- 1At the end of the trial, walk parents through how their child did and the initial learning goals
- 2Add monthly payment for the full course
- 3Add weekday evening and Sunday classes
About this study: method · sample · limitations
Method
Interviews with parents who didn't enroll after the trial. The AI began with how their child did, then asked what they compared and what worried them. 10 minutes on average.
Sample
50 parents of children in grades 1 to 4. All took a trial class in the past two months but didn't enroll.
Limitations
We only interviewed parents who didn't enroll, with no comparison against parents who did. The findings apply only to this kids' coding trial class.
The main reason parents didn't enroll: they couldn't see what their child learned
"The teacher went through everything in detail after class. The only reason I didn't sign up was the schedule."
Participant 185 · Parent of a 3rd grader · 01:30Paying a full year's tuition up front feels too risky to parents
"The yearly price is fine. It's cheaper than other places."
Participant 191 · Parent of a 4th grader · 01:15Class times clash with other activities
"We've got plenty of time on weekends. That's not the problem."
Participant 148 · Parent of a 1st grader · 01:05Kids mostly liked the trial, so that's not why parents didn't enroll
"My kid said it was kind of hard and he couldn't sit still."
Participant 172 · Parent of a 1st grader · 01:40Each recommendation maps to a finding. After it ships, check the metric on the right to see whether the finding holds.
| Recommendation | Based on | Expected impact | Validation metric | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1At the end of the trial, walk parents through how their child did and the initial learning goals | 27 couldn't see what their child learned | Trial-to-enrollment rate | ConfirmedTrial-to-enrollment 18% → 27% | |
| 2Add monthly payment for the full course | 21 worried about paying up front | Enrollment rate, first-month renewal | In progressFirst-month renewal 76% → 84% | |
| 3Add weekday evening and Sunday classes | 11 mentioned scheduling conflicts | Drop-off from scheduling conflicts | Not live yet |
How many of the 50 participants mentioned each theme (one person can mention several). Darker cells mean a higher share within that group.
| Theme | Total | Parents of grades 1–222 | Parents of grades 3–428 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can't see learning progress | 27 | 10 | 17 |
| Pressure of paying up front | 21 | 11 | 10 |
| Scheduling conflicts | 11 | 3 | 8 |
| Comparing with other schools | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| Whether the child is old enough | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Child enjoyed the trial (positive) | 34 | 17 | 17 |
The main reason parents didn't enroll: they couldn't see what their child learned
He said it was fun, but honestly, I couldn't tell you what he actually learned.
As soon as the class ended they started talking price. Nobody told me how my kid did.
I wanted to know where he'd be after a year. Nobody really explained that.
The teacher went through everything in detail after class. The only reason I didn't sign up was the schedule.
Paying a full year's tuition up front feels too risky to parents
Over 10,000 yuan all at once? What if he's over it in three months?
If I could've done just one month first, I'd have signed up right there.
The yearly price is fine. It's cheaper than other places.
Class times clash with other activities
Our weekends are already full with swimming and English. Sunday evening's the only time left.
We've got plenty of time on weekends. That's not the problem.
Kids mostly liked the trial, so that's not why parents didn't enroll
He came home and kept talking about the little game he made.
She kept asking me when the next class was.
My kid said it was kind of hard and he couldn't sit still.
He said it was fun, but honestly, I couldn't tell you what he actually learned.
As soon as the class ended they started talking price. Nobody told me how my kid did.
I wanted to know where he'd be after a year. Nobody really explained that.
Over 10,000 yuan all at once? What if he's over it in three months?
If I could've done just one month first, I'd have signed up right there.
Our weekends are already full with swimming and English. Sunday evening's the only time left.
He came home and kept talking about the little game he made.
She kept asking me when the next class was.
The teacher went through everything in detail after class. The only reason I didn't sign up was the schedule.
The yearly price is fine. It's cheaper than other places.
We've got plenty of time on weekends. That's not the problem.
My kid said it was kind of hard and he couldn't sit still.
Interview guide
Trial day
Core questionWhat did your child say when they got home from the trial class?
Follow-upWhich part they brought up
Expectations
Core questionWhat did you want to know after the trial class?
Follow-upThe one thing they most wanted to know
Comparison
Core questionWhat other courses are you considering?
Follow-upWhat matters most to them
Concerns
Core questionIn the end, what stopped you from enrolling?
Follow-upWhat would change their mind
Participants
50 parents of children in grades 1 to 4. All took a trial class in the past two months but didn't enroll.
This section needs behavior data (for example, from ThinkingAI Agentic Engine). Without it, the rest of the report works as usual.
What they said
"My kid pays attention in every class."187
What the behavior data shows
Class interaction records show the child answered only 2 questions, below the class average of 6.
What they said
"We're mainly comparing prices."189
What the behavior data shows
In the 3 days after the trial, they opened the learning-goals summary 4 times and the pricing page only once.
8 of 50 parents said one thing and did another. Price may not be what parents care about most.
heari capabilities used in this study
Rehearsed guide
Before launch, we rehearsed the interview guide with simulated parents and removed one leading question.
Participant-confirmed summary
Before the interview ends, parents review a summary of the key points so nothing is misinterpreted.
Counterexamples alongside concerns
Supporting and opposing views are listed together, separating worries about price from worries about results.
Check trial-to-enrollment rate
After the new trial feedback and monthly payment launched, we compared trial-to-enrollment rates.
Research examples from other industries
Who your users really are
How to pick a lead selling point before launch
Why users churn
What people actually took away from your ad
Find out why users don't pay, starting with one round of interviews
Bring your conversion or payment data. We'll work with you in heari to interview users who hesitated or walked away.
