October 14, 2005

QuickBooks Simple Start: 100,000 users = Big Start

In one year, Intuit's Quickbooks Simple start (read my archived review here) has snagged 100,000 customers. This is more customers than many businesses have in 5 years.

The strong majority of Simple Start users, around 3 in 4, came from manual methods such as pencil and paper, spreadsheets, and word documents. The remainder came primarily from using personal finance (Quicken, Money and other personal finance software), with a small group that has tried small business financial management software, like QuickBooks or Peachtree.

On Monday you'll read about the new Quickbooks Enterprise and I'll have more about Intuit's SMB "up", rather than SMB "down" strategy, but Simple Start is a perfect example and proof that there is a HUGE market for products that are not MORE complex but actually simpler.

Even cell phone companies are realizing this and making phones that are a bit larger and with screens and buttons easier to see. They can't do email but they let you more easily (especially for those with bad eyes) make a phone call.

With Simple Start there are no manuals to read and small businesses owners don¬?t have to know accounting or accounting jargon because the software helps them perform essential business tasks using common, familiar terms like ¬?money in¬? versus ¬?receivables¬? and ¬?invoices that haven¬?t been paid¬? versus ¬?aging report.¬?

QuickBooks Simple Start Edition 2006 will be available in desktop and online versions for $99.95 in late October 2005 at www.quickbooks.com or by calling (877) 683-3259. Starting in early November, Simple Start Edition will be available at major software retailers nationwide including, but not limited to Amazon.com, Best Buy, CDW, Circuit City, CompUSA, Costco, Fry¬?s Electronics, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Sam¬?s Club, Staples, Target Stores and Walmart.

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