Why most product tours get skipped | Hacker News

A Hacker News thread argued that most in-app product tours fail because users open software to finish a specific task, not to sit through onboarding.

Commenters said lighter help works better: documentation, checklists, sample data, and contextual hints when needed.

For complex or expensive products, human onboarding or guided setup can still help, but only when it is optional and relevant.

The discussion highlights a common UX mistake in SaaS and consumer apps: intrusive tours often interrupt users at the exact moment they want to get work done.