An out-of-box experience (OOBE ( )) is the experience an end-user has when taking a product after unboxing, or for

digital distribution Digital distribution, also referred to as content delivery, online distribution, or electronic software distribution, among others, is the delivery or distribution of information or materials through digital platforms. The distribution of digital ...

, runs the

installer Installation (or setup) of a computer program (including device drivers and plugins), is the act of making the program ready for execution. Installation refers to the particular configuration of software or hardware with a view to making it usabl ...

, and is preparing to first use it, as opposed to the point-of-sale experience or the interaction experience of an expert user. In computing, this includes the initial configuration of a piece of hardware or

software Software consists of computer programs that instruct the Execution (computing), execution of a computer. Software also includes design documents and specifications. The history of software is closely tied to the development of digital comput ...

on a

computer A computer is a machine that can be Computer programming, programmed to automatically Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic set ...

. The out-of-box experience is typically the first impression a product creates, such as the ease with which a buyer can begin using the product. For hardware products, a positive OOBE can be created with logical easy-to-follow instructions and good quality of manufacturing. It can also be defined as the experience an online shopper has when receiving an item in the mail, that begins with the box itself (style, design), how the item is presented when opening the box (packing material, pack configuration, how item is position when opening, cords neatly wrapped, etc), what the paperwork looks like and includes (well designed packing slip, a thank you note from the vendor, return form, etc).

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...

uses this term, particularly, to refer to the user experience that takes place after software installation, and immediately following the first launch of a software product.

Out-of-box failure

An out-of-box failure (OBF or OOBF) refers to the perceived failure of a product that occurs immediately upon first usage. In relations to computing, an out-of-box failure can refer to the immediate failure mode when installing or performing initial configuration on a piece of computer hardware or software, or a physical defect involving the installation media which requires a return and acquisition of a non-defective product. Causes for out-of-box failures include poor quality control, wrong configuration of the product, and bugs/glitches if the failure is software-related. It can be highly detrimental to the value of the

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...

retailer Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is the sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesal ...

, or OEM, especially when customer expectations for the product are high.

References

{{Reflist Windows administration Human–computer interaction Customer experience

Out-of-box failure

See also

References