For example, take the act of downloading and installing a piece of "free" software from the 'net. You spend time to download it. Time to work out how to install it and even time (hopefully beforehand) to read through it's features, bugs and abilities to find out if it will solve the problem you have.
So why does so much non-free software also include the process you just mentioned?
OK let me just change what you said for expensive software that I have had dealings with.
You spend time to talk to the salesman. Time to work out how to tell if he is lying and even time (hopefully beforehand) to read through it's features, bugs and abilities to find out if it will solve the problem you have.
You buy it and too late find out it doesn't do what you want.
You have spent a lot of money and time on this project and cannot look bad in front of your employees/bosses.
You make the best of the situation and have to pay high support costs to try to get the software working.