Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Humor, Software, Odds and ends, Developer, Deals, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Dev raises price of $3 app to $40 just to spite customers
I like the way Schiau Studios thinks -- when customers complained about the price of their $2.99US App Store game Alchemize, they raised the price up to $39.99. Over on the TouchArcade forums, they make their case: most devs, they say, when faced with complaints about price, will just lower their price even though their software is already cheap. So they wanted to buck the trend, and instead raised it up to almost $40 (which, incidentally, is slightly more than what you might pay for a handheld console game). Lest you simply complain that they were greedy, they say they were only out to make a point: everyone who purchased the game at the higher price point will have all of their money go to charity, and now that the game's back at the $2.99 price point, 33% of all the profits to be gained will go to the same charity. Regardless of whether the game's any good or not, we like their thinking.
Can we all agree to stop griping about price points? I've actually heard this come up lately on a comedy podcast of all places -- when Chicago broadcasting legend Steve Dahl (and one of my favorites) started up a podcast about a month ago, and introduced an app to go along with it. Steve was inundated with comments complaining about the $2.99 price, which he responded to with a great argument on the show: he's put a lot of money into the app and the show behind it, and if you're already a fan of his, paying less than the cost of a cup of Starbucks should not even be an issue.
Sure, when the App Store first started up, it was the Wild West -- both prices and quality were all over the place. But at this point, Apple's review system has more or less settled down, and blogs like ours are full of recommendations, with enough free apps to last any rabid app user most of their iPhone time. If you have any interest in an app at all, a couple of bucks shouldn't be enough to give you pause -- either pick it up and make sure the dev gets their due (small as that may be), or move on to find an app you'd rather buy.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Tom Goetz said 2:14PM on 10-13-2009
An app is worth what people are willing to pay for it. If a dev spends enough time or money on app that he has to price it higher than people will pay, then he move onto something else. Getting hostile with your customers is pointless.
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Shunnabunich said 2:23PM on 10-13-2009
I don't think it was hostile in the least — just cheeky. So many people seem to be spoiled on free and 99¢ applications that they've lost any sense of what software is worth. Devs shouldn't be looked upon as being greedy for charging three whole dollars for a game, and I think it's awesome that Schiau Studios had the balls to give customers a reminder of that.
Jordan said 2:26PM on 10-13-2009
It wasn't hostile, just unnecessary. He should have just left it at 2.99, stopped responding to iditoic customers, and life would have just kept spinning. I loathe the day when Apple and developers think apps are worth more than a couple bucks, because the platform as it's set up right now definitely does not work game wise for more than games that entertain you for those few minutes you're waiting in a doctor's office.
D-Whizzle said 3:02PM on 10-13-2009
Amen. If you put 1.6 million into a match 3 game, and no one buys it, it's the devs fault. If you make a good app, people will buy it.
This developer is a moron. After he makes a mediocre product (a simple match 3 game), he put it on the app store for Ten Dollars! (he lowered the price quickly, but nonetheless shows his buisness sense). Then, after he raises the price to 40 bucks, does he start the charity donations AFTER someone in the forums tells him he should. Just seems like a stupid marketing grab.
voxvomito said 3:06PM on 10-13-2009
Whether it was intended as hostile or not...if the customer perceives it as hostile, it either IS hostile or is just as bad.
And please let's stop comparing the pricing of App Store apps with console games. If you want to be able to charge $40 for a game, develop for platforms where that pricing is supported.
Whatever the developer *thinks* his time and effort are worth is irrelevant. If people aren't willing to pay it, it's not worth it. Economics 101, people.
Microdot said 3:12PM on 10-13-2009
developer == slackjawed idiot.
and this is a PURE marketing ploy. tuaw fell for it hook.line.sinker.
Shunnabunich said 2:18PM on 10-13-2009
"But at this point, Apple's review system has more or less settled down..."
...PAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
...hahaha...ahaaa...wheeee.
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pl_svn said 2:22PM on 10-13-2009
apps on App Store are *outrageosly* cheap: only Apple really profits (directly *and*, even more, indirectly) from this situation.
I totally agree with developers!
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junk said 2:24PM on 10-13-2009
Complaining about a pricepoint is a rather odd thing, don't buy it if you think its not worth the money.
However, i find this company's response odd aswell, don't whine about putting much money in the appstore, you knew the expected pricepoint when you entered the market.
Imo the company is whining just as much as their customers.
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THJ said 2:28PM on 10-13-2009
All the devs, combined, would need to whine non-stop until 2315 to match the current amount of end-user whining in app store reviews (no, I'm not a dev, just sick of 'app crashed my itouch, 1 star' and 'it shud have lazers, 1 star' reviews for every single app).
Actionable Mango said 2:38PM on 10-13-2009
THJ,
Apps crashing a phone is a legitimate complaint.
kmcgrady90 said 3:01PM on 10-13-2009
@Actionable Not when they haven't rebooted their device after installing the app. Apple actually recommends this and in many cases it is not the devs fault. Many people download an app try once to launch it and delete it giving it one star when they haven't even taken the necessary steps first.
Octantis said 2:31PM on 10-13-2009
One issue I have with the more expensive apps is that you can't get your money back for an app that fails to meet your expectations. Lite versions have done a lot to help with that but the issues still exists.
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Hobbes said 2:53PM on 10-13-2009
The same goes with software you buy at a retailer. If it doesn't meet your expectations then too bad, so sad, you're out of luck and they will not refund your money either.
I don't get why people's expectations for how sales of online software should be handled is different than the reality in the brick and mortar world.
THJ said 3:20PM on 10-13-2009
If you are concerned that an app might not be the right one for you, try searching the name of the app on youtube for video demo, or by searching '[app name] review' in google. If there are no reviews or videos out there, try contacting the developer.
Sure, a built-in demo mode would be nice; but between google, youtube, and lite versions, there's more than a few ways to dig up dirt on an app before dropping a half latte's worth of cash on it.
Hawkman said 3:21PM on 10-13-2009
I agree with Octantis.
@Hobbes: Most such apps have trials available online. $3 is actually quite a lot of money for some people to throw away if the product turns out to be crap. Yeah, I know, it's Apple's fault for not having trial versions.
Kai Cherry said 5:34PM on 10-13-2009
This is why I keep my pal Shenanigans of speed-dial.
There is virtually no situation where $3 is a "lot of money". In a world where a cup of coffee and a donut costs $3...I'm just getting sick of hearing this.
From people that routinely buy and use some of the most expensive consumer electronics made.
Hawkman said 7:42PM on 10-14-2009
@Kai Cherry -- Thanks for that. Let's just say you shouldn't presume to know about my financial situation, m'kay?
I'm not saying something isn't worth that kind of money (which appears to be the straw man you're setting up), because clearly many apps are worth that much or a great deal more. Just agreeing with Octantis' point that by the time you know whether it's worth the money, it's too late. Personally, I shy away from any purchases of more than a couple of dollars if I can't try a free version first.
Devin said 2:37PM on 10-13-2009
I just hope that soon we stop seeing so many separate lite/full versions. Now that apps are allowed to have in-app purchases, why not just have ONE version, where the user can buy the upgrade to unlock more features inside the app itself?
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D-Whizzle said 2:53PM on 10-13-2009
Here's the problem with that; no in app purchase for free apps. So basically your making people pay for a demo if you do that.