Apps downloaded with a promo code can't be reviewed anymore

Last month, Apple began tweaking its App Store to more accurately rank applications based on criteria besides the number of downloads. Presumably, this new rating system takes into account both app reviews and ratings from customers. To tighten up the reviews and keep them honest, Apple has reportedly implemented a new policy that prohibits people from leaving a review when they obtained the application using a developer promo code.

A forum post at Touch Arcade contains an email purportedly from Apple customer support that describes these changes. The support personnel writes, "I am sorry to inform that it is no longer possible to rate or review an app if it was downloaded using a developer's promotional code." Anecdotal evidence suggests this policy applies to applications recently downloaded with promotional codes. Promotional applications downloaded from a year ago still allow user reviews. Though inconvenient for some, these changes are consistent with Apple's desire to shore up its App Store ratings system.

[Via MacStories]

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Source: http://forums.toucharcade.com/showpost.php?p=1716107&postcou…

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Last month, Apple began tweaking its App Store to more accurately rank applications based on criteria besides the number of downloads....

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Mark

I can understand the reason behind this change - to get more *independent* reviews from people who are not associated with the developer of the app.

However, there are a few questions remaining:

1. What about the reviews from promo code users that are already in the system? If the reason for the policy change is valid, then all existing reviews from promo code users should all be disqualified and purged from the system. That should reshape the rankings.

2. Due to the extra steps needed to go to the app store, find the app and write a review, the existing review system is already biased towards negative reviews from customers that are pissed off enough to actually go do the whole thing. Happy customers tend to carry on with their lives doing more important things. It would be interesting to see how App Store does as a follow-up of this policy change.

May 06 2011 at 1:43 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Budda

Not being able to review an app if you got it via a promo has been the case (at least) since last december (2010).

At least on the UK AppStore you could write a review for an app you got via a promo code but it would never be published.

I'm happy with this would prefer that apple were open an honest about this procedure rather than leaving it for people to guess.

May 03 2011 at 1:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Justin

I can sort of see where they're coming from on this (a review from someone who had to pay money for an app vs someone who got the same app for free might be quite a different value judgement), but I'm disappointed at the same time. For example, I may win an app through a TUAW giveaway and absolutely love it and wish to give it a fantastic review. Additionally, this seems to diminish the powerful tool of developers giving out copies to spread word of mouth advertising. I'd love to see a detailed explanation behind this decision.

May 03 2011 at 11:57 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Justin's comment

Charli

This isn't about value judgments. It's about the jackass developers that set up 50 dummy apple ids, used their codes themselves and then top rated their own apps.

May 03 2011 at 12:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Nick (xbl: andsoitgoes42)

I'm exactly with you here.

I do see the issues with devs issuing the promo codes to their dummy IDs, but I do not see that as often as developers providing the codes to people, for example ON the Toucharcade forums, to review in exchange for the codes.

It's so bloody hard to get new apps noticed, and this is a cheap, easy way to boost the visibility of the app.

And as someone who is a budding reviewer, being able to review the app on my site, which isn't hugely popular yet, as well as through iTunes - this slams a lot of doors closed for me.

What need to companies have to share their app for free? It was a great tool, and I've honestly not seen it abused as much as others, I guess. Terrible apps will still be terrible, even with a few BS reviews.

May 03 2011 at 2:03 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Mike

I don't know how they've adjusted the ranking algorithm, but I hope they fix it. I'm used to seeing high-rated games on sale for free in the Top Free section, now I see apps like "Virtual Lighter" and "ABCs of Boobs", nothing that's on sale and selling well today, and very few that are rated well.

May 03 2011 at 10:32 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply