I'm curious. Are Apps still trending down toward the $.99 floor price? I've seen a few nice Apps released lately that seem to be attempting to push the pricing trend upward a bit. Games that a month ago I thought would be released free or for $.99 that have been released for anywhere from $1.99-4.99. So what are your thoughts. Are new games trending toward slightly higher pricing or is this just a blip or my imagination? Q
BTW, I'm thinking specifically of games, not other types of Apps though response are welcome for all Apps. Thanks again! Q
I agree with you. I'm seeing the same thing. Look at the top grossing apps... there are only a few $0.99 ones... I find that if a game has enough marketing or buzz, then it can get away with higher prices. Take Crusdade of Destiny... it's $9.99 but it seems to be doing fine. Or Canabalt, which is $2.99
Naw, that was just Alchemize (TM) at $39.99 raising the median price there for a bit. Seriously though, I'd be happy to see games make it at $2 or $3, many of them are worth that much, at least.
The trend I've been seeing is that games/apps with higher production values are starting to trend upwards while shovelware stays at the $0.99 - a higher price, in the mind of the consumer anyway, makes something more valuable.
you really see it this way? i see it the opposite. if you have marketing; you get impulse buyers - so, $0.99 works great for a sale or any application that makes it to one of apple "hot lists". we've run tests with various pricing models; and if you don't have the marketing or buzz; if someone finds your app - they are most likely looking for something specific - and, hence will be ok with paying higher prices (no need for impulse). we had all our games at $0.99 for a while - but, we put the prices back at $1.99 - and we didn't see *any* difference in sales. if people were buying our games; they were doing so for the game; not the price. $0.99 also has been tagged as being "junk" apps - you should keep this price for a sale or promotional period..
i guess they either search for a specific keyword (game and watch) via google and land on our website; which then opens itunes directly.. app sales are higher when the game is still within the "recently released" list - they are a little niche in regards to their category - which could also explain the situation.
Interesting... yeah, game and watch sets your games apart from the crowd... I think an app needs impulse buyers when there's no significant marketing campaign... they see an app, they don't know what it is... but it's $0.99 so they don't mind trying it out... however, seeing an app $1.99 like that they'll be less likely to buy it... But a well marketed app doesn't need impulse buyers... as the players that like the app will know about it through the marketing, find it and buy it...
