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The Mac App Store Won’t Make You Rich

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Re: The Mac App Store Won’t Make You Rich

#3
This confuses getting to the top (which depending on the algorithm could just need a small initial spark aroudn your app) with staying at the top.

Apps that stay at the top for weeks on end make lots of money -- up to several millions per year.

As for the App Store, just like ANY OTHER marketplace, it won't make you rich in itself, just for appearing there and "putting the work"...

Re: The Mac App Store Won’t Make You Rich

#4
post #2

Maybe not rich, but if 5000 people buy a $5 app that you spent 30 hours on, that's a pretty good ROI for your time.

"Redacted, which peaked at No. 2 on the Mac App Store, sold 1,845 copies through May 19 and earned $6,600"

That seems to be a low ceiling on success, no?

Re: The Mac App Store Won’t Make You Rich

#6
post #3

This confuses getting to the top (which depending on the algorithm could just need a small initial spark aroudn your app) with staying at the top. Apps that stay at the top for weeks on end make lots of money -- up to several millions per year. As for the App Store, just like ANY OTHER marketplace, it won't make you rich in itself, just for appearing there and "putting the work"...

> Apps that stay at the top for weeks on end make lots of money -- up to several millions per year.

The article claims the Mac App Store sales is measured in thousands for the top apps. Care to point to your sources which claim three magnitudes more?

Re: The Mac App Store Won’t Make You Rich

#8
post #2

Maybe not rich, but if 5000 people buy a $5 app that you spent 30 hours on, that's a pretty good ROI for your time.

"Redacted, which peaked at No. 2 on the Mac App Store, sold 1,845 copies through May 19 and earned $6,600" That seems to be a low ceiling on success, no?

Maybe I just have low standards for success, but $220^H^H^H160/hour sounds pretty good to me. Also if it's sucessful on mac app store, a $2 version on iOS/android might be viable.

Re: The Mac App Store Won’t Make You Rich

#9
post #2

Maybe not rich, but if 5000 people buy a $5 app that you spent 30 hours on, that's a pretty good ROI for your time.

I seriously doubt you could design, develop, prep, submit app, and market for 30 hours and have anything that anyone would download for free, let alone pay $5 for. The sheer volume of users doesn't obviate the fact that there's a minimum level of quality for discoverability to kick in.

Re: The Mac App Store Won’t Make You Rich

#10
I think it's taking a long time for the Mac App Store to catch on-but I think it'll get there. When I find an app I want to buy I've gotten in the habit of checking the MAS to see if I can buy it there-I'd rather buy through the MAS and let Apple handle my credit card details and tracking of purchased software.

Users are slow to change, and buying your software through a portal on your computer is a big change.

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