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Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

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Re: Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

#51

Post by saagarjha »

gardaani wrote: post #24

Apple has introduced an appeal process for these kind of rejections. They could challenge the guideline. "Additionally, two changes are coming to the app review process and will be implemented this summer. First, developers will not only be able to appeal decisions about whether an app violates a given guideline of the App Store Review Guidelines, but will also have a mechanism to challenge the guideline itself." htt…

I’m curious when that is going to roll out; at WWDC it didn’t seem to look like anyone knew how it worked. Probably because it was a new change?

Re: Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

#52

Post by gumby »

gizmo wrote: post #31
bluesign wrote: post #13

To be honest this rule is for a reason. Onboarding people without price, then telling them about price certainly will increase your retention, but not the best case from consumer side. From twitter they say: “ We've experimented with auto-charging trials in the past and they lead to (1) fewer users trying the product (2) a huge number of refund requests by users who forget to cancel and (3) complete disbelief from th…

If the issue is that app developers are not upfront about pricing then the solution is to tell app developers to be more upfront about pricing.

Exactly!

Re: Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

#53

Post by TrueGeek »

cpuguy83 wrote: post #48
josho wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> they make it impossible to get a refund Is this your personal experience? I’ve previously received refunds for purchases and movie rentals. It required an email but also gave me confidence that if I ever bought an app that was junk that I’d get a refund.

I've also gotten refunds for movie purchases and rentals. Even just a couple of days ago, my reason was "other" with an added comment "this movie was truly terrible" (R.I.P.D, don't bother... thought we'd buck the trend of bad reviews on it... but nope). Never a hassle... That said this is definitely a user hostile approach pretty much banking on the fact that people will forget or just not have time/energy to go can…

Same here, I’ve received refunds. And now you don’t even need to email them. You can just chat through iMessage.

Re: Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

#54

Post by AlexandrB »

m3kw9 wrote: post #41
iandanforth wrote: post #11

The comments here read like people with Stockholm syndrome.

Or just in your case fail to understand App Store rules and UX.

I think it's Apple that doesn't understand UX anymore. Their insane focus on subscriptions as the go-to model for software sales is going to drive me off the platform eventually.

Re: Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

#55

Post by rideontime »

Worked on an app that tried the same thing - new users were immediately granted a free month of the "premium" membership on our own backend. The exec who came up with the idea literally called it the "drug dealer" approach - "the first hit is free" - and the user couldn't see the pricing until their trial expired and they tried to enable one of those premium features again, at which point they'd see the subscription purchase screen.

That functionality was live for a few versions before we got an App Store reviewer who noticed and rejected us for it. At the time I couldn't find a specific guideline that disallowed the practice, but anyone who's spent a few years releasing iOS apps knows that's not necessary for a rejection.

The guidelines now include these lines, mentioned by the OP's rejection:

> Auto-renewing subscription apps may offer a free trial period to customers by providing the relevant information set forth in App Store Connect.

> Apps that attempt to scam users will be removed from the App Store. This includes apps that attempt to trick users into purchasing a subscription under false pretenses or engage in bait-and-switch and scam practices will be removed from the App Store and you may be removed from the Apple Developer Program. Learn more about Subscription Free Trials.

Our approach did alert the user that they were on a free trial, but the pricing wasn't related in that alert, nor were the premium features easily identifiable during the trial. I think "bait-and-switch" would be a fair appraisal.

Re: Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

#57

Post by the_svd_doctor »

josho wrote: post #44
northerdome wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have forgotten to cancel subscriptions from iTunes a few times as I tend to watch my CC statement for forgotten subscriptions, not Apple Free Trial emails. The real issue is that they make it impossible to get a refund once you as a customer have been charged even when the app developer agrees to give you one. Being forced to delegate billing to a robotic corporation that treats your customers like robots is a terr…

> they make it impossible to get a refund Is this your personal experience? I’ve previously received refunds for purchases and movie rentals. It required an email but also gave me confidence that if I ever bought an app that was junk that I’d get a refund.

Same, I’m surprised people have issues getting refund from Apple.

Re: Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

#58

Post by etchalon »

gizmo wrote: post #45
m3kw9 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because Apple forbids an app to be disabled or not function, if the customer chooses no, what happens? It’s disabled.

Okay, then what happens to the app when your subscription renewal fails when your CC expires?

And what happens if you drop your phone, and it's being repaired so you haven't used the app for the full trial?

And what if say, a Sasquatch, steals your phone, and your wallet, and he's using the app and delighted by it, by you've never used that app but you're still going to be charged?

What happens if the universe ends?

Apple must account for this scenarios!

Re: Apple forcing app developers to implement auto-billing after free trial

#60

Post by prophesi »

Frost1x wrote: post #49
bluesign wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cause the consumer thinks app is free or one time purchase, they may even not say anything about payment, till your trial is over. And you invested your time on a training, later surprised by the cost, but as you were invested timewise, you are more likely to pay.

I wonder which you're more likely to pay for: a subscription you intend to cancel or having something free shift to an expense? From my experience, even with due diligence and setting up calendar event notifications, I've missed a few subscription cancelations I intended. On the other hand, whenever I use something free, I always proceed under the assumption it can shift to a pay for service/product at some point in…

Yeah, it sounds like the anti-pattern here is not being up-front about whether it's free, a one-time fee, or a subscription.

Forcing all subscriptions to auto-renew doesn't fix this.

I've seen plenty of apps/services where the selling point is the fact that they _don't_ require a card for their free trial. And people renew their subscription because they've found the product to be worthwhile; not because they used it for 30 minutes then forgot to cancel.

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