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Geek Culture / Small Poll: Price To Sell iPad App At?

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RUCCUS
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Location: Canada
Posted: 25th Aug 2012 20:30 Edited at: 25th Aug 2012 20:31
This entire thread may prove to be useless because of the simple fact that I can not state what my app does in any detailed way or show any images of the app, as it is all confidential information between my investors and myself until launch.

With that said, here are a few key things to note about my app:

- The app isn't a game, it is a "design" app. More specifically a 3D Design app.

- The app is aimed at a niche market, but the niche is massive. The people that would be buying my app would be using it as part of their workflow in delivering a product to customers.

- Approximately $8000 has been invested in the app (essentially invested to me to develop the app over a period of about 6 months)


Like I said I have my doubts that this will yield any real valuable information due to my vagueness, but I'm trying to explore every possible method I have for determining a fair price for the app.

So, if anyone has a second and could just respond with what number comes to mind for a large-scale iPad app that fills a large but unique market niche, I would really appreciate it. Even if it's something like "well I know of this other app that does such and such and is priced at x amount of dollars", I appreciate any and all input on the matter.

Thanks,
- Adam Eisfeld
Slow Programmer
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Posted: 25th Aug 2012 20:44
What do similar apps sell for? Is your better? More features? Does your target group tend to spend a lot on software? Are they used to high prices or low with other apps they are likely to use? Price accordingly.

There are two kinds of computer users. Those that use Macs and those that wish they did.
RUCCUS
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Posted: 25th Aug 2012 20:55
Currently no other app does what my app is doing, so I dont have much to compare against. My target group does tend to spend a lot of money on things like this, as they tend to have very large budgets each time they do what they do, and so I can see companies buying this app for all of their employees at once assuming it gets good enough reviews.

Currently I am thinking around $200, with a $100 initial launch price for the first week it is available.
fallen one
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Posted: 26th Aug 2012 03:14
lets see the app and we will give an estimate, otherwise one cannot get any idea at all.


RedneckRambo
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Posted: 26th Aug 2012 03:38
Quote: "Currently I am thinking around $200, with a $100 initial launch price for the first week it is available."

Wow... That better be a damn good app lol.

Words cannot describe my Greatness... But I'll give it a shot.

I am awesome....... Yeah, that works.
Aaron Miller
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Posted: 26th Aug 2012 03:48
Quote: "More specifically a 3D Design app."

When I think "3D design" I think about 3D modellers like Blender, Max, Maya, etc. Considering the price of $200 in your head, that sounds more likely as well. Perhaps its some sort of sculpting app or something like that. Maybe your app is like The 3D Game Maker, but for iPad. I don't know. If it's the former category, your initial launch price (considering it's a tablet app, not a phone app) sounds reasonable -- but it needs to be worth it. If its the latter category, you're charging too much. I don't own an iPad though, and I'm unfamiliar with the apps already on there, but I've seen some expensive apps.

Just a general question here, but do similar apps exist for desktop? If so, how much do they go for? Consider the number of features and their relative worth for similar desktop apps. Now compare to your app. Tablet apps tend to be less useful than desktop apps, IMO, and should therefore cost less. However, I'm unaware of what your app does, so maybe this doesn't apply to you. (And it's likely you've already run through and evaluated this in your head anyway...)

Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 26th Aug 2012 04:05 Edited at: 26th Aug 2012 04:07
Quote: "Currently no other app does what my app is doing"

your app's intent is to save or generate money for a company, right? many other apps do exactly what yours does = you have plenty to compare it to.

Virtual Nomad @ California, USA . DBPro V7.7
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RUCCUS
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Posted: 26th Aug 2012 05:21
Okay some more information / details:

- If a company were to purchase my app, they could most likely add on around $30 to the price of their "production" that the client would be paying. Eg; "For an additional $30 we will provide you with a 3D design of [the product]".

- Currently there are two main desktop programs that do what my app does. One of them costs $2500 and although it does have better graphics due to the nature of it being on the desktop, it has about 70% of the features that my app does. The second one costs $500 and has worse graphics than mine does, and only does about 50% of what my app does. Both of these programs obviously also suffer from not being portable, which my market does care about for an application like this.

@VirtualNomad: That is a pretty extreme generalization. You could argue that a simple text editing application saves companies money as users can write up simple documents and email them to their clients on the go. If you generalize my application into a category like that, the prices go from free to $1000, so I don't see that being an appropriate place for me to look at pricing.

Thanks for all of the input so far but it seems I was probably correct in assuming this thread wouldn't be detailed enough to generate much useful information. It was worth a try!
Aaron Miller
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Posted: 26th Aug 2012 07:10
Be sure to let us know what it is once it has been released! Good luck.

Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 26th Aug 2012 16:35 Edited at: 26th Aug 2012 16:37
but text editing apps are a dime a dozen (prolly cheaper) and represents the "extreme generalization". there's gotta be something comparable.

let's say, for sake of discussing something tangable, your niche is landscaping. the landscaper arrives at a potential customer's home, initiates dialogue & offers the product, "while this consultation is free, we can provide you with a 3-d experience that will help you envision what we can do for $29.99 if you like?" while launching the app's demonstration of what it can do (eyecandy. mmmm! ). of course, the landscaper would already have a basic 3d model of the customer's home/propery based on google maps (or within the first 10 minutes of being on property?) to entice them.

the customer agrees and the 2 walk around the property and talk about design ideas. some trees & flowers here, rocks there, a winding pathway through it all. the landscaper, all the while, plotting the design through your app, quickly allowing the customer to "experience" what it would be like coming home to and living within the landscape.

tweak this, tweak that, add a gazebo (up-sell), and arrive at a couple/3 designs for the customer to choose. email them to the customer so they can invite their significant other to experience what they've come up with, with help from your app.

an app like that would be worth hundreds to a company. and, i'd offer additional licenses (above, the initial 1 that comes with the app) so the larger companies could utilize your app throroughly (while paying you what you deserve).

oh, and:
Quote: "Be sure to let us know what it is once it has been released! Good luck."

please.

Virtual Nomad @ California, USA . DBPro V7.7
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bitJericho
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Posted: 27th Aug 2012 16:18 Edited at: 27th Aug 2012 16:20
Quote: "Currently I am thinking around $200, with a $100 initial launch price for the first week it is available. "


I haven't released any apps personally, so I'm talking as a non-expert here From what I've read, raising prices later is just money left on the table. Best to price high and then go lower later if needed. Definitely price according to your niche, not to the cheapo dollar games that flood the app store. There's lots of middle priced apps that do really good at 30+ bucks.

If all your customers are using 10k+ dollars in software, yours will be a drop in the bucket. I'd look at similar software but for the PC and try to price competively. If you are truly one of a kind but feel you are essential, price to the moon and then come down when needed.

It takes people 7 times hearing your name before most buy, so your launch isn't as important as your marketing and just getting out there into the ears of the customers.

And remember, one customer buying your app for 1k is better than 5 buying at 200

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