In-app purchases seem to be everywhere these days, but very few people actually buy them.
Amazon says just 3% of mobile users buy in-app purchases, according to developer data provided to the online retail giant.
Speaking to TrustedReviews, Aaron Rubenson, Director of the Amazon Appstore, said: “For developers that have gone the premium route, what they tell us is that it’s typically a couple of per cent, 2-3% that will spend any money inside their apps.”
He continued: “The vast majority of customers – 97%-ish – don’t, and just use the free portions of the experience.”
Rubenson told us that customers are getting “frustrated with that model”, adding: “
In-app purchases, or IAPs, have been a consistent pain point for customers, with many mobile developers heavily integrating monetisation into their games.
It’s such a problem that both Amazon and Apple offer dedicated areas where customers can purchase IAP-free apps.
“It’s hard as a developer to be viable, to make enough money to cover your cost of development. So that’s a problem,” explained Rubenson. “Developers need to make money somehow, but it’s not the best experience.”
The Amazon Appstore lead told us that while a lot of developers would “prefer to charge money upfront”, they believe that “relatively few customers are going to…spend money upfront”.
(apester:56619c5c41f2d0122b107a42)
Related: Best Android Apps 2015
In an effort to appease IAP-fearing customers, Amazon recently launched the Amazon Underground app store.
All apps available to download from Underground are completely free at the point of purchase.
What’s more, none of the apps contain any IAPs, thanks to a deal struck with developers – including Angry Birds creator Rovio – to make in-game downloadables/upgradeables free.
As part of the deal, Amazon pays developers an unknown amount based on the amount of time any user spends on the app.
Do you love or hate in-app purchases? Let us know in the comments.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
