My day one Mac Appstore sales

[luke5dm]

There aren't too many data points about the mac Appstore, so I decided to let you all know just how lucrative it is to make a great app.

My app: http://www.typeli.com Appstore: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/typeli/id503079958?ls=1&mt=12

Day 1 sales: 11 (USA 7, Germany 2, Japan 1, Singapore 1)

which translates into 10.5 * 11 = $115.5

What's most interesting however is the relative performance as compared to other apps. I checked the top grossing list for Productivity apps multiple times yesterday, and was very surprised to outperform some apps that Apple features on its website. Typeli fluctuated in the region between 108th and 150th place.

What do you think? Is it really that bad out there or am I missing something?

[pavlov]

My experience with an app in the Productivity category is similar to yours.

The Mac App Store is definitely not a miracle channel on its own, it needs to be complemented by other marketing. What that is depends greatly on the app and the team, I guess (which is another way of saying that I suck at marketing). Some apps like Sparrow seem to be doing consistently well on the MAS thanks to a successful launch hype on tech blogs and social networks, but not everyone can do that.

Btw, your app looks really great at least on the typeli.com site. I think the price is a bit steep, though. For me, 15 USD is too much for an impulse purchase when I have no idea whether I'm actually going to use the app.

If you don't want to lower the price, maybe you could do a half-price launch promo? That seems to be a popular thing (but I have no idea how well it actually works).

[luke5dm]

Thanks! From your experience what's the ceiling for impulse purchases? I'm thinking $8.99?

[hughesdan]

Clickable

http://www.typeli.com

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/typeli/id503079958?ls=1&m...

[luke5dm]

I'll edit it in the post. What's the syntax for links?

[cormacrelf]

Also, you need an obvious spot on typeli.com that states exactly what your app does and who it is for, perhaps what particular problem it is the answer to. It was not obvious to me.

[realize]

You could probably do better creating an app that solves a new problem. People who need notes/reminder apps already have enough of them.

Also, $15 is very steep.

[trimbo]

> Also, $15 is very steep.

My counterpoint to this...

Don't start off engaging in the race towards all apps' pricing going to zero. Because it will. Someone is going to clone your app and make it a $1, or free. There's more than enough time for those shenanigans, so you might as well price it somewhere where some people might think it is steep and you think is fair. You can always bring it down as a "limited time sale", but it will be hard to raise it if you price it too low to start.

[ckluis]

I guess I was one of 11. I like the app's style, but after using it a little more - I doubt I will use it very often. It's very clean, but it could use a little more context. From your original post I got the impression that you were trying to create a single app (without multiple docs) that could be a repository for all notes. In the end - I think it's clean, but lacking purpose.

[luke5dm]

Hey, sry I didn't see your response before. Thanks for trying out the app. Could you please elaborate on what you mean by "more context"? Thanks.

[disenchantment]

very interesting convo. i think your app looks promising. apologies in advance for any "i know best" tone in these remarks, but here are some thoughts:

1. $14.99 was indeed way too high to get impulse buys (the question of what you deserve being separate from the question of what you'll actually get);

2. i agree with the earlier comments about the need to market more energetically;

3. however, slight disagreement with those who said that the central issue is "what problem does it solve?" that's very rational and all, but people love aesthetic beauty and simplicity, and your app looks gorgeous. so I'd play up that aspect of it.

4. that being said, i agree with 'tawhaki': people have to know what it IS first.

5. most important, though: strong agreement with 'terretta' that the app just doesn't look finished yet. haven't tried it myself, but if the one review on the App Store is correct (viz. no preferences, no window resizing, no font or font size options), then maybe you released it a bit too early?

BEST of luck to you. like I said, this app looks well designed and I think it has promise.

[MaxGabriel]

Would you consider changing the font of the headers on your website? They look really weird on my iPad--like half the letters bold weird. I tried sending you an email of what I'm seeing, but the contact button didn't work on iPad either. Also, when I zoom in, the web page momentarily covers itself with the background wood.

Congratulations on your success so far!

[luke5dm]

Thanks for letting me know. I'm looking into it.

[hnbear]

Your Contact page has a Help link at the bottom that isn't a link - doesn't do anything. That link doesn't appear on the other pages. Help would be a useful page.

[pkamb]

What other kinds of "marketing" have you done for the app? Do you think those 11 buyers were random app store surfers, or did they come in via a link?

[luke5dm]

Hard to say but it's probably all from outside links. Few websites picked up the app + I posted on facebook, hackernews.

Beside submitting the app to macappstorm and techcrunch I haven't done any marketing.

[tawhaki]

I visited your website. I read it all. I still have no idea what exactly your app actually is. This is... problematic, to say the least.

[JohnnyFlash]

I don't get it either. The top of site should surely have.. "Typeli is a... "