The Mac, iOS, Android, and Amazon application stores and other places like it have become the go-to destination for many device owners to find and purchase new applications for their devices. But, they are also drawing large crowds of developers. According to Apple, there are over 350,000 applications; and, that number is growing almost daily.
However, the app store model isn’t perfect. I have always come from the persuasion that you need to step back and look at the past in order to gain appreciation and inspiration for future endeavors. Because more and more consumers are using these app store as the primary point of sale and delivery of software, I believe that we should take a step back and look at the app store model in an overall picture to see what things need to be changed going forward. No app store is perfect, and I highly doubt that it ever will be; but, I believe that there are 4 things that, if implemented, would make the app store a better concept in general. Two of the problems are from a developer’s point of view, and the other two are from the consumer’s point of view.
1. Developers and App Store Listings
At the core of any app store is the developers. Without them, you wouldn’t have any applications available for your platform. They are the “bread and butter” of devices. Imagine an iPad without any apps. Not so “magical,” huh?
I think Apple has implemented a great system for developers to get their applications out to the public with a great distribution system. They have also allowed developers to get their applications out to the press, free of charge, with promotional codes that can be downloaded and sent out to reviewer. However, there are things that Apple and others could do better.
First, I would like to see all development platforms provide developers with the ability to download promotional codes. Currently, Google’s App Market doesn’t support this, and I’m sure there are other app stores that don’t.
Second, developers should have the ability to customize their app store listings a little more. Perhaps the ability to use their company logo and colors, or the ability to have an email contact or support form that can be filled out. Before the app stores, customers interacted directly with the developer’s website. Since then, the app store has abstracted the developer, making them almost “the man behind the curtain,” so to speak, when it comes to interacting with customers. No longer do we get to e-mail a customer when they purchase a piece of software, to ask them how they are liking it. We usually only hear from a customer when they are having problems with the application.
2. Comments and Ratings
Comments and ratings are a tough situation. In part, they are a good thing because it allows a customer to express their opinion about the software they just purchased; however, I have seen many customers complain about a feature of the product not working when they just didn’t read the instructions. This bad review can then turn into tanking sales, and suddenly an application you’ve been working months on ceases to turn a profitable number of sales.
Another problem with ratings and comments is that usually the only time a user actually posts one is when they are having problems with the application. Because the app store listings don’t foster a relationship between the developer and the customer, and because most listings on app stores don’t feature contact information for the developer’s support channel, customers feel they should just post their problem into the comments and give the app a bad rating in hopes that the developer will pay attention to the issue.
Here’s the problem, however: Developer’s don’t have access to the comments, or the e-mail addresses of those users posting their problems.
This is why I think app stores should implement some type of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software so that when a user is having a problem with your application, you will be able to respond to them in the comments to let them (and others) know what is going on and how to solve the issue. Perhaps these messages could be posted publicly, or (if the customer requests), privately.
Regardless, however, developers should have the right to respond to customer’s comments. Especially since we are giving 30% of our revenue (depending on the app store) to the app store, and surely, all of that can’t be going to just hosting of the downloads and credit card transactions.
3. Upgrades
Another thing that really annoys me about the app store is the inability to issue (as a developer) or get discounted upgrades (as a customer) for future versions of the software. Many developers allow discounted upgrades (say, 50% off) for repeat customers upgrading to the newest version (i.e. from version 1.0 to version 2.0) of the software.
To make matters worse, often times when an X.0 upgrade is released for a piece software, the developer takes down the older version, most of time forcing people to upgrade to the new version at regular price. This, of course, leads us to the last problem with the current app store model: Backups.
4. Backups
How many of you have been in a similar situation as this: You purchase an app from the app store, and after a year, the developer decided to upgrade to a new 2.0 release. Because the developer no longer wishes to keep distributing the old 1.0 release, they delete from the app store completely. But, as a buyer of the old 1.0 release, you no longer have access to download the 1.0 release should you wish to in the future. Of course, you can still install the software in the future using a backup stored on your computer, but that is your only lifeline.
My wish is that from a consumer standpoint, Apple and Google would finally see that if you purchase a piece of software it should remain available to you, even if the developer decides to take it down in the future. I further think that even if the app store management decides to take down the software at their own discretion, they should either refund you or allow purchasers to keep downloading the software. It’s not fair to take down the software without any warning, not refund the customer, and then not allow access to the purchase.
What are your thoughts regarding this situation? I think there are other changes that need to be made, but these are just a few big ones. Join the conversation on Twitter or in the comments below. I’m looking forward to your thoughts and comments.
