In-App Purchases and How to Avoid Angering Your End User with Them

Have you noticed in recent times just how many apps for your smart phone or tablet now have 'in-app purchases' incorporated into them? And you know what? That's completely fair enough. Mobile app development doesn't come cheap, and those apps marketed as 'free' still need to be lucrative so app developers can make more. In-app purchases give developers a way to make money from their product while still essentially keeping it 'free'. However, they can be divisive among consumers, so it's important to consider how you integrate in-app purchases to avoid angering people who use it.

But first, the basics

For those unaware, in-app purchases are the additional content, functionality, services or subscriptions that iPhone and Android app developers sell and customers can buy through the app- but they must pay for it to access it.

Content could come in the form of a downloadable eBook (no hard copies - only digital content can be sold as an in-app purchase) or additional levels or characters in a game. Additional functionality might be something like giving added strength to a character in a game, or being able to save a higher number of favourite profiles in a dating app than the standard version allows. Services offered as an in-app purchase must always exist in the digital realm, so no plumbing repairs or anything that is strictly 'real world'. Businesses might take up a something like voice transcription or 12 months of VoIP phone service. Subscriptions can also be offered, but again must be digital in nature and might include access to your favourite daily newspaper or streaming content like Netflix or Spotify.

All in-app purchases must come under one of the following purchase types; they must be either consumables (i.e. the user must purchase each time they want to use the purchase, e.g. extra ammunition for a game); non consumables (i.e. the user has lifelong access to their purchase, such as additional filters on a photo editing app, extra levels in a game); auto-renewable subscriptions (e.g. to a digital newspaper or a dating app like Tinder, where you have access to additional functions and the subscription continues until the user opts out); free subscriptions; or non-renewing subscriptions (e.g. a 12 month subscription to access to premium features on an app that expires at the end of the period).

The do's and don'ts of incorporating in-app purchases

While not every one of your customers will use in-app purchases, those who do will expect them to be engaging, user friendly and valuable to their user experience. Therefore it's important to follow certain guidelines to ensure their purchase is a positive one.

• Your customer should be able to access their in-app purchase on any device registered under their name. If they pay for the premium service of Tinder or buy extra donuts for the Simpsons Tapped Out game on their smart phone, they should be able to access these things on their tablet as well. Failing to make them usable across all devices will anger your end user.
• Any credits or virtual currency you make available for purchase within your app must not be restricted by an imposed time limit. Users should be able to use their purchase at a time of their choosing, not simply have to blow them because they're under time constraints.
• Any content that users buy as an in-app purchase must be permanent and able to be kept by the customer. They should be able to delete the app at any time, reinstall it and still be able to access their additional content. The only exception of course is consumable content that expires after it has been used and must be bought again when the customer wants it.
• In-app purchases can only be used within the app in which they were bought - users cannot, for example, transfer virtual currency bought in one game to another.

When implemented well, in-app purchases can enhance the user experience, which keeps them coming back for more and helps bring in additional profits for you at the same time. When done badly though, whether the purchases are priced too highly; the purchasing process is too complicated or the product doesn't meet your customer's expectations, it can turn the user off your app completely. Speak to the experienced mobile app developers at Appz about how to make your product intuitive, attractive and easy to use. Call us on 1300 233 444 or get a quote online.