Amazon Appstore: Worth Consideration for Small & Medium Businesses?
Way back in 2011, retail market giant Amazon launched its app store, giving the world an alternative to Google Play’s marketplace and Apple’s iTunes App Store.
Earlier this year, the Amazon Appstore decided to spread its wings by accepting HTML5 web apps & mobile websites, greatly expanding its marketplace.
Amazon also recently launched Appstore Developers Select, a program for developers to optimize their apps and games for the Amazon Appstore and Fire OS. With its availability in nearly 195 countries, the Appstore is already a favorite of most of its users.
But does that mean you should put your app there?
We’ve provided six key points that outline the features of the new developer program to help you decide for yourself:
- Upgraded Merchandising: The new select program gives developers 25% credit back on the purchase of products from AWS (Amazon Web Services), up to $500 annually. Developers receive a premium placement in the appstore and 500,000 ad impressions on the Amazon mobile ad network. The app store also provides upgraded merchandising for your apps and considers them for advertisement on the Kindle Fire.
- Rewarding Amazon Coins: Everyone purchasing the apps or in-app items gets up to 30% cashback in Amazon Coins. This boosts customer acquisition & retention by rewarding first-time buyers with an extra bonus of 250 coins.
- Automatic Select Program Enrollment: By optimising your apps and including a specific amount of Amazon API’s (application programming interface), you’ll be automatically enrolled in the Appstore Developers Select Program.
- Useful Customer Feedback: The customer feedback on Amazon is some of the most insightful and honest feedback available. Users can comment on other’s reviews too, giving insightful suggestions in making better mobile and web apps.
- Analytics: Considering the revenue generated per user on iTunes as 100%, Flurry concludes that the revenue per active user on Amazon and Google Play is 89% and 23% respectively. The stats confirm the Amazon Appstore as a relatively lucrative distribution channel and a boon to the developer.
- Free Test Drive Feature: Amazon’s Appstore lets users explore apps for Android and HTML5 before buying. Unlike Google Play’s 15-minute refund policy, Amazon does not charge anything from its users.
Happy Developers & Reviews
Several developers reported that the step-by-step and efficient services of Amazon makes it simple for them to bring their Android apps to the Fire OS platform. They claim that increasing monetization and engagement with Amazon and Kindle Fire is helping them grow. Here is what few of them have to say:
- Baudouin Corman, VP of Publishing for Gameloft, developers of Asphalt 8 and Despicable Me: Minion Rush, praising Amazon’s work system said, “From recommendations and reviews to GameCircle, Amazon is building the kind of strong ecosystem we want for our products.”
- “Amazon continues to monetize incredibly well for us,” said Mike Sandwick, Manager of Strategic Partnerships at TinyCo, the mobile gaming developers behind Tiny Village.
- Imangi Studios is the creator of the popular game Temple Run. “We’ve integrated with Amazon’s In-App Purchasing and GameCircle APIs, which was a breeze,” says Keith Shephard, CEO. “We’ve seen significantly higher customer engagement with Temple Run since the integration, making the few, short steps worth it.”
For all of you who have been looking forward to increase the visibility of your apps, and even monetize them, Amazon Appstore can add up to drive your sales.
Have been already distributed your apps on the Amazon Appstore? If not, what’s holding you back? We’d love to know more on what our readers see in Amazon’s potential.
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Enhance your app visibility and drive more downloads for your apps. Speak with our Experts and for a free consultation on App store optimization. Also you can browse through our Predictive Analytics Solutions to know more.
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