Comments on: Building with Beer: My App Beer Pad’s Revenue… http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/ Post-employed Internet enabled life-style Mon, 17 May 2010 03:17:52 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jeff Hampton http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-124 Jeff Hampton Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:38:41 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-124 I echo Joe's sentiment: thank you for being so profoundly open and honest about your personal business; I'm at the beginning of this app-business-thing, and this is an incredible help. I wouldn't mind speaking to you offline if you have a moment (not sure what your consulting engagements look like, but I'd like your perspective there as well). As far as new business models and the 'long tail', I like Tweetie' 'Version 2' idea - it's a separate app with features I can choose to pay for by buying the new app. I wonder if this isn't a model that could be explored a little more (e.g. using in-app purchase for 'modules' of functionality for daily-use apps like communications clients and similar utilities. I also think social-media integration plays a significant hand in app use and could ultimately drive users back to your app(s) and, when integrated with a strong in-app purchase program, could drive continuous sales (think FaceBook games, gifts, etc.). Just my 2 cents as a novice. I echo Joe’s sentiment: thank you for being so profoundly open and honest about your personal business; I’m at the beginning of this app-business-thing, and this is an incredible help. I wouldn’t mind speaking to you offline if you have a moment (not sure what your consulting engagements look like, but I’d like your perspective there as well).

As far as new business models and the ‘long tail’, I like Tweetie’ ‘Version 2′ idea – it’s a separate app with features I can choose to pay for by buying the new app. I wonder if this isn’t a model that could be explored a little more (e.g. using in-app purchase for ‘modules’ of functionality for daily-use apps like communications clients and similar utilities. I also think social-media integration plays a significant hand in app use and could ultimately drive users back to your app(s) and, when integrated with a strong in-app purchase program, could drive continuous sales (think FaceBook games, gifts, etc.).

Just my 2 cents as a novice.

]]> By: Joe Sumpter http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Joe Sumpter Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:03:07 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-106 Thanks for sharing this info Matt. It's difficult to find real numbers on apps so I definitely appreciate your openness with this. I have a few app ideas that I'm working on part-time so it's good to put some sample figures around my timelines. Thanks for sharing this info Matt. It’s difficult to find real numbers on apps so I definitely appreciate your openness with this. I have a few app ideas that I’m working on part-time so it’s good to put some sample figures around my timelines.

]]> By: hotspot shield http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-105 hotspot shield Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:45:55 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-105 Please provide detail of funding by program. Please provide detail of funding by program.

]]> By: Mike Cohen http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-103 Mike Cohen Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:04:42 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-103 This is very similar to my experience with I Can Has Cheezburger Pro. It's now at about $20/day so it hasn't really reached the long tail yet. The free ad-supported version currently sells about 200-400 a day. In the beginning it was 2000-3000/day. On the other hand, the pattern with iDjembe, which isn't popular, is very different. The sales vary wildly from 0 to 4 copies a day. and it's pretty much been the same since I released it. I'm certainly not going to quit my day job :) This is very similar to my experience with I Can Has Cheezburger Pro. It’s now at about $20/day so it hasn’t really reached the long tail yet. The free ad-supported version currently sells about 200-400 a day. In the beginning it was 2000-3000/day.

On the other hand, the pattern with iDjembe, which isn’t popular, is very different. The sales vary wildly from 0 to 4 copies a day. and it’s pretty much been the same since I released it.

I’m certainly not going to quit my day job :)

]]> By: Andrew Jakubowski http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-101 Andrew Jakubowski Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:59:05 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-101 Those are pretty good numbers, Matt, at least from my perspective. I could actually live (frugally, but still) on that income for almost a year where I live. Anyway, thanks for sharing the data. My first app got approved today and I'm planning to share my sales statistics as well, I don't expect nothing special though, just want to see what will come out of it. Oh, and I strongly agree with Kyle and Mike - I make apps mostly for myself as well. Those are pretty good numbers, Matt, at least from my perspective. I could actually live (frugally, but still) on that income for almost a year where I live. Anyway, thanks for sharing the data. My first app got approved today and I’m planning to share my sales statistics as well, I don’t expect nothing special though, just want to see what will come out of it.

Oh, and I strongly agree with Kyle and Mike – I make apps mostly for myself as well.

]]> By: Justine Pratt http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Justine Pratt Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:17:07 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-100 We've been testing the update thing to see how it helps with sales numbers, but the increase usually only lasts for about a week. Looking at the effect, it's about a $100-200 revenue bump. Considering opportunity cost for working on the update instead of a new app, it doesn't seem worth it, unless an update really makes sense or is quick to do. I'm convinced that cross-sells work better, so a suite of apps is a better use of time than constant updates. We’ve been testing the update thing to see how it helps with sales numbers, but the increase usually only lasts for about a week. Looking at the effect, it’s about a $100-200 revenue bump. Considering opportunity cost for working on the update instead of a new app, it doesn’t seem worth it, unless an update really makes sense or is quick to do. I’m convinced that cross-sells work better, so a suite of apps is a better use of time than constant updates.

]]> By: Kyle Davis http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Kyle Davis Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:05:27 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-99 I agree wholeheartedly with Mike J. When I write an app, it's because I want it for myself, and I hope others will want it too. Because I'm a user and my own harshest critic, the app is never done, and will continue to see updates and improvements. Luckily, that tends to cause a bump in downloads each time it's released. Thanks for sharing these figures, Matt. I agree wholeheartedly with Mike J. When I write an app, it’s because I want it for myself, and I hope others will want it too. Because I’m a user and my own harshest critic, the app is never done, and will continue to see updates and improvements. Luckily, that tends to cause a bump in downloads each time it’s released.

Thanks for sharing these figures, Matt.

]]> By: Mike J http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Mike J Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:22:59 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-98 This mirrors my experiences as well. Despite drastically reduced income from released apps though I will update them as I see fit - usually because I write apps for myself first. If an concept is complete as it was intended, then it just stands as-is. If I continue to use it and get good feedback from the user-base then I will implement updates and improvements to make it genuinely better. This mirrors my experiences as well.

Despite drastically reduced income from released apps though I will update them as I see fit – usually because I write apps for myself first. If an concept is complete as it was intended, then it just stands as-is. If I continue to use it and get good feedback from the user-base then I will implement updates and improvements to make it genuinely better.

]]> By: Rich http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Rich Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:23:55 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-96 Great clear and realistic stuff. Good work Matt. Great clear and realistic stuff. Good work Matt.

]]> By: Michael http://www.mattjdrake.com/2009/10/building-with-beer-my-app-beer-pads-revenue/comment-page-1/#comment-95 Michael Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:54:09 +0000 http://www.mattjdrake.com/?p=82#comment-95 Thanks for sharing. It is good to have realistic expectations - this will keep pushing us to create better products. Thanks for sharing. It is good to have realistic expectations – this will keep pushing us to create better products.

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