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Wow this is really cool! So how do you get the promo codes at all? Do you buy those through an API? Are you considered Apple will shut you down somehow?
by thebiglebrewski 9y ago
Wow this is really cool! So how do you get the promo codes at all? Do you buy those through an API?
Are you considered Apple will shut you down somehow?
- mikeash 9y agoYou can generate promo codes on iTunes Connect. They're fairly limited: you can only get 100 promo codes per app version, and you're not allowed to use them for commercial purposes. As long as you're not selling these cards, I don't think Apple would have a problem with them.
- thebiglebrewski 9y agoInteresting.
- rbritton 9y agoI have no idea if this is within the rules, but another option could be to use the "Gift This App" function to generate paid, non-expiring promo codes instead (send it to yourself). You'd incur the 30% App Store revenue cut this way in addition to any sales tax.
- mikeash 9y agoThat's an interesting idea. I wonder what Apple would think. On one hand, they still get their cut. On the other hand, they like having full control over the experience. On the gripping hand, how could they even stop it?
- striking 9y ago... by kicking you off the store?
- mikeash 9y agoPossibly. But unlike standard promo codes, you could easily do this from a separate account that's not in any way linked to your developer account.
- haikuginger 9y agoBecause if there's one thing we've learned, it's that developers doing things they're not supposed to do on the App Store always do a great job of keeping their "black hat" account separate and distinct from their "real" account.
- jakobegger 9y agoSince apps are ranked in the App Store by revenue and number of apps sold, buying copies yourself could also be seen as ranking fraud, so I'd assume Apple wouldn't like it.
- jolux 9y agoStarbucks used to have cards that would let you download individual apps that worked like this.
- mikeash 9y agoI think I remember that. Were they paid apps Starbucks had a deal with, or free ones?
- mstade 9y agoI never saw it for apps, only music.
- eltoozero 9y agoLots of paid apps, games and even e-books, I have several cards for Monument Valley.
- chipperyman573 9y agoIf you have an extra one and don't mind sharing, I've been waiting to get into stardew valley... If you could email it to me (in my profile page) I'd be so happy :)
- ReverseCold 9y agoPsst... He said monument valley, not stardew valley. :)
- techsupporter 9y agoBit of both. I downloaded some free apps via the cards but mostly they were paid app redemption codes (in-app purchases excluded, of course). The program moved to the Starbucks app a year or so ago but seems to have stopped.
- rbritton 9y agoAn old episode of Build and Analyze discussed participation in the Starbucks promotion: http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze/80 http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze/80