Is it possible to sell issues for different prices?

[DaveAtDog]

Is it possible to create, using Baker, a Newstand App that can sell different issues for different prices? For example. Issue 1: Free. Issue 2:Price band 2?

I note that "To submit a Newsstand app, your app must be enabled for Newsstand and offer at least one free or auto-renewable In-App Purchase subscription." which seems to suggest that the content must all be the same price.

Would we have to go down the non-Newsstand route and sell each issue as an in-app purchase? If so can we still use push notifications to auto-download issues?

[jbavington]

Hey @DaveAtDog. It is definitely possible!

Just go into your iTunes Connect account and set up In-App Purchases for your various issues. You can then set the price for each issue individually. When the user loads your Baker app, it will connect with iTunes and then display the appropriate prices to your users. We offer the 1st issue free and other issue for $1.99 Some issue could be $2.99 or $0.99, depending on the approach.

Check it out here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/about-canada-news-information/id657466291?mt=8

[DaveAtDog]

Thanks for that. Only snag is the subscriptions. There's no way to make a Newsstand app without a subscription?

We'd like to try make an app where most of the content is free but there may be some paid for issues. Got a feeling this isn't possible.

[jbavington]

Hi @DaveAtDog. Yes, you can make free subscriptions and then have paid issues. Others on this forum have accomplished this. Do a search for free paid subscriptions on this forum, similar to the one below. Then check out the threads.

https://github.com/Simbul/baker/search?q=free+paid+subscriptions&ref=cmdform&type=Issues

[nin9creative]

I still don't get the concept of someone providing a Free Subscription and then thinking that they can have paid issues. If Apple is approving these types of apps I'd be surprised. What does the "Free Subscription" get you if you are then charging for issues? Doesn't make sense to me.

[MrKistic]

Be surprised then! That's exactly what we've done & I've described here before, as have others. Apple insists you provide at least a free subscription. If you then want to sell issues, you can. Apple are fine with it. I don't get how you don't get it...

On 17 Nov 2013, at 1:37 pm, Andrew [email protected] wrote:

I still don't get the concept of someone providing a Free Subscription and then thinking that they can have paid issues. If Apple is approving these types of apps I'd be surprised. What does the "Free Subscription" get you if you are then charging for issues? Doesn't make sense to me.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

[folletto]

I imagine that a Free Subscription + Paid Issues exists to allow this model:

1. I have a free magazine, coming out every month, that is tied to the free subscription.
2. I put out once in a while, maybe every two months, a special issue that is Paid.

[nin9creative]

@MrKistic I "get" what you are saying. @folletto 's use case above makes sense to me.

All I am really getting at is that Apple's guidance on the Subscription requirement is a bit nebulous. As we all know, approvals/rejections seem to be at an individual reviewer's whim and interpretation of the rules.

From a user's perspective, a Free Subscription that then contains paid issues is confusing... That is all that I'm saying. Apple might be approving them now, but I would be careful. Maybe Apple doesn't care because they get a cut of any of the IAP. However that could change if publishers start doing things that end up being confusing to end users...

[folletto]

All I am really getting at is that Apple's guidance on the Subscription requirement is a bit nebulous.

You're very kind. It's almost non-existent. :D

Yeah, I agree on the confusion. It requires an extra effort for the publisher to avoid that confusion. :)

[nin9creative]

lol