Comment by vulpes | Hacker News Reader

Comment by vulpes | Hacker News Reader

All this would do is force the prices the other way. People would be trying to sell crap for more using WOM or some other way to inflate 'box office revenue' and once they are on the list, instead of lowering the price to stay on it, they'd be increasing it. While that will get rid of crapware for .99, it will drive the prices of the same soft up, ultimately hurting the consumer. Best solution to this is app genius that recommends apps based on what you want to do.

Until that happens, use word of mouth to your advantage. Use Google Mobile App as an example of online campaign. Once techies get your app on their phone, they will be the platform for homing in their less tech friends to your apps.

In a way, one issue with the App Store, is that it exists. Since people know it's there, they'll check it out to see what's available. As opposed to probably not looking for apps at all. (or less)

And finding a good way to rank the apps is not easy. By number of downloads doesn't work well, by revenue wouldn't work I think, by rating might work a little bit but then what? So, the App Store is in fact not a great place to find good apps, just the most popular.

So, people go to the App Store but otherwise don't know where to go to find apps or information about apps. But the presence of the store makes the word-of-mouth a little bit more difficult because the store is supposed to be the place, so I suppose in general, people don't look anywhere else. (I know I don't) And people don't feel like sharing their discoveries as much.

Of course, I don't deny the huge benefit of the App Store. I would have never installed that many applications otherwise. But it's "louder" and covers some of the more traditional marketing and word-of-mouth.

It seems to me that ranking apps by net sales would reinforce the incentive to make as much money as possible. Profit would provide the resources for the producer to create a quality product, and competition would keep prices low and encourage innovation. </capitalism>

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