I was looking at the feature sets for both of these, and there were no really noticeable differences. The only difference in fact that i noticed
was that GeeTasks Pro syncs with Google Apps For Your Domain. Surely this is not the only difference? GeeTasks Pro is double the price, so
I am wondering what additional features there are for GeeTasks pro.
I prefer to think of it as a 50% promotional discount for the GeeTasks Basic.
The difference between Pro and Basic is *primarily* support for Google Apps. Going forward I will add other differences, such as SSL (basic is is using SSL to encrypt login information, whereas Pro is using it for both login and the data itself), visual distinction (Pro being more seriously looking and Basic being perhaps a bit more colorful - see respective icons for the hint of things to come) etc.
A 50% promotional discount for basic!? Lol, no offence Denis, but I can see how YOU can see it that way. But hasn't basic always been $2.99? Don't get me wrong, $5.99 is not the end of the
world, but to charge double the price for a feature, that quite frankly is quite basic and should be part of the basic list anyway, (simply because it broadens your buying audience) seems almost….
well, scammy. I would suggest that you really broaden the differences if you are going to justify and half cost difference simply because someone uses a personalized domain…. and especially
when the app is so hard to look at. Especially when you have such sophisticated apps, like awesome note available for $3.99…..
Please don't take this as a flame.. this is really how I feel…
Jonas, I think I already have a sufficiently good insight into your opinion about how I should assign prices, segment the market and define the overall business strategy. To add more to the discussion you could substantiate your advice with qualifications in running a similar business, relevant case studies or broader academic research into the subject. Something else more tangible than a single opinion would also be a welcome additional contribution.
? Well, I have been running a pretty successful business for 7-8 years. But I have a consumer for my entire life…., well enough to be able to recognize a good value when I see one. Looking at my original post,
My question was to simply find out what the comparable differences were to pro vs. basic. It wasn't my intent to question your business modal. I was just guess I was just surprised that the only differences between
basic and pro, was the Google Apps support. As for relevant case studies etc, lol, does the App store, and the comparable apps and their prices, and feature sets not suffice? It is right there on the app store. If it is
unclear, let me point out a few, that justifies price to app quality:
2Do - $5.99
Awesome Note: $3.99
Appigo Todo - $9.99
Omnifocus - $19.99 (pricey, but worth it. well thought out and has a great desktop app)
Evernote - Free
Trillian - $4.99
Tweetdeck - Free
i.TV - Free
Groups-drag & Drop - $4.99
I think this should suffice, and can certainly qualify as tangible. I've listed some, without question, very solid quality apps some free and some paid that have
the feature sets, and usability that justify the price point. And they are doing very well. (not sure why academic research would be more contributive then this).
If you would like me to list more apps that clearly justify the price, I would be happy to list some more out. Heck if you need more then just one opinion, I guess
you can create a thread and have your users vote on apps so that you can get a better idea.
Hope this helps.
What is your definition of "justify the price point"?
I'll give you mine - if an app sells, the price is justified, because people (other than you :-) ) found it reasonable to pay that much money for the given offering. If the app doesn't sell, then the price is not justified.
I could agree with that, partially. Just because something sells a few times (and most products, if there is exposure or effort behind the sales will sell at least few times) Doesn't mean that's a fair value of
the item bought. People buy things all the time for way more then it's actual value. If a guy buys someones house for $200,000, but it's market value is $10,000, that doesn't mean that the price is justified
based on the fact that it sold. That just means the buyer was an idiot, or ignorant, or was perhaps somehow possibly exploited. And I might question the ethics of the seller.
But if we are going to justify with sales, say the amount of sales would be more important then the sheer fact that it "sold". While I have no way of knowing your number of sales concretely (without asking you
directly, or looking into your books) The amount of app store reviews comparatively would be a pretty good indicator to me whether an app is doing well or not. (and of course the star ratings). Usually if the app
has more then 100 reviews, that's a pretty good indicator that it is selling well. And if they have a 4+ star rating with that many reviews, even more so.
For example, the apps listed above (paid versions): 2do: 595 reviews 4+ Rating; Awesome Note: 2593 reviews 4+ rating; 4790 reviews 4+ rating, I can keep going but the point is made. Sure, your app can "sell".
But do you want your app to sell ALOT? Comparatively, you have a 4+ Rating, but only 14 reviews… doesn't seem like it's blowing the doors off.
Look, implement the things that I suggested (aesthetics, usability etc) and I'll likely buy your app. The new drag and indent features are pretty cool. I'll betcha though if you just combined Gtasks and Gtasks pro to one product (them being separate is kinda hoakie) And price tag it at $3 or $4 dollars that you'll sell (and make) alot more. And it will reflect in the app store in terms of reviews and ratings.
Jonas, you haven't bought the app. That means you haven't tried it. I don't know which of those other apps you've tried, but OmniFocus was the first app I bought on the app store, and all it did was stress me out. GeeTasks is the best $3 I ever spent on the app store — and I've spent more than I care to admit. What I'm saying is that I found GeeTasks to be a vastly better bargain than OmniFocus. But if it seems otherwise to you, then go ahead and use one of those other apps. Why are you still here?
If you're honestly here for altruistic reasons, then you could be way more helpful if you took the time to come up with valid points. Your logic is all over the place. Why even bring up rating averages to make a point about volume sold? Did you notice that GeeTasks Pro has a higher rating, and a higher number of ratings, than GeeTasks? Amusingly, you say that GeeTasks (you don't specify which edition) has a 4+ rating, even though it doesn't. It's the argumentative equivalent of kicking the ball into your own goal.
Maybe there are ways that Denis could improve his ratings, but aside from aesthetics, you have yet to suggest one that makes any sense. (Your point about usability is strange given that you've never used the app.)
Bottom line: if you want to persuade, think through your arguments before you make them. While you're at it, proofread your writing, or have someone else look it over for you. Together, your grammar, logic, and comical self importance make you sound more like a 13 year old than a successful businessman.
Don't take it personally. Just trying to give you some advice for marketing yourself.
Jonas,
Your post was very professional and made perfect sense, it seems to me that Denis is being argumentative and childish in fighting your suggestions so hard, and trying to act all professional and act like you were being rude. I personally agree with your suggestions and thoughts and could not resist but to post, because this is actually kind of funny the way this guy is acting considering he would make more money if he didn't think you were trying to… what? Get over on him? lol.. Makes no sense…
Jessie,
Your post on here is nothing more than a shot at Jonas, and provides nothing useful to anything else, gj.
Denis,
You seem like some kid who just discovered making iPhone apps and thought, "Oh Em Gee 2 pay apps = more $ than one!!!” Give one good smart reason to create another whole app just for one feature? Hell you could accomplish the same thing but have a more professional looking app by combining the two apps, and making in app purchases for the extra features you just HAVE to get that extra money for.
But one feature does not justify a second app altogether, and for sure does not justify double the price. But as we all know, justification is more opinion based, especially in a situation like this, we could PROVE you wrong, but we would have to have two separate apps that we can combine into one just to show you the better sales. Add the features Jonas had suggested to the pro edition and your second app would make more sense… but having two apps, so you can add one feature and double the price seems very childish and is a good indication that you care more about the money than your app. especially since you are fighting Jonas so hard about his very professional not rude suggestions. In the end it doesn't matter, if you don't do anything different, you won't notice anything different, if you do change the app, you'll notice the difference, and still have your app. With so little to lose other than a little time and effort, it’s obvious your motivations. Post this thread on some business forum or anywhere else; get some other opinions dude, but your being an idiot.
This is just the outside view from a random web user who found this page when looking for a good Google tasks app for the iPhone. I'll probably end up with the pro version of your app, without paying for it… and I'm only telling you that so you realize that I have absolutely no care what you do I just came to offer another word and hopefully slap some sense into you for YOUR own good, not mine or anyone else’s. Oh and don't bother replying to me to argue, I won't say anything else on this subject. If you take the advice good, if not, I don't care, and I'm not gonna continue to try to convince you or help you.
I think I'll do just fine ignoring any advice from someone who "'ll probably end up with the pro version of your app, without paying for it".
;-)
Jesse, I obviously see the need for this app, and hope the best for it. I use google tasks, and GeeTasks is the only app that syncs with google tasks on the app store. But if I buy an app for $5.99 I also don't want to shudder every time I look at the thing, and I don't think it right to make google apps users pay double simply because they use google apps.
As for the ratings comparison, I think you missed my point. I realize that pro has more ratings then standard. However combined they only have 21! I wasn't comparing one to another. I was comparing them the other apps I've listed. While I don't have the cold hard numbers, more ratings likely translates into more sales. Do you disagree with this? Would you say that an app that has 500 ratings, be likely to have sold more then an app that only has 20?
Denis is free to ignore or take my suggestions for what it is worth. If he chooses not to take them, I won't stress over it. (Btw, does using an app, really stress you out? There are pills for that.) I suggested that better aesthetics, strike throughs, and combining the two apps into one would result in greater sales, because I honestly believe they would. But who am I? After all I'm just a comical, self absorbed, 13 year old that can't spell. :-). And oh, by the way is really trying hard to sell services to Denis. And for that matter, to you too. Wanna buy some?
Just for the record, I am not a iphone designer or developer. I only do the web, and Denis seems to be doing just fine with his site. So contrary to what you think my motives are, I simply want buy this app in the future and feel like I got a fair value, and a decent app. And I really think I would use it. But not if it looks like fisher price.
p.s Jesse, can you please proofread this post for me? Thanks.
Jonas, you are being rude. Please either behave yourself or leave if you can't.
how about defining what you mean by Google Apps. Does the Pro version work with Google Docs for someone without a Domain of their own?
Google Apps is Google's offering for businesses - it allows one to create a set of gmail mailboxes under their own domain name instead of gmail.com and includes the usual stuff like calendar, docs etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Apps
http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html
A few simple rules:
I updated the FAQ, thanks for asking.
