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0 pointsJustExAWS1y ago0 comments

If you’re an Indy developer making less than 1 million a year, you are paying 15%. Is it really not worth 15% (where if your product has value you should be able to charge enough to make up the difference) for credit card processing (3%-4%) and distribution?

0 comments

protimewaster1y ago

I think the issue is not about what it's worth, but what they should be allowed to charge for. To me, the argument about "what it's worth" is fundamentally wrong.

As an extreme example, if some company found a way to charge me $100 every day or my head would explode, that obviously is worth $100 to most of us. However, I'm currently not having to pay any company to prevent my head from exploding, so maybe that's just not something I should have to pay for.

JustExAWSOP1y ago

Name one platform or even retail physical goods store that has less than a 15% markup from the wholesale price?

AlexandrB1y ago

Why is a middleman required at all? Epic seems happy to process their own payments - they don't need a "platform" to do it for them.

JustExAWSOP1y ago

Epic tried side loading on Android and not use Google Play. That ended up being a horrible financial disaster and a security nightmare. https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/mobile-security/fornite-android...

protimewaster1y ago

As I said, my point is just that it's not something I should be obligated to pay for.

But, if you're looking for counterexamples to show it can be done for less than a 15% cut, they're around. Almost every eBay category charges less than 15%, for example. And, as another user pointed out, Epic takes less than 15%. AliExpress charges 5-8% on average. Etsy is I think something like 6.5%.

JustExAWSOP1y ago

Etsy charges 6.5% transaction fee + 3% payment processing fee + a flat $0.25 fee per transaction. That would end up being more than 15% for most Apple purchases of $1-$3.

eBay charges a final value fee of 12.9% and $.30 - $0.40 flat fee per order. And you pay a fee for international orders.

AlexandrB1y ago

I would say no. Especially since App Store search sucks and you have to pay (again) to show up as a top result for your own app's name.

Contrast this with Steam, where search is better and the top result is not your competitor squatting your product name.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

protimewaster1y ago

I think the issue is not about what it's worth, but what they should be allowed to charge for. To me, the argument about "what it's worth" is fundamentally wrong.

JustExAWSOP1y ago

Name one platform or even retail physical goods store that has less than a 15% markup from the wholesale price?

AlexandrB1y ago

Why is a middleman required at all? Epic seems happy to process their own payments - they don't need a "platform" to do it for them.

JustExAWSOP1y ago

Epic tried side loading on Android and not use Google Play. That ended up being a horrible financial disaster and a security nightmare. https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/mobile-security/fornite-android...

protimewaster1y ago

As I said, my point is just that it's not something I should be obligated to pay for.

JustExAWSOP1y ago

Etsy charges 6.5% transaction fee + 3% payment processing fee + a flat $0.25 fee per transaction. That would end up being more than 15% for most Apple purchases of $1-$3.

eBay charges a final value fee of 12.9% and $.30 - $0.40 flat fee per order. And you pay a fee for international orders.

AlexandrB1y ago

I would say no. Especially since App Store search sucks and you have to pay (again) to show up as a top result for your own app's name.

Contrast this with Steam, where search is better and the top result is not your competitor squatting your product name.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse