Our Web Store
The Mac App Store is on its way, and once it is out we hope we won’t need to worry about the selling and distribution of Pixelmator to Mac users anymore. However, we still care about our own web store (we think we will keep it for special buyers such as educational institutions, businesses, etc.).
The recent news about our Web store is that we have just moved from an eSellerate- to a FastSpring-based Web store. Even though eSellerate served us extremely well in the past, we are very excited to transition to FastSpring due to FastSpring’s more modern look and feel, and its being more Mac friendly. Here is the difference so far:
Thanks to FastSpring’s taking great care of us, we have a much easier-to-use Web store—a store that should have been in place years ago. What’s more, we are still working with them to make it even simpler.
So if you are a third-party Mac developer, FastSpring is highly recommended as an addition to the forthcoming Mac App Store or as a main web store for those of you not bringing your apps to the Mac App Store (are you crazy?).
By the way, The Beatles are now on iTunes and iOS 4.2 is out!
You say the MacAppStore is great and all, but what are your takes on the following sticking points:
1) How does it feel not to have access to your clients database? Know who they are? Be able to communicate with them? Of course you can ask them their email at first-run, but this is unreliable at best.
2) Are you going to increase the price of Pixelmator to cover the 30% margin that Apple takes? Or was esellerate or FastSpring rate also 30%?
Frank,
1) It feels great since we won’t need to manage that. We won’t need to spam our users with e-mails and stuff – if they wish they can easily follow Pixelmator news on our Twitter, Facebook or blog.
2) Nope. Price will be the same. We are to reach millions of Mac users through the Mac App Store – I don’t think we will feel a 30% loss. FastSpring and eSellerate does nothing in order to let you know that Pixelmator exsists while the Mac App Store does exactly that – it puts our app on every single Mac.
The happiest day of my life was expunging the last traces of Digital River from my old company’s commerce system. Congrats on getting out of their evil clutches! Hopefully the App store gets you tons of new customers, I love your software and I suspect more people would too if they could try it :)
What’s wrong with Digital River?
Saulius, I completely agree with your point of view and I think The Mac App Store will do great things for Pixelmator. And, as an end user, I absolutely love the idea of centralized updates and management of apps / licences.
I’m wondering about something else, though: what will happen to us, who already own Pixelmator (or other apps, that will be made available through the Mac App Store)? I mean – will my existing Pixelmator sit lonely outside, with no auto updates and so on? And if I’ll want to have the nice benefits of App Store – my only option will be to buy again? :)
Sandis,
we’ll see about that. We have some ideas for the Mac App Store.
Just wondering, if Pixelmator in app store. Is it single license or more? Because I have 3 mac need this one for imac one for my air and one for my children, I really don’t want by this 3 times. How does MAc app store manage this kind of issue?
The Mac App store will allow for you to download an App you bought on all of your computers, according to the Apple website.
See you on the Mac App Store! :)