Need help on free trial for in-app subscription

Question

Created May ’20

Replies 3

Boosts 0

Views 1.5k

Participants 3

We have a new app that offers professional sports handicapping picks that is currently live in app store. This is a free app that gives out a lot of free information for sports wagerers. If you want to get our picks then you have to subscribe with in-app purchase. We are running a national radio ad to promotion next week. Since we do not know when sports (MLB, NBA, NFL) will actually start I don't want to offer a free trial just yet or if we do can we offer open-ended trial? These radio spots were locked in months ago before COVID-19 so we are stuck.

Since we have to move forward and promote next week I want to ensure that users download app when hearing the radio ad. In order to get them to act now I will obviousily have to offer something to audience in future since again no sports are being played.

Couple of questions:

1. If we offer a free trial to everyone on initial download that subscribes can we keep extending trial until sports starts back up?

2. Can you promote a free trial through Firebase at anytime or offer a introductory offer to subscribe at anytime?

Or if you know a better way or suggestion I'd greatly apprecaite any and all feedback. My biggest concern is we have an expensive radio campaign. I want to offer them something to subscribe now if possible but do not want to charge them until sports starts back up.

The app is "Win60 Sportsbet Advisor" and need to figure out how best to do this for Apple and Google Play. We do currently use Firebase for push notifications.

Thanks again!

Matt

Boost

Answer 1

PBK OP

May ’20

> I want to offer them something to subscribe now if possible but do not want to charge them until sports starts back up.

App Review seems to want a free trial to be done under the Autorenewable 'introductory offer' free trial rather than a do it yourself approach. I believe they are all limited to fixed time periods.

You can lower your subscription price and then raise it when the 'season' starts. I don't think you can lower your price to 'free' though.

You can remove the autorenewable subscription from sale so that no one signs up.

0

Answer 2

cmb94 OP

May ’20

Hi Matt,

I am not sure if you're able to change the free trial duration still, I assume you can. If you can why not extend the free trial till August or September, i.e. 3-4 month free trial? This would let people get to use the app, and if sports to slowly begin in July/August give users a chance to try the app then?

Best,
Casey

0

Answer 3

PBK OP

May ’20

It's a kludge, but you can launch your app with multiple IAPs each of which includes a free trial for a selected time period of 3 Days to 1 Year - let's say you pick 3 months. Have only one of those IAPs be 'cleared for sale'. If after 3 months you want to extend the free offer, then mark the second IAP as cleared for sale and tell your users to select the new, free period IAP and ignore the old one. To prevent them from being charged, raise the price of the first one so it does not automatically autorenew and remove it from sale at the same time.

0