IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v76y2022icp325-336.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of app revenue model choices for app revenues: A study of apps since their initial App Store launch

Author

Listed:
  • Numminen, Emil
  • Sällberg, Henrik
  • Wang, Shujun

Abstract

When launching a new app in one of the major app stores, the developer must decide how to generate revenues from that app. The decision includes whether to charge an upfront payment from the customer or make it free to download and whether to include in-app payments. In this study, we analysed the effect of these decisions on the amount of revenue an app generates and if it differs for gaming (hedonic value-orientation) and productivity (utilitarian value-orientation) apps. To analyse this effect, we used approximately two years of mobile app panel data from 330 newly launched US Apple App Store gaming and productivity apps. Based on random effects regression analysis, we report that free downloads combined with in-app payments are superior in revenue generation for gaming apps. By contrast, for productivity apps, relying only on either upfront payment for the app or on in-app payments generates the highest revenues. For gaming app developers, offering free to download apps is thus recommended. For productivity app developers, charging for either downloading or in-app features is more successful. This study complements existing literature by investigating revenue generation of new apps and the performance effect of specific revenue model options that developers must make in app store settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Numminen, Emil & Sällberg, Henrik & Wang, Shujun, 2022. "The impact of app revenue model choices for app revenues: A study of apps since their initial App Store launch," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 325-336.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:76:y:2022:i:c:p:325-336
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2022.08.010
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592622001278
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2022.08.010?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Avinadav, Tal & Chernonog, Tatyana & Meilijson, Isaac & Perlman, Yael, 2022. "A consignment contract with revenue sharing between an app developer and a distribution platform," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    2. Paolo Roma & Gandolfo Dominici, 2016. "Understanding the price drivers of successful apps in the mobile app market," International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 7(2), pages 159-185.
    3. Manqi (Maggie) Li & Yan Huang & Amitabh Sinha, 2020. "Data-Driven Promotion Planning for Paid Mobile Applications," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(3), pages 1007-1029, September.
    4. Wagner, T. & Benlian, Alexander & Hess, Thomas, 2014. "Converting freemium customers from free to premium - The role of the perceived premium fit in the case of music as a service," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 66722, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    5. Feiyan Lin & Jing Zhao & Maomao Chi, 2022. "A Study on Temporal Effects of Different Types of Mobile Application Updates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-21, January.
    6. Zhanfei Lei & Dezhi Yin & Sabyasachi Mitra & Han Zhang, 2022. "Swayed by the reviews: Disentangling the effects of average ratings and individual reviews in online word‐of‐mouth," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(6), pages 2393-2411, June.
    7. Michael A. Kamins & Valerie S. Folkes & Alexander Fedorikhin, 2009. "Promotional Bundles and Consumers' Price Judgments: When the Best Things in Life Are Not Free," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 36(4), pages 660-670, December.
    8. Kevin J. Boudreau & Lars Bo Jeppesen & Milan Miric, 2022. "Competing on freemium: Digital competition with network effects," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(7), pages 1374-1401, July.
    9. Dejan Erić & Radovan Bačík & Igor Fedorko, 2014. "Rating Decision Analysis Based On Ios App Store Data," Quality Innovation Prosperity, Technical University of Košice, Department of integrated management, vol. 18(2).
    10. Yonghua Ji & Ruibing Wang & Qinglong Gou, 2019. "Monetization on Mobile Platforms: Balancing in‐App Advertising and User Base Growth," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 28(9), pages 2202-2220, September.
    11. Tafesse, Wondwesen, 2021. "The effect of app store strategy on app rating: The moderating role of hedonic and utilitarian mobile apps," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    12. Aydin Gokgoz, Zeynep & Ataman, M. Berk & van Bruggen, Gerrit H., 2021. "There’s an app for that! understanding the drivers of mobile application downloads," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 423-437.
    13. Stefano Comino & Fabio M. Manenti & Franco Mariuzzo, 2019. "Updates management in mobile applications: iTunes versus Google Play," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 392-419, June.
    14. Appel, Gil & Libai, Barak & Muller, Eitan & Shachar, Ron, 2020. "On the monetization of mobile apps," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 93-107.
    15. Roma, Paolo & Vasi, Maria, 2019. "Diversification and performance in the mobile app market: The role of the platform ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 123-139.
    16. Ron Tidhar & Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, 2020. "Get rich or die trying… finding revenue model fit using machine learning and multiple cases," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(7), pages 1245-1273, July.
    17. George A. Akerlof, 1970. "The Market for "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 84(3), pages 488-500.
    18. Wagner, C. & Benlian, Alexander & Hess, Thomas, 2014. "Converting freemium customers from free to premium - The role of the perceived premium fit in the case of music as a service," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 63495, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    19. Sam K. Hui, 2017. "Understanding repeat playing behavior in casual games using a Bayesian data augmentation approach," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 29-55, March.
    20. Lee, Young-Jin & Ghasemkhani, Hossein & Xie, Karen & Tan, Yong, 2021. "Switching decision, timing, and app performance: An empirical analysis of mobile app developers’ switching behavior between monetization strategies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 332-345.
    21. Wagner, T. & Benlian, Alexander & Hess, Thomas, 2014. "Converting freemium customers from free to premium - The role of the perceived premium fit in the case of music as a service," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 69900, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tabares, Sabrina & Parida, Vinit & Visnjic, Ivanka, 2023. "Revenue models for digital services in the railway industry: A framework for choosing the right revenue model," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    2. Wondwesen Tafesse, 2023. "The differential effects of developers’ app store strategy on the performance of niche and popular mobile apps," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(3), pages 317-330, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Biraglia, Alessandro & Bowen, Karen T. & Gerrath, Maximilian H.E.E. & Musarra, Giuseppe, 2022. "How need for closure and deal proneness shape consumers’ freemium versus premium price choices," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 157-170.
    2. Xiaoyan Chen & Wei Geng, 2022. "Enroll now, pay later: optimal pricing and nudge efforts for massive-online-open-courses providers," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(2), pages 1003-1018, June.
    3. Tang, Hua & Chen, Jing & Ai, Xingzheng & Li, Xiaojing & He, Haojia, 2023. "First-party content decision under competitive hardware/software platforms: Free vs. charge," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 311(3), pages 1068-1083.
    4. Wann-Yih Wu & Phan Thi Phu Quyen & Adriana A. Amaya Rivas, 2017. "How e-servicescapes affect customer online shopping intention: the moderating effects of gender and online purchasing experience," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 689-715, August.
    5. Florian Wiesböck & Thomas Hess, 2020. "Digital innovations," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(1), pages 75-86, March.
    6. Martin Adam & Konstantin Roethke & Alexander Benlian, 2022. "Gamblified digital product offerings: an experimental study of loot box menu designs," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(2), pages 971-986, June.
    7. Mª Victoria Bordonaba-Juste & Laura Lucia-Palacios & Raúl Pérez-López, 2020. "Generational differences in valuing usefulness, privacy and security negative experiences for paying for cloud services," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 35-60, March.
    8. Henrik Sällberg & Shujun Wang & Emil Numminen, 2023. "The combinatory role of online ratings and reviews in mobile app downloads: an empirical investigation of gaming and productivity apps from their initial app store launch," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(3), pages 426-442, September.
    9. Hamari, Juho & Hanner, Nicolai & Koivisto, Jonna, 2017. "Service quality explains why people use freemium services but not if they go premium: An empirical study in free-to-play games," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 1449-1459.
    10. Falko Lucht, 2019. "The Success of the Freemium Business Model. How Riot Games flourishes with a free to play game," Manager Journal, Faculty of Business and Administration, University of Bucharest, vol. 29(1), pages 114-124, December.
    11. Roll, Oliver & Loh, Patrick, 2020. "Der Einfluss der Digitalisierung auf das Preismanagement – Ansatzpunkte, Modelle und Methoden," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 74(4), pages 334-348.
    12. Zijun (June) Shi & Kaifu Zhang & Kannan Srinivasan, 2019. "Freemium as an Optimal Strategy for Market Dominant Firms," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(1), pages 150-169, January.
    13. Hongshuang (Alice) Li, 2022. "Converting free users to paid subscribers in the SaaS context: The impact of marketing touchpoints, message content, and usage," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(5), pages 2185-2203, May.
    14. Tamilmani, Kuttimani & Rana, Nripendra P. & Prakasam, Naveena & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2019. "The battle of Brain vs. Heart: A literature review and meta-analysis of “hedonic motivation” use in UTAUT2," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 222-235.
    15. Le Wang & Paul Benjamin Lowry & Xin (Robert) Luo & Han Li, 2023. "Moving Consumers from Free to Fee in Platform-Based Markets: An Empirical Study of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena Games," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(1), pages 275-296, March.
    16. Oliver Francis Koch & Alexander Benlian, 2017. "The effect of free sampling strategies on freemium conversion rates," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 27(1), pages 67-76, February.
    17. Kang Li & Jingwei Zhang & Lunchuan Zhang, 2021. "Optimal Software Feature-Limited Freemium Model Design: A New Consumer Learning Theoretical Framework," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-24, April.
    18. Danckwerts, Sebastian & Meißner, Lasse & Krampe, Caspar, 2019. "Examining User Experience of Conversational Agents in Hedonic Digital Services – Antecedents and the Role of Psychological Ownership," SMR - Journal of Service Management Research, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 3(3), pages 111-125.
    19. Philipp Brüggemann & Nina Lehmann-Zschunke, 2023. "How to reduce termination on freemium platforms—literature review and empirical analysis," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(4), pages 707-721, December.
    20. Manuel Trenz & Jan Huntgeburth & Daniel Veit, 2019. "How to Succeed with Cloud Services?," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 61(2), pages 181-194, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:76:y:2022:i:c:p:325-336. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.