BlackBerry® World™ Development

[EpicDraws]

Anyone else reading this the same as me--an extra 10% going to App World just because they want more money? I can understand credit card billing has some costs associated (2.9%), but tacking on another 10% to all purchases including PayPal is just offensive. I hope enough developers stand up to require RIM to back down with this change.

[EpicDraws]

Also, did anyone see when it is effective?

[br14]

Just another sign of RIM's terrible management.

Just as well their technology is decent because they're absolutely useless when it comes to operating a business.

If they'd wanted to take 30% they should have started out that way. It's basic psychology.

Why should we put up with the dross they serve us up if they're going to take more off us?

Sounds like time to drop BlackBerry and move to Android.

[br14]

Scanned through the agreements but I don't see a date.That's par for the course with RIM.

They're nuts though. Why didn't they wait until after WES before producing this bombshell?

If carrier charging and credit card payments are available, then I suppose we should be grateful for that at least. I won't be holding my breath.

The worst thing is the terrible sign it sends out to the market. RIM is so desperate for revenue it has to shaft it's own developer community.

Absolutely crazy.

[smiley]

I knew 80% is just too good to be true.   Just like any other portal out there. Greed!  How do they justify 10% of going into other markets?  regardless if they go into 10 or 100 countries it is the same.  how is it different?

does it RIM make enough $$$ already by the **bleep** they put on the service charges and plus carriers fees? This is just gonna Pi$$ off more BB developers and drive them to another platform.

[statsninja]

I think the date is May 17th per section "E" of the  DR vendor agreement.

[EpicDraws]

Thanks for spotting that. Looks like it is effective May 17. Let's hope that at a minimum they have new billing methods by then, and that they show a significant increase in sales.

[statsninja]

Epic,

Agreed. I personally am not really concerned with the 10% loss because I also sell through carriers and third-party channels and it still ties for the top payout, but what concerns me is the additional agreement through BANGO. Carrier payouts are traditionally pathetic, and I assume with the new BANGO agreement they will have to compensate the carriers through a portion of our sales (meaning lower commision for us).

This may be a more monumental loss because when given an option, customers are more likely to bill to the carrier. A greater portion of sales would then be sold at the carrier rate which is pathetic. This will either cause app prices to increase or developer profits to plummet unless demand matches pace with the losses.

I don't like the idea of blaming these types of market dynamics on RIM though. I sell through a ton of others too and the one thing that remains consistent is that there is downwards pressure on price from consumers and upwards pressure on fees from the carriers. The only good part is that RIM has sheilded us partially from some price issues. Considering RIM is the only company that has done remotely anything to preserve developer profits I try not to bash them too hard.

[EpicDraws]

Definitely an interesting point I had not thought about. Has anyone seen the BANGO agreement to see what the revenue share is?

[br14]

"what concerns me is the additional agreement through BANGO"

Is there a BANGO agreement available yet? I'd be surprised because RIM has still to announce the detail about carrier billed sales. Perhaps we'll hear more at WES. Certainly they've mentioned the option a few times since the Developer conference.

I imagine we'll be given the choice as to whether we want carrier billed sales. At least I hope we will.

Maybe it's time to create a Mobile Developers Association and run our own store!