We have already talked about the Amazon Android app store a few times since the store finally opened on the developer end of things to get apps lined up for launch on the store early this month. ITProPortal reports that it has learned that the developers will into be the ones setting prices on the store.
The devs will submit and app along with an MSRP for what the app should sell for. Amazon will then choose the price it wants to sell the app at. Amazon could even decide to offer the app free.
I can’t see that going over well with devs if they thinking their app is worth $1.99 and Amazon decides to make it free. The other issue is that Amazon devs could be forced to reduce the price of an app to match its price on Amazon’s store elsewhere.
I can’t see this counts as “news” given that it was widely reported at the time of the developer portal going live a few weeks ago.
The developer sets the “market” price, and Amazon will charge whatever they like, but guarantee the dev will get at least 20% of the market price, regardless of the sale price. (I believe the normal figure is 80% if sold at or above market price). I would presume that if Amazon think the app is overpriced, then they would reject it before putting it on the market, rather than alter the price once it gets there.
Sloppy, very sloppy.