We'd played with the prototype and it was fine.
But our decision was unanimous. There was no debate.
Our App would be killed.
Why?
Simple stated - apps are not flexible, the submission process is slow and approval criteria are vague, and mobile web does pretty much everything we need.
Our business is pretty straight forward. We make people look good.
We do this by providing photographers - almost on demand.
Clients get the pictures usually during their event. And we touch up the photos. And we deliver them the next day. Just look at Snapped.
It is really just one big process from booking through to delivery. Highly suited to web-based technology.
In more detail, here is why:
- Less pain managing one channel - rather than an App and a website
- Mobile websites can pretty much do anything an app can - including great geo-related functions
- Dealing with the App store slow and vague - who really knows the rules?
- Changing the app is quick at our end, but who knows when it will get approved
- The App store approval team seems to get swamped around the time of major device changes - and we didn't want to be held up by that
- Our product is not one you'd use every day - so why would people keep it on their phone?
- Our target demographics still responds to email and text messages, so we don't need app alerts
- We are relaxed about sharing revenues with app stores, but why would we when we don't need to?
- Having to create for an unknowable and ever changing number of devices is impossible for anyone - maybe not a concern while we are in NY, but certainly one for the future
- The number of companies who can covert a normal website into an app is growing - should we ever change our mind.
Tell me if we are mad - always open to that suggestion. Or what would you do in our circumstances.
Edward Brooks
Founder of Snapped
