App Store Educational “Discount”
9/14/14: Sold 500 edu copies of Air Display 2.
4/25/16: All 500 refunded.
No explanation, contact, or even customer name.
I’m guessing some school district returned its trial iPads and went Android but who knows.
Basically Apple let them use my app for free for two whole school years without even asking my permission.
To appeal anything there would have to be a channel of communication with Apple.
And it’s actually worse than just letting them use it for free, because now Avatron has an unexpected revenue hole for this year.
Update (2016-05-03): Little White Bear:
I had 1 day edu refund of 140 copies, after 2 yrs of use. Apple declared it an exceptional case and refused to elaborate.
So how many developers are turning off educational discounts as this spreads like wildfire through our community?
The App Store weirdness with refunds isn’t limited to educational purchases. I still see individual sales and refunds of Tweetbot iPhone 2.
Refunds after 1-2 years are BS regardless of if its educational or individual.
A lack of decent, consistent communication is the root of so many of the issues plaguing the store, whether it’s apps being rejected for ridiculous and inconsistent reasons, or poor advice from the App Review team.
Update (2016-05-04): Jim Dalrymple:
How the hell can this be possible?
Update (2016-05-05): Phil Schiller:
@DSHowell Issue tracked down. The team is reaching out to you about it.
nothing yet
Update (2016-05-06): Dave Howell:
Resolved. It was an anomaly. Was nice of Apple to call to explain.
No it happened but should get reversed soon.
Seems like they institutes some new account management policy or something, and are working out the edge cases.
Update (2016-08-24): Wil Shipley:
So someone bought 30 edu copies of Library 3 yesterday, then returned them today. I don’t get this game.
