ComiXology removes in-app purchases from its iOS apps!

Following their recent purchase by online retailer Amazon, Digital comic distributor ComiXology have changed their sales model significantly, removing in-app purchases entirely from their iOS apps (both iPhone and iPad).

The ComiXology app has consistently been one of the highest grossing iOS apps for years, and this change will allow them to avoid the 30% ‘cut’ which Apple takes from all in-app purchases.

This change means that iOS users wishing to pick up their digital comics will now have to make their purchases directly through the ComiXology webstore, with the comics syncing up with the newly-released Reader App.  This model has proven to work extremely well for Amazon with their Kindle store, but concerns are already running wild about how this change will impact digital comic sales, with a widespread backlash already underway surrounding the added “inconvenience” this change creates.

In an attempt to smooth things out slightly, ComiXology have provided all account holders who have made a digital purchase in the past a $5 gift voucher.  Which is hardly mind-blowing but, to be fair, is more than a lot of other companies would likely have done .

It remains to be seen how this change will impact the digital comicbook marketplace, although it bears mentioning that apps from individual publishers (Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, etc.) are still allowing in-app purchases.  WIll this change mean customers will migrate away from ComiXology and use a different app for each publisher, or will the comic-buying population learn to gradually adjust?

Let us know your thoughts on this change, and – if you’re a ComiXology user yourself – tell us what you spent your five bucks on!

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The writer of this piece was: Craig Neilson (aka Ceej)
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