Yeah I 100% agree the only problem is with apps they're one-off downloads (users download once and they have it forever really), so it's very different than the Dobber guides, where you kinda have the option of purchasing it year after year, and if you don't like it well you don't have to purchase it.

So if you look at the scenario if Dobber charges $10 bucks per guide, and he keeps his customer for 5 years, he'd make $50 bucks over the course of business.

If I go with the $1.99 option, and keep the same customer for 5 years, I make $1.99...

Keep in mind that I probably would be dedicating a similar amount of time everyday as Dobber as he would to DobberHockey...

Which is kinda why I was thinking of a subscription option, to at least generate more revenue over time. If someone downloads the app they can essentially have the app for $1.99 forever...

So pricing is a big dilemma for me. If I charge $4.99, some diehards will certainly be willing to pay that, because of my "reputation", but that price will turn off many potential "new customers". I make it $0.99, and someone could get a quality product for peanuts over the next 5 years. So that's my big dilemma at the moment.

I'm probably leaning more towards a dual app. A straight simple player news one like Rotoworld for $1.99. Just straight up-to-date player news with high quality fantasy analysis/impact. Then a more expensive version for die-hards at $9.99, which includes a yearly fantasy guide, bi-weekly projections, weekly columns, Help! line, daily studs and duds and hopefully I can incorporate a few Dobber favorites into the project to ensure quality and a variety of opinions.

Those are my general thoughts.

Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions that you think might help me get this project off the ground.

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Dobber Expert Pool Champion 2011-12

Under the pricing structure that you're hoping to set up, it will be extremely difficult to succeed. People have a pricing expectation for apps and if they're going to pay any amount at all, they need to turn to an app they can trust. So you need the pizzazz of a RotoWorld. I don't even think DobberHockey can launch something like this successfully, not to justify the workload, let alone a new startup.

I'll mobilize my site - which will cost users nothing - and I'll sell the draft apps twice per year (because it's a one-time thing that users want) - but I'll never get into a news/advice service like you propose. Tremendous undertaking

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DobberHockey Rules
14 Team Keeper, points only, best 12 skaters 2 dman 2 G count. Playoffs count.
F - Crosby, C.Smith, Wheeler, Parenteau, Hudler, Clowe, Grabovski, Atkinson, Frolik, S. Kostitsyn, Marchand, Peverley, Tavares, Read, Brouwer, Bickell, Gionta, Setoguchi
G - Anderson, Hiller, Markstrom, Brodeur
D - Letang, Del Zotto, I. White, Kronwall, Brodin, Nikitin

why dont you just create an app for the main page? to be honest i don't really like the mobile version of this site. just create an app that has a few buttons that can take you to the ramblings, forums etc. ramblings wont be too hard, you can just link it to the content. integrating the forum might be a little harder.

i was thinking of doing an iOS version for the ramblings, since that's what the majority of people use, and make it 100% free.

you know what's even better? include the app in the cost of the fantasy package. not every person who buys the package needs the app, so this way you get more profit. at the same time, you can also charge less because you have more of a demand since everyone who is buying the guide will be paying for the app, instead of the select few who actually want the app.

just charge dobber a $0.25 or something like that from every guide. that makes it a yearly subscription, it costs dobber virtually nothing and he gets way more exposure, etc.

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XBOX 360 Gamertag: praba911

A lot of small app companies make money off FREE apps w/ advertisements to support them. My cousin has done the pay per app and the free + ads format. The latter has been the most profitable for him.

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Keep4+rookie under 150gp (14 teams): G,A,+/-,PIM,SHP,PPP,GWG,SOG,FW, W/GAA/SV/SV%/SHO [Keepers: E Staal, Parise, Backes, Malkin, (R) Desharnais]

- Some people are like slinkies, they don't seem to have a purpose but bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs... -

This is a very ambitious project, and one that is more than just a hobby... I would suggest figuring out which business model works for you, and then fine-tune the actual price once the app is released. You'll get a much better idea of which price point generates the most sales.

One option I haven't seen mentioned yet is the IAP model. Perhaps worth a look? It could save you from having to create two different apps.

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G(2), A(1), +-(1), PIM(0.25), PPP(2), SHP(3), HITS(0.1), BS(0.1), W(5), L(-2), SV(0.2), GA(-1), SO(5)

Dobber - have you ever considered distributing your ramblings in a daily mailing list?

I've read maybe half a dozen ramblings in my life, and that's because I usually go straight to the forum page, or I just forget they exist (or for years I had no idea where to find them). If it were an automated daily email that I could read on my blackberry while I'm commuting, at work, taking a dump, etc. then I'm sure I would find the time.

I think it would contribute to a more dedicated and loyal customer-base, and once you have that then it's easier to start charging for things.

Why use a mailing list? Just set it up in your RSS feed, same result.

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GO WINGS!

12 team H2H dynasty, most categories under the sun, incl. hits/blocks. Main team, farm

C: Kopitar Backstrom Stepan Cammalleri Little Bolland Laich Johnson
LW: Parise Lupul Erat McDonald Martin Silfverberg Nyquist Schwartz Morin Nieto Conacher
RW: PKane Doan Pominville Nash Clowe Lupul Rinaldo Stafford Rattie Stone Chiasson Ritchie
D: Green Suter Seabrook Dillon Beauchemin Schenn Letang Schultz Hamilton McNabb Rielly Harrison
G: Bryzgalov Pavelec Holtby Neuvirth Nihlstorp Lack CalPickard Andersen Stalock Sateri Eriksson
IR: Halak

I don't even know what an RSS feed is... think of me as average joe layman customer who's not young and technologically savvy... that a good enough reason?

Well, mailing lists are veeeery 90s

You should look into how RSS works. I hardly ever surf randomly anymore. I just get all news posts sent to me through my RSS subscription feed.

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GO WINGS!

12 team H2H dynasty, most categories under the sun, incl. hits/blocks. Main team, farm

C: Kopitar Backstrom Stepan Cammalleri Little Bolland Laich Johnson
LW: Parise Lupul Erat McDonald Martin Silfverberg Nyquist Schwartz Morin Nieto Conacher
RW: PKane Doan Pominville Nash Clowe Lupul Rinaldo Stafford Rattie Stone Chiasson Ritchie
D: Green Suter Seabrook Dillon Beauchemin Schenn Letang Schultz Hamilton McNabb Rielly Harrison
G: Bryzgalov Pavelec Holtby Neuvirth Nihlstorp Lack CalPickard Andersen Stalock Sateri Eriksson
IR: Halak

Business based on web traffic needs users to come to the website... do RSS feeds drive traffic to websites?

__________________
Keep4+rookie under 150gp (14 teams): G,A,+/-,PIM,SHP,PPP,GWG,SOG,FW, W/GAA/SV/SV%/SHO [Keepers: E Staal, Parise, Backes, Malkin, (R) Desharnais]

- Some people are like slinkies, they don't seem to have a purpose but bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs... -