Well, we've done it.
A combination of marketing, timing, quality and providence has landed our application as the #1 best-selling app in the iTunes app store.
I appreciate the coverage we've received through media outlets and blogs.
Now that we've hit #1, I am going to post one more set of stats to add to those previously posted here.
Here is updated data from the time the app went live on December 12th, 2008.
The format is date, daily units sold, overall ranking (starting 12/14) and entertainment category ranking.
12/12 - 75 units - #70 entertainment
12/13 - 296 units - #16 entertainment
12/14 - 841 units - #76 overall, #8 entertainment
12/15 - 1510 units - #39 overall, #5 entertainment
12/16 - 1797 units - #22 overall, #3 entertainment
12/17 - 2836 units - #15 overall, #3 entertainment
12/18 - 3086 units - #10 overall, #3 entertainment
12/19 - 3117 units - #9 overall, #2 entertainment
12/20 - 5497 units, - #4 overall, #2 entertainment
12/21 - 9760 units - #2 overall, #1 entertainment
12/22 - 13274 units - #1 overall
You can see that there was a massive leap in total units sold from #4 to #2 and from #2 to #1. I was actually pretty stunned on both 12/21 and 12/22. I wonder what the days ahead will bring.
So there you have it.
I am now going into "silent mode" as to our data as I feel I have provided what developers would want to know.
I and my team are working on several other apps, so watch for new stuff coming soon.
Great stuff Joel! It's amazing actually...but I guess you just gotta move on an idea and see what happens. Who woulda thunk it! lol...
see ya
Ultimately the "marketing" is the secret sauce here isn't it? Sure the numbers are interesting (it takes between 9760 and 13,274 to put an app at number one)
What we don't really know is if you get that many sales by virtue of being number one, or spending $50,000 marketing gets you sufficient sales to push you to number one... obviously a combination.
Thanks for the data though it's another piece in the puzzle. :-)
Looking forward to getting my own app out in a few days to analyze my own stats endlessly!
Thanks for sharing Joel and congrats on your success. This will certainly set you up nicely for subsequent launches of other related products :)
All the best.
Stu
Here is to your success- a glass of red wine! Merry Christmas..Santa came knocking on your door Joel comm a bit early
again bro - you're my hero bro.
you are a true example of what is POSSIBLE! i can't wait to see what's in store for you in 2009...i just can't wait to see it all unfold bro and maybe participate in some of the stuff!
THANK YOU! As a newbie developer whose first app is about to be published, this information is priceless.
Congratulations Joel. Much success in 2009!
It's an amazing achievement! Do share the stats about how long it maintains the rank and sales growth and how is the tapering curve on the downside when an app is saturated in terms of sales. I have put up a nice graphic chart for your sales and rank numbers at how to reach the top of app store that you might want to use. Merry Christmas !
Well done. You've also hit the top 10 stories in digg.
http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_fart_app_pulls_in_nearly_10_000_a_day
I just got my own iphone. It is so incredible good that i will buy more things from apple now on. Well done on your success Joel, keep up the good work in 2009 :).
Congratulations, Joel!
Awesome Joel, I'd be interested to see what your marketing plan was for the application. As well wonder how well that sold on Christmas Day?
I keep reading all these stories about iFart generating $10,000 a day. They're just not true. From the stats given above the ONLY day that even came close to $10,000 was the 22/12. And by the numbers given he would still have only made $9856 on that day (then minus tax of course).
I am worried that with all the fairy-tale stories going around of massive earnings it is only going to encourage a whole new heap of useless applications from people trying to cash in and make a quick buck.
To those people I say this:
- Joel is an Internet Marketer, that's what he does. He also has thousands of subscribers to his lists and blogs who would have accounted for a lot, if not most of these sales.
- Joel became the #1 selling app on 22/12 selling 13274 units. That means that the #1 app up until Joel hit the scene was only selling around 10,000 units a day - and thats the number one app.
- You can see from the stats above that the iFart went from selling 75 units on the 12/12 to selling 13724 units on the 22/12. Be assured that just as quickly as these sales jump up, they will also fall down. Applications like this are quick fads that come and go. I dare say in a week or 2 his app will no longer be up in that top position. This app may have made him $10,000 + for a few days there (chrissy eve/day) but after that it will fall back down as the next hot app hits the store.
- Joel was smart and decided to release his sales stats. Many of you think this was probably just to help others and give you an insight into the world of apps, right? Wrong. Joel would have known that by being the first to do this it would have created a whole new level of publicity around his app and led to a lot more sales.
So for all of you already planning your next money-making app, I say this. There are much better/easier ways to get to the $10,000 a day online. And unlike the app store, your income will be much more consistent and much more likely to withstand the test of time.
@Will: You must be fun at parties.
@Alec,
I'll drink you under the table anytime! :-)
Nah, I think what Joel has done here is really cool and very smart - not to mention profitable.
I just think people are fed so much rubbish these days that they sometimes forget to take a step back and look at things realistically. Sure, Joel made a heap of cash from this app in a very short period of time, but that's not to say everyone should now start building apps and expect the same results.
I don't think it is the next get-rich-quick scheme everyone seems to now think it is.
Will, just an FYI and Joel will probably confirm.
Joel didn't use his lists to promote iFart.
iFart is still earning well over $10K Per Day..
And finally... have you seen iBeer? It's been in the Top Ten for months, surely iFart has as much staying power.. or lingering power if you will.
Joel I have a great idea for an IPHONE app please contact me I will share it with you.
Joel,
This is great to see this type of data so thank you for posting it. I am looking to get into app development for the IPhone and am glad to see some real numbers here. There are some sharing negative views saying this will all fall under in early 2009. But the number of phones and touch units that have been sold last quarter is staggering and the growth outlook looks like it will continue, especially with players like Walmart in the mix. Apple is probably enjoying this to no end for the fact that it is creating a new wave of developers that also have the ability to create programs for their other platforms. I don't see this as a get rich quick scheme but certainly it holds that potential for those that are creative enough. I think the potential lies in the fact that you can "gamble" on a 99 cent app and not feel totally ripped off if it is not what you thought. I know I have downloaded a few apps that were less than perfect but I couldn't complain after my $4.85 frapp or my $1.75 mountain dew bought previsouly in the day! Good luck and thanks again for sharing your info - it is both a taste of reality and a basis for hope!
I've often wondered if I should include a fart engine on both of my apps in the app store.
After all, it seems to me that the lower end of the scale is where the real money is....
Spend six months creating quality apps or just create another fart app and make some money....
Hmm.. tempting!
http://twurl.nl/ifoh2c - iAboutClock
http://twurl.nl/21g3ad - iTextClock
Cheers
Graham
I've been seeing the iFart on TV shows lately. Are you guys going to make another app or is the market to flooded now?
Wonder if they will ever make use of their touch screen to come up with a fingerprint scan to check dna and stuff like that. Lol. Will seriously be cool to be able to check ur health on the go with an Iphone
That's really sweet, congratulations! Working with Object C is so cool. SDK makes the whole process very interesting too. I can't wait to finish my App.
I wonder what the situation is now 8 month later.. Would be interesting to hear espacially as i'm also a Iphone developer.
Thanks for the data! Hope one day my apps will do like that or even better and I will make it to buy a brand new Escalade.
Congrats, Joel!
Joel,
Thanks for sharing the information. This and some of the comments and advice are interesting and helpful. As a marketer for the Riff Raters (iPhone app), I'm finding it's a good, yet challenging experience. I think one piece of the puzzle is continuously engaging people and keeping the app fresh with new content. We're gaining some traction and I wish you and your app luck as well.
Regards,
Riff Raters
IPhone is not without competition, see what the competition offers, and create an ease of use of similar applications. If you have already created an application, the market for this application in the user forums and other Apple user forums smartphone as an alternative to other similar programs used by the devices. You should also contact the authority best iPhone sites and consider advertising for your application. You must remember to process your application as you would any other product you sell. Just because a product is digital does not mean that market is not so hard.