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How can I generate a promotional code for my iPhone app?

I've finally gotten my iPhone application published by Apple and it now appears in the iTunes App Store. Super cool. Now, however, I have a few people asking for "promo codes" rather than actually wanting to pay for the app. Since they might offer me some great visibility, I am fine with sending those codes, but don't know how. Help!


Dave's Answer:

Behind the scenes for iPhone app developers is the Apple backend system called "iTunes Connect". It's another world that most people never see, but app developers get to become pretty intimate with it as this is where you create the certificates you need, upload code, fill in all the information that becomes your entry in the App Store, screen captures, and on and on.

As Apple describes it, "iTunes Connect provides tools to help manage your content in the iTunes Store."

Now, let's suppose you've logged in to your account and are looking at the main screen. There are a bunch of options there, and you probably gravitate automatically to the "Sales/Trend Reports" link, but look a bit further down.

See it?

There's a link called "Request Promotional Codes". That's what you want:

itunes connect request promotional promo code

Click on it and you'll be asked how many codes you want to generate:

itunes connect request promotional promo codes 2

I'm going to just produce one, so that's what I enter (notice that you have a max of 50 for each version of each app), then click "Continue".

Now you'll be presented with the "APP STORE VOLUME CUSTOM CODE AGREEMENT". Read it (or skim it, or skip it, whatever) and choose "I have read and agree to this contract" and click "Continue" again.

itunes connect request promotional promo codes 3

That's it. Click on "Download" and you'll get a small text file that contains the specific code you want to send the other party. Once you've done that, if you want to help them learn how to apply a download promo code to get an otherwise pay app from the App Store, check out: How to Redeem a Promotional Code in the iPhone App Store.

Good luck!


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Categorized: Business and Management , iPhone and Cell Phone Help   (Article 9198, Written by )
Tagged: app store, apple iphone 3gs, iphone app, itunes, marketing
Previous: iTunes U - Pushing the Envelope of Education
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Reader Comments To Date: 6

influx-z said, on April 28, 2010 9:24 AM:

I do have a comment:

I'm a dev.

Ok thanks, I did already know the mechanism to generate the codes! Nice article though.

How can I ask for more promocodes (just finished the 50 for this update) without to update the application !!!

I need it desperately, I have magazines asking for promocodes and I have finished them !

Please help!

Dave Taylor said, on April 28, 2010 4:55 PM:

influx-z the 50 is a hard limit, from what I understand. Then again, you can fix a "typo" on a help screen and have a new version of the app, resetting things to 0 again, right? :-)

Now, what's your app that it's so popular?

sally thacker said, on February 2, 2011 4:21 PM:

Hi there,
I have a promo code from an app developer, but do not know how to get the app and use the code, can you help me?

Thank you in anticipation!
Regards
Sally

Dave Taylor said, on February 2, 2011 10:04 PM:

Sally, you use the promotional code within iTunes. Check this article out:

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_to_redeem_itunes_app_store_promo_code.html

Amol said, on March 3, 2012 12:20 AM:

i have a question my app not live yet i put next month date so, can i get the promo code???

if not so,what exactly process to get promo code??

Tom said, on June 29, 2012 5:44 AM:

Hi Dave, that hard limit of 50. . . do you know if Apple will sell redeem codes in batches for marketing purposes? Apple seem to be doing this for some companies. . . like the free download of a couple of songs I get with my starbucks on the weekend.

Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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