App World Deals and Promotions

On that note, what better way to convince prospective app buyers to take the plunge than to offer deals, pricing discounts and more? Why do you think your local supermarket, Wal-Mart, drug-store, whatever, constantly offers up coupons and weekly specials? Well, because people tend to purchase more goods and service if they feel as though they're getting a deal. Certain promotions can even be used to draw customers back in the future.

I think offering up "Buy Two Apps, Get One Free" promotions, or something of the like, could go a long way toward boosting App World software sales, though developers would obviously have to agree with any such discounts.

Additional Payment Options

Right now, the only way BlackBerry App World users can purchase software is through online payment service PayPal. If you don't already have a PayPal account, you need to set one up and tie a credit card to it before you can download commercial software.

PayPal Purchase Screen in BlackBerry App World

PayPal is practically a bad word in the information security world. It's the number one online payment service by a long shot. It's also the most commonly targeted online financial service by an equally significant margin. PayPal does a good job of educating its customers to the threats of phishing and identity theft related to its service--check your e-mail filter, I can practically guarantee some of them use PayPal as bait--but there's only so much it can do.

I'm not saying RIM should ditch PayPal altogether, but it should definitely offer some additional payment options, like Google Checkout, for those of use who'd rather avoid PayPal altogether.

Wider Availability

BlackBerry devices are everywhere; CrackBerry Nation spans all global boundaries. Yet App World's only available in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. I'm not going to pretend I know all the reasons why RIM only made App World available in these locales. But I do know that App World could certainly benefit from a wider global users base.

More users would have access to more software. Developers would have more eyes looking at their offerings and, potentially, more wallets opening up to pay for them. And RIM would take in more profit as a result. Everyone wins. (Shout out to @Funaki, who's in Bahrain, but would very much like to give App World a test drive.)

More Flatulence-Simulation Apps

I've been saying it since the April launch: BlackBerry App World desperately needs more flatulence-simulation applications, aka, fart apps. Right now, there are only four such apps available on App World, compared to the dozen on the iTunes App Store.

Fart apps are the foundation of any quality mobile software store, and RIM and its BlackBerry developer base would be wise to ramp up production of such offerings.

(Note: I'm being facetious here, and I think that's clear...just wanted to cover my ass--pun gloriously intended.)

AS