Since the iTunes App store launched, many developers have been wondering exactly how app store rank relates to actual sales. I haven\’t seen anyone release this data as of yet, and while mine is incomplete, it can give you a glimpse into how ranking translates to units sold.
Our application, iFart Mobile (app store link) , was finally released last week, alongside other novelty apps that had been rejected or placed \”in review.\”
There are several variables that affect the margin of error on this data.
Is the app paid or free? In this case, the app is paid.
How much is the app? It is far more impactful if a highly ranked app costs $9.99 versus a .99 app. In this case, our app is .99.
Another variable is the category selected. Games has become the most popular category, so it is more difficult to break into the top 100 with a game than it is with an entertainment app. As of this writing, iFart Mobile is #3 in entertainment and #15 overall. The #2 entertainment app is iBeer, which is enjoying an overall ranking of #9.
Here are the results from the data we have gathered over the past week. Your mileage may vary. The number of units sold per day is approximated. Apple doesn\’t give totals in the daily reports. The units sold are broken down by country, so I didn\’t hand count the countries where one or two units was sold.
Sales and App Store Rank for iFart Mobile (official site link)
Date – Units/Day – Rankings
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
I would expect more data to be forthcoming from other developers as we seek to share information which can help us all.
Are the number of sales as high as you would expect for a #15 ranking or would you expect them to be lower? I\’m interested in your comments.
Oh, and here\’s a bonus. Check out the fun parody/promo video we created below…