Hello,
I have 2 questions. I'd like to get my cross-platform desktop app crowd-funded in the first stage.
This to me means discounts, and I was thinking that I would realize that via codes that I'd effectively provide outside the Store.
By the delivery of these sales will have supposedly started via the Store as well (free trial + pro license, free for non-professional use fashion - this is to be implemented in the future and to be rolled out via an update).
I don't think MS requires to be an exclusive distributor/partner. Thought it's best to check anyway, since sales/delivery would take place over multiple channels in the above scenario, so the first question is:
Is it legitimate to build in such unlocking mechanism into the product that allows for external purchases, e.g. via my website? Especially if purchasing is being made possible - beside the unlocking codes - via Store add-ons, in parallel?
Then, if not, I might consider working around that by splitting product lines (one definitely sold via the MS Store using add-ons, a second allowing free personal licenses and free professional versions for early supporters, also in the Store). I'd also 'fork' a third version that I privately use for testing.Is it okay to have multiple versions of the same product perhaps only different in purchase mechanisms? If not, can I at least have one branch for testing?
(A classic scenario is ProductA-lite, ProductA-pro, but I'd also have a ProductA-test, privately shared.)
As a last resort, I might just create a build for my site (or another partner), operate purchases there in that way, and keep distributing at more rigid, completely customer-agnostic prices via the Store. I believe that then is fine, but please correct me if I'm wrong.
Thank you for the reply!
Regards
Janos