OviStore - Wishlist from publishers

[vereal]

I propose to publish here all wishes to OVI team from publishers. I understand that they have limited resources, but perhaps our precise remarks collected in one place will facilitate their work, and somehow affect their work plans.

Publishers! Please, add your wishes maximum definitely and objectively to avoid topic cluttering.
You can also give a reference to this topic when dealing with PublishToOvi.Support@nokia.com.
OVI team! Please, give us at least some feedback! We wouldn't be so worried if there would be some info from you.

[vereal]

Dear OVI team.
Pay your attention to these publishers problems:

1) Huge time for QA and re-waiting for the slightest changes in content.
I understand this is due to the large influx of content, and a small staff. But this is still our biggest headache. The worst thing is uncertainty. As a temporary solution, I propose to publish, for example on the forum, your plans for QA, in the form of common lists with the numbers of content (http://store.ovi.com/content/#####) and approximate dates. Or add at the Publisher's content page (https://publish.ovi.com/content_items/list) displaying the content current serial number in the QA queue. And once in a day, publish the last reviewed number.
For example:
QA Overview
Item: Pending (№10 001, Last reviewed yesterday №9001)
Thus, publishers can expect at least some terms.

2) Bugs after publishing, when app is not shown in the list and search results. Possible to view content only by knowing the exact address. Naturally, this excludes the possibility of downloads.

3) Inability to simultaneously display Full and Lite versions of the same app, with same name. It happens if the beginning of both titles are identical, such as [name] and [name Lite]

4) A huge number of blog-apps, among which are lost indeed desired application. It would be logical to create a separate category for blogs, to do not clog the other categories.

[RomanAge]

I don't get number 3), Full and Lite versions do have a different name, if only for the extra word "Lite" (or "Demo" or something). If you go to the publisher's page listing all applications, don't you see them all? This page is not created by a search result, and from my experience this works fine.

Now for Problem 2) with the search result, definitely it has to be fixed once and for good.

[vereal]

3) I have not experienced this yet, because Lite version is still "Pending". But there's no smoke without fire. Your post? And here

[fp_david]

1.The ' Related' tab should show apps with similar keyword metadata and what other people who downloaded the app also downloaded (e.g if I go onto a page for a football game, I should see other football games and apps under the related tab, not a general list of the top 12 sport games.) Otherwise it becomes hard for new apps to get noticed and labelling the tab ‘related’ becomes misleading.
2.If I update the distribution list for an app, there’s no need to put the app through the entire QA process from scratch, then resign the sis file. Similarly, if I change the price (and nothing else) it seems stupid for QA to then e-mail me letting me know that the support website contains no support information when they had no problem with this the last five times they approved the meta data! QA should be told what’s changed since the app was last put through QA and only check the changes.
3.Faster QA (or a way to prioritise an app, for example if you want to replace one of your apps with an important update there should be a fast track system rather than having to wait a month. Maybe you could limit the number of apps publisher can submit through the fast track system to stop people abusing it)
4. I’ve had two apps in the last few months put onto the store that weren’t signed properly (done through Nokia’s free signing of apps) Before an app is uploaded to the store, could QA test it on a phone to check that it’s been signed correctly.
5. Just as OVI have blogs for normal users, a developer and publisher blog would be useful where they respond to common problems, provide information about known bugs and tell us when fixes for them are expected.

[xlazom00]

3) I have not experienced this yet, because Lite version is still "Pending". But there's no smoke without fire. Your post? And here

This problem really exist but it is related to description
If you have same description for lite and full version, search engine don't handle both applications
But I don't know if it is still actual, It was 5 months ago.
You can simple add some text at the begginng of description one of app and it solve problem

[xlazom00]

1.The ' Related' tab should show apps with similar keyword metadata and what other people who downloaded the app also downloaded (e.g if I go onto a page for a football game, I should see other football games and apps under the related tab, not a general list of the top 12 sport games.) Otherwise it becomes hard for new apps to get noticed and labelling the tab ‘related’ becomes misleading.
2.If I update the distribution list for an app, there’s no need to put the app through the entire QA process from scratch, then resign the sis file. Similarly, if I change the price (and nothing else) it seems stupid for QA to then e-mail me letting me know that the support website contains no support information when they had no problem with this the last five times they approved the meta data! QA should be told what’s changed since the app was last put through QA and only check the changes.
3.Faster QA (or a way to prioritise an app, for example if you want to replace one of your apps with an important update there should be a fast track system rather than having to wait a month. Maybe you could limit the number of apps publisher can submit through the fast track system to stop people abusing it)
4. I’ve had two apps in the last few months put onto the store that weren’t signed properly (done through Nokia’s free signing of apps) Before an app is uploaded to the store, could QA test it on a phone to check that it’s been signed correctly.
5. Just as OVI have blogs for normal users, a developer and publisher blog would be useful where they respond to common problems, provide information about known bugs and tell us when fixes for them are expected.

#4 is not cool NOKIA, there is no problem to check and sign it with software. I know that people in India and china is low cost work but lets make it software for you guys
#3 is really big problem. And it's really big problem if I send you a email and day after my application pass QA. wow. How is this possible ? Do you really need email every time somebody submit application to ovi store?
#2 support web site - why?? Users can't get to support site any way on ovi store. If I change price tag It took 2 weeks to submit this change wth ?

[shaii]

My Wish-list in descending order of importance in my view:

1. allow publishers promo codes of games/apps like other stores, i think this will allow alot of growth on independent review sites/blogs just like apple app store has HUGE number of those sites which contributes to its overall traffic and would allow publishers to have their games/apps to get reviewed easier (demo versions are just not the same).
2. better organize/structure the submission/update process so that if i'll want to change price point it wont even have to go throw QA (like in apple app store) or allow to publish foreign language for instance world wide regardless of country (why cant i just pick the language and thats it? if a spanish resident for instance live in USA, which many there do, why cant i give him my already localized game in spanish and i must force him to download it in english - btw Ovi team has already said this is something that should happen but i heard this over 3 months ago already).
3. SHOW THE EMAIL OF PUBLISHER SUPPORT TO THE USER IN THE OVI APP OR ON THE SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have an email from Ovi over almost 6 months ago saying this field is now mandatory bla bla because it will be shown in the next Ovi release you all received this email, what the hell happen???? why has this fallen between the chairs????
4. its a 2 issues which i think are related.
a. notify the user of updates to apps/games he has downloaded and let him update.
b. 0 errors on users download / installation i am getting really sick and tired of 1 stars comments "DONT DOWNLOAD FAILED INSTALL I WANT MY MONEY BACK OVI" (this goes back also to SHOW MY EMAIL SUPPORT TO THE USER) if its a signature/wrong date on phone issue then tell the user IM SURE you can check the phone date in the Ovi App and give the user warning this app/game will not install until you correct your phone date or ask him if you want to auto correct it now, you can do the same on browser im sure, the same goes for any others errors that could pop-up.
5. more categories for Apps (mainly apps and not so much games) and also do a once over and re-arrange them properly because some publishers clearly stick their Apps in the wrong section (i saw a 3d dating app on Business section WTF?) add another category of "blogs" i think and move all the blogs apps there because the are filling the business category and really have nothing to do with business.

i have more but i figured 5 is enough for now ( if you really want more then... in-app purchase, better discoverability of closely related content etc)

[ivanlitovski]

1. Up-to-date accurate financial data in the reports section. At the moment we are getting deliberately inaccurate "guesstimates" delayed by 8 days.
2. Regular payments - they are pretty random right now. Some months I don't receive payments at all.
3. Payments in full at the end of each month : Judging from the number of items sold and estimated revenue I have received a bit over half the money.
4. Some way to interact with end users - we should be able to offer support or respond to app comments
4.1 This too: http://discussion.forum.nokia.com/fo...ailed-download
5. Sort out installation via Ovi app - I am sick of users leaving bad feedback comments because Ovi app fails to download or install.
6. Newline should be allowed in app description field
7. Links should be allowed in app description field
8. Qt app workaround means that my app has been "cloned" for different devices. This has two side effects a) it's ranking in best sellers is lower, b) since there are two content items, reviews from one don't show on the other's page
9. QA could be faster, but this is not a big deal for me because eventually, QA does happen.

[Sasler]

OK, here is some of the things that I agree with and feel are important in descenting order:

1) Huge time for QA and re-waiting for the slightest changes in content.
I understand this is due to the large influx of content, and a small staff. But this is still our biggest headache. The worst thing is uncertainty. As a temporary solution, I propose to publish, for example on the forum, your plans for QA, in the form of common lists with the numbers of content (http://store.ovi.com/content/#####) and approximate dates. Or add at the Publisher's content page (https://publish.ovi.com/content_items/list) displaying the content current serial number in the QA queue. And once in a day, publish the last reviewed number.
For example:
QA Overview
Item: Pending (№10 001, Last reviewed yesterday №9001)
Thus, publishers can expect at least some terms.

1.The ' Related' tab should show apps with similar keyword metadata and what other people who downloaded the app also downloaded (e.g if I go onto a page for a football game, I should see other football games and apps under the related tab, not a general list of the top 12 sport games.) Otherwise it becomes hard for new apps to get noticed and labelling the tab ‘related’ becomes misleading.

4) A huge number of blog-apps, among which are lost indeed desired application. It would be logical to create a separate category for blogs, to do not clog the other categories.

4. I’ve had two apps in the last few months put onto the store that weren’t signed properly (done through Nokia’s free signing of apps) Before an app is uploaded to the store, could QA test it on a phone to check that it’s been signed correctly.

4. its a 2 issues which i think are related.
a. notify the user of updates to apps/games he has downloaded and let him update.
b. 0 errors on users download / installation i am getting really sick and tired of 1 stars comments "DONT DOWNLOAD FAILED INSTALL I WANT MY MONEY BACK OVI" (this goes back also to SHOW MY EMAIL SUPPORT TO THE USER) if its a signature/wrong date on phone issue then tell the user IM SURE you can check the phone date in the Ovi App and give the user warning this app/game will not install until you correct your phone date or ask him if you want to auto correct it now, you can do the same on browser im sure, the same goes for any others errors that could pop-up.

3. SHOW THE EMAIL OF PUBLISHER SUPPORT TO THE USER IN THE OVI APP OR ON THE SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have an email from Ovi over almost 6 months ago saying this field is now mandatory bla bla because it will be shown in the next Ovi release you all received this email, what the hell happen???? why has this fallen between the chairs????

1. allow publishers promo codes of games/apps like other stores, i think this will allow alot of growth on independent review sites/blogs just like apple app store has HUGE number of those sites which contributes to its overall traffic and would allow publishers to have their games/apps to get reviewed easier (demo versions are just not the same).

[ivanlitovski]

1. Up-to-date accurate financial data in the reports section. At the moment we are getting deliberately inaccurate "guesstimates" delayed by 8 days.
2. Regular payments - they are pretty random right now. Some months I don't receive payments at all.
3. Payments in full at the end of each month : Judging from the number of items sold and estimated revenue I have received a bit over half the money.
4. Some way to interact with end users - we should be able to offer support or respond to app comments
4.1 This too: http://discussion.forum.nokia.com/fo...ailed-download
5. Sort out installation via Ovi app - I am sick of users leaving bad feedback comments because Ovi app fails to download or install.
6. Newline should be allowed in app description field
7. Links should be allowed in app description field
8. Qt app workaround means that my app has been "cloned" for different devices. This has two side effects a) it's ranking in best sellers is lower, b) since there are two content items, reviews from one don't show on the other's page
9. QA could be faster, but this is not a big deal for me because eventually, QA does happen.

Ah forgot this one:

10. Protecting against piracy - sort out DRM or implement something to this end

[Sasler]

I forgot the following:

8. Qt app workaround means that my app has been "cloned" for different devices. This has two side effects a) it's ranking in best sellers is lower, b) since there are two content items, reviews from one don't show on the other's page

4. Some way to interact with end users - we should be able to offer support or respond to app comments

7. Links should be allowed in app description field.

[Sasler]

Oh, one more thing (for now ), if an end user gets an installation or download error, this information should got automatically to Ovi Team to check the issue and they could contact the publisher if there is a real issue.

[Jon Heron]

DITTO!
Also;
1) Better communication for the publisher. Example: If there are delays and the QA is overloaded how about a message in the publish tool or a publisher alert simply stating "QA is currently overloaded, expect delays" or "The publish tool is currently not working" or "The report tool is currently not working" etc, etc..
Better communication == happier publishers.
Jon

[xlazom00]

Oh, one more thing (for now ), if an end user gets an installation or download error, this information should got automatically to Ovi Team to check the issue and they could contact the publisher if there is a real issue.

This problem is related to download problem,
I think that WRT application(OVI store application) is not right application concept.
It not handle disconnection and resume process is really strength.
High school kinds can make better app than current ovi store WRT shit app.

My wish
1.Whole new ovi store app. WRT is not right framework for this kind of app.