Apple introduces ‘Win-Back Offers’ in App Store, allowing developers to encourage customers to re-subscribe

Apple on Tuesday announced support for a new App Store feature that will allow developers to encourage former app users to re-sign up for a paid subscription. These so-called “win-back offers” will allow app developers to offer discounts to previous users to convince them to purchase a subscription. These offers will be available as part of auto-renewal plans, according to Apple. App developers have already started showing these offers to customers who recently canceled their subscriptions.

According to details shared on the Apple Developer site, the new “win-back offers” feature is intended to allow developers to target users who are no longer subscribers to their app services. Apple says that former customers can be shown a special offer that can encourage them to pay for a new subscription.

According to Apple, these offers will only be available for auto-renewing subscriptions. An example of such a win-back offer is the ability to offer users the option to pay $9.99 for a six-month subscription, and then a yearly subscription for $39.99, which will automatically renew after the promotional period.

Developers will be able to set up these offers via App Store Connect, and Apple says it will let you define the criteria for eligibility, the type of discount offered, and the availability of these promotions in specific regions.

Once a win-back offer is set up, customers can see a prompt to purchase a subscription at a discounted price in the app or game, through the App Store product page, or through the subscription settings. Developers can also set up a direct link that can be sent to customers via email or message.

Apple’s developer documentation states that customers will see the win-back offers “this fall,” but it appears they’re already available to some users. A Gadgets 360 employee was shown a win-back offer from the Gentler Streak app with the message “what if you stayed?”, prompting him to re-subscribe to an ongoing but canceled annual plan for Rs 899 instead of the usual price of Rs 1,499.