Hi guys!
I’m new to developing watch faces and there are many things I’m still trying to understand. For instance, how did we reach a point where a $2 price tag is considered expensive for an app? We’re talking about a one-time purchase, with no ads or subscription fees, for an app used on a luxury device that costs several hundred dollars.
About ten years ago, when I was using an iPhone, it was normal to find fun apps priced between $3 to $10. Now, the Play Store seems dominated by buy-one-get-one-free deals and apps priced under a dollar.
I’m curious about how other experienced watch face developers plan their monetization strategies. Have you experimented with different pricing tiers in various regions? Have you found an optimal price point that maximizes conversions for your products? Let’s discuss this! 
I haven’t been selling mine for not too long now but have been making faces for years on the various apps/platforms out there. It seems to me that the market is totally saturated now with lots of very good designers/developers. I just look at this as a little side-hustle but I am in competition with many who refer to themselves as “we” ,where as for myself it’s just “me”. The bigger guys have an established presence and customer base and can command more, and even take liberties in my opinion with their loyal customer bases. Some of the strategies they employ probably piss many people off too with having to download companion Apps, etc etc. There’s also the fact that everyone is promoting their stuff in the same social media spheres and advertising to the same people who to be honest, are looking for free faces or coupons. Platforms are closing their doors (Facer) to any new people or making it very hard to sell such as Google’s new demand for new developers to test their watches with 20 testers for 2 weeks, etc (or whatever it is). I feel the only way I can make any impact personally is to try to make really good faces and sell them for peanuts just to build up my brand. That is my current monetization strategy. Thankfully, I really enjoy doing it and I am thankful that I have managed to have any chance to actually sell my faces. I am still a firm believer in just trying to put out good stuff and being rewarded for it eventually.
I also know I need to consider paying to play in the Google arena to get more traction. These are things I just don’t know enough about yet and I don’t expect many here to share their marketing/pricing strategies as everyone here holds their cards pretty close to their chests. 
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Thank you for sharing your experience. I don’t agree with the idea that the market is saturated, as I believe there’s still an opportunity to stand out in certain styles. However, I do agree that gaining exposure is challenging these days. The Play Store isn’t very supportive. For instance, I’ve released 9 watch faces and never made it into the “new” section of the store or any other featured section, such as analog, digital, or sport. This lack of transparency from Google is frustrating.
As for ads, I’m also not an expert. I have a campaign running in a couple of countries, but it struggles to achieve more than 1-3 installs per day without exceeding the budget. Again, with prices under a dollar, there’s simply no room for a marketing budget…
I am not certain but I don’t think Google is in the business of promoting or “upping” anyones faces or Apps for nothing. That is something you gotta pay for. Again, I am learning as I go and certainly not an expert either. I am only promoting on Facebook watch face groups and Instagram currently. I have yet to figure out some place that may be adjacent but relevant to smart watch faces that I can promote. As I said earlier, I highly doubt that many here are going to say anything regarding this.
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No, you can’t pay Google for promotion directly. You can run ads on the Play Store, but that’s about it. Everything else is free and up to the Play Store editors to decide what to feature and when.
Yeah, you’re right. It seems like this forum is only for technical issues discussion. As for the spiking sales, it might be social media mentions. One of my watch faces was mentioned in an article and a video on one of the larger Android-related media websites, and it got me really good sales for about 3-4 days. I stumbled on the video itself absolutely accidentally. If not, I wouldn’t have had any idea why the face became so popular. Built-in analytic tools are not as great at identifying the sources of traffic.
Sorry I do not come here quite as often as I should . I actually agree that the Market is saturated with all the Making Platforms there are . However for me I feel there is room for Unique work rather than making the same sort of thing that everyone else makes. There is a Company of makers on Facer that charge 4 times more than everyone else and the feeling there is that they are taking the Piss. Interestingly thier work on The Google Store is the same price as others . I suppose the price has settled down at the optimum for the Market. " If I like the Watch , I buy the watch and get my Snotty Nose off the Window ". 
BTW . I have work Published but do not do it myself . I am to Old for that .
Its a fact that market is really saturated . I made lot of watch faces but never try to sell bcz 20 tester issues . I think the google Play store not take any interest in this work …even Google and watch manufactures also not pramote our work …
Interesting. Could you share a link to those works that are four times more expensive?
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Sorry to be Absent . Not sure if I am allowed to post a link here . Here we Go .
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Interesting, I’m wondering if it’s selling well. Yesterday, I received a comment that my watch face is great, but not worth $1.99. This made me wonder what the fair price is for a one-time purchase, no subscriptions, and no ads product 
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Yeah stick to your original price . The number of sales you have is a clue . If in your opinion it is a nice Face you want people to buy it who think it is worth . I see prices .49 cents and .99 cents . If you get no sales drop the price but don’t give in . Let us see the face and we will give you an Opinion I am sure .
I don’t have many watch faces yet, but you can check them out on my website: https://timeflieswatchfaces.com/
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Yeah . Nice Work . Worth the money if they have Complications .
