In-App Purchases
Currently, Union restricts in-app purchases to In-Person only. Both Apple and Google requires a 30% commission from all digital products (including Livestreams and Replays), but In-person/physical products are exempt from this. Every client that we have spoken to does not want to lose 30% of revenue or markup their prices by 30%, so we have disabled this in the app.
There was a window during COVID that allowed this, but Apple tightened enforcement on 6/26/22 for all future new apps and app revisions.
If your students are looking to register for a virtual class and do not have an existing pass type while using the Union app, they will be able to do so from any browser (i.e. Safari or Chrome). Once they have purchased the pass, they can choose to continue to book from the preferred browser or when using the app!
What this means on the Union app
If you have passes that allow In-Person Only registrations, your students should be able to purchase a new pass to register.
If your customers already obtain a subscription or pass that allows both virtual and in-person registration types, these customers are able to register for any class using the Union app with their existing pass or membership.
When a pass, subscription, payment plan, or ticket is created in your Union org, an admin has the ability to choose what registration types it allows. For instance, In-Person, Livestream, Replay, etc. If a pass holds the option for ANY virtual registration types, Union must block these options from the checkout flow in the app. This is why some pass options will not show in the checkout flow when using the app.
The Union app will show a blue banner letting your customers know that certain items are not available (see image below). Some common examples of pricing options that are missing could be your subscriptions. These will not be visible because most subscriptions offer both in-person and virtual registration types. However, if a customer is using a browser (laptop or phone), they will see all the options during checkout.
The reason we show the option to register for a livestream in the app is because if a customer holds an active pass or subscription, they have the ability to register with their existing pass type. So while it may seem irrelevant to have the "register for livestream" or "play video" currently available on the Union app, if a student previously purchased a pass type from their browser, the app allows them to quickly move through the registration flow or access the video content.
Due to Apple's requirements for apps (including 30% commission for using Apple pay), Union did not want to assume clients would feel comfortable making the business choice to add an additional 30% fee to accommodate in-app purchases. Both options are undesirable: force clients to pay 30% more, or reduce revenue by 30%.
Another option is guiding customers to add your Union website as a shortcut to their mobile or tablet device! This will keep customers signed in and be located directly on their home screen for snappy access to your site. It appears to be an app (bypassing going into their browser, searching for Union, etc) but gives them freedom to see all pricing options that fits their needs best. To learn more, visit Create a Shortcut on your Home Screen. Feel free to pass this along to your customers too!