AppRebates isn't the first rebate system for iPhone - we've previously written about iPhoneGameRebate - and the similar advertising pay-for-download model has been successfully in operation for years.
Yet the emergence of such exotic promotional tools, especially those with the potential to create community, demonstrates the ways in which developers are experimenting in order to drive app discovery.
Paid for reviews
AppRebates is fairly straightforward in terms of its operation. Developers of apps and games - currently five apps and one game are available - sign up for the promotion via its website.
Registered users are then encouraged to buy the content in question. If they do so, they have 48 hours to play and write a review - good or bad, it doesn't matter.
Having provided AppRebates with their iTunes reviewer name, it will then automatically recognise a review's been written and repay them the original purchase fee.
Money motivation
There's also the option to incentivise downloads by offering a further bonus; something the Can We Technology Company, the developer of AppRebates-promoted shoot em up Goku Flight have done.
It currently offers a 50c bonus on top of the $1.99 rebate price.
Of course, this sort of promotion is fairly cheap - or at least predictably expensive - for developers, who get to drive downloads and gain reviews and chart position at the cost of repaying users the 30 percent mark up that Apple takes from every App Store purchase.
Users are refunded their money within AppRebates, which they can withdraw via PayPal or an iTunes gift card ($15 minimum).
You can find out more at AppRebates.
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Contributing Editor
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.
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