Developers can sell directly to customers through the store
Microsoft introduced Windows Store for Business (WSB) last year as an enterprise app store solution for businesses to install Windows apps across their corporate PCs. Things have been a little slow, but that’s about to pick up.
Effective last week, Microsoft made it easier for developers to sell their apps to IT professionals by allowing them to sell organizational licenses to companies via WSB, giving administrators the ability to acquire, manage and distribute apps faster and easier.
WSB is similar to the consumer Windows Store, with some differences. For starters, it is managed according to countries and regions to handle licensing and other local issues. Also, companies can make volume purchases, an option consumers don’t always have.
The store also allows companies to control in-app purchases, a common gimmick in apps these days, and control when updates are pushed out. The repository allows administrators to manage their collection of purchased apps by assigning, reclaiming or reassigning licenses as well.
The next step for the WSB is purchases for invoicing, volume discounts and in-app purchases.
Offline and online licenses are also an option, and every time there are changes or updates to an app, WSB will reenter the certification process, which includes customizing the individual settings for each application.
Existing apps can be validated for sale through the organizational licensing in the Dev Center, so apps already for sale can be given full support of the WSB system.
Apps can be submitted to Microsoft for consideration via the Windows Dev Center. Microsoft also wants developer feedback and experience through the Universal Windows Platform: Dev Center.
