英国一项调查显示，在Google Android Market上，有超过50%用户在付费购买并下载应用程序后的48个小时之内选择退款。而该调查同时显示，同样的应用在Apple App Store上，这一比例仅为5%。为此我们不得不承认，这一数字悬殊差别巨大。开发者们认为，造成这一差别的主要原因是因为Google对Android Market的退款政策导致用户选择退款太容易。

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在很多情况下，用户下载了某一付费应用，并在长达48小时的试用中，获取了自己想从该应用中得到的大部分有用信息，然后选择放弃付款。 据悉，开发者在进入Android Market之前需要与Google签订一项协议，其中一条关于试用与退款的协议大意如下：如果应用是可以预览的，比如铃声，壁纸等，用户在购买后是不能退款的。但如果应用是不可以预览的，用户购买后在48小时内可以选择全额退款。 这一项协议于2009年11月生效。Google此举旨在保护用户的利益，但却给开发商带来不少困扰。

调查人员拜访了英国各地的Android应用开发者，他们对Google的做法却又不同看法。“如果一个应用包含了大量对用户由于的关键信息，且用户在 48小时的试用期便能方便的获取这些信息，那么这项措施将无助于保护那些投入了大量金钱和人力来开发应用的开发者。”“该用户保护了消费者的利益，同时为开发者创造更多优质的应用提供了一点小小动力。”“Google需要认真的研究一下Android Market的退款政策对开发者的影响，而不是这么草率的就下结论。Google必须让用户在选择退款时，就为何要退款给予开发者一些信息反馈。而不是让用户无理由退款” 开来开发者对Google的做法也是褒贬不一，有的认为Google的做法有助于激励开发者开发更多优秀的应用，因为用户的退款会使他们反思应用存在的问题并加以改进。

但更多的开发者却对Google的做法表示不满，对于开发者来说，最大的问题在于用户选择退款时，他们缺乏一个信息反馈——很多开发者都不知道他们的应用为何被退款，因此开发者也无法由此对应用做出改进。Google的这种做法，是否会吓跑那些为Android提供应用的新的开发者我们尚不能肯定。但，我们可以肯定的是，Google在未来需要就Android Market的退款反馈做更深入的研究了。因为，如果Google不对此做出改变，Apple可以继续声称他们的Apple Store存在在一个相比更加安全的交易环境中。

A major brand in the UK has informed us  that over 50% of its apps downloaded on the Android Market are refunded within 48 hours of the initial apps download.

This compared to 5% on Apples  store for the same product. It is a pretty staggering difference in the amount of customers returning the products.

App developers are attributing the returns to the all too easy aspect of the Google refund policy, as many users will download a full priced app (many of which will feature valuable information) and will use the product for up to 48 hours then return the App via the Android market.

In many cases customers can get important information from the Apps and can then discard them with no payment going to the developer for the information given.

We contacted one of the larger App Development companies in the UK  regarding the issues  around the Google refund policy:

“Where an App contains key information for the end user, this returns policy does nothing to protect the developer who has invested considerable time and money compiling valuable content for the end users benefit”

“Whilst the policy protects the consumer it offers little incentive to a developer to create apps that hold specialist knowledge, which can effectively be taken advantage of and offered for free”

“Google needs to take a serious look at the App downloading and how the returns policy is affecting developers, some barriers need to be placed for customers to refund and give feedback on why the product is being refunded”

One of the biggest issues developers are experiencing is the lack of feedback that the Refund policy is offering customers, as no reasoning at all for a refund is taken developers finds it hard to get clear view on issues, improvements or basic reasoning for the return.

Will this sort of practice scare away prospective or first time developers from providing new and innovative content for android handsets, we are unsure but we do know that Google and Android will need to seriously look into its feedback system for the future.

Apple can continue to claim that their store is a safer trading environment if Google does not tighten up its refund policy. (source:gamelook/gadgethelpline)