Web-to-app and web checkout tactics

Plug a chargeback-prevention tool in between Visa/Mastercard and the cardholder's bank. When a user tells their bank they didn't authorise a charge, the tool catches the alert and refunds right away, so no dispute is opened. Costs about $25 per refunded transaction (that user becomes negative revenue). Guest calls it mandatory for web payments; keep chargebacks under 1.5% of users or Stripe can freeze the account overnight.

Built an org promo code that does not discount the paywall price: under the paywall a link asks 'Are you part of an organization?', the user types the code, the app signals the backend, and the user gets full access. In an internal Swagger admin view, each code gets an expiration date and a cap on redemptions. Works across Android, iOS and desktop (download the DMG from the website with the code attached), and ties back into RevenueCat. Took about a month of (part-time) developer work. The founder presents on site so people redeem immediately. The host notes Apple offer codes (a year free, non-renewing, shareable link) as a cheaper stopgap if you have not built this yet.

Web (Stripe) cancel flow: ask why they're canceling, then test three save offers - discount (e.g. 30% off), pause for 3 months (students leaving for summer), and for users cancelling during a free trial 'Do you just need more time?' with 7 extra trial days. Shown in a web view in-app for Stripe subscribers; plans to bring to Apple/Google retention offers.

Used ChatGPT to make a one-page HTML site (runify.xyz) with a one-sentence pitch and rank images. Two options: pay $5 via a Stripe link to become an 'early adopter' (lifetime subscription once live) or join the email waitlist. All Reels traffic pointed there.

A/B test, half of users each: in-app purchase only vs. web checkout only. Iteration 1: paywall button sent users to the web. Iteration 2: in-app paywall with package selection (monthly/annual, via RevenueCat) and a 'Start Today' button; the tap opens Safari to a stripped-down Stripe page showing only the chosen plan, styled like Apple's in-app purchase sheet, then auto-redirects back into the app. No extra discount for paying on the web, to protect LTV. Next ideas: let users choose web or in-app, and route only high-intent placements (e.g. after the welcome class) to web.

After Facebook users arrived with no context on any coach and got lost, rebuilt activation: all non-coach traffic goes through a ~15-question web quiz (days per week working out, days lifting, training styles, equipment, location, goals) that ends with three recommended teams tied to the answers, then into the app to start the right workout quickly. Built internal tools so the founder can reorder questions and change media without engineers.

Every TikTok ad click goes to the 15-question web quiz rather than the App Store. Pixels fire on every question and answer combination, and answers that indicate a 'white-hot' user (already working out, not casual beginners, the most expensive and worst-converting lead) are used as TikTok conversion events, so the algorithm learns from early on-web signals instead of in-app events it can't see. Answers flow into Amplitude and a Google Sheet, which the founder read daily while iterating. Knows the cost per answer that is 'in the money' and what it means downstream.

Flo's user acquisition team noticed Meta ads with a narrative about enhancing your sex life gaining traction, performing well even into the existing generic funnel. Product dissected it as an unexplored user need: added a separate user goal 'enhance sex life' and enriched the web onboarding with questions tailored to it, so users clicking that ad land in a funnel that acknowledges the ad they came from and continues the narrative seamlessly.

In Flo's perimenopause web onboarding funnel (users arriving from ads promising to explain their phase), added a step to determine the user's perimenopause phase. Test 1: almost 10% drop in conversion. Test 2, after design guesses: same drop. A post-mortem segmenting the audience found the questions were hard to answer and almost 75% of users got no phase, seeing an 'Oops, sorry, we were not able to pinpoint your perimenopause phase' screen. Test 3: question rewritten with the medical team, logic slightly changed, and users who still can't be classified just go to the next section with no failure message.

Lyzr told prospects honestly that it didn't know if the AI SDR would work, but asked them to sign a 12-month contract. Lyzr worked with AWS, which has a program to fund pilots, so the first three months were paid by AWS and the remaining nine by the customer; if it worked, they converted into a paying customer. This let them show the product with no upfront cost to the buyer, booked as contracted ARR.

After the first subscription payment and before sending the user to the app, offer extra products (printable PDF workout plans, extra subscriptions, other apps' subscriptions, physical products). The saved payment token makes it one click, no card re-entry or Apple Pay confirm. Show the price clearly ('This will cost you additional $90') and label the button 'Add to my cart' or 'Purchase', not 'Continue'. Don't hide that the add-on is a subscription.

Stripe ships with renewal emails disabled; enable them and send a receipt on every charge (Paddle, FastSpring and other merchants of record can also do this). It can lower conversions for apps nobody uses, so measure it.