Knitrino is a new knitting app. The founders recount their struggles getting the app approved by Apple.
Photo by Mandy Lundy.
It felt like we were ruined. Knitrino was our full-time business, created based on two years of input from hundreds of knitters. As sisters, we left our stable careers, invested our own life savings, persevered through the pandemic and major life events, and finally had a product to offer the thousands of excited knitters on our waitlist.
It was October of 2020 when Apple slammed the door on Knitrino, eliminating our ability to reach 70% of our customers. While the Google Play Store had approved Knitrino just hours after submission, Apple waited days before even taking a first look while we anxiously waited.
Apple rejected us. It was not for the reason they often publicly cite, security, but simply greed. Knitrino was designed to offer both patterns and yarns to knit them with, an industry-established business model, yet Apple knew if we sold physical goods they would lose their hefty fees. Apple was trying to force us to use their In-App Payment system to collect 30% of our small business’s potential sales to add to their billions. Yet this was inconsistent with their own policies which stated if we sold physical goods we could not use their IAP (and they could not extract these fees).
We were stunned and at the bottom of our bank account, with no recourse. Was it possible to have an exciting idea, customers who want what you’re building, and one giant company could arbitrarily say no?
Our Unravel Apple sticker – we were concerned about retaliation, so we made a sticker in case we need to raise some funds for legal fees!
The appeal process
It was only after weeks of persistence and constant written appeals paired with chance, that we finally spoke with an actual human on the cloak-and-dagger Review Board. We explained, again, that we were selling yarn kits in our store, which were physical goods, and that we were required by Apple’s policy to use an alternative payment system. After listening to us for a few minutes, he said, “When I called I thought the rejection would stand, that’s what happens 99% of the time in these cases.” But finally, Knitrino was approved, and can now be found in the Apple App Store for iPhones (and Google Play for Androids).
Why was our case the kind that gets rejected 99% of the time? Apple uses its monopoly power to extract an exorbitant fee that in a competitive market no one would pay. If Apple rejects an app, there’s no way for an iPhone customer who wants it to get it. Apple is artificially restricting the trade between the customer and the business. It’s an incredible amount of power.
Choosing to speak out
We are speaking out because we think it is the right thing to do, and because we believe, as the article “What the Microsoft Antitrust Case Taught Us” states, “keeping markets open can require a trustbuster’s courage to take decisive action even against a very popular monopolist.”
We’re taking a number of major actions for change. First, we put a target on our backs and joined the Amicus (“Friend of the Court”) Briefs written in support of Epic Games in their legal wranglings with Apple. We were one of only 4 companies to do so, and at great risk, because we were the only small business with extremely limited resources. We were also one of only 20 companies to add our name to the letter to the Senate “20 Tech CEOs Urge Senate Judiciary Committee to Pass Open App Markets Act”. Our vision is an open marketplace for apps where developers are treated fairly and customers have more choices.
It’s frightening to speak out against a company that has so much power and to be honest, it’s a little frightening to speak out to knitters because collectively we are an opinionated bunch! Our indie production was crafted with intention for knitters who want to use knitting patterns on their phones. We know not every knitter wants this. However, we believe everyone should have the ability to decide for themselves whether Knitrino is something they’d like to try or not. Apple should not be the one to decide.
We are a young company with a long roadmap full of exciting features ahead, and we are grateful for the overwhelming support we’ve received from our community to keep us going through a very difficult time. You can find out more details about our difficulties with Apple here and more about our values here.
Alison Yates and Andrea Cull
Contributors
Alison Yates is Knitrino’s CEO. Andrea Cull is the company’s Chief Knitting Officer.
Thank you for your courage. Good luck with your business. What you are doing is important. I will support your business because of it, although my knitting has ground to a halt…but maybe this will revive it.
Kathleen, that is so kind! ❤️
Way to go! It takes courage to stand up to bullying- especially if you are one of the few doing it! I am looking forward to knit into the future with you, where small crafters are not victims of extortion by behemoths of power. Keep up the good fight.
Maureen, what amazing words. Thank you so much!
Good for you! I applaud your courage to stand up to the corporate bullies. I’m employed by a woman owned craft business and there are so many ridiculous and unnecessary hurdles placed in our way. We constantly have to do some “creative” sidestepping and rethinking to bring our products to our customers. Best wishes for a successful future!
Catherine, thank you so much for your kind & supportive words! And you’re so right about the hurdles… Everything from just plain bias, to access to capitol, to this kind of thing. Best wishes to you too.
Alison
So brave. Thank you for that education. No idea that is going on.
Thinking positive thoughts for you. I would love this app.
Thanks so much Jeri!
I commend your courage and thank you for stepping up to take on Goliath. Best wishes for success with this fight and for your business.
Lin, thank you for the encouraging words!
Wow! I’m not surprised that this happened but I am angry. How horrid that two women trying to do such a fun thing for knitters had to get slapped in the face by a giant monopoly. Kudos for taking them on!! I wish you all the best and will now go check out your app. Thanks for your courage!!
Thanks so much for these words. We sure appreciate it! – Alison
Wow, that’s an awful experience and I’m so glad you persevered! And I’m sure they wouldn’t do that to a company like Uber or Lyft even though they technically don’t sell “physical goods.”
Thanks so much, Lisa!
You’d actually be surprised how much they jerk around even large companies! I have friends who’ve worked at some of them and encountered similar outrageous behavior. Because Apple has complete control over who has access to their customers and who doesn’t, they truly control the marketplace. -Alison
The irony here is how Apple always wants to promote themselves as art-friendly and the brand for creatives. Best of luck with the process – I know that other app developers have found themselves struggling to afford to offer useful apps to their customers. I agree with the anti-trust angle – there obviously needs to be a third party solution.
What a horrible experience for you, but congratulations on persevering and taking them on. I wish you all the best with your app and your business going forward.
Apple is a truly terrible company that has skated on being “the cool kid” for far too long. They seem to go out their way to maje their products counter-intuitive and hard to use, requiring their customers to be dependent on them and unable to solve problems on their own. Good cameras on their phones is about the only positive thing I can say about them. Good for you for not knuckles under to them!
Not a knitter, but the monopolistic grip that Apple has on the app market (and the arbitrary way they deal with developers) must be confronted. Thanks for standing up to Goliath. Hopefully you start action in the right direction.
Ever since you two told me about your idea, I loved it. You are right to speak out! And another reason why I’ve stuck by Android phones from the beginning waiting for their camera to improve.
Big hug to you two.
Thank you for standing up to Apple!
You are indeed courageous and I applaud what you are doing! I will be downloading your app today. Looking forward to supporting another small business!
Absolutely love this!! You go kick their butts
Goliath meet David (or in this case Allison and Andrea)! Every one SHOULD know you don’t mess with anyone who has the power to wield knitting needles! Keep fighting the good fight!
Thank you for standing your ground! Corporate greed is ruining the world. Thanks for putting a small chink in that global wall of greed!