iOS Question about Push Notification

[Danneman101]

I've been asked to do a little app for a small restaurant that includes some sort of notification to all customers about special events (about a 100 users always gets the exact same message).

For that reason I read up on Push Notification, thinking that would be the ticket.

However, I just saw this line:

"5.6 Apps cannot use Push Notifications to send advertising, promotions, or direct marketing of any kind"

Seems Push Notifications can NOT be used for direct marketing of the type described above.

So my question is are there any other techniques that could be applied for this purpose?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[jnoxx]

Not possible, unless you send them an email with the promotion, after they registered in the app.
I know it sucks, we had some great idea's about it too, but didn't work out for said reasons.

 

[robbieduncan]

I'm pretty sure Hipstamatic have sent me a push notification about a new In-App purchase that was available...

 

[jnoxx]

Damn hipsters!

 

[Danneman101]

I got this answer on another forum:

"In your case I thinks PN is fine. Since users will download the restaurant's app you can assume the want information coming from that very restaurant, right? As long as you do not send ads for other companies to your users I do not see a problem."

What are your thoughts about that? Is it considered "Direct Marketing" to alert previous and consenting customers about special events?

 

[robbieduncan]

If you have a toggle in the app that says something like "Notify of special offers" and the user can turn it off and on I think you are probably going to be OK.

 

[Danneman101]

Yes, that sounds like a good idea.

I was thinking about setting up my own server, but considering the user is quite a technofobe and would have to be running it himself I'm starting to consider alternatives. Have you guys had any experience with either of these services:

- urbanairship.com
- parse.com

Which would you recommend, or are there better alternatives?

 

[Danneman101]

Just wanted to get back to you all with some of my experience after having tried mainly Parse.com, and I can totally recommend it. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction!