[withinboredom]

No they don’t. Physical stores pay volume rates to the manufacturers. They own the inventory and resell it at a markup or a loss. The app stores do something totally different. They allow “manufacturers” to list the item directly to the consumer and charge 30% in money transmission (legal term) fees. They are basically offering the same service (and licenses) as Western Union (or stripe connect), just on a larger scale and more integrated.

Whether they are actually legally set up that way (or not) I don’t know. I did go down this rabbit hole 10-15 years ago to do something similar with a lawyer.

What could be interesting is if some states/countries have limits on the fees a money transmitter can charge and an app company sued for them operating illegally.

[judge2020]

From a consumer POV it's the same as physical stores, regardless of how they acquire the product. Walmart has an average 32% markup and Target 46%[0]. Is target now liable for anything they vend to you that does something malicious?

0: https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/investor-blog-... (the original marketwatch article is unavailable).

[dragonwriter]

> Is target now liable for anything they vend to you that does something malicious?

Yes, or even just defective. Chain of commerce product liability is well established.