Comments on: When Do Online Pay Walls Work?

By: Jardinero1

Jardinero1 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:04:52 +0000

The author fails to consider pornography as an innovator in the paywall business model. They manage to get numerous users to pay. They even have the temerity to abuse those same paying customers with malware and identity theft. How do they do it? It is not unique, beautiful or authoritative.

My own experience as a business person and salesman for twenty years leads to a different conclusion of when a person is willing to pay. People will pay in one of two circumstances:

1. When they are afraid.
2. When you appeal to some inherent vice, i.e. greed, sloth, lust, et al

There is lots of online information that is unique, beautiful and authoritative; ninety nine percent free. The one percent that is paid for is better explained by fear and vice.

By: Jardinero1

Jardinero1 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:04:52 +0000

By: Jardinero1

Jardinero1 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:04:52 +0000

By: bradencox

bradencox — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:25:12 +0000

Here's a thought: if we place too much emphasis on "free" are we confining ourselves to merely average? I think it can reasonably be said that content supported by advertising tends to appeal to the general public (the masses), and this is true despite that content can be segmented to different audiences. A continuing tension with free is that the more eyeballs that can be monetized the better for the publisher, and the better for the publisher's consumers (the advertisers). It will always be the case that those with a more critical need (and the means) will pay for specialized, often better content.