Re: Will They Pay? (was Salon.com and taller ads)

From: John Gaskill <jg_at_info-central-usa.com>
Date: Mon 21 May 2001 11:22:53 -0500

MICHAEL MARTINEZ <Michael_at_xenite.org> WROTE:

---[long snipped excerpt placed below ==========]---

>It's a shame my admonishment moved into a context never
>intended for it. The reality, as I have pointed out
>previously, and I have provided links to online reports
>about this, is that at most only 10% of people are
>willing to pay for ANY content at all, and that the
>largest segment are only willing to pay for pornography.

A writer's intent can only be derived from what is
written, after all, we can not read your mind.

Based on what you wrote, my response and that of
Rob Frankel were appropriate. Here's why:

1.) Your primary statement was an overly broad
        generalization which was self defeating.
        There are plenty of examples of sites already
        charging for content, and plenty of reports
        of free sites successfully charging for premium
        content;

2.) With the exception of broad interest sites such
        as Yahoo or Altavista, most web publishers are
        not seeking the entire audience of web surfers.
        A few hundred, a few thousand, a few hundred
        thousand or a few million are the kinds of numbers
        being targeted. So it really does not matter that
        surveys indicate "people" are unwilling to pay.
        
>This idea that the general business community is going
>to be able to charge for content is absolute nonsense.

What is the general business community? Do you mean
online publishers of internet content? Operators of web
sites supporting their customers? Search engines?

Everywhere I turn, people operating web sites in each
of the above categories are starting to charge and getting
paid.

>It has no relevance in today's online world. The market
>is way too small.

Two problems with your statistical interpretations:
1.) Small is relative. A small publisher can get by
        with 5,000 or 10,000 subscribers who pay;

2.) People by and large do not honestly answer
        survey questions about their willingness to
        pay because they know their answers are
        used against them. Those of us who have
        used price point surveys in the past know
        that people typically understate their how
        much more they are willing to pay for a product
        or service they use and derive benefits from.

>A few people are able to charge small audiences for
>content. That's great. But the experience of the few
>is the exception, not the norm.

Unless the few experiences are part of a sea change,
which is what appears to be going on now.

Regards all,

John Gaskill
jg_at_info-central-usa.com
Beta Testers Wanted
Please sign on at: http://Info-Central-USA.com



Received on Mon May 21 2001 - 11:22:53 CDT