In the discussion of IT Conversations’ business models, a few folks have expressed the sentiment that they “don’t like tip jars” and would prefer having a subscription mechanism. I’ll admit to not understanding that at all. They would be happier if they were forced to pay before they listen, and that lack of force bothers them? I can’t say I’m on board that train. How does tipping if you like and not if you don’t feel like it diminish anyone’s experience?
Kind of related, Eric Rice dropped $500 of the money he is making as a Marqui blogger in the ITC tip jar. Good god! Thanks Eric, for laundering the Marqui money to Doug!
Heh, classic. Don’t forget, that the other chunk I want to put into some podcasting efforts. Spread the word. 🙂
At this point I prefer a tip jar to subscription. I’ve tipped sites that I would not have subscribed to, and I can’t think of many that I would pony up a regular fee for, even though I think they deserve compensation.
Perhaps they see tip jar as a one time thing – and they don’t want to pay ‘that much in advance’. Like “I would pay 24$ a year – but not in one piece.
I recently noticed that paypal also offers monthly donations – you can say for x times or indefenetly till your purse is empty.
Eric, I’ve got a fund that you can donate it to. For tax purposes, just make the check out to cash and leave the envelope under my front mat.
Von, I’m with you. That’s how I feel as well.
Nicole, that may be. The people that have a problem with it seem to be on the philosophical level, like they don’t want it there at all. I don’t get it. I also didn’t know that paypal has that capability. That’s cool. In south Georgia, they had a thing with public radio where you could set up your pledge as a recurring withdrawal from the bank. To me, that was great because it meant that you got the pledge from a listener once and their default was to keep giving until they stopped it or changed accounts or something. It reduced a lot the effort of trying to get pledges coming in when a certain percentage just roll over from year to year automatically.