Selling ePub by Subscriptions

28 January 2013

Announcement, AZARDI, AZARDI:Content Fulfilment, ePub3, Bookstores, Subscriptions

We are updating the implementation of subscriptions in AZARDI:Content Fulfilment and we were taking a pretty standard approach. We are addressing duration subscriptions for trade, academic; and most importantly securely delivered education content with either duration or course-date subscriptions.

We are updating the implementation of subscriptions in AZARDI:Content Fulfilment and we were taking a pretty standard approach.

We are addressing duration subscriptions for trade, academic; and most importantly securely delivered education content with either duration or course-date subscriptions.

Subscription Types

AZARDI:Content Fulfilment currently has two types of subscriptions:

Defined Duration Subscriptions (DDS)

With a Duration subscription the subscription period is set by the publisher (30, 60, 90 days, etc.) with a different price for each subscription option. The subscription period starts from the date of purchase and expires after the duration is complete. The subscription engine calculates the expiry date as the purchase date + the duration + 1 day to allow for the fact the world does go round.

Assuming the publisher is offering all five AZARDI platform delivery options, with purchase and four subscription offers that is a heady 25 purchase options for the user. \

Dang! It used to be so easy to buy a book!

Date Locked Subscriptions (DLS)

In this subscription options the start and end date of the subscription duration is set by the publisher. This is required for fixed courses which start and end on definite calendar dates. A user can sign up before the start date, or while the course is running, but all subscriptions start on the same date  and expire on the same end-date. So there!

...and a new idea for 2013

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I was lucky enough to trip over this article on DigitalBookWorld by Brett Sandusky Bootstrap: The Modular Subscription. That made the thinking-cap go on. The magic line was:

"What do I mean by this? Well, it’s simple: let people subscribe to only what they want. Do not force customers to pay for something they don’t want or need."

What if we had customer defined subscription durations? In this model instead of the publisher setting 30, 90, 180 days etc. the customer can CHOOSE the number of days or weeks (depending on the type of content) that they need. The price is micro-calculated accordingly. This was very exciting, and simplified the interface a lot.

This is not required for all types of content but the flexibility for the end user is at least an interesting business model for many types of content. To make this work there are a number of variables that have to be handled.

So we are now introducing (TaDa)... ... ... (Yes! THREE ellipsises!)

Consumer Choice Subscriptions (CCS)

Consumer Choice Subscriptions gives the ability to select a subscription period that matches their content engagement duration requirement. Examples would be travel books, reference information for research, academic articles, and too many more to mention. CCS also acts as a preview and lending model with per book variable pricing.

The Mechanics

This is how it works. The publisher sets the ground rules. This may be a somewhat difficult challenge for many publishing marketing executives.

The options and computation rules have to be established by the publisher. It means the publisher has to do some thinking, and a little arithmetic. But the result is a relatively simple interface for the user.

Set Min Price. This is the price for the minimum subscription period. This should not be zero or linear but represent the value for minimum period access for the content.

Set Max Price. Typically this would be the standard market value of the resource, but may be modified down to accommodate the fact the is no permanent access to the package.

Set User Choice Increment. We are currently allowing days or weeks as the default subscription increment. This is defined by the publisher.

Set Maximum increments. Typically this could be 365 days, or 12 week to match the increment type. It seems pointless to sell subscriptions over 12 months. Just buy the book will ya!

Minimum Period. Some content just doesn't make sense for one day. For example the publisher can set 7 days or 4 weeks as the minimum period. The base price is applied to the minimum period. The minimum period can be 0.

Default Offer. This is what comes up on the interface in the bookstore when the purchase options are opened.

The bookstore interface for this ends up being simpler than the pre-defined period model.

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Real(ish) World Example

So here is an example. John Smith needs access to The Journal of All Wisdom for a short period to research phase 2 of his Ph.D on How Everything Happens: Except When it Doesn't.

The Print price of The Journal of All Wisdom edition he needs is an outrageous $75.00. He goes to the site and sees that he can subscribe for just the required three week research period.

The base price is $15.00. He clicks 3 Weeks and the price modestly climbs to $23.75.

Fantastic. Didn't have to pay $75 and got just the needed articles to finish the masterpiece. The publisher's cash register rang,  John was happy and told all his friends about how he was able to buy access to two more Journals AND have enough left over for an incredibly over-priced Starbucks.

Summary

AZARDI:Content Fulfilment allows publishers to sell their content directly to consumers with more flexibility and options than any other solution. It breaks the reading device locked silo model and empowers publishers to explore and implement real new business strategies where appropriate.

ACF is particularly appropriate for developing and language specific markets where other systems are too rigid or too costly. 

AZARDI uses the concept of Rights Agreement Filters to manage subscriptions (rather than calling it by the despised DRM term). With a rights agreement both parties are aware of the offer terms and conditions before purchase. The transaction creates an agreement and the ACF Offers, Agreements and Rights module generates, tracks and enforces that agreement. 

Using AZARDI:Content Fulfilment publishers have the tools to implement highly customized purchase and subscription business models that suit the required end-user content engagement experience... and perceived value or budget.

AZARDI:Content Fulfilment has selling and subscription options for delivery of content to all devices and platforms that works for books, Journals, Magazines and learning collatoral of all types. It all happens under the publishers control at the lowest possible cost.

In Conclusion

The AZARDI journey continues. It is now a complete digital content delivery solution for publishers of all sizes who need to have full control of their content using both sales and subscription models.

The AZARDI:Content Fulfilment demonstration book-stores with self-managed accounts will be available for publishers shortly.

If you are a bona-fide publisher or library let us know if you are interested in knowing more or trying the system out. Priority and preference will of course be given to IGP:Digital Publisher licensees and Portal users.

 

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For more information on AZARDI:Content Fulfilment

Contact INFOGRID PACIFIC here

 

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