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Would you pay a small price to learn?


Would you pay a small price to learn?

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Excellent view dubya, thanks a lot. :righton:

Ya Julie i just heard about that bad press with PayPal. Not into the details though, but i'm aware of it.

I would love to offer other payment solutions. In fact, as many as i can think of to use... except that it's a lot more work/cost to setup a SSI server/account plus me getting a merchant account and whatever else...

The facts i've read about online credit card fraud have me leary about providing "instant access" to materials... just because someone pumps in a number to an online form and presses "submit". Now mind you, i'm in NO position at this juncture to be too worried about this kind of thing, but that's why i like the "direct deposit" method also.

This will be a brain tease for a bit while i sort of facts and give it more thought. I'll talk to my buddy who owns this server and see what he can do for me about hooking me up with a SSI.

Thanks guys. :righton:
 
If I read well, you were saying from the start that the site itself would not become a pay-site, and that normal tuts like the one you have made up to now would continue to be free. What would have to be paid for is this specific series of highly specialised tutorials, a bit in the style of NAV design you have done in the days of the school, but then enhaced and reviewed etc.

So in fact, nothing would really change, except that a "members only" department would be added to the site, and everyone would be able to choose to become a member or not. And this would not influence or interfere with the forum.

I see no problem for this as there is no obligation whatsoever. If I see that I have to pay some 12 American Dollars per issue of Computer Arts Projects magazine which gives me two or three tuts, some interesting links and loads of publicity for apps "one should have" to be able to finish the tut...then what are we talking about huh?

As for the method of payment: someone I know who makes plugins for Cinema4D worked with paypal but has recently added the Share-It option because Paypal doesn't work correctly.
 
Everything in your reply is exactly correct Erik.
Thanks for putting it so clearly for everyone; including me! :righton:

Hey really Julie?! Wow ok thanks. I'm gonna checkout those other options. Basically they're the same as PayPal though, right? Just other companies doing the same thing...? PayPal charges transaction fees too. As well as currency conversion and deposit fees. :\
 
Mark, I think they all use the same basic model as PayPal, but with more features (and with better reputations).

Another one that has a lot of fans; it's the old revecom:

http://www.paysystems.com/

BTW, I got this list from my web host in their forum, and weeded it out based on comments from real users. But of course you want to do your own research, maybe check with your host :) Setup and transaction fees do vary; so do features.
 
theKeeper: And yah, plz have a looksee for that site. I'd be interested in seeing what they offer.
Click to expand...
Well I'll be damned if I could find the site that I was thinking of (you know what it's like)... but I did "stumble" across this one a few days ago. http://www.seekingcenter.com/tutorials/online.html This guy is charging $5 US a tute and uses the PDF format to deliver online... ;)
 
Ya i know how it is, no biggy. ;)

That guy's got some decent painting tutes huh?

Hey?... so... do you guys feel it would be ok to just provide PDF versions of the material? I could simply link to the doc from a page and they would open up in the browser. From there, they could be saved out. That would make it so i wouldn't have to maintain 2 versions of the same material. Which then means i could post more often.

Any thoughts on that?
Does anyone actually NEED a html version of the material?
 
pdf is better i this instance I reckon Mark and I think that you should go for it :D
sfm
 
Mark: That guy's got some decent painting tutes huh?
Click to expand...
Yep, not your "run of the mill" (which is the essence of your undertaking)... and, as a serious 'student of PSG'... I would pay for that!!!! ;) ;) ;)
 
Mark Have you considered a subscription fee on a per year basis for those who might wish to view all your tutorials?
Click to expand...


I like this idea! You work is topnotch and your tutorials are the best out there. I would gladly pay $50-$100 a year to pick your brain and learn from your great tutorials. Have you thought about going in the direction of video? I love video tutorials simply because seeing is believing. Maybe .pdf tutorials to accompany the videos? Just some ideas. Maybe even a tiered payment/access system... $29.95... access to say 30 tutorials... $49.99 gets you the tutorials plus 10 videos.... $99.99.... unlimited access for a year. 30 pdf 30 videos... all hypothetical but as I mentioned before... I would pay... you have given away tons of knowledge and help...nothing wrong in making a $$$ or 2. Keep up the great work...Hatch :}
 
Hey thanks you guys. I appreciate the encouragement muchly. :righton:

Hatch your idea is a sound one. And i'm thinking about how to best setup a subscription system. But right now, i'm noticing that the tutes are going to be MUCH larger (cover more info/detail) than i had originally thought. I just want them to be the best and most thorough they can be. Especially if i intend on selling them. [honesty]

To start off with then, i'm thinking of just doing a $/tute system. That's the only way i can launch this puppy asap. But i also want to have a resevoire of tutes pre-written. But because i'm still seeing ways to extend them, it's taking a bit longer to reach the GO! point.

At the moment, the system i'm thinking of starting with would be something simple, along this line... $5/tute ; 2 tutes/month. And if you buy both, you get entered into a contest to win some prizes... like a plugin, t-shirt, free tute, etc... Details to be worked out more later.

So that's where it's sitting right now. I'm still pushing ahead with things. It's just taking longer than planned. But that only means that the material will be that much better, and definately worth the price. [excited]
 
It sounds good Mark and I look forward to it :righton:
sfm
 
Well Mark, it all sounds very professional!
Better take a longer time to do things right, we're patient!
However, the whole month November I'm not able to join the forum so if you start in November, I NOW make a reservation for the first tute! :D :D :D :D :D :D
Bye
Ashcat
 
:righton: Sound plan of attack, Mark!
 
Sounds to me like a good idea. So count me in :)
Actually this 3D Interface design was it, that made me start my first poor exercises with PS. I have downloaded thousands of tuts, but never left the beginner level. Things were spread to much and there was no coherence to add to my understanding and trying.
A project that covers this all in a coherency, is a great thing.

Now having worked with Flash for a while (since I came to my limits to make webpages with PS, lol, sure due to my inexperience), I saw what many people understand under tutorials. You get a fla-file and a swf-file sometimes, no description and then try to see how it was done. It sucks (though there are good tuts with description too).

So I am all for your idea and I understand your reasons, why this should cost a little money. I have worked a lot of tuts from this site here and always appreciated the helpfulness.
The idea with the school is a very good one too, go for it.
As for the payment, so I never bought anything in the net and have no idea, how this works, but I am sure, there will be a way.

Hehe, only one wish for the tuts: pics, pics, pics to let a not so well-experienced gal follow the course [excited]

Hanarky
 
Thanks for the support Hanarky. [excited]

Yes there are LOTS of pics. One for just about every step -- where needed. No worries there. :D
 
Mark, may I make a suggestion about this topic? Put it in the Photoshop General forum also. I'm not sure if you can mirror a topic in phpBB, but if you can, it would be good. A lot of people are missing this because they never visit Other Interests.
 
payment plans

"Pay for" will definitely take up a fair amount of bookkeeping/admin tasks intially and later on, so my advice is to keep it simple as possible. To avoid all the credit costs to you, the "Retailer" (and it is steep) I suggest prepaid as in a Canadian funds postal money order or paypal.

As to how you would set it up is interesting. There is always the curse of the hacker, but logins and special codes sent via email for access to your "pay for" section or whatever way is the simplest for you and your customer would be worth the time you put in. I like the CD option too.

Good Luck
Tanya
 
Hey thx for this extra bit of info Tanya. I appreciate it. :righton:

I've put some thought into the delivery methods. And i have a couple friends who can assist me in the security end of things, so that's a bit of a load off my mind.

Prepaid Money Orders would be an excellent way to go. But for those folks over seas, i don't see it as being too fair for them. I do however like the "direct deposit" method. Instantaneous and costs about the same as other methods.

Still not 100% on this part yet... it'll get worked out sooner or later i'm sure. :)
 
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