rental of video content

I remember being a joel salatin presentation and he was talking about how he has an operation of delivering his foods to restaurants.   He charges by the box.   One customer was very pushy that the charge should be by the delivery, no matter how many many boxes.  Or, at least, a full price for the first box and a much smaller price for each box after that.   Joel told him "that is not how UPS does it.   And UPS delivers a lot more than I do.  If UPS can't figure it out, I don't see how you can expect me to figure it out."

So there are a lot of missions happening all at the same time.   At the top of the list is "infect brains with permaculture - one brick at a time".  And that started off with thousands of free bits.   But it became clear that there are some places where free bits don't get much traction.   So offer bits for sale - this opens things up for paid advertising and the like.  

The hollywood movies charge $25 for a DVD when the DVD is first available.   And then a few months later it is available on amazon instant view for $20.   And then a few months after that it can be rented for $6.  And then a few years later it can be rented for $3.  

People are used to the idea.  It should work okay.   We had the stuff for rental put in, but it was rarely getting used.   Maybe the idea was too new back then.   So as the years passed, that functionality became disused.  I'm not sure if it is working okay.  Devaka is looking into it.  

It seems like the proper thing to do is to make the older content available at a lower price AND for rent.  

One of the things that is now super important to me is to be respectful of my kickstarter supporters.  For the first year after a kickstarter, I need to make sure that the kickstarter peeps clearly got the best deal.   For the second year, a similar deal.   And after that, the mission shifts to how best to infect brains.

So I'm going to dabble a bit with the idea of video rentals.  I thought I would create this thread to get feedback and fresh ideas on this path.  

So I read the plotskateer e-mail. My understanding the rental should be $1 right now? I'm getting the Solar Dehydrator video for free currently; not sure if this has to do with the goodies I got from backing the kick-starter?

Ashley Cottonwood wrote:So I read the plotskateer e-mail. My understanding the rental should be $1 right now? I'm getting the Solar Dehydrator video for free currently; not sure if this has to do with the goodies I got from backing the kick-starter?

Yes, you got it as part of your kickstarter support.  So you won't be able to do this test.

It sounds like it is working!

Which videos should we do next?

I clicked the link for the 177 hours of PDC. This sent me to PayPal where I logged in. And that sent me to the page where it was $20 to download or to rent I guess the PDC. PayPal said when I click on the link that I will have a chance to review the purchase, but that did not happen it charged me the twenty bucks without me being able to decide whether I wanted to do that or not.

Like Denise above,  I just received the plotskateer email today, and when I went to it it was at $20.  I didn't go any further though.  Did the email go out to some people sooner than others?  Like 2 days sooner?

I clicked the link given and was asked if I was a US resident. Choose no and was told the content is only available to US residents. So went with yes and was also taken to pay pal and asked to pay $20. I left without paying.

Hi there, same here. The link took me to PayPal so I closed it.

It is an intriguing thing to offer quality content that’s also offers mutual benefits for the presenter and presentee.

Please keep us posted.
With gratitude
-Sena

Yup, US only.  I don't wanna get tied up in the VAT stuff.

Here is the page for the 177 hours of video:

https://permies.com/wiki/65386/hours-video-Permaculture-Design-Technology

If you scroll down a ways you can see the rental option.   This might get you there faster:

https://permies.com/wiki/65386/hours-video-Permaculture-Design-Technology#premium

I clicked on the link and it went straight to paypal and 20.00 just now.

Rather than giving out the direct purchase link, I think what you all are saying is that it would be better to give out the link to the page that happens to have the rental stuff more prominent.  So I updated the page and this would be the link to give out:

https://permies.com/wiki/65386/hours-video-Permaculture-Design-Technology

Yes Paul, I wasn't planning on buying it, just seeing how far I could go to report back to you.

denise ra wrote:Yes Paul, I wasn't planning on buying it, just seeing how far I could go to report back to you.

Say the word and I'll give you a refund.  

Thank you for making this content available for rent! I'm torn between renting it, or just going for the purchase rather than kicking myself later.
Could there be a feature where, instead of kicking yourself, you can pay the difference to purchase _if you are within the rental period?_
And maybe just for the higher dollar content.

Not at this time. I guess part 1 is that it would have to be developed and figured out and stuff like that.  But the bigger question first is "is that what we wanna do?"

Amazon has streaming movies.  You can rent for $5 or buy for $15.   If you rent and then wanna buy, you will be out of $15.

Netflix lets you look at all their stuff for $20 per month.  And at no point can you just buy it all.  

So I think the first question is "do we wanna do the development to make that happen?"   And I think the big answer to that is "of only three people will ever do it, then it probably isn't worth the development."

I clicked the link for the full 177 hours and was taken directly to the PayPal site and asked for my credit card.  Since no indication was given thereon what the fee is, I cancelled.  I think being taken first to the Permies site, told the cost and conditions,  then being taken to the PayPal site would be a more rational,  and confidence -building, route.

Emilie McVey wrote:I clicked the link for the full 177 hours and was taken directly to the PayPal site and asked for my credit card.  Since no indication was given thereon what the fee is, I cancelled.  I think being taken first to the Permies site, told the cost and conditions,  then being taken to the PayPal site would be a more rational,  and confidence -building, route.

I updated the page and made the rental link more prominant.  So is this better?

https://permies.com/wiki/65386/hours-video-Permaculture-Design-Technology

Yes, indeed, thank you!

"Sorry, our digital market products are for sale only in the US at this time."

Something new?

I also like the new link to the PDC/ATC home(?) page. It is nice to see there are other options than rental. The rental is a good option.

For those of you that have full access via the rental - you can see everything okay?

Jim Warburton wrote:I clicked the link given and was asked if I was a US resident. Choose no and was told the content is only available to US residents. So went with yes and was also taken to pay pal and asked to pay $20. I left without paying.

Same here

It took me to the PayPal link. If I hadn't clicked on the down arrow next to the $20.00, I wouldn't have any idea what I was buying. Maybe some guy in overalls who's missing a head :P ETA: Oh wait! Maybe that's a woman!

Okay, a headless person in overalls

The link I sent to the plotskateers was a bit of a test link to see if it was all working okay.  I thought I might test that functionality first and then, if it worked, move on to something prettier.  

So the test link proved to be so confusing, that I simply moved forward with the prettier (as mentioned above).   It seems that the "prettier" link is working fine?

Paul Wheaton, I peeked at the Appropriate Technology idex of the video rental and mostly it does not apply to my situation, so sure, I'd take a refund. Thank you.

denise ra wrote:Paul Wheaton, I peeked at the Appropriate Technology idex of the video rental and mostly it does not apply to my situation, so sure, I'd take a refund. Thank you.

It looks like you didn't watch any of the video, so I gave you a refund.

I am thinking of renting this.  In my email thread it just has a link to paypal.  There is NO mention of how much the rental is and once at paypal you've gone down the rabbit hole.  I then came here and discovered thru reading other responses that it would be $20.  I'm fine with the amount.  It would be nice to find out the nitty gritty before I have to commit.  Maybe next time it reads "the rental will be $20 and follow this link to rent"    Just my two cents.

If you follow this link:

https://permies.com/wiki/65386/hours-video-Permaculture-Design-Technology

You will see a mention of 60 days for $20.