Idea for making individual articles available electronically?
Guys, any thoughts to making individual articles available for purchase? I know I'm not making you aware of anything new here, but I've seen various business models from magazine publishers when it comes to past content:
1. Make it all free on the web
2. Make it all free on the web for subscribers of the print magazine (Example: Wall Street Journal, Businessweek)
3. Have two subscription options, one for the print, one for the web. The web gets you access to all past articles in electronic format (Example: Consumer Reports)
4. Have individual article available for purchase in pdf format, for example, $1.99 per article. (Example: Active Trader)
Currently it appears that one can only order entire back issues, and those come in a physical format. But it may be the case that if you went with #4 above, you would have a LOT more "impulse purchases", and the volume would offset the lower price.
If people knew that for $1.99 (with paypal or whatever) you can get an article in a few seconds, I'm sure they'd buy more than a few. I for one defintiely would. Just something to think about...
Mark,
Thanks for taking the time to post here. Options 1 & 2 unlikely.
As for 3 & 4 we offer complete back issues in printed form as well as PDF files.
