I have come to the realization that most people who want something for free will never, ever think of paying you, no matter how valuable they find your service.I can't argue with that. In fact, I think that's it points to a very large problem in today's economy. People expect high-quality products and services for free. At the same time, Tyler is talking about giving up a business model that would have been baffling to many, many people as recently as ten years ago:
The site uses a freemium model allowing people to create personalized printable santa letters for their children for free. In addition to the free version, I also offered a paid version that includes a higher resolution letter, a personalized envelope and door hanger for a nominal cost.He created a business that let parents create letters from Santa Claus for their children. For free. But they could pay for a higher resolution of the same letter they just got for free. Really?
Let's play a game. I'll give you a newspaper, competitive with any of the leading, daily, American newspapers, for free. Or you can buy the same newspaper with fewer ads and nicer typography. I'll give you James Patterson's next book for free. Or you can pay to read the same book on thicker paper. I'll let you watch next summer's blockbuster, say, Prometheus or Men in Black 3, for free. Would you pay to watch that movie on a bigger screen? How much nicer would that paper have to be to pay for a free novel?
Let's play another game. I'll give you Miles Davis' first album for free, but you're going to pay for Birth of the Cool. You're definitely paying for Bitches' Brew. I'll give you Haruki Murakami's first book for free, and I'll give you his second book for $2.99. But you're not getting 1Q84 for free. I'll give you a free letter from Santa, but you're going to pay for the followup "are you being a good boy?" letter from Mrs. Clause in June.
