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We'll Annoy You Until You Pay
from the strange-strategies dept
The Nando Times has decided to try to make some subscription fee money. They're adding really annoying pop up ads to their site unless you pay for the ad-free version. It's an interesting strategy. You can have stuff for free, but the price you pay is that we'll annoy the hell out of you. The problem is that, unlike a site like Salon (which is having enough problems trying to get subscription fees from people), Nando really doesn't have that much original content. We link to stories from there on Techdirt occasionally, but mostly there's nothing special about Nando that would ever make me consider paying for it. They reprint a lot of AP stuff, and have a few columnists who write good, but not essential, columns. I still think it's an odd strategy when a business feels the best way to get money out of their customers is to annoy them - rather than offer them something worth paying for.
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Just wait for opt-out attempts
The next step is opt out strategies paired with subscriptions. First they let you read it free, you accumulate a 'consumption' deficit. At some point they approach you and say "you obviously like this stuff, pay us or we sell you out to the marketing people."
Mark my words, it's coming.
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i dont mind
I think it's a good idea. The pop-up ads will probably go away soon. My guess is they did it since they just launched it and wanted to make people aware of it. The price isn't so bad either - just a buck a week (just a buck?!?! a buck can buy you a 20 minute phone call - see ads are poisoning my brain). For someone on an ultra slow internet connection, it could be worth it. I think they should lop on the ads now to their free version so there is something actually worth paying for (all they have now is a single 468x60 - but it's a doubleclick ad so it's evil to boot).
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