Starting a subscription based ebiz

[djs13]

This forum has really educated me why web sites that offer services are so much more profitable than web sites that sell products. My question to everyone who owns a service based web site - do you sell subscriptions for users to view information or do your users utilize a progammed service like paypal? Did you do the programming for your site yourself? If so, how did you learn?

I'm currently researching needs in areas of my interests and knowledge and I'm developing some cool concepts. My biggest hurdle is web design and programming the service that I want to create.

Thank you!

 

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[lucas]

I do all the programming for my websites myself (including the subscription ones), but I use paypal to manage the subscriptions. It's just so much easier than billing your clients each month -- paypal subscriptions happen automatically on both ends, so even your customer doesn't have to do anything. The money is just taken out of their account each month.

How I learned to do the programming is complicated -- I've been doing this for a long time, all self-taught. Most of what I've learned came from the internet, just googling the information. If you get started and have any specific questions feel free to ask and I'll help in any way I can. I might even be willing to partner with you if your ideas are good and if you'd be interested in that. If not that's cool, my help is still free if you have questions =)

 

[piranha526]

djs,
Like Lucas, I also used Paypal with great success while running my first subscription based service firm. I would use them again in the future for my next project.

-Chris

 

[djs13]

Thanks for your help.

I think I tried to ask this earlier but I may have confused some of you. My main question is why are people buying subscriptions to your web sites? I've developed a few ideas that are wrapped around an information type site that would require a subscription - but it seems that this would fit more into a google ads site which I don't really want to get into. Not too many people are willing to pay for information on the internet and even if they were, this would require a large amount of man power on my end.

I want to fulfill a need and I definitely think I can. But let's say I decided to sell subscriptions that gave people alerts on their cell phones - how could I learn to program my web site and develop it so that can take place? I guess I'm trying to learn how I can build a subscription based web site and then start brain storming about how I can solve a problem.

 

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[aptohosting]

Thanks for your help.

I think I tried to ask this earlier but I may have confused some of you. My main question is why are people buying subscriptions to your web sites? I've developed a few ideas that are wrapped around an information type site that would require a subscription - but it seems that this would fit more into a google ads site which I don't really want to get into. Not too many people are willing to pay for information on the internet and even if they were, this would require a large amount of man power on my end.

I want to fulfill a need and I definitely think I can. But let's say I decided to sell subscriptions that gave people alerts on their cell phones - how could I learn to program my web site and develop it so that can take place? I guess I'm trying to learn how I can build a subscription based web site and then start brain storming about how I can solve a problem.

Hey there,

If you want to learn to program thats something you need to look into at Barnes and Noble and look for PHP/MYSQL scripting. If you want something more custom made, we have done custom work to our existing billing/subscription script for our hosting company. If you want us to build you something for your service/product, just PM me with what you have in mind and we can work something out!

Thank you
Tom C.

www.aptohosting.com

 

[lucas]

You are correct, information is something that people like and almost expect to get for free. You can sometimes get a one-time sale for information that is particularly useful, but a subscription model for information is nearly impossible unless the information is vast, like a huge database of information that you are selling subscription-based access to.

The subscriptions that I sell are for services... web applications that I have built that they pay for access to. These web applications perform a variety of tasks, but they are essentially software -- they just reside on the internet instead of installing to your PC.

 

[djs13]

So if I want to create my own service based web site, will I have to learn PHP/MYSQL scripting to create my own software to fill my need/niche to offer subscribers? Can I jump into reading a PHP/MYSQL scripting book or should I first learn web design (html)?

Thank you.

EDIT: I'm going to go purchase html for dummies and PHP/MYSQL for dummies.

 

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[aptohosting]

Yes,

You will need to learn HTML/CSS/XML first. Then you will need to go to server-side scripting which is PHP/MYSQL(database system). Understanding dreamweaver/photoshop would be crucial, oh and it won't hurt to learn AJAX You are looking at about 6-9 months of dedicated reading/learning/testing all of this must be hands on! And keep in mind that you will need hosting space to run PHP/MYSQL code and of course you can purchase that at www.aptohosting.com/shared.php !

Thanks
Tom
www.aptohosting.com

 

[michael515]

Regarding info on the web... We all want info for free. That's why the value in the info you're providing is critical. It's much more about quality not so much quantity...