Comments on: Interview With The Micropayer

By: Fleen: Written by bitter, haggard wordbeasts » IndieKarma — So, It’s Been A Month

Wed, 07 Jun 2006 20:56:29 +0000

[...] Uncategorized This page wrote about what might (or might not) be the ultimate triumph of no-hassle micropayments; we promised at that time to keep an eye on the service, and so we’re briefly revisiting IndieKarma today. [...]

By: Fleen: Written by bitter, haggard wordbeasts » Justifiably Concerned

Fleen: Written by bitter, haggard wordbeasts » Justifiably Concerned — Wed, 24 May 2006 01:03:17 +0000

[...] Uncategorized SO I guess Christopher C. Livingston’s nefarious plan worked out pretty well. By posting a comment on Fleen and linking to his comic, he managed to devour my allotted studying time this evening and also compelled me to write this post about him. [...]

By: Dougal Campbell

Dougal Campbell — Mon, 15 May 2006 19:10:38 +0000

I emailed their ‘help’ address a couple of days ago with a suggestion: I suggested an option that lets you reverse the behavior of the indieKarma dock. That is, instead of displaying a “please sign up” message to people are not iK users, it could just display a “thank you” message to people who are. That way, you don’t annoy casual visitors as much, but give some feedback to your regulars.

By: Matt Boyd

Matt Boyd — Thu, 11 May 2006 23:50:46 +0000

I e-mailed Mr. Patterson to find out if there was a way to sign up without the obtrusive dock. He responded, saying that would be coming in version 2.0.

By: Fleen » In The Final Analysis

Fleen » In The Final Analysis — Thu, 11 May 2006 19:42:42 +0000

[...] Uncategorized So now we’ve heard from IndieKarma how they’re intending to do things. With a couple of days time to reflect, some things stand out as significant achievement, and some things will need to be addressed. On the positive side: [...]

By: Scott M

Scott M — Thu, 11 May 2006 18:26:45 +0000

I tried this and it seemed to cause a security issue with IE6 for PCs depending on how cookies were handled. Unless this can be done in a way that is transparent to the user, I don’t want to throw up an obstacle for the sake of a penny.

By: T Campbell

T Campbell — Thu, 11 May 2006 07:35:00 +0000

Wouldn’t it be more accurate to call IndieKarma a “micromiddleman” or somethin’? I think “micropayers” are the people who actually PAY those tiny amounts, right?

Good discovery. It’s nice to know people are still trying this.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 10 May 2006 23:31:05 +0000

Well, it’s not entirely unobtrusive. Every time a non-subscriber visits, a nagging IndieKarma “dock” pops up on their screen. See the demo page: http://indiekarma.blogspot.com/

It’s not as bad as a pop-up by any means, but it’s still something that could grate on a visitor over time. For every reader who wants to give you money, there’s a bunch who don’t, and this is the sort of thing that could drive them off.

I think it’s a nice idea to make it easier for people to give you money if they really want to, but you can’t stop thinking about the majority who don’t want to pay. Not everyone is a rabid fan; some are casual readers who’d be happy to look for entertainment elsewhere if you tick them off.

By: Matt Boyd

Matt Boyd — Wed, 10 May 2006 21:09:52 +0000

As micropayments go, I find this idea oddly palatable. I have a hard time seeing it as a main revenue source for anyone, but if you could toss it up on your site unobtrusively, what’s the harm?

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 10 May 2006 20:58:06 +0000

Loose from the debate, this business strategy has at least a charming ring to it – A good and humble approach as micropayment models go.

Indiekarma might be one step ahead of the game too! Active readers are looking for new ways to associate with particular webcomics, and would certainly jump at a Supporters Page with penny rank or an optional bit of text.

It’s all about badge value with these kid today!