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Any publisher that’s conducted robust audience research will tell you that what people say and what people do are very different things when it comes to subscriptions. Smart to require credit card info but with $0 down I would take data with a grain of salt as a Substack creator

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Substack

@SubstackInc

Jan 31

Introducing Pledges, a simple new way for readers to express their support for writers. When subscribing to a free Substack, readers can now pledge to pay for a future subscription. on.substack.com/p/pledges

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4:15 PM · Jan 31, 2023

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To be clear, I think it’s a clever approach. Clear purchase intent without an immediate transaction.

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When a writer turns on paid subscriptions, readers who pledged will be automatically charged and notified. If their financial situation has changed and they are no longer able to pay for the subscription, they have seven days to request a refund from Substack.

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Interesting model!

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Pretty sure it requires credit card and charges when paid is turned on. My qualms are different: 1. Original flow was at signup, weird time to ask for s pledge; 2. Requires knowing what you will charge when many presumably haven’t yet figured that out.

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Right. "There will be no immediate charge." It's an interesting approach - as close as you can get to a paid commitment without transacting. Similar to crowdfunding, I suppose.

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Agree that asking people if they would buy something yields little intelligence. They have to actually make a buying decision. This is an interesting middle ground. And a test.