Apple Toll
Publishers: excited about the iPad, disgruntled by the Apple toll. There is no sale without a charge; http://eicker.at/AppleToll
Tagged: Monetisation Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
Gerrit Eicker
Social Networks
McClure: How to take down Facebook. An open letter to the next big social network; http://eicker.at/SocialNetworks
Gerrit Eicker
PayPal Goes Micropayment
PayPal starts offering Web and mobile micropayment for virtual goods: news at FT.com, games on Facebook; http://eicker.at/13
PayPal: “PayPal today announced the upcoming availability of PayPal for digital goods, a new in-context, frictionless payment solution that lets consumers pay for digital goods and content in as little as two clicks, without ever having to leave a publisher’s game, news, music, video or media site. The online equivalent of dropping a quarter in the slot to buy a newspaper or play a video game, PayPal’s new solution solves a key problem for the digital goods industry by offering a faster, safer and more cost-effective way to send and receive micropayments globally. … Because PayPal for digital goods is built on PayPal’s sophisticated fraud prevention engine, developers don’t have to worry about building the systems required to protect customers’ sensitive financial information.”
PayPal Digital Goods: “An easy, low-cost way to collect payments for all types of digital goods including games, virtual goods and gifts, software and online media such as ebooks, enews, music, and videos. And, digital goods providers who offer PayPal also have access to PayPal’s active global account holders and network of established relationships with international financial and banking institutions.”
pC: “[PayPal’s] new Mobile Express Checkout allows users to opt-in and remain logged in across mobile apps to make purchases in two clicks. Starbucks will use it to reload of Starbucks Cards directly from its Starbucks Card Mobile app for iPhone and iPod touch. A beta program taps into location-based services on the phone. The new iPhone PayPal app will allow users to find businesses nearby that accept PayPal for mobile payments. Finally, VeriFone is partnering with PayPal to offer merchants the ability to take credit card and PayPal payments in their store – or anywhere – using an application.”
VB: “The announcement comes as eBay continues to focus more on PayPal rather than on its online auctions as the primary revenue stream for the company. Just last quarter, eBay’s auction revenues stopped growing more than 10 percent year-over-year for the first time since late 2009, while PayPal continued to grow at a steady rate. – But this isn’t the first time PayPal has made some kind of promise to jump on board with micropayments. In fact, the company has said it would explore this opportunity for the past six years.”
AF: “PayPal is already one of the payment methods for Facebook Credits but the new system means that Facebook users won’t even have to leave the site to authenticate their purchase. … The lack of a good micro-payment system has been holding back the monetization of digital content for some time. PayPal’s new service, with faster payment and lower fees, could be an important part of the solution, though I hope the company doesn’t end up with a monopoly.”
IF: “PayPal is broadly focusing on social, mobile and local, company product development vice president Osama Beider said on stage at the event today. The focus comes as these markets have exploded, helping to drive PayPal’s own revenue – and spur a variety of alternative payment competitors.”