|
In the near future
we are changing the way BookTrakker is purchased
and used by our customers. We are changing from fixed price purchase to
Software as a Service (SAS)
Up until the release of Version 3.6
(current version is 3.5) any new user can continue with earlier versions
or 3.6 when it is released and will not be forced to upgrade to the
subscription system. So if you purchase BookTrakker today or upgrade to
3.6 (several months away) then you can keep what you have indefinitely,
with no extra charges for using it. Any new applications not already
included in BookTrakker/CheckIt will be subscription only, and will
require download/install of 3.6 or a later version. (We are going to try
and enable applications to work with 3.5 so current 3.5 users do not have
to update to 3.6)
When the subscription service is launched current users of available
applications will not have to pay subscription fees until their ownership
has aged beyond one year, preceding the date of launch of the subscribed
application. An example is CheckIt or CheckIt Pro. If we launch on April
15, 2012 and you purchased CheckIt or CheckIt Pro after April 16, 2011 then you will not incur subscription charges until you have owned
them for at least one year. This applies to all other applications you
have purchased, including BookTrakker. If you have owned any application
for more than a year prior to our date of launch then you will need to
subscribe to whatever new or updated applications you decide you need to
own.
 This does not hold true for the
Amazon upload. Because we have to do a major rewrite of the Amazon upload
component we will have to charge users for this. Either as part of a
BookTrakker subscription or standalone at $5/mo, after October 10, 2012,
when the current Amazon upload system in BookTrakker stops working. So at
some point you will either have to convert to BookTrakker by subscription
or subscribe to UploadIt if you sell on Amazon and want to use
BookTrakker’s OneClick upload system. As a new user we can make sure the
Amazon upload works in the current version by sending your Amazon login
email, your name and the Amazon service you are listing on to Amazon to be added to a white list of dealers able to upload to
Amazon using the current upload system in BookTrakker, until October 10,
2012.
Why are we doing this?
We have observed that the SAS
(Software as a Service) model provides a means to stabilize the revenue
stream at a sustainable level while offering a good value to the
customers. Our pricing is based on numbers that will be roughly
comparable in cost to the price of the software as it stands over a
roughly 20 month period, but this is subject to change as we get closer to
launch. We are still refining the new model.
We also must make this change to sustain future development of the
products. We envision having enough products to provide value to
subscribers with different needs ranging from $5/mo on up depending upon
what they subscribe to. At all points we expect to provide
sufficient value to justify the monthly fee.
We are confident that most if not all customers will find a subscription
rate that provides them with the tools they need at a price they are
comfortable with. We hope you are one of them.
When we are close to release we will issue a
Subscription Price List so users can determine what BookTrakker by
subscription will cost.
|
