Value = Profit (when you get there) by
We’ve been spending the past weeks putting the finishing touches to our shiny new web app FileShareHQ (a great way to share files for pro-users). Part of this process is to decide on the price plans that will be available and how they stack up.
We’ve fixed our overheads reasonably well, with a great developer (@elliottkember) a talented designer (@robhampson), some good hosting, and cloud services from Amazon S3. It should be easy to put all of these figures together and work out what a GB/user is costing us, and apply a nice healthy Porsche buyers margin. But we’re not going to be doing that.
So why not.
Well, we have costs and overheads that will need to be paid for from day 1, so we can’t be a totally FREE service, but what we do want to do is generate a loyal and growing userbase by being a great VALUE service. We’ll be letting users sign up to their choice of plan for as little as we possible can (starting with a free plan), and putting in more time than the application can afford for our team to talk with, and understand our users. We’ll make the app better, and hopefully cheaper to use (scaling should quickly lead to cost savings, just check out the S3 pricing model).
We want the app to grow and survive, with great buzz, excited users, and a continued growth curve. And, yes, for those reading ahead, this is where our VALUE model does extend our PROFIT. For sure, costs covered, a lower margin point than the grab and run model, but a sustainable, long term profit that will assure the applications success, positive marketing, and continued growth.
The VALUE is put first, and yes, at the greater good of the PROFIT in the long term, but who benefits the most? You. The customer.
We’ll launch soon, sign up for a BETA at http://filesharehq.com
