Author Driven Pricing is currently being rolled out across different categories on Envato Market. Though received with differing opinions by authors affected by the change, the official word is that sales and revenue remain largely intact, while the option to price items both higher and lower has introduced a new level of flexibility for authors and a greater range of choice for buyers.
While nothing yet is announced about ADP ever coming to AudioJungle, now is probably a good time for the community to chime in and share opinions about how an introduction would be likely to impact the market. ADP is already active on competing music and audio sites, so there should be a lot of data and observations available in order to make relevant assumptions.
Advantages for authors would be flexibility of pricing different items in the portfolio, perhaps raising prices on top sellers and/or unique high quality items to potentially gain revenue, and also lowering prices on items that would need a marketing push.
Disadvantages for authors would be increased price competition and potential lower overall revenue for generic, interchangeable items.
Advantages for buyers would be increased range of budget options, and the ability to sort out higher priced items as a means of filtering out high quality items.
Disadvantages for buyers would include having to make decisions based on price, and potential frustration due to sudden price changes of an item.
What are your general opinions on Author Driven Pricing? How would you react if ADP was introduced to AJ?
Nice thread, (I think there was something similar discussed some time ago in some other thread) I only see disadvantages for authors since its going to be a race to the bottom and I don’t see advantages for buyers also since the prices are pretty low as they are right now (don’t need them lower more) , so generally I don’t like the idea of author driven pricing, but we’ll see…
I agree with @MusicDog that the prices certainly is low enough. But it could work if todays prices would be set as a minimum price. That would allow authors to raise their prices but not lower them. The question is what would happen to the broadcast license prices? Should they also be allowed to be raised (or lowered)?
Price in AJ is already low in my opinion, but if the ADP really got to happen it will be advantages for author who came from country with good currency exchange of Dollars
Big NO. This would be disaster and we will start the price war. There are many desperate authors here that would sell tracks for very low price and others will have to follow. There are already too much poor quality tracks here and that would only make more problems. Themeforest authors are already complaining about sales in the forum since this was introduced. It’s better that we all have the same price and let the quality decide about sales.
On a serious side: It has already been discussed on the forums a couple times. Personally I think it would be great to sell at 29$/39$, but even if the lowest price would be 19$, prices would most probably settle down. Without a lower price limit I’m pretty sure it’ll be another shameless race to the bottom. But of course, I could be wrong here. I just hope Envato has figured out a mechanism which allows Authors to safely raise their prices before launching ADP on Audiojungle.
Naturally, there must be a good MINIMUM price (like $19 for example), but I very much welcome the idea to price UP. Niche tracks without much competition can easily sell for $99 but dime a dozen corporate tracks can stay at $19.
Niche tracks will never sell OFTEN (no matter the price), but when they are needed, the buyers are often willing to spend a lot of $$$.
I say let those who want to fight for the budget-space with their tracks fight for it.
I love the experience on AJ as an author but do feel that my tracks are worth more than what AJ charges and have contemplated moving my library elsewhere (and have been set up as non-exclusive for that very reason, so I can weigh my options). But if ADM pricing was in effect, I would likely go exclusive with AJ and dial in that experience nicely.
It’s no surprise that, while some buyers will want the least expensive option, others will be willing to pay more for a track they believe is of higher quality and will bring a different level of artistry to their project. I’m all for this.
Did you hear that, moderators? Let’s get this ADM rolling for AJ!
Author Driven pricing is a fantastic idea as long as no one can go lower than $20. Envato must put a floor in prices where they say no one can go any lower than $19 to prevent a paranoid race to the bottom and price undercutting war. Read this speech by T Bone Burnett from 2 weeks back and you doubters hopefully will change your mind. I’d read this article. It will challenge your perspective.
My favorite quotes:
“Technology does only one thing- it tends toward efficiency. It has no aesthetics. It has no ethics. It’s code is binary”
“Art is not a market to be conquered or to bow before.”
“Music and art are not binary. You and I are not binary.”
“The first right artists have is the right to determine what medium they work in. The second is the right to set the price of their work.”
No because I edited my post to make my opinion more clear. Please read my post again. Basically, I will raise my prices across the board. I am confident that customers will pay more for a track they need for their project and that $10 or even $40 more will be irrelevant. Price communicates aesthetics, quality, and value to a customer. Right now everything is simply a commodity. Additionally, while it may be a boost to one’s ego to sell in high volume. You have to ask yourself what’s a better situation? Selling less units at a higher price? or selling in high volume and earning less overall revenue?
Diverse prices will make a more interesting market. Buyers will interact with authors differently because of this change.
I’d be careful about keeping your prices low. It may be an admission that you do not believe in your own work. Additionally, there will be a lot of “follow the leader” going on anyway. If top selling authors do not raise their prices, no one will. PZ, Tim,and Soundroll basically can exert a lot of control over prices.If they bump up to $39 a track…everyone can follow suit. If they stay at $19, everyone wanting to raise prices faces an up hill battle. I am in favor of raising prices. Why not? We can always lower them if things don’t work out.The top authors have total control over the situation (in my opinion) and I hope they make a prudent decision.
