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| {{ExpertIntro|We are heading towards a dual subscription model where platform access and service-specific group memberships operate as independent, low-cost systems governed by market equilibrium rather than central pricing. This hypothesis proposes that retroactive billing and arrears enforcement mechanisms prevent free-riding while maintaining accessibility, with the emerging trend suggesting micro-payment options for users managing multiple payment obligations.}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Subscriptions]] |
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| {{KidsIntro|This page explains paying a small amount every month to support WikiDeal.}}
| | [[Category:Funding]] |
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| == Monthly Subscriptions ==
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| '''📋 Key Rule: Subscriptions are Optional but Required to Sign'''
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| * '''Free access:''' Anyone can browse WikiDeal, read wiki pages, and explore contracts without subscribing.
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| * '''Signing a contract requires being up to date:''' Both parties must have an active (or retroactively settled) subscription at the moment of signing.
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| * '''Retroactive billing at signing:''' If months are overdue, ALL unpaid subscription fees are collected retroactively at the time of the next contract signing — billed ''in addition to'' the transaction commission, not deducted from it.
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| * '''Double commission + subscription:''' The transaction carries a double commission (User Group + WikiDeal platform), between 5% and 15% total (justified exceptions possible). Subscription fees are charged on top of this commission.
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| * '''Micro-payments:''' For frequent small transactions, overdue subscription fees may be split into micro-installments. For larger contracts, the full overdue amount is settled at once.
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| WikiDeal operates two parallel subscription systems: the '''platform subscription''' (covering base access for all users) and '''User Group subscriptions''' (covering access to specific service verticals). Both are designed to be low-cost, transparent, and governed by market equilibrium rather than central pricing mandates.
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| Platform: 10 CHF/year (or 1 CHF/month + 2 CHF mgmt fee) · User Group: ~1€/month or 10€/year · Annual always cheaper
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| === Two Levels of Subscription ===
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| {| class="wikitable comparison-table"
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| |-
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| ! Level
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| ! What it covers
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| ! Annual price
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| ! Monthly price
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| ! Set by
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| |-
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| | '''Platform'''
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| | Base platform access, contracts, AI, governance
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| | class="highlight-cell"| 10 CHF
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| | 1 CHF + 2 CHF fee = 12 CHF/yr
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| | Ynternet.org Foundation
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| |-
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| | '''User Group'''
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| | Access to specific service (babysitting, etc.)
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| | ~10€
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| | ~1€ + fee
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| | Each User Group
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| |}
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| These are independent subscriptions. A user can have the platform subscription without any User Group subscription (access WikiDeal but not service-specific features). A user participating in three User Groups pays three separate group subscriptions plus the platform subscription.
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| === Platform Subscription ===
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| The platform subscription is described in detail on the [[Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Subscriptions|Subscription Model]] page. In summary:
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| * 10 CHF/year if paid annually (best value)
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| * 1 CHF/month + 2 CHF management fee if paid monthly (= 12 CHF/year total)
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| * 20% surcharge for monthly payment reflects real admin overhead
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| * Billed at Transaction time (deferred model for inactive users)
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| === User Group Subscription ===
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| User Group subscriptions are set independently by each User Group. They are typically very low — around 1€/month or 10€/year — but vary based on the services offered and the costs the group must cover.
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| Like the platform subscription, User Group subscriptions offer an annual discount to incentivise up-front commitment:
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| User Group subscription (example):
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| Annual: 10€/year
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| Monthly: 1€/month + management fee
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| Annual saving: 10–20% (set by each UG)
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| If a User Group sets subscriptions too high, members will fork and create a competing group at a lower price. This equilibrium pressure keeps subscriptions honest.
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| === The Arrears Rule ===
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| WikiDeal enforces a strict '''arrears rule''' for User Group subscriptions to prevent free-riding:
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| '''Rule:''' If a member stops paying their User Group subscription (e.g. misses February and March), and then resumes in April, they must pay all missed months (February + March) at the time of resumption — before accessing the service again.
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| This rule applies to User Group subscriptions specifically (not the platform subscription, which uses the deferred billing model). It ensures:
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| * Members cannot selectively pay only during months when they need the service
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| * User Groups have predictable revenue even during seasonal lulls
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| * The group's cost base remains stable regardless of individual member activity patterns
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| ==== Example: ====
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| * January: pays ✅
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| * February: does NOT pay ❌
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| * March: does NOT pay ❌
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| * April: wants to resume → must pay Feb + Mar + Apr to continue ✅
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| === Annual Incentives ===
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| Both subscription levels incentivise annual payment:
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| {| class="wikitable comparison-table"
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| |-
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| ! Payment type
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| ! Platform sub
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| ! UG sub (example)
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| |-
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| | Annual (once)
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| | class="highlight-cell"| 10 CHF → 10 CHF/yr
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| | class="highlight-cell"| 10€ → 10€/yr
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| |-
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| | Monthly (12 payments)
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| | 12 CHF (20% more)
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| | 12€ (20% more)
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| |}
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| The management fee on monthly payments is not arbitrary — it reflects the real cost of processing 12 individual payments, tracking 12 separate billing events, and managing 12 potential arrears situations versus one annual payment.
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| === Equilibrium Logic ===
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| WikiDeal's subscription model is self-regulating through market equilibrium:
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| * If a platform subscription is too expensive → users leave or don't join → Ynternet.org Foundation lowers price
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| * If a User Group subscription is too expensive → members fork and create a competing group → prices naturally decrease
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| * If User Group subscription too low to cover costs → group may merge, raise rates with community approval, or dissolve
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| The threat of forking is a feature, not a bug. It prevents any single group from imposing unsustainable rates on its members.
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| '''See also:''' [[Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Subscriptions|Subscription Model]] [[Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Payment-Methods|Payment Methods]] [[Gov/en/Portal:R&D/Innovations:User Groups|User Groups]] [[Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Financing-Development|Financing Development]]
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| [[Category:Migration June 2026]] | |
