Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Subscriptions: Difference between revisions

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-'''Subscriptions''' — WikiDeal governance.
+{{KidsIntro|A subscription means paying a small amount every month to support and use the platform. It gives steady help to the community and access to services for you.}}
-''Here is a first content idea for this page.'' Subscription model.
+{{NotApproved}}
-''Reference language: English. Starter page — content to be expanded.''
+== Monthly Subscriptions ==
-See also: [[Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Main|Economy]]
+WikiDeal:Economics NEW
+Contents
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+'''📋 Key Rule: Subscriptions are Optional but Required to Sign'''
+* '''Free access:''' Anyone can browse WikiDeal, read wiki pages, and explore contracts without subscribing.
+* '''Signing a contract requires being up to date:''' Both parties must have an active (or retroactively settled) subscription at the moment of signing.
+* '''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.
+* '''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.
+* '''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.
+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.
+Platform: 10 CHF/year (or 1 CHF/month + 2 CHF mgmt fee) · User Group: ~1€/month or 10€/year · Annual always cheaper
+=== Two Levels of Subscription ===
+{| class="wikitable comparison-table"
+|-
+! Level
+! What it covers
+! Annual price
+! Monthly price
+! Set by
+|-
+| '''Platform'''
+| Base platform access, contracts, AI, governance
+| class="highlight-cell"| 10 CHF
+| 1 CHF + 2 CHF fee = 12 CHF/yr
+| Ynternet.org Foundation
+|-
+| '''User Group'''
+| Access to specific service (babysitting, etc.)
+| ~10€
+| ~1€ + fee
+| Each User Group
+|}
+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.
+=== Platform Subscription ===
+The platform subscription is described in detail on the [[Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Subscriptions|Subscription Model]] page. In summary:
+* 10 CHF/year if paid annually (best value)
+* 1 CHF/month + 2 CHF management fee if paid monthly (= 12 CHF/year total)
+* 20% surcharge for monthly payment reflects real admin overhead
+* Billed at Transaction time (deferred model for inactive users)
+=== User Group Subscription ===
+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.
+Like the platform subscription, User Group subscriptions offer an annual discount to incentivise up-front commitment:
+User Group subscription (example):
+Annual: 10€/year
+Monthly: 1€/month + management fee
+Annual saving: 10–20% (set by each UG)
+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.
+=== The Arrears Rule ===
+WikiDeal enforces a strict '''arrears rule''' for User Group subscriptions to prevent free-riding:
+'''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.
+This rule applies to User Group subscriptions specifically (not the platform subscription, which uses the deferred billing model). It ensures:
+* Members cannot selectively pay only during months when they need the service
+* User Groups have predictable revenue even during seasonal lulls
+* The group's cost base remains stable regardless of individual member activity patterns
+==== Example: ====
+* January: pays ✅
+* February: does NOT pay ❌
+* March: does NOT pay ❌
+* April: wants to resume → must pay Feb + Mar + Apr to continue ✅
+=== Annual Incentives ===
+Both subscription levels incentivise annual payment:
+{| class="wikitable comparison-table"
+|-
+! Payment type
+! Platform sub
+! UG sub (example)
+|-
+| Annual (once)
+| class="highlight-cell"| 10 CHF → 10 CHF/yr
+| class="highlight-cell"| 10€ → 10€/yr
+|-
+| Monthly (12 payments)
+| 12 CHF (20% more)
+| 12€ (20% more)
+|}
+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.
+=== Equilibrium Logic ===
+WikiDeal's subscription model is self-regulating through market equilibrium:
+* If a platform subscription is too expensive → users leave or don't join → Ynternet.org Foundation lowers price
+* If a User Group subscription is too expensive → members fork and create a competing group → prices naturally decrease
+* If User Group subscription too low to cover costs → group may merge, raise rates with community approval, or dissolve
+The threat of forking is a feature, not a bug. It prevents any single group from imposing unsustainable rates on its members.
+'''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]]  Financing Development