educational

Billing Trials Through SMS

Can SMS (Short Message Service) billing be successfully used to sell trial offers to European customers, and result in further purchases? Simply put, yes. By making the process easier for the potential member to sign up to take a peek and not have to worry about recurring bills or hidden charges, they'll be more ready and open to use their mobile phone to make a small payment.

Just about everyone hates to fill out form after form, or at least feels uncomfortable with sending personal and financial information via the World Wide Web.

Offering SMS Billing to your European surfers gives them a sigh of relief; not only is signing up for your product made easier by the simple sign up process, its also made it anonymous for them. They don't have to register their name, address and credit card information; they send an SMS message to a short code number and then they receive access resulting with a non-itemized charge on their mobile phone.

Having the non-itemized charge listed on their cellular phone bill really opens the door for more business, since it doesn't pin down what the charge is for, leaving the member free from having to explain porn charges on his or her phone bill.

Having sent in the short code, your surfer can now view what you allow them to. Of course this is all preset. You can let them download trailers, pictures or even give them a peek into your members' area. Not only do you have control on what they see, you can also set the amount of time they can peruse through your website.

For instance give them a fifteen minute window to poke around in and once they're good and turned on they're more likely to sign on using their credit card for the credit card up sale you have located inside the members' area, or even sign up a full month's subscription.

Maybe your members' area isn't exactly their cup of tea, but when they click out and see a pop up with more or different content offered through SMS billing, they're more likely to take a look and send another short message your way.

With the geo-tracking program you have in place, the exit pop ups the surfers get are geared towards them, increasing your chance of a sale. With the touch of a few buttons, you've received two small payments.

Some may be concerned about losing the surfer when it comes time to whip out the plastic due to the different billing programs at work, but that's simply not the case. SMS billing is very easily integrated with a credit card based members' area simply by using htaccess.

However if there are surfers that wish to keep their credit cards in their wallets, never fear, the SMS billing method works over and over again. The limitation is really only set by your imagination and sales techniques.

Given the fact that almost two-thirds of the European population uses or owns cellular phones, and almost one hundred and ninety billion SMS messages being sent each year, one can only agree that this billing method will only continue to grow in popularity.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

To Cloud or Not to Cloud, That Is the Question

Let’s be honest. It just sounds way cooler to say your business is “in the cloud,” right? Buzzwords make everything sound chic and relevant. In fact, someone uninformed might even assume that any hosting that is not in the cloud is inferior. So what’s the truth?

Brad Mitchell ·
opinion

Upcoming Visa Price Changes to Registration, Transaction Fees

Visa is updating its fee structure. Effective April 1, both the card brand’s initial nonrefundable application fee and annual renewal fee will increase from $500 to $950. Visa is also introducing a fee of 10 cents for each transaction, and 10 basis points — 0.1% — on the payment volume of certain merchant accounts.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Unpacking the New Digital Services Act

Do you hear the word “regulation” and get nervous? When it comes to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), you shouldn’t worry. If you’re complying with the most up-to-date card brand regulations, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Perils of Relying on ChatGPT for Legal Advice

It surprised me how many people admitted that they had used ChatGPT or similar services either to draft legal documents or to provide legal advice. “Surprised” is probably an understatement of my reaction to learning about this, as “horrified” more accurately describes my emotional response.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
profile

WIA Profile: Holly Randall

If you’re one of the many regular listeners to Holly Randall’s celebrated podcast, you are already familiar with her charming intro spiel: “Hi, I’m Holly Randall and welcome to my podcast, ‘Holly Randall Unfiltered.’ This is the show about sex, the adult industry and the people in it.

Women In Adult ·
trends

What's Hot Now: Leading Content Players on Trending Genres, Monetization Strategies

The juggernaut creator economy hurtles along, fueled by ever-ascendant demand for personality-based authenticity and intimacy — yet any reports of the demise of the traditional paysite are greatly exaggerated.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

An Ethical Approach to Global Tech Staffing

One thing my 24-year career as a technologist working to support the online adult entertainment industry has taught me about is the power of global staffing. Without a doubt, I have achieved significantly more business success as a direct result of hiring abroad.

Brad Mitchell ·
opinion

Finding the Right Payment Partner

Whenever I am talking with businesses that are just getting started, one particular question comes up a lot: “How do I get a merchant account?” It’s a simple question, but it has a complicated answer.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

The Taxman Cometh for Every Business

February may be the month of romance, but it is also a time when we need to think about something that inspires very little love: taxes. April is not far away, and the taxman is always waiting. This year, federal and most state income taxes are due Monday, April 15.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Continuous Journey of Legal Compliance in Adult

The adult entertainment industry is teeming with opportunity but is also fraught with challenges, from anticipating consumer behavior to keeping up with technological innovation. The most labyrinthine of all challenges, however, is the world of legal compliance.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
Show More