Mobile Ed Subscription Plan

I would like to hear some feedback on how attractive various subscriptions models for Mobile Ed courses would be. I’m curious about price points and structures relating to how much material would be available and for how long.

Here are examples of two possible structures:

A monthly (or yearly) subscription for access to a majority of Mobile Ed courses (involving a delayed new release period like Netflix).
A monthly subscription for access to only 3 courses, where each course is available for three months and then replaced by an alternate one (staggered, so one course is swapped out each month).

These are just two conceptual structures. I’m curious about three issues:

How attractive Mobile Ed would be provided through any subscription model at all
What one would expect the pricing to be for these models
If there are other more appealing models (including anticipated pricing) than the ones I presented as examples

Any feedback on this issue would be most welcome as the Mobile Ed department investigates this issue. Thanks so much!

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Comments

MJ. Smith

Neither of the options appeal to me. I would be interested in renting a class for a period of 3-6 months at about 1/3 of its purchase price. This would give me time to go through the course carefully, thoroughly and allow for unforeseen circumstances.

James C.

One monthly price like 9.99 and you get to pick one course. Keep it as long as you like or return it and get access to another one. that way I could decide how fast or slow I complete the course or if I don't like the course I'm not locked in.

Beloved Amodeo

Forgive me John,

I was probably composing on this subject when you posted this. I am very interested, please see my post here

Keith Larson

Wow John a total of 2 posts! I was wondering if you still worked at Faithlife! [:)]

Now for the topic at hand, by there very nature I think courses do not make much sense in purchasing. Realistically most of us will not take a course again. I like the yearly plan were you can pick from a large number of older courses.

Randy W. Sims

I'm not sure for me personally. Two thoughts though:

I like the idea of RightNow Media which let church's pay for the service so members can have access. This type of plan would be appealing because it would better facility small group studies.

Another, neat idea is to use packaged deals, where you not only rent a course, but rent all of the required resources. This would probably work best with individual plans like discussed, although some type of mashup of complete resources plus courses offered to small groups might be a great way to introduce a larger audience to Logos.

SineNomine

Rent-to-own (say ~80% of rental cost counts toward ownership) and 3-6 month term rentals sound good to me.

Given a straight up $9.99/mth one-course-at-a-time rental I can people, especially students, on vacation or otherwise with lots of spare time paying for a month's rental and going through a ridiculous number of LME courses in that time through truly intense study. I've done something similar with other online courses.

Matthew C Jones

I really like this option.

Given a straight up $9.99/mth one-course-at-a-time rental I can people, especially students, on vacation or otherwise with lots of spare time paying for a month's rental and going through a ridiculous number of LME courses in that time through truly intense study. I've done something similar with other online courses

I have purchased 24 courses so far. Should I hold up on any more for a while?

John Schwandt

These responses are very helpful as we consider the issue of subscriptions. Please keep them coming. I also appreciate the humor (@Kieth). I also thought it would be helpful if I responded to the following:

I have purchased 24 courses so far. Should I hold up on any more for a while?

There is no reason to wait, if you enjoy having these scholars remain in your library as your personal guides. One of the sad parts of traditional education is that it is only as good as our memories. It can be depressing if you think about how quickly what you learn fades. However, once learned it is less difficult to relearn it. That is, if you can figure out what parts are worth revisiting. One of the advantages of Mobile Ed is that the short 5-10 min. segments can show up when you search your library and take you right back to a brief lesson regarding your search. In this way, owning your courses preserves your learning in a way a-once-through approach doesn't. This also occurs if you take notes in your transcripts and suggested readings. As you research, you will see your notes (in other readings, notefiles, etc.,) that will take you right back to specific video teaching. I love keeping these professors available as part of my research library.

Other reasons to keep purchasing is that you can get the courses as soon as they are available and you can select from the entire catalogue. Under subscription models you wouldn't have as much control over what is accessible as any given time (analogous to the limitations one expects from Amazon Prime videos vs. purchasing videos.) This is not to say that having limited access to courses won't fit other needs. People would just have to decide how they wanted to build their personal library or if they merely had a desire/need for temporary and limited access.

Finally, I would recommend that you continue purchasing because both systems would be designed not to harm the other. If --and that is a big if-- we decide to offer a subscription plan, it will have a reasonable relationship to the benefits and price points of our current model. So feel free to keep on advancing your biblical education by adding more Mobile Ed to your personal library.

Thanks again for all of the feedback and please keep it coming.

Keith Larson

A point to consider. Many pastors get provisions for professional development in their yearly compensation package. Something like this subscription plan would be of much more value than going to some "pastor's conference". Although I have enjoyed going to them, when you add up the travel, lodging, food and registration there is not much value in them. I think if Logos could keep the annual subscription plan costs around $600-$800 it would be very attractive to many pastors.

Edgar Joyner

Hello John,

That plan sounds appealing to me. I have already own 15 Mobile Ed courses. I have loved each of the course. My question is, will there any option to buy a course if I rented Mobile Ed courses? It is like a trial period for anyone to rent a course for three month and can have a option to buy it if anyone is interesting to own a course for future use. That would appeal to me. Cost means nothing to me but studying God's word mean to something to me. The best plan is to rent unreleased course or upcoming course so that would give us a chance to look through course, if anyone is interesting then he or she would have a option to buy it or not. That would works for me.

Nathan Parker

See this thread for my thoughts:

https://community.logos.com/forums/p/106302/735760.aspx#735760

Robert Peters

Wow my ideas just getting more and more push! My initial idea was to have things at a cheaper discount, but I do think their is another advantage, churches that seek to train their own pastors. This is a growing trend and one I think will continue to grow. I think Logos can have a huge hand in accomplishing this. The subscription can be for churches who want to train their own pastors and other leader officials.

C M

Is there a last word on Mobile Ed Subscription Plan? If not, make a virual library for all courses, all the time, for a fee. Those who want the extras, just purchse the course. FL still comes out a winner.

Mark Barnes

A monthly (or yearly) subscription for access to a majority of Mobile Ed courses (involving a delayed new release period like Netflix).

I'd consider this, but I expect you'd price it too high for me. I think I'd only be willing to pay $20-$25/month for this.

A monthly subscription for access to only 3 courses, where each course is available for three months and then replaced by an alternate one (staggered, so one course is swapped out each month).

I don't think I'd go for this, because I wouldn't want you choosing the courses for me. If it was less than $10/month, I might be persuaded.

The most tempting option would be one already suggested by others — a rental plan whereby I could rent one course at a time, but it would be a course of my choosing. But I wouldn't want to pay more than $10/month, really.

Mike Tourangeau

Is there a last word on Mobile Ed Subscription Plan? If not, make a virual library for all courses, all the time, for a fee. Those who want the extras, just purchse the course. FL still comes out a winner.

It would be nice to have an official word on this, I am using another online course in the meantime. I want to hold off buying until I know what direction FL will go with these.

Mark Johnson

Neither option is attractive to me.

I am still pushing for more courses going through the Community Pricing model for purchase.

C M

Robert Peters,

Your heart is in the right place. You want to share the Word with your people (Pastors), this is a noble thing. Looking for a "cheaper discount" in the process of doing this and hoping that Logos will assist you, requires great faith in Faith Life Executives (decision makers).

I have read many of the past posts recently. I think we need to keep something in mind.

Faith Life is a business.
Making a profit is objective one.
Getting the most from as many people sooner for the longest period of time.
Their goals are not our goals.
Getting the Word out to the masses is not their number one priority.

You and I know that "the Gospel is free, but it costs to carry it." FL emphasizes the latter part. This is why you may not get any cooperation of a "cheaper discount." You would think, with over two and a half million plus users, they could make MEd Classes more affordable and accessible to those of us who seeking to fulfill the Great Commision of Matt 28:19-20. I'm not trying to deny them the right to make a profit, but FL need to remember what is their main product-- The Word of God. It's the core of all their data sets, dictionaries, book packages, Mobile Ed, etc. They can share some of their profit too. Give back! I would like FL to listen with more compassion, understanding, in light of the times in which we are living, and be more like a pastor as they continue to do business. I would love them to invest a little of their profits in the people who got them to where they are. Let's remain hopeful that a new sweet spirit comes over FL soon. They have the potentials of doing so much more good, to so many more people, in so many more places.

Robert Peters

Charles I think your missing a vital point one that would be profitable for both faithlife and its customers. Let me first start of with why they should even offer subscription. First and foremost to get more people to buy base packages. Base packages is still their primary product. I see mobile ed as an extension to reach another market because of the base packages. Faithlife has a;ways targeted pastors with the goal that it would trickle down to its members. The landscape of theological education is changing and I believe that logos mobile ed can play a huge part in that. For example, if logos dropped the subscription price down, but were able to get more people to buy the base packages would't that be a win on their side? This is simple business marketing. Sometimes you lower the price of one product so you will have more people overall invest in your product. One way that would be enticing is to offer a variety of subscription plans based on users and new purchases of the software.

Fr Devin Roza

A monthly subscription for access to only 3 courses, where each course is available for three months and then replaced by an alternate one (staggered, so one course is swapped out each month).

This might be of interest if I could pick the 3 courses, and if it cost less than $10 a month.

If it's economically feasible for you, another good option could be include 1 (or 2) course(s) at a time by individual user's choice in Logos/Verbum Now as well would be a great incentive for Now. For Now users who want more courses, an additional $10 / month for 3 additional courses.

C M

This might be of interest if I could pick the 3 courses, and if it cost less than $10 a month.

If Failthlife would listen and not just hear, they can increase their bottomline and many more of the MobileEd Courses will be viewed and owed. In short, make as many courses available, at the lowest cost reasonably possible (think of volume), for the longest period, and while giving the customers the greatest freedom to choose the courses. You will be a winner. Customers will be enlightened and elated. As for Faithlife, you will generate new interests and greater exposure for all instructors of the MobileEd Courses. A closed hand can’t receive anything. As for profits, always remember, “fifty percent (50%) of something is better than one-hundred (100%) percent of nothing.” The Courses have been made, let them see the light of day. No, you are not giving away the store. You are doing business in a world and a country (USA) where people loved to be heard and given the freedom of choices. FL you hold the volume of sales.

C M

any more of the MobileEd Courses will be viewed and owed.

Oops! Correction: "Owned" instead of "owed".

Jack Caviness

The most tempting option would be one already suggested by others — a rental plan whereby I could rent one course at a time, but it would be a course of my choosing. But I wouldn't want to pay more than $10/month, really.

This option sounds like something that might interest me.

Mike Tourangeau

The most tempting option would be one already suggested by others — a rental plan whereby I could rent one course at a time, but it would be a course of my choosing. But I wouldn't want to pay more than $10/month, really.

I would be all over this, but I would be surprised if it was $10/month.......would be awesome though!

Matthew C Jones

The most tempting option would be one already suggested by others — a rental plan whereby I could rent one course at a time, but it would be a course of my choosing. But I wouldn't want to pay more than $10/month, really.

I would be all over this, but I would be surprised if it was $10/month.......would be awesome though!

Based on what they sell for I bet rental would be $30 a month.

Simon’s Brother

A monthly subscription for access to only 3 courses, where each course is available for three months and then replaced by an alternate one (staggered, so one course is swapped out each month).

Not a fan on this as I wouldn't necessarily be interested in every course in the catalogue, and additionally some courses I might want to go back and work through again but I'd have to wait for that course to come back into rotation. It might be more appealing if I could choose a program of study - say Old Testament or Apologetics etc. and so the list of courses being swapped in and out would be more relevant to my interests and I would see courses I might want to repeat come back around sooner - but monthly cost would need to be around $10-15USD a month given the limitations of having no real way to be able to access what I want, when I want.

A monthly (or yearly) subscription for access to a majority of Mobile Ed courses (involving a delayed new release period like Netflix).

This would remove concerns above of having no control over what I want to access when I want to access it but once again monthly access fee would need to be kept reasonably low $10-15USD