tibdit

Bloggers, forums, re­view­ers, news sites, artists and local groups could all benefit from the service.

tibdit can help to level the playing field, by making the internet more of a meri­tocracy for content pro­viders.

When the Internet blew up, how we consume and pay for content changed forever. … it was no surprise to see tibdit launch a semi-centralised app, delivered via WordPress plugin.

tib/tɪb/

noun (pl. tibs)  a small amount of money, typically around GBP 0.15 (USD 0.25), chosen by an individual tibber to ensure that they “do not need to think twice” before spending.

verb (v.tr tibbed) to send a tib to a tibbee, either as a gratuity (a microdonation), or as payment for access to content or a service (a micropayment).

s.a. tibber, tibbee c.f. tip, tidbit

get our monthly bulletin

get tibbed
get the t-shirt

  1. make your site tibbable
  2. get five visitors to tib you
  3. email [email protected] with:
    • the URL of your site
    • your bitcoin address
    • your t-shirt size
    • your postal address

microdonations and micropayments without a second thought

​Will the birth of the 21 Chip be the death of monthly fees?

Following large investments from big names like Pay-Pal co-founder Peter Thiel, 21 Inc has recently announced the 21 Bitcoin computer (cue excitement from Bitcoin community).

The 21 Bitcoin computer promises users the ability to generate their own Bitcoin, at a rate of approximately 10 cents per day. Many may find themselves questioning the point of such technology (especially Bitcoin mining experts). To the single-minded observer, the 21 Chip does seem to be somewhat redundant, but its revenue generating capabilities could prove invaluable when applied to payment for streaming services.

Netflix and Amazon Prime, two streaming giants with payment plans of around £4.99 a month, have spoken about increasing the cost of membership. Talks of impending HD packages and the threat of no longer being able to share accounts across multiple devices have been floating around for a while now, making an alternative method more appealing.

The 21 Chip could present a worthy alternative, allowing users to pay while they watch. A chip capable of creating revenue simply by being used presents us with a potential replacement for those pesky monthly fees, currently viewed as a necessary evil. Streaming sites like YouTube or platforms like Spotify could now reward frequent users with less adverts, but not to the financial detriment of creators.

The 21 Chip is a truly versatile piece of hardware and its unique functionality is not limited simply to “free” movies and television. Can you imagine having a smartphone that pays its own bills? Or WiFi hotspots that generate revenue for the precise length of time it has been used? Imagine a phone or tablet that automatically pays for extra cloud storage space, or has the capability to pay for an ebook as you’re reading it.

These exciting possibilities may just be conjecture at this point, but the 21 Chip has incredible potential. Proving our point that services that require a monthly static fee – such as paywalls and monthly subscriptions – may well be on the out, the 21 Chip has caused quite a stir. Put simply, the malleability of the 21 Chip allows it to hypothetically work in tandem with almost any platform (which probably means the idea of a utopian society where free streaming is available won’t become a reality). In that regard, the possibilities are endless. We look forward to finding out where it goes in future!

Google to Launch Micropayment Service

It seems Apple have the tech world divided once again.

iOS9 houses a myriad of new (and necessary) features designed to tackle issues with poor battery life, a more intuitive ‘maps’ and an improved Siri so smart that all those Skynet jokes seem a little more relevant. Much to the dismay of app publishers and video streaming website hosts who depend on the revenue from pop-ups, iOS9 also comes complete with adblocking software. While most of us rejoiced at the announcement of iOS9, the latest smartphone operating system by tech superpower Apple, it seems app developers and publishers weren’t so keen on celebrating.

For anyone who’s been following tibit for some time, the concept of a sustainable alternative to pop-ups is nothing new. Functionality based around small micropayments which reward quality content or which include a gatekeeper mechanism seem like a godsend to developers, especially when compared to the prospect of seeing marginally less revenue as all iPhone and iPad users bask in the joy of advert-free web surfing.

Google is no stranger to micropayment software either, having recently launched a service with a similar philosophy to tibit. Google Contributor asks users to spread small payments across several websites, in a similar fashion to a subscription service (i.e. the more money you donate, the less ads you’ll be bombarded with). Could adopting this ambitious approach soften the backlash Apple is facing from disgruntled developers?

Here at tibit we envision a world where micropayments are as ubiquitous as a Facebook like. With large companies like Google engaging with developers and providing alternatives to ad-based revenue streams we’re confident that in the world of micropayments, Google Contributor is just the ‘tib’ of the iceberg.

Will the Blockchain method be adopted by the big banks?

According to the latest news in the financial tech sector, in the near future we could see Bitcoin being adopted by the biggest banks in the world.

The Blockchain method of online security comes in the form of a public ledger, which tracks all Bitcoin transactions. Bitcoin enthusiasts and developers alike believe that complete transparency is the only way to purge the (ever-omnipresent) threat of online theft made during transfers.

Nine of the world’s biggest banks share a similar philosophy; Barclays, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, The Royal Bank of Scotland and a few others have all joined the blockchain initiative in a bid to investigate new ways of protecting transfers..

The strong focus on transparency which is now required for larger banks following the recession has led to this new interest in technology such as the Blockchain method. Keeping records in an open yet secure manner will allow banks to maintain their trustworthiness, but keep financial records as secure as possible.

Here at tibdit, we feel it makes perfect sense for large banks to mirror systems created for Bitcoin transactions. In the past, the only threat to Bitcoin security came from hacks on wallets or in the exchanges themselves. By marrying a transparent ledger with the security the bigger banks possess, we could eventually eradicate the worst of the online fraud we battle today.
Whilst the future of online banking is still uncertain, one thing that we might be see is the cost of reporting on transactions falling dramatically once an open ledger system is implemented. That being said, it is unlikely that we’ll see a change overnight, as the use of the Blockchain technology will initially be limited to recording the purchases of stocks and shares. We will also have to wait for the big banks to finalise their studies of the Blockchain technology; there is currently no timetable for the scheduled beginning of technical trials.

Are micropayments the future of gaming?

We are currently living in the age of entertainment, with more people playing video games than ever before due to ease of access. More than 51% of smartphone owners use their devices for gaming, and games console sales continue to rise. The question on many people’s lips is how this frenzy for gaming can be monetised in a way that is accessible to everyone. Could small payments be the future of gaming?

Gamecredits certainly seem to think so. As the first open source gaming currency made by and for gamers, Gamecredits is set to integrate cryptocurrency into three of its brand new games.

The first of the small payment-funded game trinity of games launched this week. Named Turbocharged, the game features online racing with players making small bets on race outcomes and missions. The addition of micropayments adds another level of pressure to the frantic no-holds-barred style of play. Gamecredits currently has two other game titles on the horizon, an online fighting game and a four player co-op shooter set in space.

This bold move by the Gamecredits team should hopefully increase cryptocurrency adoption, eventually leading to a more widespread adoption of the payment alternative across the gaming industry. That being said, Gamecredits are not the first company to attempt this; Metal Gear Solid 5, arguably one of the biggest games to drop this year, surprised fans by incorporating its own micropayments system.

By allowing the player to purchase in-game coins to spend on their military base, Metal Gear Solid 5 has provided an optional micropayments system giving the game another level of depth. The popularity of the game and the warm reception of the micropayments feature gives the team here at tibdit further confidence that tibbing will take off in the future.

With our platform at tibdit being versatile enough to be applied to a variety of gaming options, we don’t think it will be long before tibs are seen across console and tablet-based games. In-game purchases are slowly becoming the norm, and the tib button could soon be coming to a console near you – just watch this space!

North American newspaper’s micropayment system launch is a success!

Winnipeg Free Press is the first North American online news outlet to launch a micropayment system, seeing a large number of users switch to pay-per-view subscription.

Currently 1,300 of its 150,000 registered users are now paying a small amount per article they read, with many more predicted to make the switch over the coming months. Winnipeg Free Press estimates that in seven to eight months, they will reach their goal of 5,000.

The current landscape of online micropayments is expanding exponentially. Winnipeg Free Press’ current business model comes in the form of a monthly subscription process, billing the user based on the articles they have read. This is but one example of the many ways frictionless micropayments can be incorporated in the digestion of online content.

Winnipeg Free Press has approached the inevitable problem of user dissatisfaction by providing a refund option, enabling the user to request their money back should they feel like the article in question wasn’t quite up to scratch. This was certainly a gamble, and the potential for users to repeatedly request a refund was an initial worry for Winnipeg Free Press vice president Christian Panson. His fears were allayed by the nearly unanimous response of most readers, who have happily paid without requesting refunds.

Winnipeg Free Press has enjoyed an increased amount of its readers transitioning to a pay-per-article system following its announcement of the innovative paywall structure in February. Panson has gone on to state his goal of 30-40 percent of the Winnipeg Free Press’ reader base being micropayment subscribers, noting that he doesn’t have many brands to compare to.

This is where we at tidbit feel we can help the journalism world. We’re always excited to see different platforms adopting a micropayment system, as it’s well suited as a method of monetising online content. With news outlets like Winnipeg Free Press embracing micropayment systems to provide a positive user experience, it’s only a matter of time before the whole world is taking notice – and tibbing!

Traction & News

We’ve been working diligently since the last blog, to partner with particular sectors in the donation space; from charities, to student mags and wellness bloggers ahead of our launch in October.

Our platform is still ‘live’ for existing tibbees and tibbers, but others will roll out when we launch.

Watch this space to find out which tibbees we’ll be bringing onboard.

There’s been a fair bit of press recently around newspapers closing down altogether or moving to online only http://www.theguardian.com/media/newspaper-closures

Also, @Grant Feller has written a very interesting article about micropayments versus free content http://www.forbes.com/sites/grantfeller/2015/08/03/how-micropayments-will-trump-the-foolishness-of-free/

tibdit are in the right space to provide an additional revenue stream.

team tibdit

the micropayments problem

For two decades, attempts to provide a mechanism for casual online micropayments have failed. Consequently, with no way to monetise granular content directly, advertising, subscription paywalls, and click-bait headlines proliferate. Historically the carriage of printed paper justified bundling vast amounts of content into daily publications. Today, electronic delivery of single items is normal.

The best analyses explain how seemingly-unavoidable cognitive processes overwhelm any value to be had from something worth 'next to nothing'. But tibdit has the solution for a significant number of publishers and consumers of online content and services.

the team

the tibdit team

contacts

general: email [email protected]

media: email [email protected]

website: email [email protected]

Suite 2, 151 Rye Lane, Peckham,
London SE15 4TL, England, UK.

justin maxwell

justin maxwell

director, founder & ceo

A well-respected professional solutions architect for over 20 years, designing technical solutions to business problems for a wide array of corporate and other organisations in both New Zealand and the UK, Justin took a career break in 2009 to study towards a degree in maths and physics.

Shortly after returning to the UK in 2013, Justin identified a novel answer to the intransigent 'micropayment problem' that has puzzled online content providers for more than a decade.

After validating with others that the approach was both original and viable, he was compelled to pursue it, and tibdit was born. Justin also set up an early Internet Service Provider in Auckland, New Zealand in 1995 and lessons from that entrepreneurial experience have been taken on board in relation to tibdit.

A priority this time around has been pulling together a great team of great people, all of whom have important skills that are quite different to his own extensive technical expertise. Justin is the CEO and founder of tibdit and expects to continue as CTO once solid growth is achieved.

pauline hunter

pauline hunter

director, co-founder & coo

Pauline brings a wealth of operational and business management experience spanning over 30 years, in both the private and public sectors. From starting her working life as a civil servant, whilst also undertaking higher education at Newcastle College part-time, she moved into the private pension sector in Surrey, before returning to Newcastle to become self-employed in the retail trade. After rejoining the civil service, in the Rural Payments Agency (Intervention Board; as was), Pauline has undertaken a number of diverse roles from handling import/export refund claims, agricultural grants, to auditing claimants, interpretation of EU regulations, managing a team of 85 people and more recently moving to a role as Business Analyst.

Moving into a large IT programme in 2004, she met Justin and began a journey of learning all things logical. This generated a keen interest in technology and after the programme ended, they kept in touch. When Justin explained the proposition for tibdit, Pauline was 'hooked'.

Pauline is the COO and co-founder of tibdit, focussing on people skills, planning, and operational needs

jan rees

jan rees

business & finance advisor

With over 25 years work experience within the retail banking sector in a variety of roles, Jan brings with him significant knowledge and experience of the payments industry. During his tenure for over a decade at payment system integrator Logica he was responsible for several retail banking payment infrastructure projects, including the establishment of a national card payment scheme located in the Middle East.

Following a number of sales and business development and account management roles for various UK software companies, Jan subsequently set up and acted as the operational Head of Payments providing continuous availability transaction processing services for various financial banking institutions in the UK.

adam vaziri

adam vaziri

legal & regulatory advisor

Adam is a qualified lawyer and director of Diacle ltd., which provides licensing and compliance support to financial services firms (from consumer credit firms, fund managers, forex brokerages, FinTech businesses, including digital currency start ups).

He also acts as a consultant for Neopay; leading the market in delivering compliance solutions to e-money institutions, payment institutions and related industries.

iain cresswell

iain cresswell

business development

Passionate about new Finance Tech and Bitcoin, and the creator of London Bitcoin Meetup, Iain brings valuable insight to tibdit. Iain has previously worked in marketing for large enterprises, including the IT industry and has embraced the opportunity to work with a start up from the ground up on something completely new & different. Accredited Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist in Software Asset Management and Volume licensing to organisation.

michael sidon

michael sidon

developer & growth hacker

Michael started his career in investment banking and moved to being an entrepreneur and web developer, where he developed operational experience through to execution and delivery. His first entrepreneurial venture was in eCommerce, with the consecutive launch of two online retail stores, targeting the large North American market.

It was while running and growing these websites that Michael's passion for web development became apparent, and led to him heavily investing time into coding and developing small projects. Michael was attracted to tibdit for its compelling team and vision. He joined us as a Ruby on Rails developer, primarily responsible for building tibdit's online product and future.

jim smith

jim smith

junior developer

Jim is our junior developer and currently in his third year at University as a Software Engineering student. He already has skills in Java programming and IT projects, having delivered an IT asset management system for a tour operator.

He is also studying financial services and hopes to work in the banking industry. Jim is a self-starter with a bright future and an asset to tibdit.

elena vilimaite

elena vilimaite

apprentice developer

Elena is our apprentice developer, who is passionate about web development, social media and is in crypto currencies.

She has been working on the front-end of tibdit's online product and has brought in a wave of fresh ideas to the team. Elena is also actively involved in the Mozilla community and volunteers for a youth charity.

collecting tibs on WordPress

tibdit has developed a simple WordPress plugin which can be installed via plugins → add new from the administration menu. The plugin makes it very easy for WordPress blog operators to receive tibs through their site.

Within the plugin and the tibdit service, a feature called ‘testmode’ is automatically enabled if a bitcoin testnet address is entered. In testmode, tibbers can purchase valueless tibs with ‘magic’, and subsequently tib you – but of course the testnet bitcoin we then send you is also valueless. It is completely up to you whether you want to configure a testnet bitcoin address, or a ‘mainnet’ bitcoin address.

You do not need to know anything about bitcoin at this stage; providing you keep the private key for the address you generate safe and secure, you can work out how to convert your received tibs into your usual currency, or to spend them as bitcoin, once you have collected sufficient tibs to be motivated to do so.

Click here to start collecting tibs now by installing our wordpress plugin!

link to tibdit method

Collecting microdonations has never been easier, just link to tibdit with your bitcoin address:

<a href='https://tib.tibdit.com/t/YOUR BITCOIN ADDRESS'>
<a href='https://tib.tibdit.com/t/mwDzHePZBs9BxGHHNhWggk2ASUUmEKRuZH'>Donate</a>

If you want more than one tib link on your site, you can add a subreference to identify each one. A subreference could be an article number or filename:

<a href='https://tib.tibdit.com/t/YOUR BITCOIN ADDRESS/YOUR SUBREF FOR THIS LINK'>
<a href='https://tib.tibdit.com/t/mwDzHePZBs9BxGHHNhWggk2ASUUmEKRuZH/P12'>tib the 12th post</a>

You can tell tibdit where to get social-snippet information about your site to present to the user.

<a href='https://tib.tibdit.com/t/YOUR BITCOIN ADDRESS/?snippet_url=YOUR SOCIAL SNIPPET URL'>
<a href='https://tib.tibdit.com/t/mwDzHePZBs9BxGHHNhWggk2ASUUmEKRuZH/?snippet_url=http://joesblog.com'>Donate</a>

You can also easily share your tibdit link on social media, forum posts or anywhere to receive tibs

https://tib.tibdit.com/t/YOUR BITCOIN ADDRESS/?snippet_url=YOUR SOCIAL SNIPPET URL
https://tib.tibdit.com/t/mwDzHePZBs9BxGHHNhWggk2ASUUmEKRuZH/?snippet_url=https://twitter.com/joebloggs

detect and react to tibs

A callback URL enables your site to react when a tib is confirmed. If you provide a callback address, the tibdit window will be redirected to it after the user confirms the tib. A token that you can retrieve and process however you wish is included.

<a href='https://tib.tibdit.com/t/YOUR BITCOIN ADDRESS?callback_url=YOUR CALLBACK URL'>
<a href='https://tib.tibdit.com/t/mwDzHePZBs9BxGHHNhWggk2ASUUmEKRuZH?callback_url=joesblog.com/tibhandler.php'>

The token is base64 and URL encoded query string

http://YOUR SITE ADDRESS/?tibdit=BASE64 ENCODED TIB TOKEN
http://joesblog.com/?tibdit=?tibdit=Y2FsbGJhY2s9aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRmpvZXNibG9nLnN0YWdpbmcudGliZGl0LmNvbSUyRiZwYXlhZGRyPW1yVVJkRGIzNDVFaFhOdm03YndEcHBCZG9TZ3hlRFhjNjcmc25pcHBldD1odHRwJTNBJTJGJTJGam9lc2Jsb2cuc3RhZ2luZy50aWJkaXQuY29tJTJGJnN1YnJlZj1qb2UmdGliY291bnQ9MTImdGliY3VzdG9tPQ==

After decoding you can see that the token contains the bitcoin address to be paid, subreference and the number of confirmed tibs going to that bitcoin address for that subreference

payaddr=mwDzHePZBs9BxGHHNhWggk2ASUUmEKRuZH // your blog address
subref=P12 // subreference set by you
tibcount=15 // number of tibs sent to the bitcoin address

You should store your tibcount in order to display it to subsequent visitors

add a custom tib button (php example)

a quick set up guide, styles sheets, images and all the necessary scripts can be downloaded here

The following steps will allow you to integrate a button that changes its appearance once the button has been clicked. Once you've uploaded the tibdit directory to your website, you can get started.

Firstly, we'll need to reference the tibdit scripts in the head section of the page

<script type="text/javascript" src='tib.js'></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="tib-button-style.css">

Then, at the start of the body section, we need to add some php to detect if the page has been tibbed and update the tib-counter accordingly.

<?php
  $payaddr = "YOUR BITCOIN ADDRESS";
  include "tib.php";
  processTib( DURATION_SECONDS );   
?>

Next to create the tib button by simply copying the code snippet below and pass in a sub-reference and a callback url (the url to return to once the user has tibbed).

<div id='tib-button' class='not-tibbed' 
    onclick = "tib('<?php echo $payaddr;?>','YOUR_SUBREF','YOUR_URL');">
    <span class='count'><?php getCounter($payaddr, 'YOUR_SUBREF'); ?></span>
</div>

...Now we'll need a bit of logic to see if you've been tibbed...

<script>
    if(tibbed('YOUR_SUBREF')) 
    {document.getElementById("tib-button").className += "tibbed";} 
</script>

And you're done!

How we use social snippets

tibdit application is created to detect social snippets to provide the best tibbing experience for the tibber, by displaying the title of the page, description and an image.

You can see that your social snippets are detected using this Meta Inspector tool.

To take full control of these you may want to consider adding the Open Graph protocol social snippet tags that would allow the tibdit application to provide your title, image, and description by adding following before the </head> tag in the HTML.

<meta property="og:title" content="YOUR TITLE"/>
<meta property="og:image" content="YOUR IMAGE URL"/>
<meta property="og:type" content="website" />
<meta property="og:url" content="YOUR URL" />
<meta property="og:description "content="YOUR DESCRIPTION" />

tibdit is a London, UK startup closing a long-standing online payments gap, enabling frictionless casual microdonations and micropayments (‘tibs’).

Publishers of online content or services of any size, from tiny to mainstream, can collect tibs as either payments for access, or as tips and gifts.

tibdit is the first to remove completely the cognitive barriers that have led to the failure of many micropayment initiatives. With an original but very simple product, we will capture a large part of this potentially vast, largely untapped market.

tibdit is currently crowdfunding via Seedrs

Please use this link to view our campaign. When you do, we play less commission if you decide to invest.

Information that may assist you to register on Seedrs can be found here.

Customer Pain & Solution

Problem:

There is more content online than ever, but revenue and quality are dropping even as consumption is increasing. Publishers are forced to choose between giving work away for free, smothering it in advertising, or forcing customers to subscribe. In the offline world, tipping and ad-hoc pocket-change value transactions are easy, but despite many attempts, there is still no simple way for online users to casually and tangibly express appreciation for free content, or spontaneously pay for access.

Solution:

tibdit minimises the technical and cognitive hurdles that inhibit ‘next to nothing’ value transactions. It become a near-instantaneous binary decision. Users set a personal ‘tib value’ (between 3p and 75p) and pre-purchase a bundle (10 to 500) of ‘tibs’ which can only be spent singly. Our model makes it easy for anyone from a hobbyist wanting microdonations to a major publisher taking access micropayments; wherever a ˜15p average payment could be appropriate.

Why invest in tibdit?

We believe we have a competitive advantage, for the following reasons.

  1. There are no current viable competitors in the field of casual, ad-hoc (i.e. non-subscription) micropayments and microdonations. The cognitive hurdles encountered with tiny payments have been well analysed and discussed, but seemingly not by most startups seeking to enter the space.
  2. tibdit has filed a US Patent application covering our original inventive method which provides tibbers a near-instantaneous, binary choice: to tib or not.
  3. Unlike other contemporary microscale tipping and payment services using cryptocurrencies, our tibbers are not required to even be aware that tibdit uses bitcoin to disburse payments to tibbees; they purchase tibs in their own currency, using their existing cards.
  4. There are a number who overlap to varying degrees, and some indirect competitors focussed on subscription models that may want to incorporate our product, or partner with tibdit, once we are established.
  5. Below are two essays spelling out why micropayments do not work, from several years ago. They are insightful, and cogently set out why prior and subsequent micropayment solutions have failed. tibdit addresses or avoids the barriers described.

What is our monetisation strategy?

Recipients (‘tibbees’) install the tibdit button, or link to tibdit, on their web pages. Users (‘tibbers’) create an account, set the value of their tibs (typically around 15p or 25¢), and purchase a bundle of 10 or more tibs, using Visa, Mastercard, or bitcoin. Then they start tibbing content providers.

tibdit collects 1.5p per tib paid. The micropayments space is inherently a volume business, and break-even is expected at approximately one million tibbers, tibbing twice per week. This should be a readily achievable goal over two-to-three years. Subsequent natural growth extending to many tens of millions should follow and require less effort.

tibdit's solution naturally includes a powerful incentive-driving viral loop. However, like a two-stroke engine, a significant amount of initial effort will be required to get it running. Except for loyal fans of tibbable sites, only once potential tibbers encounter tib buttons on more than a single site will most consider getting a tibdit account, and purchasing a bundle of tibs.

The immediate focus is therefore on marketing and getting early-adopter tibbees on board, including promotions and giveaways, event attendance, and reaching out directly to smaller potential tibbee organisations such as local and specialist print-publishers.

Our strategy for enhancing viral user growth consists of offering 5 free tibs to new users, and in the medium-term we plan to add a referral programme.

Major expenditure over the coming months

  1. Marketing and PR to establish the tibdit corporate identity and presence
  2. Attendance at and sponsorship of key events nationally and internationally
  3. Further feature development of the live and operational product
  4. Improvements to the UI, especially for mobile phones and tablets
  5. Team salaries, including minimal salaries for the founders
  6. Fixed costs including tibdit’s office space in Peckham, London

The objective is to demonstrate increasing revenue and other key metrics, ahead of raising growth funds in late 2015.

Evidence of demand in our space

Our three closest competitors have experienced strong demand in 2014, and have raised substantial funding as a result. Below we explain their respective models, and why we believe the tibdit model is superior.

Flattr:

  • fixed monthly spend, distributed equally between recipients
  • focussed on microdonations for social good
  • declining implementations from peak of 12k sites

tibdit:

  • users are more in control of who gets how much
  • general all-purpose solution
  • commercially focussed on microdonations equally with microdonations
  • users do not effectively plunder their earlier tips to pay for later ones

Blendle:

  • each article is individually priced
  • success is likely mostly due to Netherlands/Dutch walled-garden
  • incorporates the content delivery platform

tibdit:

  • not just for articles e.g. tibs can be used just as easily for online serives
  • global from the outset as tibdit is only a payment platform
  • users define their own micropayment amount, so do not feel 'nickle and dimed'
  • tibdit does not take over or interfere with the publishers interface or relationship to their customers

ChangeTip:

  • focussed exclusively on microdonations/tipping, and requires tippers to have bitcoin
  • tippers are required to decide how much to tip for every transaction
  • over US$ 4M funding despite minimal traction and a model similar to earlier failures

tibdit:

  • original, simpler, and patentable business model
  • tibbers use their own familiar currency
  • two-click process

How is tibdit different?

Let us explain in more depth exactly why we believe tibdit will surpass its competitors:

  • We don't require any sort of registration by recipients.
  • Setup by content providers to receive payments can be as simple as a text link on a webpage.
  • We are both a tipping service and a payment service.
  • We remove almost entirely the friction associated with making a payment. In particular, we eliminate the 'how much' or 'is this a fair cost' hurdle, which is the primary psychological barrier.
  • We use the tension between microdonations and micropayments to lead most users to set a single, personal, "don't have to think twice" amount for both their payments and donations.
  • Users pre-purchase blocks of 'tibs' in advance, giving them control over the value, and the ability to change it whenever they buy another block, but they set this value in isolation from the context of individual transactions.
  • Anyone with a credit or debit card can be a user. We don't require payers to think about bitcoin or any proprietary currency, but we use bitcoin on the outbound side (where there is the cashflow incentive) to provide a global-from-day-one, minimal friction solution.
  • We recognise and embrace that recipients want to move casual purchasers to subscription options (or 'regular gifting' type micro-patronage). We see the re-introduction of repeat casual purchasing as a way for publishers to identify a pool of potential subscribers that can be engaged with as appropriate, compared to the current situation of mid-article interruption and demands which somewhat ironically push away many potential paying customers.
  • While there is a bit of scope for expanding what tibdit offers to 'tibbers' and 'tibbees' going forward, it is very limited. The primary goal therefore, is to do one very simple thing, do it very well, dominate the casual, general-purpose micropayments market, and let it (and help it) grow.

Seedrs Crowdfunding Investment

These are some points that are useful to know with regards to the Seedrs signup process:

  • Most startups fail, and if you invest in a startup, it is significantly more likely that you will lose your invested capital than that you will see a return of capital or a profit. However, the UK Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) can significantly mitigate this risk for UK taxpayers investing in an SEIS eligible startup.
  • If the startup fails, no one will be liable to pay you back the amount that you invest and your investment will be lost. For many UK taxpayers, this risk can be virtually eliminated for SEIS eligible investments.
  • Startups rarely pay dividends and are unlikely to be able to sell your shares unless the investee company floats on a securities exchange or is bought by another company.
  • Even for a successful business, a flotation or purchase is unlikely to occur for several years.
  • If the business raises additional capital at a later date, it will issue new shares to the new investors, and the percentage of the investee company that you own will decrease.
  • Investing in startups should only be done as part of a diversified portfolio. This means that you should invest relatively small amounts in multiple businesses rather than a lot in one or two businesses.
  • You should not invest more money through the platform than you can afford to lose without altering your standard of living. The Seedrs platform allows you to invest as little as £10 in a startup.

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