Pricing · Peer-reviewed empirical study or research synthesis
The Cost of Free: The Effects of “Wait-for-Free” Pricing Schemes on the Monetization of Serialized Digital Content
MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems · 2023
Summary
Wait-for-free pricing generated new demand and increased serialized-content sales, with sustained long-run profits in the reported setting. As users accumulated free episodes, conversion to instant purchase rose up to a threshold and then declined; one free episode could raise purchase likelihood by up to 13%. Founder-use interpretation: Use this as a question to test in your own product context, not as a universal benchmark. The publisher describes digital entertainment rather than B2B software and does not disclose the platform/sample count in the record. Thus transfer to SaaS trial design, usage limits, and enterprise pricing is an open empirical question.
For your marketing
Possible founder application
Use this as a question to test in your own product context, not as a universal benchmark. The publisher describes digital entertainment rather than B2B software and does not disclose the platform/sample count in the record. Thus transfer to SaaS trial design, usage limits, and enterprise pricing is an open empirical question.
Reported result
What the study found
Wait-for-free pricing generated new demand and increased serialized-content sales, with sustained long-run profits in the reported setting. As users accumulated free episodes, conversion to instant purchase rose up to a threshold and then declined; one free episode could raise purchase likelihood by up to 13%.
Research question
What the authors investigated
The Cost of Free: The Effects of “Wait-for-Free” Pricing Schemes on the Monetization of Serialized Digital Content?
Design
Combination of analytical/economic modeling and empirical assessment of wait-for-free consumer behavior, including switching from waiting to immediate purchase.
Sample and setting
Serialized digital entertainment content on online platforms, where users can wait to obtain an episode free or pay immediately. The publisher record does not disclose the platform identity or a respondent count.
Scope and transfer
Limitations to keep in view
The publisher describes digital entertainment rather than B2B software and does not disclose the platform/sample count in the record. Thus transfer to SaaS trial design, usage limits, and enterprise pricing is an open empirical question.
Research sources
Publisher record directly retrieved with Firecrawl (reference 01a122ca-77a7-7024-b16c-30ca56d78a4a); summary is a careful paraphrase of the accessible record.