Pledge Manipulation
Added 2015-06-05 21:49:38 +0000 UTCToward the beginning and end of each month, there's always a percentage of fluctuating pledges. It's a small percentage and it's okay. I receive an email every time someone pledges, or alters their pledge, but not when they cancel their pledges. There's at least one user who uses the pledge registration system to browse for new content, and then cancel their pledge immediately, when they're done. I get about two or three emails per week registering this person's $1 pledge, while their account indicates they've contributed $0 during their lifetime of "support". I know there will always be soulless people who want to game the system. Unfortunately, Patreon has no way to block future transactions from certain patrons, yet. I'm pleased that the overwhelming majority of pledges here are $6 and above. Nonetheless, there's a lot I want to share on the roll with those who want to express material support, even if it's only a dollar. One dollar a month. That's how generous, I am. One dollar. But if abuse of the $1 pledge tier continues, I'm going to start sharing more exclusives with the links that go out to the $6+ pledge tiers. I won't abandon the $1 tier, but I may start being less generous with it.
Comments
Again, try not to have a narrow "this is what I get" focus. It's about the artist's time, energy, living, what they can produce and still survive, and what they feel they owe to people who make that possible. Paying so you can access thing is only half of it; the other half is paying so that the artist can continue to produce at a certain pace and justify it as "work".
Jay Naylor
2015-06-06 20:21:18 +0000 UTCNo, that's not correct. In order to continue living, I had to devote FA primarily to commission work, which is why I was doing a lot of YCHs. It's only *because* of Patreon that I'm able to devote time to producing the kinds of things I used to use FA for even more, back when the catalog made a more sustainable living. So, it wasn't a capricious move to Patreon, it was a necessary one. Without which, I wouldn't have the time and energy to draw these things. So I do owe it to genuine supporters to give them something beyond those with entitled expectations.
Jay Naylor
2015-06-06 20:21:03 +0000 UTCFair point
Elberik
2015-06-06 20:20:56 +0000 UTCThe complaint that you've put works that used to just be posted to FA behind a paywall is not without grounds. If you want to use Patreon as a distributor for comics then fine- (that'swhere I think your focus should be) but don't say people should be thankful that you're generously only charging $1 to see work that was once posted to FA for free. I'd make the Patreon viewable to all but continue with the exclusive links for $6+
Elberik
2015-06-06 20:03:37 +0000 UTCI know. It's a precarious line to walk. It's why I'm sleeping on any decision I make. But I still want the $1 tier to be a good value. :3
Jay Naylor
2015-06-06 19:04:24 +0000 UTCMaybe putting the full colored works into the 6+ area. Just an idea. You put your heart into your work and some people just steal them. In the end they´re upset because you don´t continue your releasing like you did before... Strange world.
2015-06-06 10:09:57 +0000 UTCYour work is popular enough that it will be redistributed regardless of how many hurdles you place in front of people. the $6+ tiers are clearly where you make your money, why alienate more people by erecting more paywalls?
Elberik
2015-06-06 06:48:18 +0000 UTCThat may be possible, but I have a feeling that there is some legal can of worms involved. All the crowdfunding services have this in common. Woth YouTube Google is the one doing thw paying, they aren't acting as an intermediary for anyone. Taking and holding money is different, and I would bet that there are legal issues, and liability issues.
zeel
2015-06-06 05:35:24 +0000 UTCI'm not saying the money would go directly to Jay's PayPal, but that all of the money gets pooled, and he gets paid at the end of the month. Sorta like how YouTube pays content creators. The problem is that Patreon isn't taking people's money as soon as they pledge, allowing them to partake in the art, then leave without paying.
James
2015-06-06 05:15:28 +0000 UTCI'm paying with PayPal, though. Oooooh no!
James
2015-06-06 05:12:44 +0000 UTCJames...FYI... Paypal WILL NOT (AFAIK) pay Patreon due to some rule about NSFW art. So safest bet is to use a regular credit card
Robert Knight..aka..Guardian
2015-06-06 04:14:54 +0000 UTCThis allows them to process all transactions at once, and then send it all to the creator in one big lump. This makes the pay days more regular for creators.
zeel
2015-06-06 04:05:14 +0000 UTCGlad I upped mine to 6 then. Well worth it.
Lord Chaos
2015-06-06 02:44:26 +0000 UTCRight now, no. They're supposedly coming up with a way to let you ban patrons from future transactions when you notice it, though.
Jay Naylor
2015-06-06 01:09:13 +0000 UTCOH, I see how you mean. They sign up for the $1/$6 pledge, enjoy the comics on your feed, then bail before the 1st of the month so it's free. If that's true, that's seriously fucked. Can Patreon find a way to fix that loop hole?
ZenoCoyote
2015-06-06 00:52:38 +0000 UTCWow. Didn't expect people would actually do that. I assumed Patreon would bill you even if you unpledge. They need to make it so you get the money taken from your Paypal/credit card as soon as you pledge. I was confused when I first pledged and no money had been taken from my Paypal. It's a serious problem that has an easy solution.
James
2015-06-05 23:49:00 +0000 UTCSome people :/ $12 at the absolute least for an entire year, but nope, too much for some :c
Progfox
2015-06-05 22:52:27 +0000 UTCNo, because the $6+ pledge tiers get exclusive content sent to them after their pledges process. So if someone cancels, they get nothing.
Jay Naylor
2015-06-05 22:49:21 +0000 UTCMm yeah. Wonder why they don't.
Jay Naylor
2015-06-05 22:48:42 +0000 UTCI'm still new to patreon entirely, but could not this person do the same thing with a higher tier as well? I've been a fan for a long while and I'm happy to finally be in a place in life where I can offer some compensation. If it's just one person or a handful, maybe you can filter their behavior from your inbox. You've got an army of us supporting you for real. No need to waste your heart on the riffraff trying to peek over the fence :-)
rxk5031
2015-06-05 22:20:19 +0000 UTCIt is a pity that they don't have a lockout or cool down period if you cancel your account... or if you create and cancel accounts to close to each other. One way they could fix it is if it tracked months instead of pledges. Thus, if you pledge $1 and then cancel your pledge.. the $1 is still gone and you get whatever emails until the same date of the next month or until the end of the month or something.
2015-06-05 22:10:40 +0000 UTCThanks. :3
Jay Naylor
2015-06-05 22:07:02 +0000 UTCYour work is worth giving 6$ every month :)
Dorago
2015-06-05 22:00:53 +0000 UTC