How To Charge for Online Content

From Business Wire: Paid Content Initiative by ClickandBuy with Axel Springer Publishing House.
Leading European Media Company Launches Chargeable Online Services with ClickandBuy, One of the Internet's Leading Payment Systems.

As a partner of the premium initiative implemented by Axel Springer, ClickandBuy provides readers in Berlin (BERLINER MORGENPOST) and Hamburg (HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT) with a convenient and secure method of paying for chargeable online material. In addition to being Germany's largest newspaper publishing house and third largest magazine publisher, Axel Springer is also one of Europe's leading media companies.

The top two regional brands are now providing access to local and regional editorial content via their internet platforms in return for payment. The online archives offered by both regional newspapers are likewise subject to a fee.

The use of all content on morgenpost.de costs EUR 4.95 per month ($7USD) and the premium package offered by abendblatt.de is available for EUR 7.95/$11.30 (USD). When the month has elapsed the user is able to extend his/her subscription on a monthly basis. The payment for these services, as is the case with existing paid content offers, is concluded in a few steps via a secure and reliable payment function provided by ClickandBuy, which has been established in the market as a full service e-payment system since 1999.

The premium initiative from Axel Springer already incorporates numerous fee-based services with attractive content and a simple billing method. Since 9 December 2009 the iPhone Apps from BILD, Europe's largest daily newspaper, and WELT, one of Germany's leading newspapers, feature among the best-selling applications on the market (BILD is ranked no. 1 in the AppStore, while DIE WELT is no. 9). As a long-term partner of Apple iTunes and Axel Springer AG, ClickandBuy is seeing evidence of a trend reversal for paid content.

ClickandBuy CEO Charles Fraenkl, commented on this very positive development from the perspective of an Internet payment system with a decade of experience in paid content: "Outstanding products like the new Apps from Bild and Welt have generated a significant degree of enthusiasm, thereby clearly demonstrating that if paid content has a distinctive value, people are willing to pay for information and entertainment when it is convenient, easy and secure. The great age for paid content has just begun", states Fraenkl.

"With quality offers directed at target groups and the corresponding pricing models, paid content will soon be able to make the breakthrough in Europe and the USA. And, as a partner of major media companies, ClickandBuy is ideally positioned: To successfully implement the various pricing and business models for publishing houses it requires many years of expertise, which only ClickandBuy can offer at the necessary depth and breadth for the online payment market", continues Fraenkl.

About ClickandBuy

ClickandBuy is one of the leading online payment systems. The online payment system is already being used by more than 14 million people to pay for their purchases on the Internet. After doubling its turnover with retailers and end customers to 922 million euro (TTV) in 2008, the ClickandBuy group was able to break the billion euro barrier for the first time in 2009.

More than 16,000 online retailers use ClickandBuy for their e-commerce, online entertainment and paid content & services transactions, including Apple iTunes, Electronic Arts (EA), McAfee, Panda, Deutsche Telekom, T-Online, Vodafone, Napster, AOL, Telefonica, Orange, Meetic, Parship, AutoScout24, RTL, Axel Springer Publishing Group, Playboy, Financial Times Deutschland, Deutsche Borse Group, KPMG etc.

A study carried out by the E-Commerce-Center Handel at the University of Cologne revealed that online stores are able to benefit significantly and boost their sales by up to 150 percent by using ClickandBuy. The online payment system that was founded in 1999 is operated by ClickandBuy International Ltd. in London. As an e-money institution licensed by the British Financial Services Authority (FSA) ClickandBuy offers its customers 50 national & international payment methods in 30 countries.