Business models high on mercury __2

Flattr, the micropayment startup founded by Peter Sunde — one of the monarchs of the notorious Swedish record-sharing locale The Pirate Bay— said Monday it’s preparing to hurl a additional facet that remodel the pleasure construct of its compensation system beside tweet, plus admittedly some Flattr user to consign profit to someone per their tweet brand. Could this aid introduce a “tip jug” computer that indeed process on a ponderous balance? If it does, next Sunde further Flattr could convert the online text work in the same way -The Pirate Bay disrupted it, however for the improvement. If it doesn’t, the Flattr testament could be the latest to weld a capacious besides luminary-studded necropolis of failed micropayment startups.The fancy of Flattr is roughly as traditional as the web itself: the thought that, using the ability of the distributed fabric, an providence of “micro-honorariums” could be created that would render it earthly for both specials further firms to order miniature amounts for their use. Because there aren’t some of the brute conditions on scratch also alleviate the parameters that come in the concrete cosmos, the formula goes; this strip of micro-thrift should process considerably well. Except it never has! No sole venture has always managed to indeed compose this insight process in rehearse, furthermore much of well-funded companies retain dependability. In the initial fizz, they had calls uniform Beenz further Flooz, only additionals (CyberCash, DigiCash, Millicent, etc.) acquire dependable accompanying better usual effigys further they own; besides failed processes albeit public are inert taxing, including an explicit “fellow-to-peer cash” venture called Bitcoin. Individual of the biggest barriers for this or some else stipend online is the exigency for ascend: Using article invoices or chinks or regular loan schedules processes, being they are prevalent nearly ubiquitous, also they are a renowned bit further retain well-stable companies (also rule rules) after them. No micropayment firm has been strong to obtain that ilk of ascend. As announced on the Flattr blog, the unused detail permits users of the startup benefit to “flattr” or remit a fee to someone using except their twitter user denomination. Subordinated, those varieties of pensions — which occur away at an rate that users rigid up for the same intention — could solitarily be sent to startups or companies that were previously signed up for Flattr. Yet pronto, if the being or meaning producer a user absences to spend isn’t previously a chapter of Flattr, the pension mind be stored until the please producer or people suits a division. The user when satisfied can inform the producer to secure a twitter note byword that there is an noticeable fee waiting. Flattr votes it’s currently undergoing upkeep to strengthen the pristine attribute.

 

[Simran Rai]

This article explores the ambitions and challenges behind Flattr, a micropayment platform co-founded by Peter Sunde, known for his role in The Pirate Bay. Flattr’s vision — enabling users to "tip" creators through platforms like Twitter — taps into the long-standing dream of building a micropayment economy for online content. Unfortunately, that dream has historically proven elusive.

The new feature allows users to send money to someone simply via their Twitter handle, even if that recipient hasn’t signed up for Flattr yet. If the content creator later joins, they can claim the accumulated tips. This approach mirrors the “tip jar” model and aims to lower the barriers of entry for monetizing content in a frictionless way.

However, as the article rightly notes, scaling is the Achilles' heel of micropayments. Traditional payment methods have ubiquity and regulatory backing. Flattr, like many before it — Beenz, Flooz, CyberCash, etc. — faces the same uphill battle to gain traction and user trust.​

"Micropayments promise a fairer web, but without scale, even the best ideas can disappear into digital oblivion."​