Monday, January 5, 2009

Update #2 Newer Update

-------EDIT (cartoon added)-------
Thanks for commenting guys! I really appreciate the feedback.
Alright, so some of you are for, some are against. I have good news and bad news. The good news is the comics will indeed be cheaper on Oronjo, because I'll be getting a much larger portion of the profits. The bad news is that the comics will still be available on images4sale, but I will raise the price there such that the profits match that of Oronjo. I'm planning on selling the Oronjo comics for $10. So that translates to $16 on images4sale. Someone mentioned regular comic prices, well I'm not a publishing house selling thousands of copies, and I'm also not J. Scott Campbell making thousands on every cover and page. I'm just a schmuck who likes to draw cartoon girls kicking balls :) So the price difference is understandable.
In related news Oronjo and I are in talks about how best to make the comics available. We want the process to be easy and fast. It's getting around PayPal that's the problem. I can't risk going against PayPal's corporate policies. I've read too many horror stories of frozen assets and cancelled accounts and "seizure of funds". To everyone who buys stuff using PayPal, look them up. They're kind of an evil jackass to their sellers. But anyway, We're still close my friends.
I'll keep you all informed as to where we go next.
I nthe mean time, keep rapping at me about this process. I want you guys to feel good about buying this stuff. The whole reason I'm pushing to make more from each sale is because I want to make more of it, and if I could go into the office less, and animate and draw more, that would be awesome. Okay, I've rambled enough. Bye for now!

EDIT: I figured two posts is too many to not have a cartoon. Why do I like ovals so much?

18 comments:

  1. I have the slightly opposite feel to prices to Smack. My mother used to be haevily into what was known as "crafting" back when that was big. She sewed dolls and stuff like that and craft stores were everywhere where people could go and buy hand made products. It's sort of died off now. But back in the day she couldn't keep her products on the shelves and she was always backordered. I told her of course you're back ordered cause you're practically giving these things away. I told her to raise her prices...sure she'll sell fewer, but she'll make more margin per each and have to work less hard producing more. Every company out there is about increasing margin...why do you think stores like Best Buy sell extended warranties? The customer gets absolutely nothing for their money except a sense of security and Best Buy walks away with 100% profit. Something you have to keep in mind, is you're producing a very unique product. How many bb comics do you see on the net? Nothing of real quality. Something else to consider, since this is porn, is that when you look at the example of dvd's...those are mainstream movies. Full pornos go for $30, $40, $50 heck I've seen them over $80...and many of these are internet downloads. Porn just costs more than similar non-porn items. Look at all the short clips on clips for sale that sell for about $1 a minute. Would anyone pay $1 a minute for a hollywood film? Of course not, but this is a niche market, and so niche products always cost more. I guess what I'm ultimately saying, is your talent is valuable. Don't undervalue yourself. People will still buy at the higher price. Yes, you'll sell fewer, but your margin will be higher...and it's all about the margin. People who pirate and steal are still going to pirate and steal, even if you're only charging $1 per comic. I went thru this same dilemna back when I had my site where I sold my stories. Alot of people were aghast that I would charge $5 for a story when they could buy a whole novel for that price. It's all about how valuable you think your time is.

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  2. Oops, I meant to say "You maximize your profits by finding the price point which maximizes the product of the price and the number of units sold." not "You maximize your profits by finding the price point which maximizes the product of the cost and the number of units sold." Sorry. I should've proof-read better.

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  3. What a delightfully informed community we have here!
    While you may not yet have sufficient works to justify it, I would personally find bulk discounts compelling. A 3 Pack for $20, perhaps, or something similar.
    You could implement a pay what you want system with a $n minimum. While you should expect 100% of buyers to pay the minimum, I suspect a good number of your fans would be willing to pay a premium just to help keep you in business.

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  4. Knave, I am looking forward to your new work and will check out the new distributor but might feel more comfortable buying at images 4sale. While I understand Smacks point, I think you give a lot of free material on the blog so people know what quality work you do, so while I love the material and pay $11 I also think your target audience is small enough that a reduction in price wouldn't necessarily result in many more sales. We all know how much material ( quantity not quality ) is available on the net, many people won't pay for anything and just take in all free material. Anyway good luck I hope you make a mint selling the new material and find time to make more. Also good to hear from Caligula, I always loved your work espescially "Paying my sister". The first of Knaves work I bought was "Mom teaches self defense" because my favorite writer and artist collaborated. If you decide to start selling stories again let us know as I have wacthed your blog for updates that haven't come.

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  5. I won't give any advice on the sale methods, but I just wanted to say that I would give a shitload of money to read a comic with that gothy girl !

    EM you HAVE to do a comic with a rock girl band, and their quest to win a concert challenge by making their contestants sing soprano before they go on stage !

    And of course the name of the band should be "Balls Off", and the drummer should be a buxom punky redhead, performing castrations helped by the weight of her humongous tattas, cause I said so !

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  6. Wow, really? You're joking, right.... are you setting up an international company and investing millions of dollar? Do you have investors who are expecting healthy returns? Are you trying to balance out your overhead, storage, material transportation, research and development, employee benefits and retirement packages? Does your target market include the average person? Is your target market in the millions? Thousands? No no no and no. Just do SOMEthing! Put the comics up at a certain price. A price you feel comfortable with and you think is deserving of your work. If they don't sell, tweak it.

    You know how much money you're making during these weeks and weeks (more like months and months, really) we've been waiting to get at these comics? 0$ Just freaking post them already. This isn't brain surgery.

    -Justin

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  7. yeah just post them already people have been waiting forever.if they sell good if they dont change the price.

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  8. I second zapan's suggestion.
    Mmm... humongous tattas :D

    You draw them so well Knave!

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  9. come on r u serious just post them it ain't that serious time is your only overhead. and peoplevl have been waiting for a year this is ridiculous.

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  10. yeah, u said it will be up before the new year(and without saying how long we waited for this "timeline").
    I don't care if it wil be 8,10, or 12. 15 and more is too high for my opinion.
    Couldn/t U just put them on image4sale 2 weeks ago? and alter when u will close the deal with new company, then put it there?

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  11. this is dumb post them already

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  12. Is it just me or does it seem many of these posts are from the same poster?

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  13. You mean Jonoffen and Zapan, right? Heh. Seriously though, the anonymous OMG JSUT POST thing is pretty lame. If the guy is that desperate, you'd think he'd have bought a pencil by now and drawn something himself.

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  14. I feel like there should be tumble-weeds blowing through here and an old squeaky "Population- 0" sign with bullet holes it it blowing back and forth in a dusty breeze.

    This is your blog.... this is your blog on economics.

    hahaha, anyways, whenever you decide to post your stuff and wherever you decide to post it and whatever price you decide to post it at I'll be there! Thanks for all the great posts 2005-2009!!

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  15. totaly agree with cocky, for a long time a thought this blog was dead :)
    i'm glad you're ok and willing do to some business but i can't provide any help in your choice.
    i'm willing to wait ( that all i can do in fact :p ).
    any way will be good for me as it don't go further than 15!!


    just hope that we won't wait another year for another comics...
    keep going ! for my part, a released every month in black and white at 5$ is ok for me ! the turn on is in the story ( and squeeeezing !!) not so much in the beauty or the colors.

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  16. Well, I was making reference to the heated economics discussion... I never thought the blog was dead! :-) I just feel like the back and forth over the pricing scheme has tainted the water a bit, and then all voices fell silent when it came to pointing fingers. :-/

    Knave, hopefully you haven't lost heart, because your work is definitely worth paying money for, no matter the wait! I don't know your financial situation but hopefully the short time it will take to optimize your pricing scheme after putting the newer comics on the market won't make or break you. I encourage you to take a gamble! You seem like a smart guy so I'm sure your gut is pretty close to the mark. :-)

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  17. i doubt this will die, i've been enjoying this site for quite a while, and one time knave was nice enough to equip me with a portrait of myself and my lovely ex girlfriend(a busting portrait of course!), and the minute i get the chance, im worried ill just BUY EVERYTHING! university is expensive you see :(

    BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THAT!
    absolutely GORGEOUS emo girl knave!

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  18. More Gothic Girls ... pleaz ...

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