Friday 8 December 2017

Unique way to publish a 1st issue (Dave's Weekly Update #212)

Hi, Everybody!

Heeeeeere's Dave:


Hey, do you support Dave Sim on Patreon?


I support Dave Sim on Patreon. And I just got this email from Patreon:
Dear patron, 

Your support is truly changing the lives of creators around the world. You give creators a reliable paycheck that enables them to do their best work. Thank you thank you thank you. 

In order to continue our mission of funding the creative class, we’re always looking for ways to do what’s best for our creators. With that, we’re writing to tell you of a change we’re making so that all Patreon creators take home exactly 95% of every pledge, with no additional fees. 

Aside from Patreon’s existing 5% fee, a creator’s income on Patreon varies because of processing fees every month. They can lose anywhere from 7-15% of their earnings to these fees. This means creators actually take home a lower percentage of your pledge than you may realize. Our goal is to make creators’ paychecks as predictable as possible, so we’re restructuring how these fees are paid. 

Starting December 18th, we will apply a new service fee of 2.9% + $0.35 that patrons will pay for each individual pledge. This service fee helps keep Patreon up and running. 

We want you to know that we approach every change with thoughtfulness for creators and patrons. By standardizing Patreon’s fees, we’re ensuring that creators get paid to continue creating high quality content. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please visit our FAQhere. 

Sincerely, 
The Patreon team
So if you support Dave Sim on Patreon, Good News! Now when you support Dave Sim on Patreon, Dave Sim gets more money? Or something... I don't really get it. 

And hey, if you aren't supporting Dave Sim on Patreon, now if you DO decide to start supporting Dave Sim on Patreon, Dave gets more money? I guess? I find this all very confusing...

8 comments:

Dave Kopperman said...

I pledge $3.00 to Dave monthly. If they're saying that they used to take a flat 5% fee, that means that Dave used to get $2.85 out of it (if my math is correct), and he now gets the princely sum of $2.56 (ditto). Unless they're saying that the .35 service fee is charged to the patron, meaning that I'd be charged $3.35 and Dave would get $2.91 out of it?

People? Y/N?

Jeff said...

As I said to Dave quite some time ago, I'd much rather just give him money directly, via his P.O. box. As far as I know, they only charge him $20 or $30 bucks a year. Maybe a bit more because, you know, it's Canada.

Jeff said...

If you liked the ugly sweater card that I sent Dave a couple of years ago (which he gave away to Mike Kitchen's son), then make sure to tune in next week for my 2017 annoying Christmas card. ;)

Michael said...

According to the linked fan the new fee is assed on the Patron ( the person pledging the money)

The person receiving the money will receive 95% of the pledged amount. with Patreon getting 5%

So if you pledge 3.00 per month
your cost is 3.00 + 2.9% + .35
3.61

of that dave will get 95% of 3.00 or 2.85
Patreon will get 5% of 3.00 or .15
Patreon will also get the .61 new fee which previously came out of Daves cut but is now assed on the giver.

Travis Pelkie said...

Yeah, from what I'm seeing, the pledge amounts are going up, so if someone was pledging just a buck a month to a creator, they'd now be charged $1.38, approx. To a certain degree, the creator might make more, but if more people aren't able to pledge because the pledge amounts are all being raised, then the creator will lose.

Essentially, it takes what was simple and screws around with it.

Wow, I agree with Jeff, just send Dave money directly. Of course, you don't get the Patreon exclusives...

Jeff said...

Okay, I just spent the better part of an hour typing out an anti-Patreon message on my phone, as I am doing now. Again but, differently. !@#$% computers.

It was eloquent.

It was, actually, precise, profound, and to the point.

Plus, poignant.

Bottom line, since I managed to erase it inadvertantly, let me cut to the chase:

(And, no, but thanks for offering, Travis.)

Bottom line, the "legalese" in the Patreon statement published above is

PURE-D, GRADE-A BUUUULLSHIT.

Dave will, at best, get pennies more. Unless, that is, Patreon decides to charge him "shipping and handling" for mailing him a pittance of a check.

Remember, most Patreon supporters (maybe across the board but certainly with Dave), only give a few bucks a month. Under the newly-announced plan, Patreon is [literally] banking on that.

Folks, years ago, I called Dave and said that, no, I want to pay him directly with money he needs, if I can afford it.

Patreon has just, in a very corporate ("corporate", or CORPORATE) manner, announced greater earnings at the expense of miniscule flyspecks who would like to support a little spyfleck that is temporarily darkening their corporate windshield.

The mailing address for supporting Dave directly, as far as I know, is: Dave Sim, P.O. Box 1694, Kitchener, ON.

Tell the Patreon executives, as I wanted to do as soon as I read what they were "offering", to go do something fairly impossible with themselves.

Does that clear things up, Matt?

Tony Dunlop said...

Back to Hanukkah: Jeff forgot one key "Beatles" Hanukkah song: "How Do You Burn?"

Lee Thacker said...

Latest Patreon update: https://blog.patreon.com/not-rolling-out-fees-change/