Udemy has had a very unique business model where students do not have to worry about monthly payments and can keep a course forever. As a result, most students buy a course now because it is on sale and watch it in a few months. When I send a promo announcement, students buy it within 24 hours and... 90% of them do not watch it in the first weeks at all! This pilot might change people's expectations and cause a lot of problems around the marketplace. Also, a course might be available in this plan and as a standalone course, making students unhappy. I think Udemy has spent several years marketing the 'Lifetime Access'. rule. It has worked very, very, very well! Buy now, watch in December. Keep forever. Also, if it works like UFB, there is no way an instructor will make the same amount of money. Today someone buys a course for $9.99, I get e.g. $3.99. With any subscription model, a student watches 7 selected lectures and I get... $0.25. I know the volume is bigger but I am worried about that direction... Another thing to remember is that today Udemy can advertise and target students. With a plan, it is very, very difficult because you advertise a platform, not a particular course. If it does not work, that might be a big problem. I think it's been working very well with 'lifetime access'. It is especially a problem when someone likes one instructor. He/she joins a plan and can see only 3 courses from that instructor... He/she will be very disappointed. I might be wrong but this is a game-changing direction. People love sales, people love Black Friday, love shopping for cheap things - that is what Udemy offers - discounted, high-quality courses. People are excited to come back every week and see yet another thing on sale. Today this, in 2 months 65% off a course about XYZ. With a subscription plan, that's not the case - you might offer a trial and than... you just keep paying XY per month. I am not sure... I am concerned and it is not easy to make me feel like this because I love Udemy and I have been here for several years! Udemy is the only place I host my courses and I have always supported everything we do here. I think a much better idea would be to offer 'bundles' and allow instructors to create a full carrer path program - e.g. How to become a developer, how to become a project manager... and include e.g. 3 courses in there and offer it as a bundle. If you own one course, you get a nice discount if you 'upgrade'. Sky is the limit. 🙂
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