〈萬物皆可訂！「不在乎擁有，只在乎使用」的多元收入〉
「訂閱服務正高速成長，數10億的數位消費者愈來愈傾向於取得服務，而非擁有產品。」簡單來說，訂閱經濟就是「定期付費取得服務」的一種商業模式，以《天下雜誌》和《蘋果日報》為例，由於實體書店與紙本刊物式微，加上近年來網路與AI科技快速演進、雲端服務日益普及化，紛紛轉型為「訂閱制」服務，只要註冊會員，並用網銀或線上刷卡月付10元至百元不等，就能重複且全面閱覽所有內容。
「傳統商業模式以販售『產品』為主，訂閱模式則以『顧客』為中心，思考顧客要的到底是什麼。以交通為例，消費者需要的是從A點移動到B點，但不一定要擁有車子。」全球最大訂閱管理平台『祖睿』執行長左軒霆說明訂閱經濟的核心，「只要企業能夠發掘出產品提供的服務內容，並且加以標準化，就能讓『訂閱』這件事，適用於所有產品。」，顯然萬物皆可訂閱的時代已經來臨。
以往喜歡一首歌必須買下整張CD，現在只要支付月費給在KKBOX、Spotify、Apple Music等音樂串流平台，就能合法下載上百萬首來自不同國家與風格的樂曲。過去想玩PS4最新的遊戲，必須以比較昂貴的費用，委由專業代購飛到日本購買，但玩家現今只要月繳476日圓（約台幣132元），每個月就能玩10款遊戲，還可線上和各國玩家互動。
對於許多希冀能以創作或網拍賺取多元收入的上班族們，他們或許擁有插畫、寫作、剪片等一身好本領，或是對於選物、挑品有著獨到眼光，卻苦於競爭者太多，加上不懂數位行銷、投放廣告，只能在自己創設的FB粉專默默創作；
但如今WordPress有了新創公司Atavist加入「Automattic Inc」網頁程式設計這個大家庭，圖文工作者或電商賣家終於不用再專研網站程式語言，可以專注於創作、新品採購與拍攝；而Atavist的付費牆與訂閱功能，還可幫助使用者管理內容訂閱、降低廣告頻率外，優質的創作內容更能增加讀者的數量與黏著度，訂閱服務的收入也隨之上升，於是創作者除了有展現才華的平台外，也增加了主業薪水之外的多元收入。
更有趣的是，由於近年來物價飛漲、薪水卻不漲，千禧世代只想著如何能舒適、尊榮且快速的移動至目的地，賓士為此在2018年下半年度、於美國2個城市推出「Mercedes-Benz Collection」，月繳約新台幣3萬元，就可以透過手機App「訂閱」賓士，無限次數與里程，也毋須煩惱車險、維修費用、道路救援，就可以今天開敞篷車、明天開廂型車，任君挑選。除了賓士之外，小至刮鬍刀，大至重型工業機具也都有提供訂閱服務，如此在萬物皆可訂的趨勢下，同時也製造了更多的工作機會與多元收入。
Subscribing to Any and Everything
Diversified Business Trends: Don’t Own It. Just Use It!
Subscription services are growing at a rapid rate. Billions of digital consumers are subscribing to services rather than buying actual products. Simply put, the subscription economy is a business model which sees consumers paying for services on a regular basis. Take CommonWealth Magazine or the Apple Daily, for example. Due to the decline of physical bookstores and paper print publications, along with the rapid evolution of the Internet and AI technology (as well as the popularization of cloud services computing), both media outlets have branched out into online subscription services. To freely view full content online, customers need only to register and pay a monthly fee of no more than NT$100 or so through online banking or with a credit card.
“Traditional business models are based on the sale of products, but the subscription model is centered on customers and their needs. In the case of transportation, consumers only need to move from point A to point B; they don’t necessarily have to own a car,” explains Zuo Xuan-ting, CEO of Zuora, the world’s largest subscription management platform. “As long as companies can create and standardize their services, the subscription model can apply to everything.” Apparently, the subscription era has landed upon us.
In the past, we would have to buy an entire CD for just one song. Now we can legally download millions of songs from different countries and in different genres by simply paying a monthly fee to music streaming platforms such as KKBOX, Spotify or Apple Music. Not that long ago, those who wanted to play the latest PS4 games would have to pay a large fee to a buyer who would fly to Japan to buy video games on their behalf. Now, for ¥476 (about NT$132) a month, they can play 10 different PS4 games every month and interact with other players from all over the world online.
Until recently, those hoping to earn extra income were often trapped by the sheer volume of competition, as well as their lack of understanding of digital marketing and advertising. They may have excelled in creative endeavors like illustration, writing, and video editing, or have had a uniquely discerning eye for what to deal in; yet they would end up working on their own Facebook fan pages without paying due attention to their own true potential.
With the startup Atavist joining the web development giant Automattic Inc., however, WordPress offers a platform for writers, graphic artists, and e-businesses to present themselves to the world. These people no longer need to specialize in a web programming language as a prerequisite to do business. They can focus on creating artwork, filming, or finding new items to buy and sell. Atavist’s paywall and subscription features help users manage content, reduce pop-up advertising, and increase the amount of content viewed. The platform puts a spotlight on outstanding works to reach out to a wider audience and build customer loyalty. As the number of subscribers increases, income from the subscription services will also increase. Today, in addition to having a platform on which to showcase their work, content creators can earn extra income from subscription fees.
What’s more interesting, due to skyrocketing prices and the stagnation of salaries in recent years, the millennial’s mindset regarding transportation is quite different from that of past generations. They simply want to get around conveniently, comfortably and, if possible, stylishly and quickly. For this reason, at the end of 2018, Mercedes-Benz launched the Mercedes-Benz Collection in two US cities. For NT$30,000 per month, customers can order and drive a Mercedes-Benz an unlimited number of times for an unlimited number of miles via a mobile app. Subscribers no longer need to worry about auto insurance, maintenance costs, road rescue, etc. Today you can drive a Mercedes convertible and tomorrow an SUV, all via subscription. Mercedes-Benz isn’t the only company that is thinking outside the box. Makers of products as small as razors and as large as heavy industrial equipment now provide subscription services. The trend of subscribing to any and everything seems to be all the rage in the business world. It also appears to be a pathway to creating more job opportunities and some extra income.
2024專利防護中