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Anyone planning to sell with the ONCE https://once.com/ model as an indie?
I think I see how it works - let other people host the software away so there's no server management costs. A lot of cost and headache with SaaS comes with hosting loads of users, so do you think it makes sense to sell using the once model like 37 signals?
I'm considering it, but find it a bit tricky if I have to give the code away cos then people could just copy it?
I'm considering it, but find it a bit tricky if I have to give the code away cos then people could just copy it?
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You need business moat. Discover what that is (street cred, organic traffic over a long period of time, seed funding, etc.) and build a tool that you will use but open-source to others
As Michael above has said, it works because they have a solid audience + reach. 37 signals is extremely good at marketing.
Having said that, I believe their play is to (1) get more people to notice their suite of products since they also sell SaaS; and (2) they're probably betting that 95% of people consuming the Once products are looking to use as is.
I think this is also good way for them to test product ideas and hypotheses they have internally, without having to spend tons of time or resources maintaining it. Then, if there is enough demand beyond the base product, I'm sure they would consider a SaaS version.
^^^ This!!!!
ONCE is a marketing strategy. 37 signals are amazing at marketing.
It's not a viable business. If it was such an amazing business model, why doesn't 37 signals sell Basecamp and Hey under ONCE?
yeah tbh, I signed up for the new product they had, but they send an emial with loads of setup instructions ...absolutely not doing that, looks like a headache!
the book publishing thing?