Vimeo Launches Sales Platform Vimeo on Demand
Vimeo is known for being a home to artistic video on the web, but even artists have to eat. Today, the video sharing site launched Vimeo on Demand, a self-service sales platform where creators can charge for their work. They can set the terms and prices themselves, then pocket 90 percent of revenue (after credit card transaction fees).
Vimeo began testing a beta of the sales platform in the fall of last year, letting viewers purchase six different films. Now, the program is open to anyone with a Vimeo Pro account. Vimeo takes care of all backend processes, including hosting, storage, and bandwidth.
"We see this as a benefit and a great addition to Pro," says Blake Whitman, vice president of creative development for Vimeo. "It allows professionals to use the rest of the suite we offer, which includes portfolios and customer video review pages, and all sorts of things that help Vimeo creators do the work that they do." Vimeo Pro costs $199 per year.
Vimeo is hoping people will see value in the flexible options, which let creators determine the price, set an availability window, and even create geographical restrictions for content. They can also customize the look of the sales page or use Vimeo to sell on their own domains. Customers have the option of previewing videos before making a purchase.
Following its beta tests, Vimeo made improvements to the design and interface of the service. It now includes more sales options, as well as design templates and customization options.
Whitman emphasizes that the discoverability creators get with the platform is also a selling point, since people following a certain creator on Vimeo will see paid options in their feed.
"It's been our mission to empower creators and help them get their work out there," Whitman says.
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