Here’s one franchise that has figured out how to translate its print power into online success. Consumers Union announced today that ConsumerReports.org has 2 million active, paid subscribers — “a significant milestone among traditional media outlets and a first for a Web site of its kind.” The site added more 400,000 subscribers in the last 12 months, representing more than half of the 800,000-plus subscriptions added across all Consumer Reports information products.
ConsumerReports.org hit 1 million in paid subs in 2002, five years after its launch. There are three payment levels: an annual subscription for $26, an annual online option for current magazine subscribers for $19 per year or a monthly fee of $4.95. (The latter makes sense for people researching specific purchases who may not need the annual subscription.) I’m not sure how the 2 million breaks out across these categories.
During the past year, ConsumerReports.org also established content distribution relationships with MSN and Yahoo, exposing the site’s content to millions of users; it already had distribution deals with AOL, Wall Street Journal, mysimon.com and BabyCenter.com.
The site also is expanding its Shop Online tool to 40 categories. Based on a Yahoo Shopping engine, Shop Online combines the research and transaction steps; it only provides links to retailers who qualify for inclusion in Yahoo Shopping’s buyer protection plan.
Next up: more distribution affiliations, mobile delivery of ratings and recommendations and community applications. Press release
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