Re: UKNM: old chestnuts: upfront registration

[Clay Shirky]

> Does anyone have any stats, anecdotes, experiences of how pageviews and

> conversion rates change when sites move their registration from the

> front (i.e. locking people out of browsing) to the back (as the last

> stage in the buying process, or as an optional personalization thing). 

> 

> I've heard figures from quadruple upwards, but I need some hardish data

> to convince someone.


For this last scenario, the movement from forced to optional

personalization, both the Wall Street Journal and Slate experienced an

order of magnitude drop. The Journal obviously stuck with it because

of the obvious value of financial data, but Slate had to return to

'free to air' because of the loss.


I don't know of the presence of fees will muddy or clarify the issue,

but this artricle deatiled the results of removing a barrier:


http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2229243,00.html


So long, and thanks for all the fish,


-clay 

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