Feasibility of subscription service of comics

Abstract

A conjoint analysis was conducted on the feasibility of the flat-rate comic subscription service. Subscription services reduce revenue from existing comic readers, but increase overall revenue. This is because new comic readers appear through flat-rate distribution. When publishers start flat-rate distribution, as publishers are concerned about, the amount of comic purchases by those who previously purchased on paper and electronically will be halved. But instead, those who haven't purchased comic before will start to read comics, and this increased revenue will make up for the decline in sales from existing readers. To counter pirated comics, it would be more effective for publishers to start their own subscription service than to try to punish pirated sites.