Government Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will my price increase if my usage increases -- will I move from one band or tier to another?

A: Your price may go up, and it may stay the same:  it depends on how much your usage changes (if it goes down, you may end up in a less-expensive tier).  The usage-based model for corporate and government customers is based on feedback from subscribers indicating they wished to pay for what they used, and not pay for what they don’t.  A critical factor in evaluating subscription value annually is cost per use, and we’ve structured the tier prices and thresholds to ensure that except at the very lowest numbers (eg, a few downloads per year), the cost per use is well under pay per view prices.  And, since this is usage based, if usage declines below a threshold, the next year’s price will be less, not the same or even more (as was the case in our old model). So, a site is just as likely to move down a band as up – an example of the neutrality that’s been built-in to the model.

Q: If I'm using one journal at a higher tier rate than my other journals, do I have to pay the higher-tier price for all of them?

A: No.  You’ll be charged on a journal-by-journal basis:  if you use Journal A at a Tier 2 rate, and Journal B at a Tier 5 rate, you’ll be charged the Tier 2 price for Journal A and the Tier 5 price for Journal B.

Q: Why are you basing my prices on last year's usage?  What if I had a major project and had 10,000 downloads but now, the project is over and I expect usage to drop significantly.  Can I get the price adjusted or do I have to pay for 10,000 downloads?

A: This model does, necessarily, take a look back when prices are assessed.  By going back one year only (as opposed to, for instance, averaging usage over several years), we believe we can assess usage requirements in a more stable fashion that enables librarians to have better control over their budgets – you may anticipate your upcoming subscription rates fairly easily, even if they are retrospective.  It may be that more frequent (such as quarterly) invoices are a good alternative, but we’re not ready to take that step yet:  we want to go down this avenue first, since it’s consistent with our publishing program in general (that is, based on a calendar year).  Also, we’ve noted in reviewing our usage data that most customers to not see significant changes (that would necessitate movement from tier to tier) on a year-to-year basis.  Based on these facts and conversations with many of our customers, we think this is a reasonable way to move forward into a new pricing model. 

Q: I can envision my usage skyrocketing next year, because of a project my company is initiating.  I don’t want my costs to jump so dramatically – I can’t budget for that.  How can I manage dramatic shifts in my usage and thus, my prices?

A: We’ve noted in reviewing our usage data that most customers to not see significant changes (that would necessitate movement from tier to tier) on a year-to-year basis.  You should take to your sales representative to discuss multi-year pricing options, and to review your journal requirements.

Q: My company is divesting another division so our usage will decrease – will my renewal price decrease accordingly?

A: If your usage drops your price may indeed drop accordingly, based on the usage tiers we’ve established.  Because pricing is retrospective – your next-year pricing is based on this-year usage – the drop in price may not occur in lockstep with your decrease in usage, but it will catch up.  This works both ways:  you may merge with another company and your usage may skyrocket – but you won’t have to pay more right away.

Q: How will new journals be priced?

A: New journals, as well as established journals to which you’re not subscribing, will be introduced at entry-level price tiers.  So you’ll have a chance to “test-drive” journals before your actual usage affects your price.  Talk to your sales representative to try out some new content – the prices won’t be based on number of sites or FTEs, and you may find it worthwhile to add some new titles to your collection – if you get good usage out of them, you’ve helped your patrons, and at a more affordable rate than ever before.