Editing Positive practices (section)

==Subscription or single purchase==
Subscriptions prioritize continuous access and updates, while one-time purchases emphasize ownership.

===One-time===
:A single payment granting permanent ownership or access to a physical product or lifetime software license.
::Positives<ref name=":SubOne">{{Cite web |last=Fernandes  |first=Lauren |date=February 6, 2024 |title=Consumer Outlook 2024 |url=https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/report/2024/consumer-outlook-2024-6-consumer-sentiment-driven-strategies-to-drive-growth-and-capture-spending/ |website=Nielsen IQ }}</ref><ref name=":SubTwo">{{Cite web |last=Goodbread |first=Justin |date=October 27, 2023 |title=The Truth About Recurring Revenue |url=https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesfinancecouncil/2023/10/27/the-truth-about-recurring-revenue/ |website=Forbes }}</ref>
::*No long-term financial commitment required.
::*No ongoing costs allows customers to avoid recurring fees.
::*The users retains access indefinitely without dependency on the provider.
::Negatives<ref name=":SubOne"></ref><ref name=":SubTwo"></ref>
::*Higher initial cost may deter budget-conscious buyers.
::*Limited updates and future improvements may require additional purchases.
::*Businesses rely on new sales for sustained income.

===Subscription===
:Recurring monthly or annual payments provide ongoing access to a product or service.
::Positives<ref name=":SubOne"></ref><ref name=":SubTwo"></ref>
::*Lower entry cost spreads payments over time, making services more accessible.
::*Subscribers receive continuous updates, ongoing improvements, and support.
::*Businesses get a predictable revenue stream from recurring payments.
::Negatives<ref name=":SubOne"></ref><ref name=":SubTwo"></ref>
::*Long-term cost may become more expensive over time than a one-time purchase.
::*Ongoing commitment requires active cancellation to stop payments.
::*Subscription fatigue may cause consumers to feel overwhelmed by multiple recurring charges.

===Considerations for subscription plans===

*Does this service update frequently or at least within the subscription time frame?
*How long will I be needing this service, and will it be compatible with me for that amount of time?

===Considerations for one-time purchases===

*Will I need this for more than a single month (or subscription period)?
*How soon will this product become redundant or outdated? Is it an annual subscription in disguise?

===Offline product vs. online services for digital goods===
Services that run exclusively online innately allow the company to maintain greater control over how their products operate and are received. This form of control can lead to changes in the product that can improve it, but can otherwise also introduce a myriad of issues such as incompatibility and the removal of functionality. Digital goods that are completely operational offline allow the consumer to decide how long those goods will be used. As long as the downloaded product can be stored and correctly rendered, it has no expiration.

===Considerations for online services===

*Is this product made for online connectivity and interaction?
**Example: Online social games such as ''World of Warcraft''
*Is this product more secure online?
*Is required online connectivity an artificial constraint or is it legitimately necessary for the product's functionality?
*How likely am I to maintain an internet connection to this service?
*Can this service alter itself into an incompatible state? Can this service remove functionality that I need?
*Is this service distributed from a centralized organization?
**If so, is there legislation and effective enforcement in said organization's location that protects me from malicious practices with my data?

===Considerations for offline products===

*Will I be able to effectively download and store this?
*Does the product contain DRM protections?
*Does it have any dependencies, and can those dependencies become redundant?
**Example: Products designed for a limited set of operating systems that may become outdated

===Source availability===
Oftentimes, companies will [[security through obscurity|actively obscure]], or simply not provide, details about a product's functionality. This exacerbates the potential pitfalls mentioned above, but when information is provided it can eliminate many of them.

===Considerations for physical goods===

*Does the product provide schematics?
*Are parts available?
**This helps product longevity by making repair easier, regardless of who performs the repair.
*Are there anti-repair measures in place?
===Considerations for digital goods===

*Is the source code available?
**This can allow patches if unwanted updates are pushed or support is dropped.
*Are there [[DRM]] measures in place?