Some time ago Scoop, an app for purchasing and reading digital magazine, book and newspaper by Apps Foundry, added subscribing feature for Android user. Scoop is already available for iOS and Android.
This subscribing feature is available for Android only for the time being while the one for iOS will follow. From the information through an email, Willson Cuaca – CEO of Apps Foundry says that the subscribing facility for iOS is under development and almost in the finishing phase.
From the information in Google Play, this feature allows user to subscribe a magazine with less cost, 30% discount, although I didn’t find out which magazine and how much exactly is the discount. The payment for Scoop for Android can be done with PayPal, bank transfer and t-Cash (e-wallet or e-money product from Telkomsel). Willson says that the income proportion by Scoop’s customers is still dominated by iOS user, one of the reasons is because iOS user has been educated by Apple to buy apps and content, while Android still needs education effort because they are used to freebies.
Meanwhile, the payment for Scoop for Android, the biggest portion is from PayPal 80%, bank transfer 10% and t-Cash 10%. Willson also adds that Scoops still explores another payment partner.
The subscribing feature for this local digital magazine is one of waited addition, especially for them who are “lazy” to buy single magazine or tend to forget that certain magazine has been published. By subscribing, nothing will be missed. Previously, Wayang Force had also subscribing feature in its service.
When asked about newsstand market and its chance of development, Willson is optimist about newsstand development opportunity, he adds that the development will involve consolidation because there will be many players in the segment including the publisher. But Willson says that Scoop is like a big book store which opens for every publisher on the same level.
Other opportunity is also seen from the one stop concept for all publishers, namely distribution issue. Scoop which becomes a place to many collections eases the publisher to make Scoop as a media for the distribution of their products. Putting an issue in one place and the report also comes from one place.
A couple of days ago, Zinio, one of the services for buying and reading magazine; which already out there for quite a long time, is reported for sale. One of the background factors is Apple’s newsstand and Amazon with its Kindle. This may be something needs noticing by newsstand product, although there is a market for this, at least in Indonesia. Digitalization of local issued product is still growing and there is closeness with publisher factor to get the digital edition of their products to be put on the newsstand.
Scoop’s optimism is also seen from content addition which keeps developing. Recently, Surat Kabar Tribun network – a group of Kompas Gramedia – trusts the distribution of its 19 local newspapers to Scoop. This adds to several other newspapers which already distributed by Scoop such as Bisnis Indonesia, Solo Pos, Harian Jogja, Tanjung Pinang Pos and Rakyat Merdeka. Other chance seen by Scoop, especially for the readers who want cross-regional reading, such as Central Java’s local newspaper dedicated for readers outside Java. The growth of smartphone and tablet user can support this, although certainly, there has to be another analysis to measure digital reader behavior and usage of newsstand service in rural areas.
Scoop is also preparing various features that are still under development. Willson also says that their roadmap is already full until next year. Let’s see Scoop’s development including publishing and digital distribution – newsstand segment itself.
