Give Clappies as applause to the content and causes you like online. The first Clappie you give any unique piece of content, as identified by its URL or Web address, is always free. Additional Clappies can be purchased for a penny each and can be redeemed for just a little less by their content owners.
Clappies was started because we realized that the fundamental purchasing model that exists for tangible objects doesn't work well for information goods. In other words, it makes sense to pay up-front for something like a donut, that has its own cost of production and that can be consumed only once. However, it's hard to charge for a video when each successive view is nearly costless and can be experienced infinitely.
With Clappies, we propose supplementing the "pay-then-get" model with a "get-then-pay" model. If you think about it, this is similar to giving a tip. Someone gives you a service, then you pay for the service afterwards based on the value you place on the service and your ability to pay. We propose to do the same with content online. Provide it “for free” as the content creator, and as consumers of that content, we give it an electronic tip.
At Clappies, we take the additional step of making all of people's giving public information (unless you elect to make a "private" gift). This has the added benefit of enabling people to come to Clappies and see what content has been rewarded the most. We believe this is a mechanism that helps identify and promote higher qualities of content.
We also believe that making giving public encourages more giving. People are able to motivate others by the visibility of their deeds. This enables people's giving to inspire even more giving to the content and causes they value.
Clappies additionally enables content owners to offer Rewards in exchange for giving Clappies to their content. For example, a video producer could offer ad-free viewing of their content to anyone who gives them at least 500 Clappies per month. Additionally, or alternatively, the content owner could offer behind-the-scenes bonus videos to anyone who gives 250 Clappies or merchandise such as a t-shirt to anyone who gives at least 1,500 Clappies. The options are unlimited.
Our model has been to release Clappies, and any new features we create for Clappies, as soon as we can. If you see any quirks or interface characteristics you think can be improved, please bear with us. We're constantly making advancements. If you would like to share your opinion with us, please don't hesitate: contact@clappies.com
Thank you for trying Clappies.