| There is renewed interest into creating digital media | | | | just like you would if you were outsourcing but then |
| products. For many it was first looked at in reaction to | | | | you burn the files to your own recordable media. You |
| the change eBay made to it's digital downloadable | | | | produce your own covers, inserts, CD or DVD labels |
| policy. eBay in essence said, no more downloadable | | | | and then assemble it all into a presentable package. |
| products can be sold directly on eBay.eBay's change | | | | To determine which method is best for you a number |
| in policy affected thousands of sellers that were | | | | of factors should be considered. First, you should have |
| marketing downloadable digital products, mostly | | | | an idea of how much volume you plan on selling. That |
| eBooks, on eBay. In order to continue to sell eBooks | | | | will dictate how much time it would take you to do it |
| and other information products on eBay, those | | | | yourself. The logical first question is, will you have |
| products had to be converted to digital media products. | | | | enough time to produce physical products yourself? |
| In other words, information products had to be sold in a | | | | Your time is worth money, although if you have extra |
| physical format like a CD or DVD. | | | | time available, you can make the argument that your |
| A funny thing happened when marketers started to | | | | time is not a direct cost. If you are on a very limited |
| investigate digital media products in depth. They found | | | | budget, your time is not a direct out of pocket cost. |
| that there were ways to make even more money | | | | Once again, that is your determination. |
| utilizing the digital media format. They found that digital | | | | If you don't have the time to devote to self production |
| media was perceived as a higher value product than a | | | | then you must either outsource or hire someone |
| digital only product. Because of this, digital media | | | | directly to work for you to produce the product. You |
| products can be sold for higher dollars and can | | | | will need to weigh the costs of both of those choices |
| generate greater profits. | | | | to pick the best one. |
| All of that leads to one thing. How to actually create | | | | If you do have time, then you need to determine the |
| digital media products from your digital information | | | | hard costs of materials needed to produce your |
| products? There is one main question to answer in | | | | product. You compare those costs against the costs |
| regards to that, do you outsource your digital media | | | | of outsourcing and then make your decision from |
| production or do you do it yourself? | | | | there. |
| Outsourcing means you hire a third party to produce | | | | Whether to outsource your production of digital media |
| your physical product. Generally you would find a | | | | or whether you should do it yourself is a fundamental |
| company that will produce your CDs or DVDs for you. | | | | decision you need to make if you want to be in the |
| You provide them the source material for the physical | | | | digital media market. Careful analysis of the costs and |
| product, formatted and organized the way you want it, | | | | time factors involved in both need to be examined |
| and then they actually produce the product from your | | | | considering your particular circumstances to make the |
| source files. | | | | best determination. Which you choose will have a |
| Doing it yourself means that you actually produce the | | | | direct impact on how you do business. |
| physical product yourself. You create the source files | | | | |