The Problem We Were Actually Solving
We were actually solving a very specific problem: we needed a payment gateway that worked with our system and could handle recurring payments, and also had to allow for free trials and discounts. The system we were using had severe restrictions on what plugins were allowed and it couldn't support the usual suspects like Stripe or PayPal. In trying to find a solution we soon realized that every platform we tried was either too expensive or too complicated to set up for our customers.
What We Tried First (And Why It Failed)
Initially we tried using crypto-based payment solutions like Coil and Satoshi's Place, but they didn't support recurring payments and their APIs were very difficult to work with. We also tried using platforms like Open Collective and Donorbox, but they required a lot of manual setup per customer and were also quite expensive. In the end, we had to rule out crypto payments because they were too unreliable and hard to manage.
The Architecture Decision
After much investigation and testing we finally found a solution that met all of our requirements. We ended up using a combination of a digital wallet platform called BitWage and our own custom-built subscription module on our end. This setup allowed us to handle recurring payments, free trials, and discounts, and also provided a seamless experience for our customers. While it was a complex setup and required significant custom development work, the benefit to our business far outweighed the costs. In particular, our platform is now able to support users from all over the world, regardless of their location.
What The Numbers Said After
After implementing our new payment system and subscription module, we saw a significant increase in revenue from digital product sales. Our monthly subscription count went up by over 50% in the first six months alone, and our average order value also increased by over 20%. These numbers not only justified the extra development costs but also helped to alleviate the financial burden on our business.
What I Would Do Differently
If I were to do it again, I would start by having a more open dialog with our platform providers about the possibility of creating custom integrations and plugins that meet our specific needs. This way, we wouldn't have had to resort to using a combination of third-party services and custom development work. However, given the circumstances, I'm glad that we were able to find a solution that worked for our users and our business. Looking back, I realize that the solution we found wasn't the most straightforward one, but it ended up being the best option for us at the time. And hey, as the old saying goes: 'necessity is the mother of innovation.'
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