I have recently read some blog postings and become aware of a dialogue among other video producers and video illustration distributors who are upset that Bluefish TV is selling video illustrations for only $1.99. Though it’s frustrating to hear the industry-insider complaints ... our main interest at Bluefish TV is supplying the customer with what they want at a price they can afford.
I need to clear the air about our customer philosophy at Bluefish TV. So please read this through and give us any feedback you might have in the comment section below.
I am a consumer. Hopefully not in the overly-wasteful, live-above-my-means kind of way. I’d like to think I am pretty wise with my money. But nonetheless, I buy things and thus I am a consumer.
As someone who buys things I am always looking for a deal. I want my money to go as far as it can. I don’t think I am alone.
Everywhere I turn people are complaining about the price of things. Aren’t these comments you’ve heard or even made?
“I remember when gas was under $3.00.”
“Health insurance prices are through the roof.”
“My grocery bill keeps going up but I am not buying any more food.”
People have always been and will always be concerned about the price of things. And they should be.
Then consider the market for Christian stuff ... books, CDs, curriculum, clothes, etc. Why is it that making it “Christian” makes it more expensive? I find that often I can purchase the latest rock CD or bestselling book cheaper than I can buy the latest Christian CD or run-of-the-mill Christian book.
As someone involved at a leadership level at Bluefish TV, I am careful with our non-profit ministry’s money as if it were my own. Now, I am a little biased ... but one of the things I have always appreciated about Bluefish TV is that we have always tried to offer our video resources at an affordable price. For 20 years we have been producing and distributing video-driven Bible study materials for the church.
I heard a statistic recently that there are now more screens (TV, computer and cell phone) in our country than people. That means our culture is looking more and more to the “screen” to get information. With that in mind, we began producing and selling short video illustrations that could be used on the big screen in a worship gathering or a small screen in someone’s living room for a Bible study lesson. Our hope was to provide high-quality, low-cost video illustrations to help teachers emphasize their points about God and faith. We asked ourselves, “what should someone pay to download a 3-4 minute video illustration?”
On iTunes you can download a whole episode of the award-winning TV shows Lost or 24 or The Office for $1.99. So that set the standard for us. The average person ... the one who complains about gas prices, health insurance and groceries ... will pay $1.99 for some of the most expensive-to-produce TV shows out there. Why would they want to pay any more for a short video illustration?
Outside of Hollywood and into the Christian arena ... the producers of the Nooma film series have also set a good standard. Their 10-12 minute high-quality short films are available for $9.99 on DVD. That’s a price a small group leader can afford and people have responded by buying up those DVDs.
But I think there’s more to it than consumers just complaining about high prices for things. Most people have at least had the fleeting thought that the big oil companies and health insurance companies are conspiring to keep the prices high because it’s good business for them. After all, you need gas and you need insurance ... you are kind of stuck. I am not saying that everyone should try the Bluefish TV business model ... but let’s not keep prices of ministry resources high for the sake of making money.
I know of a 20,000 member church who has purchased $1.99 downloads from us to use in their worship gatherings. If you prorate that out, they spent 1/100,000 of a penny per person. Would they or could they have spent more? No doubt they could. But it doesn’t mean that they should.
Churches of 20,000 in attendance are the exception to the rule. There are 300,000 churches in America and the average Sunday attendance is around 100 people. So what about the 100 member church who wants to utilize the power of the screen to emphasize their teaching? What should they pay? What about the 8-person small group?
I will keep complaining about gas prices and hoping that my health insurance prices go down. At the same time, Bluefish will keep providing $1.99 video illustrations and hoping that the average small group facilitator or pastor out there appreciates finding a way to make their money go a little farther. We won’t compromise on this philosophy and raise our prices to $15-$20 like is common in many other places.
Again, I would love any feedback you have, so please leave a comment on our blog.
As a way of saying thanks, we are making one of our brand-new clips (one of the best we’ve ever created) free for the next week. It’s a modern retelling of the story behind the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and the hymn is performed by popular musician Sufjan Stevens.
Thank You!
Brian Mosley
Executive Vice President
Product Development
9 comments:
Hey Guys. I'm a Youth Pastor from Canada so let me apologize for my language before hand. I think all those complainers are losers... I love the fact that you guys are producing high quality video illustrations for $1.99. I use them all the time, my kids love them and so does the person responsible for my budget. Keep up the good work, you guys are making a difference and having an impact and remember "if they're shooting at you, your probably doing something right".
I for one greatly appreciate the price and always wonder when it will of necessity go up. I know that even non-profit ministry must meet its budget. I have used your material long before you were on the web and have appreciated its quality and effectiveness. It certainly is worht more than $1.99. So Thank you for keeping the price well within reach and within your budget. Thanks for keeping to the name "non-profit"
Great Blessings on all of you!
I love most of your materials, but i found they were a bit pricey for our small congregation. And Though i liked many of the videos, some had too much instrumental music for an all-acapella church.
Bryan:
Keep up the good work..I get tired of so called "ministries" calling me on the phone and their "ministry" costs me hundreds of dollars. If it is truly a "ministry" it should be free. Bluefish provides me with a service that is affordable and top quality. I cannot even say that about other Christian busniesses. I agree with you philosophy and will remain a loyal customer. Send some cheese to dem' winers!!! blessings...m
Brian we are one of the 200 size churches and I appreciate that I can afford your work. I do not buy things at the Christian book store because I can save about 50% on Bibles at Costco
"Christian on an item means double the price. Sad.
Pastor Gary
As the pastor of a small church, having $1.99 videos available is about the only way we would be able to use any videos. If I had to pay $15-20/video, we would rarely be able to use them. With this inexpensive price, we can use them regularly to enhance worship. Thanks for providing this service.
Rev. Michael Zabel
First Covenant Church
Sioux City, Iowa
We have been using BlueFish video downloads for the past two years. There are so many wonderful choices, and we very much appreciate the value we get for the money! We not only use the video downloads, but use the Bible Studies as well. Everything we have ever experienced from BlueFish has been excellent. Thank you for your ministry and for your service that helps us spread the Word.
Student Ministry
First Baptist Church Niceville
Thank you, thank you, thank you for understanding the desire of ministries (particularly, mine) to stay as current as possible while working within a miniscule budget. I peruse your site (among others) on a weekly basis looking for quality material and most often find what I'm looking for.
My frustration has been that many times the video is usable one time and than cannot be utilized again due to redundancy. Why, then, would I want to spend upwards of $20 on such a video for it's one time usability?
Thank you for sitting on both sides of the desk and understanding the needs and doing your best to meet them! Continued blessings. ~JP
Brian,
I want to thank you so much for your commitment to this work and offering it at such an affordable price. I have not used it often, but the two video's I have downloaded have been treasures. The simple "He Was" is amazing because of its simplicity: graphics over the cg cross and the music bed, but somehow it is powerful and emotional. The humor of "Mandles" have given my church and my teen camp plenty of laughs. The quality and attention to detail are worth so much more than the $1.99! But as with much of what you might call your market, I preach at a small church in a university community where the expectation of good video illustrations are high, but the budget is very limited. I hope you can continue this ministry at the level you desire. May God bless you richly.
In Him,
Glendall Toney
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