Walking through Skype Prime Beta
Skype launched Skype Prime, the beginnings of a fractional labor market, this morning. Download Skype for Windows Beta release Version: 3.1.0.134. It's a big deal for Skype, entry into a billion dollar market. Skype only launched the meter and payment parts of the service today. Stuff that comes before a call (discovery, negotiation) and after a call (feedback, tipping, payment corrections) aren't built yet and will come later. Let's walk through setting up as a service provider, a call, checking your balances and canceling your your account.
Setup Walkthrough
Go to the "Tools | Earn money with Skype Prime" command.
Skype will launch a setup wizard in a new window.
Click the "Get Started" button. This brings up the "Contact Details Set Up" form.
Wow, they want a lot of information. So I put in my name and pressed "Next".
OK, everything but Tax ID is mandatory.
This would be a good place to explain how the information will be used, who gets to see it (everybody, according to the terms of use), and links to Skype's general and Prime privacy policies.
I fill it out.
Then set up your services. You may offer many services. Only one per-minute and one per-call service in each call.
So I have lower rates for unsexy talk (the minimum of $30/hour) and higher rates for very sexy talk (the maximum of $150/hour).
IMHO, the minimum is too high. They should encourage micro transactions and longer calls, building behavior that's good for the marketplace and flexible enough for developing cultures.
I also set a bad joke at the minimum $0.50 per call and rolling on the floor laughing my ass off jokes at the max of $12.00 per call.
Next, how do you want to be listed and paid?
Did I mention you need a PayPal account? And if you want to get money out of PayPal, it helps to either live in a country where PayPal will let you, or have a service that will get it out for you (quite popular in Brazil, for example).
Pick one of the 8 categories. It's not clear how these will be used in the future, but they're not used now.
And pick your currency.
Not clear to me why you can only have one payment method per Skype user account. People have multiple jobs, different small businesses they are part of, personal vs. savings accounts, etc.
Next...
Next, take a call...
Call Walkthrough
Someone has to call you. You can't charge if you're calling someone.
And they must use a version of Skype that supports Skype Prime. Version: 3.1.0.134 or later on Windows.
See the "Charge" button?
Talk to the person, negotiate your rates, and press the "Charge" button.
The little blue circles will spin while you wait for for the payer to agree.
The payer sees your offer like this:
They can't start paying until they check Skype's Skype Prime terms and conditions. Having accepted...
The "Pay" and "Reject" buttons are both available.
If they take too long, they'll see...
You'll have to make your offer again. Once the payer accepts the conditions and clicks "Pay", you'll see status like this.
It only shows your rate.
Missing:
- How long you've been talking
- How much has been spent
- Changing the rate/service
- Pausing / resuming billing (so either party can go to the bathroom, take another call, take care of a sneezing fit)
- Stopping billing but continuing to talk
- Feedback
Tax questions:
I'm not sure why Jim and I are subject to EU value added taxes (Jim's Canadian and I'm American and the call was made while both of us were in California).
- Will Skype refund improperly applied and collected taxes?
- Is VAT applied before or after Skype takes its 30% share?
- When does VAT apply? If either party is located in the EU at the time of the call? If the service provider is based in the EU?
- Is Skype collecting VAT for the 5000 different taxing authorities in the United States and Canada?
The only way to stop charging is to abort the call.
Check your Money
As a Prime service provider, Skype will show you two web reports.
First, your transaction record...
It appears you are billed to the nearest second.
Checking your balance...
Wishlist: aging reports. If I'm not seeing my money for 120 days, at least show me when my March moneys will result in a PayPal credit.
Cancel Skype Prime
So you're not going to predict eBay's stock prices for a living? Run the "Earn more money with Skype Prime" menu command. See a menu in the bottom-left of the Contact Details Set Up box?
Pick "Cancel your service".
Cancel or don't cancel. If you cancel, you forfeit all payments.
So I can't opt-out of being available as a service provider without throwing away the last four months of service revenue Skype still owes me.
So, there you have it. Sign up, get people to call you, make money, and buy me lunch in a few months.
Comments
Great info looks like they wont service providers who can pay wages for 4 month's
Their is one point i cant find'' Can skype prime Calls come through skype inbound phone number's.Cheers
Posted by: jason | May 4, 2007 06:47 AM
To help skype prime users advertise themselves new service called primeskype.com was build. Now primeskype is a beta and provide only directory for skype prime users, but it will grow and will excellent web 2.0 service for online consultants. Visit link.
Posted by: Ivan Veretelnyk | July 2, 2007 05:32 AM
It seems that you can have your wish list today, if you install the Skype Certified Extra called BitWine. (On Skype select: Tools-Do More-Get Extras-Community-BitWine).
There is no commission, you get paid 10 minutes after the call, there is a searchable directory for all services, there is no minimum on the per-minute of the call, there is no maximum on the total call, you don’t need Skype credits to pay someone, there is no Skype version limitation, and no VAT.
One can also register from http://www.bitwine.com/user/greeting?auid=7&ctx=skpjur
Posted by: Alon Cohen - BitWine | September 7, 2007 05:38 AM