Smule blog: Performance Testing of New Tipping Feature

[SingingFool]

11 minutes ago, DuetWithAlli said:

 So I can imagine this turning into a way to exchange goods and services, if ya know what I mean. Tip me $5 I’ll show you my … tip me $10 I’ll show you my … that sort of thing. There are those who can really sing, those who are “nice” to look at, and all of the rest of us, who will probably be totally unaffected by this feature.

Yikes! That’s nasty. 🤮 But I see what you mean and also how that would fit what Wishchip said about the correlation to the Live Singing sessions.

[DuetWithAlli]

8 hours ago, SingingFool said:

Yikes! That’s nasty. 🤮 But I see what you mean and also how that would fit what Wishchip said about the correlation to the Live Singing sessions.

Yeah, I’ve heard about what can happen in live jams, although that was fortunately not my experience. It has been so long since I’ve done a live jam that I don’t know how it works now, but I know at least for awhile, you had to be a member of a group to participate in a video live jam. Don’t know if it’s still like that. But Wishchip might be onto something there.

[SingingFool]

Fill in the blank:
 

Tips.  TikTok.   _________ . 

jk! 😉
 

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

 

Edited August 12 by SingingFool
GIF

[DuetWithAlli]

On 8/9/2024 at 3:02 PM, Wishchip said:

It probably won't stop some people from posting "SINGINGFOOL: TOP TIPPER WITH $50.00 USD!! THANKS BOO!" on their profile, though.

That’s hilarious! And so true!

[SingingFool]

On 8/9/2024 at 12:02 PM, Wishchip said:

It probably won't stop some people from posting "SINGINGFOOL: TOP TIPPER WITH $50.00 USD!! THANKS BOO!" on their profile, though.

Cute. Top Tipper won’t be me though. I’ll be the one singing 🙅🏻‍♀️ “No Scrubs” in tribute. 

[The Minty Clinch]

Like everything else they do, I think it’s a horrible concept. The day anyone pays me to sing is the day I leave. But as ever I’m sure I’m in the minority. 

[Wishchip]

From the look of it, the same people I’m seeing criticizing tipping are also enabling it on their profile, so 🤷‍♂️.

Smule just released a new blog announcing it as a new feature so I guess their “testing phase” is complete. I guess tipping isn’t just for live jams like was being speculated. 

[The Minty Clinch]

Seems like a good way for stalkers to get your info, for a small fee?

[SingingFool]

Looks like Tipping went quickly from beta testing into a feature offered to everyone? I saw it in my Smule news feed when I went onto the app this morning. 
 

1 hour ago, The Minty Clinch said:

Seems like a good way for stalkers to get your info, for a small fee?

yeah that’s another reason I would never activate it. 

[SingingFool]

🎶 Tip me, beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift my open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance
Silver coins sparkling
So TIP me! 🎶

just being silly 🙃

[The Minty Clinch]

First one to get a tip's a rotten egg!

[Will_Cid]

I haven't seen anybody activating his/her/their tipping jar yet. 

[Wishchip]

On 8/16/2024 at 1:10 PM, SingingFool said:

🎶 Tip me, beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift my open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance
Silver coins sparkling
So TIP me! 🎶

How about:

Tip me
I must be compensated
Grease me
It’s not like OnlyFans at all
Here’s my open hand
Flash me some clams
and make me sing and dance
to You Are the Reason
So tip me

https://www.smule.com/song/sixpence-none-the-richer-tip-me-kiss-me-parody-karaoke-lyrics/20548508_20548508/arrangement

[The Minty Clinch]

I hope Elvis and Tony Bennett have remembered to set their tips option, though I know Elvis has his concerns about PayPal ethics and security.

[Wishchip]

On 8/14/2024 at 9:31 AM, SingingFool said:

Looks like Tipping went quickly from beta testing into a feature offered to everyone? 

I think after Smule allegedly rolled out their "recycled joins" feature, realized it wasn't ready and then called it a "test feature" in order to save face, I bet going forward they'll call every new feature a "test feature" or is in "beta testing" until they can confirm the feature actually works. It's a smart move, actually.

On 8/17/2024 at 1:50 AM, Will_Cid said:

I haven't seen anybody activating his/her/their tipping jar yet. 

I've seen a few people mention they've enabled tipping on their profiles. I haven't seen it myself because it looks like it requires an update to the app, which I'm not planning on getting anytime soon. Smule did say that tipping was supposed to be also available through the website, but I don't see it there yet.

[SingingFool]

5 hours ago, Wishchip said:

How about:

Tip me
I must be compensated
Grease me
It’s not like OnlyFans at all
Here’s my open hand
Flash me some clams
and make me sing and dance
to You Are the Reason
So tip me

https://www.smule.com/song/sixpence-none-the-richer-tip-me-kiss-me-parody-karaoke-lyrics/20548508_20548508/arrangement

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🎶 Did you OC this? 🤣

[Wishchip]

58 minutes ago, SingingFool said:

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🎶 Did you OC this? 🤣

Haha yes, looks like it just closed. 😁

[DuetWithAlli]

So now I’m curious … if one actually wanted to tip someone, how would one do so? The only place I see anything about tipping is in my own profile settings.

[SingingFool]

3 hours ago, DuetWithAlli said:

So now I’m curious … if one actually wanted to tip someone, how would one do so? The only place I see anything about tipping is in my own profile settings.

I saw the “Tip Me” button on the top right corner of someone’s profile so I pressed it just to see. It gave me PayPal or Venmo options. I didn’t pursue it any further. 

I think you’d have to say YES to the tipping thing on your EDIT PROFILE & agree to activate the tipping feature first, give permission to connect to PayPal or Venmo (and have to be ok with other tipsters  seeing your account profile info). Then you’d be able  to tip or be tipped by only those who have also activated the feature. I’m guessing that’s how it goes. 
 

Oh and also, I believe they will require you to sing The Tipping Anthem that Wishchip shared, this on video, holding your right hand over your heart. 🫡 😆

[Wishchip]

12 hours ago, DuetWithAlli said:

So now I’m curious … if one actually wanted to tip someone, how would one do so? The only place I see anything about tipping is in my own profile settings.

Yep, @SingingFool has got it right. You'd have to enable it on your profile first. After Smule's initial post that was devoid of any actual details regarding how tipping works, they released another blog post that was far more helpful: https://blog.smule.com/new-tipping-feature-on-smule/

Here’s How to Enable Tipping:

1. Go to your ‘Profile’
2. Click ‘Edit Profile’
3. Select ‘Tipping/Donation’

After selecting ‘Tipping/Donation’, you will be redirected to a page, where you can read more about the feature and how it works. From there, you’ll see a list of available Payment Providers from which you can choose to accept payments. The initial providers are: Paypal, Venmo, Revolut, Wise with possible expansion of the options in the future.

Since payments do not occur directly within the Smule app, you will need to input the necessary details for the payment provider(s) you’d like to use. If you don’t have a unique handle or shareable link for the given payment provider(s), you will be redirected to their website or app (if installed), where you can create an account or log in. Activating the Tipping component incurs no fee, and since Smule is not involved in the payment process, Smule does not earn any commission on the peer-to-peer tip. However, please keep in mind that each payment processing provider has their own fee(s), terms, and policies that creators must agree to before using their service.

Once creators have enabled the Tipping option and have added one or more payment providers, a “Tip Me” button will appear next to their coins wallet in their Smule profile.

However, if the creator enables ‘Tipping,’ but does not add at least one valid payment option, the “Tip Me” button will not be present until they do so. If you no longer want to receive tips as a creator, you can simply disable the ‘Tipping’ component by clicking ‘Edit Profile’ and turning off the function. The ‘Tip me’ button will disappear from your Profile instantly.

[SingingFool]

13 hours ago, DuetWithAlli said:

So now I’m curious … if one actually wanted to tip someone, how would one do so? The only place I see anything about tipping is in my own profile settings.

In all sincerity, I think the tipping feature would be more amenable to people if Smule could figure out a way for Tippees/Tippers to maintain anonymity & not have to reveal their Venmo/Paypal/etc. identities. Especially trying to be sensitive to & accommodating of the sad fact that people (esp. women) have problems with being stalked/ harassed on this app. If it could somehow be paid in Smule crypto currency  which could be transferable to actual cash? How does tipping work on TikTok? 

And another thing! ☝🏽The “Tip Me” button does not convey accurately what activating the Tipping feature actually does…2 very different functions: one to receive and the other to give. What if someone like @DuetWithAlli just wants to be able to tip others she appreciates but does not want to give off the impression that she’s asking for $ 🏦? And it’s not really fair to judge others based on preconceived notions, but you can’t deny that there all kinds of connotations, associations, triggers that we have with the words “Tip Me.”  

[SingingFool]

8 hours ago, SingingFool said:

In all sincerity, I think the tipping feature would be more amenable to people if Smule could figure out a way for Tippees/Tippers to maintain anonymity & not have to reveal their Venmo/Paypal/etc. identities.

Oops 😬 I think I used the word “amenable” incorrectly & it wouldn’t let me edit.  “People would be more amenable to the Tipping Feature…” not the other way around. But I think y’all know what I meant. Just wanted to bring up that point in case TPTB are paying attention which it seems they are. 

[Wishchip]

For better or worse, all Smule is really doing with the Tipping feature is providing a space for people to meet and then to conduct personal money transactions. Smule sets up the meeting and then whatever happens behind closed doors, it's none of their concern. Maybe you're right @SingingFool in saying that more people would be willing to try it if it was all done "in house" and under Smule's roof, and not pushed to a third party service provider who's hungry for all our tasty data and contact information.

But if Smule is trying to compete with TikTok (and it's obvious they are), it's smart of them to avoid any kind of gifts-to-cash transfer option and just go straight ahead with cold, hard cash. This quick and dirty way of getting people onto the app is likely far easier than Smule spending time and resources developing their own crypto currency like "Smoolah."*

*Someone on Singtopia came up with that. I'm not taking credit for it at all. 

[DuetWithAlli]

Thank you @Wishchip and @SingingFool for all of the information! Honestly, I was snooping around trying to see what it looked like on someone’s page who has tipping enabled, so you’ve taken care of that for me as well. I had looked on the page of someone I expected to accept tips, seeing as she has her Amazon wish list on her page — I am not even kidding! And whilst looking for where I would tip, I accidentally followed and had to unfollow her … oops lol 

So now I understand, I won’t know who is tippable unless I have enabled tipping on my own profile, which I have no intention of doing. And we can’t assume that certain people have enabled tipping because they want tips for themselves; it may be as Wishchip says, someone simply wants to dole out tips. Of course, I am a horrible and bitter old broad who might assume based upon how a woman looks and what she’s showing, whether or not she accepts tips lol. But if you’re on Smule for some reason other than your singing being halfway tolerable, why not start an OnlyFans? 

I have no idea how TikTok works. I’ve heard that while you can duet there, you will get roasted if you’re not really good … may have even read that here, idk. So if people are good enough to get tips, maybe they’re already on TikTok. But you’re right, that’s what Smule appears to be going after. They want to figure out how to hook people again.

Love the parody songs! Weird Alli approves 😂 quite catchy!

 

 

[SingingFool]

20 minutes ago, DuetWithAlli said:

 I had looked on the page of someone I expected to accept tips, seeing as she has her Amazon wish list on her page — I am not even kidding!

Amazon wish list?! What?! 🤣😆

24 minutes ago, DuetWithAlli said:

So now I understand, I won’t know who is tippable unless I have enabled tipping on my own profile, which I have no intention of doing. And we can’t assume that certain people have enabled tipping because they want tips for themselves; it may be as Wishchip says, someone simply wants to dole out tips. 

Nope, you  don’t need to have enabled tipping in order to see others who have enabled it. I have not enabled it but I saw someone’s profile with the Tip Me button. I’ll dm their Smule handle to you & you can check it out. I pressed it and it showed me that this person has Venmo and PayPal. I think if I had chosen one of those, it probably would’ve prompted me to the place where I could input my info & activate tipping feature but I stopped there. The thing I wonder is: if you activate the tipping feature purely in order to tip others (not bc you’re asking for tips) will the Tip Me button still appear on your profile? Could they make the Tip Me Button an option? Or could the Tipper opt to have a different sort of badge of benevolence i.e. I’m a Sugar Daddy / Sugar Mama ?