Earnings on online course website

Everyday Islamic Finance Business and Career Questions
#1

Salaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi barakatuh,

Let’s say that ABC is a website which offers online courses, both paid and free.

  1. Can I sell my course at $100, then after some time, say that this course is now selling at a discount of $10? The reason behind this question is because I see many people who have valued their course $100 (for example) tend to sell them at $10 (for example), while they know that this course is actually worth 10$!! Is this a cheating? Some people might argue that this is not cheating since no one can value the “true” cost of courses (because they are virtual. If I would sell a computer, then I would add the cost of ram, disc, CPU, etc.).

  2. How to value a course? Like, how did IFG valued its course? I want to understand the way of pricing in both, Islamic way and Business way.

  3. Let’s say I got a course from ABC for free/paid, whatever. Then, can I change 20% of its content and then publish it on ABC in order to sell and eventually get profit? Does it not resemble copyright? Does it not mean that I am profiting from a course that has been made 80% by someone else? Are my earnings haram?

Jazak Allah khair! :slight_smile:

#2

Wa alaykum salaam,

This is not cheating as the seller is permitted to price his service or product at whatever price he wants. Buyers should simply not be lied to or misled on the characteristics, specifications and features. This is what tantamounts to cheating.

  1. Pricing is

2.@ibrahimkhan can guide you on how IFG prices its courses.

Pricing is an accounting technique. In terms of pricing, all forms of pricing are permitted as long as no Shariah principle is breached.

  1. It depends on the agreements and legalities of the content.
#3

Salaam @IbrahimQureshi - we price our courses on the basis of what usual businesses do:

  1. How much is reasonable for our audience?
  2. What do others charge?
  3. What is the value and production cost of the course (its much more than CPU cost etc. it includes video, design, marketing etc).
  4. Any other relevant factors.