by Erik Haus

Zuora’s Launch at DEMO 2009 was a huge success! First and foremost, we launched our latest product,

a really simple solution for Facebook developers looking for a better way to make money. Advertising and one-time purchases aren’t ideal for certain applications, but until now it was too difficult to offer subscription-based applications. But Z-Commerce for Facebook gives developers the tools they need to do just that –

• A subscription console,
• Plug-and-play commerce widgets,
• Access control API,
• User self-service subscription management.

Developers can now transform their applications into subscription based services with only a few lines of code.

Second, DEMO provided us with a great environment to spread the word out about Z-Commerce for Facebook. And judging by the great response we’ve had so far in the press, it seems that we’re doing something right.

Last, and most importantly, we were able to reach Facebook developers themselves. In addition to launching our product, we have also announced our “Subscribe, Don’t Advertise” contest. We are seeking innovative developers who want to turn their existing applications into subscription services with Z-Commerce for Facebook. We’ll select five winners, with each winning a free year of Z-Commerce for Facebook. The universe of possibilities of what you can do with Facebook applications just exploded.

I think Charles Cooper from CNET summed it up best, noting that Z-Commerce for Facebook makes Facebook a cloud computing platform ripe for innovation. If you’re a developer with a great idea for Facebook and need a better way to monetize, enter our contest!