When someone purchases music on Subvert, they're offered the option to make a voluntary contribution to the Subvert Co-op at checkout - separate from the purchase price.
How it works The Optional Contribution is presented as a percentage of the cart total, with three preset options: 10%, 15%, or 20%. The 15% option is pre-selected by default. There's also a custom amount field and a no contribution option.
The contribution is entirely voluntary. Declining it has no effect on the purchase or the buyer's access to the platform.
Where it goes 100% of Optional Contributions go to the Subvert Co-op to support our operational costs - not to artists. This is how the co-op funds its work without taking a cut of artist sales.
For artists Optional Contributions are not artist revenue and are not subject to the Rights Reserve. They appear as a separate line item in the checkout summary so buyers can see exactly where their money is going.
Non-refundable Optional Contributions are non-refundable under all circumstances, including in cases where the associated purchase is refunded.
For more on how the co-op is funded, see subvert.fm/docs/funding-and-economics