This feature is a long time coming. I predicted this would happen some time ago, when Ether started a similar service. All that's left to be done is for the seller to be able to create a virtual presence on eBay from which to sell the services. Can't wait to test Skype Prime.

This is an excellent new addition! What would be nice though, is to also support a system like MoneyBookers which is quite popular in Europe and supports many more countries than paypal, or at least also have the option of money going towards your Skype credit.

30% fee for providing the service seems excessive. Do you think a $100/hr consultant wants to pay $30/hr for connectivity + billing system? I think its a difficult notion to accept.

I think this is a great service, and especially if they can hook it up with Moneybookers too, it'll have much more global usefulness than if it's PayPal only.

As for the 30% commission, yeah, that is a definite show stopper. It's hard to imagine who on earth would use a service that charges a 30% commission. But let's see who comes to the show. The rest of us will just continue using other methods.

Interesting. Are you planning to release APIs to manage Prime service from my own site as well?

We have put short intro on how Skype Prime will help online business and small business owners selling online: http://pizzaseo.com/internet-marketing-through-skype-prime

Good point , But isn't wengo the first to do this ?

http://www.wengo.com/

You guys should just call this service what it will become anyways.... Skype video sex!

The 30% might seem high, but the POTS companies usually want 50%...

@rudy: no doubt that this'll be the major use . But still... when I was a consultant I was dying for something like this, and the POTS companies couldn't set me up without unreasonable cost *nor* did they have high enough per-minute rates (in the Netherlands) to allow me to make a decent income. I wouldn't think twice to use this service if I were still self-employed atm.

Very nice and long anticipated.

I would argue however that without a proper controlled rating system, Prime will quickly become scammers nest. The importance of a rating system to score providers performance is super critical in situations, or unless will quickly sink the huge potential Prime has.

--Tzachi

I hope Skype Prime will soon be released in a Mac version!! I'm anxious to be a provider!!!!

I too hope Skype Prime will soon be released in a Mac version. I really appreciate any efforts on behalf of skype to provide services to all users !!!!

The 30 % fee seems very high, but I still think that Prime is a great option for providers that don't sell a lot. Most payment systems charge a high monthly fee, making it totally uninteresting for somebody that sells something just once in a while. With Prime you only pay when it's used. Seems fair, even if the fee is rather high.

If Skype company charge only 1 or 2 % soon this will became a good way to start a payed consulting system. 30% is very high and it is not good.
I know that the other companies charge 50% ( 906 calls in USA and 899 in ITaly ) and I think they are crazy as well or more than Skype Company.
Then, hey Skype staff? Are you becoming crazy?
This 30% will abort this new good idea of Skype users for receiving payed calls.
Then Skype staff: " Go to study Marketing"

I could see this being very useful if you're a tutor or providing a tutorial service of some sort. I have thought of teaching Photoshop to people before, and if I could do it online that would be great! You could also set up your own tech support service through this.

I like this new addition to Skype, because as an English tutor I can now use Skype, like I have been doing, to help people but now I can actually get paid for it too, and reach a much larger community.
Thanks Skype!!
Now the only thing that I wish you could do is add this feature to the chat function, that way I can help people who either do not have a mic, are in a situation where they can't communicate with one, or they would much rather just chat because their English is not so good. No matter how you look at this is a great feature to add to Skype.

Sounds good in theory, though in any case I will have to wait for a Mac version. It would be interesting to know what percentage of peopel use this service for personal calls as opposed to, say, giving professional advice via Skype. I agree 30% is high and although it wouldn't put me off completely, it will make me look at alternatives. Good luck everybody.

I just saw the charging details. Who is going to want to wait 4 months in arrears for their earnings to be transfered to their paypal accounts, which (in the UK) take a further 5 working days to transfer to their normal bank accounts. I think this system is unfair to the service provider here.
Also I noticed that the caller seems to have more of a say than the service provider. If a caller can reject the payment of a call what is to stop them gaining the information they want then just cancelling the call. How is the service provider protected against this?
Otherwise I like the idea and would sign up if not for the terrible one-sided approach. Skype please try to make this great tool more accessible and fair.

Thanks ... !

I predict that, along with the fantastic concept that was Second Life, Skype will become overrun with porn!

What a shame.

I hope that the Skype Beta could be a better way to comunication between people of different countries.
I congrat' the Skype equipment for all the interest to be a better company each day.