How to Buy off-the-shelf eLearning Courses for Your LMS Software: Benefits and Drawbacks to Consider

Finding the perfect eLearning courses and marketplaces can be overwhelming, with many options. Our team has compiled a list of the top eight places to find off-the-shelf eLearning courses to simplify the process. We review each platform, highlighting its key features, benefits, and costs. This way, you can easily find the marketplace and courses that suit your needs.

Before diving in, it’s important to understand what off-the-shelf eLearning courses are and how they differ from custom courses. We also explore when it’s best to use each type. With this information, you’ll be equipped to make informed decisions and embark on your eLearning journey confidently.

What are off-the-shelf eLearning courses?

Off-the-shelf eLearning courses are like ready-to-use educational packages that cover different topics. They are created in advance and can be instantly accessed by learners. These courses are great for teams or organizations that need to provide training on common industry or professional subjects. For example, they can teach general industry knowledge, soft skills, or compliance information.

Using off-the-shelf courses is especially helpful for larger organizations with many employees who want consistent training across different teams or departments. It saves time and resources since the courses are already prepared and don’t require customization. Even smaller businesses can benefit from off-the-shelf courses because they offer high-quality educational content at an affordable cost.

Organizations can use off-the-shelf courses to ensure their employees receive valuable training on various important topics. Whether learning proper techniques or improving communication skills, these courses provide accessible and engaging education that helps employees excel in their roles. They are a convenient solution that allows businesses to provide quality training without extensive customization or development.

Benefits of Incorporating off-the-shelf Content into Your Learning Platform

1. 1. Broad Selection of Course Subjects

   When setting up a training program, you likely have a lot of topics to cover, such as compliance and safety. The good news is that off-the-shelf training materials are available for many of these topics. Off-the-shelf eLearning Content providers offer a wide range of popular subjects that can meet your organization’s needs.
   Some common areas covered by off-the-shelf eLearning content providers include workplace diversity, preventing discrimination and harassment, HR compliance, workplace safety, leadership and management, sales and service, soft skills, business skills, professional certifications, employee wellness, technology, software, cyber security, and industry-specific topics like banking or restaurants.
   Using ready-made content saves you time and effort in creating training materials from scratch. It provides you with comprehensive resources that are already prepared and can be used right away. Utilizing these materials ensures your employees receive the necessary knowledge and skills for their roles without developing everything yourself.

2. 2. Diverse Range of Learning Formats

   Off-the-shelf courses offer a range of learning experiences not limited to traditional, rigid formats. These pre-designed courses are available in various forms, including interactive off the shelf eLearning modules and bite-sized micro-learning lessons.
   They are designed to be compatible with different learning platforms and accessible on any device, whether a computer or a mobile device. Many off-the-shelf courses also include assessments or quizzes to evaluate learners’ understanding and job aids to reinforce learning in real-world situations. The diverse formats of these courses allow you to create customized learning paths that cater to your learners’ unique needs and preferences.
   For example, your field sales team might benefit from mobile-friendly micro-learning, while older employees prefer more structured online courses. With off-the-shelf courses, you can choose the learning format that best suits your learners’ requirements and ensures effective knowledge transfer.

3. 3. Established Success with Positive Outcomes

   Off-the-shelf courses often incorporate interactive elements like quizzes, surveys, and reflective questions to ensure learners retain knowledge. These activities help reinforce important information and counteract the natural forgetting process.
   Additionally, the flexibility of online courses and microlearning allows busy employees to conveniently fit learning into their schedules, unlike traditional in-person training sessions. Research conducted by Training Industry has shown that companies with 500 employees can achieve remarkable returns on investment (ROI) by replacing a portion of their Instructor-Led Training (ILT) sessions with off-the-shelf video micro-learning content. These companies experienced an impressive ROI of over 380% when utilizing the integrated off-the-shelf course library. It highlights the cost-effectiveness and value that off-the-shelf content can bring to organizations, making it a smart choice for optimizing training outcomes.

4. 4. Simplify Content Updates with Off-the-Shelf Courseware

   Off-the-shelf courseware libraries provide pre-made educational materials that are regularly updated and follow the latest standards. It is beneficial for smaller organizations that need more dedicated staff to update content whenever rules or procedures change constantly.
   By using off-the-shelf content, these organizations can ensure that their training materials remain relevant and up to date without investing significant time and resources. When choosing among different off-the-shelf content libraries, it’s important to inquire about the frequency of content updates and the removal of poorly reviewed courses.
   It ensures that the materials you select will always be current and of high quality. By asking these questions, you can decide and find the best off-the-shelf courseware library, like Paradiso CourseHub, that suits your organization’s needs.

Key Tips for Selecting the Perfect Off-The-Shelf eLearning Course for Your Organization

1. 1. Leverage Existing Resources for Online Training Courses

   Before creating an online training course from scratch, assessing the resources you already have is important. You might be pleasantly surprised that you can repurpose existing online training material to meet your needs. It can be done using a rapid eLearning authoring tool, which allows you to quickly and easily modify and adapt your existing materials for the new course. You can save time and effort by repurposing resources while still delivering effective training content.

2. 2. Making Online Training Content Available to Everyone

   To ensure the smooth delivery of online training, it’s essential to ensure that the content is compatible with your Learning Management System (LMS) or other platforms used for delivery. Additionally, the content should be responsive, meaning it adapts seamlessly to different devices, ensuring accessibility for learners on any device they prefer. Remember, modern learners seek mobile-friendly online training courses that offer flexibility and convenience, enabling them to learn on the go.

3. 3. Develop a Detailed eLearning Budget for Your Organization

   Develop a detailed corporate eLearning budget covering expenses like pre-built training material purchases, maintenance costs, and potential staffing requirements. Regularly assess whether off-the-shelf options are still viable or if custom training resources are more suitable. At the same time, pre-built resources offer cost-effective ways to expand and enhance courses, considering factors such as branding integration and personalized training paths aligned with organizational goals. Budget is important but only one of the criteria to consider when making your decision.

Which Companies Benefit from Purchasing Off-The-Shelf LMS Software?

When considering which learning management system (LMS) to choose, businesses should evaluate their flexibility needs. While off-the-shelf LMS products may have an appealing initial price and quick setup, it’s crucial to look beyond those factors. After a few months, businesses might realize that the off-the-shelf solution needs more features and functionalities, leading to regrets about not exploring all available options thoroughly. .

In general, we recommend off-the-shelf LMS software solutions for companies that:

• Can find an e-learning platform specifically designed for their industry
• Don’t require customization or branding capabilities for their off-the-shelf LMS
• Have basic training requirements and are content with following the developer’s upgrades.

By considering these factors, businesses can make an informed decision regarding the suitability of an off-the-shelf LMS software solution for their needs. It’s essential to assess the long-term requirements and ensure that the chosen LMS can effectively support the organization’s training objectives.

5 common pricing models for off-the-shelf LMS software

Different pricing models are available when considering purchasing off the shelf LMS software. These include:

• Perpetual License: It involves a one-time cost to acquire the LMS.
• Pay-per-User: This model charges a fixed fee for each learner who uses the LMS.
• Pay-per-Course: Learners pay for accessing each course or upon enrollment.
• Subscription: With this model, a predetermined license fee grants access to the LMS for a specific period, either monthly or annually.
• Quote-Based Pricing: LMS vendors offer custom pricing based on each company’s unique requirements.

To understand the features offered and request pricing details for Paradiso LMS packages, you can visit the pricing page, where you will find a breakdown of product features and the pricing structure.

By exploring these pricing options, organizations can choose the most suitable model that aligns with their budget and training needs.

Discover The best off-the-shelf eLearning Platform That fits Your Budget

Paradiso LMS provides various off-the-shelf learning options in multiple formats, catering to different learning preferences. Their extensive online training library includes over 6,000 micro-video lessons, interactive videos, eLearning courses, and video programs covering diverse topics. Additional support materials like handouts and quizzes are also available to enhance learning retention.

The platform is known for its user-friendly interface and powerful features. It ensures mobile compatibility, allowing learners to access training content conveniently on any device, whenever and wherever they need it. It enables just-in-time learning, promoting flexibility and accessibility.

Paradiso LMS is particularly suitable for organizations leveraging video-based training, as it offers both microlearning and long-form video content. Their course catalog is highly regarded and supported by industry professionals, ensuring quality and credibility. The availability of supplementary resources further enhances knowledge retention and helps organizations assess the return on investment (ROI) for their training initiatives.

It aims to assist you in aligning your organization’s goals with your learning strategy and fostering positive relationships with administrators, bosses, partners, and learners. We aim to ensure your learning programs are highly successful and impactful, leading to recognition and potential promotions. We strive to support your organization in every way possible and make your learning initiatives thrive.

If you want to know more about our services, speak with an expert today.