75 or 60 either is good all the info is worth it
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75 or 60 either is good all the info is worth it
when i was asking for donation details many many months ago, it was in my mind to donate $50.
but i think $60/yr is way over the top. even the $45 re-subscription.
may i suggest $25 or $30 initial cost, and say $10 or $15 re-subscription...
sure the site costs money to run etc, but what we have to understand is that the subscription scheme will have to rely on member generosity.
unless you were to cut access to most of the site, i dont think we would see many people lining up to pay $45 a year.
it would also potentially scare away potential new members.
i do understand there would still be the free membership allowing normal use of the forum.
perhaps offer a few tiers of membership...
non paying general membership... (basic use of forum)
silver membership... (stickers etc, minus discounts and lanyards)
gold membership (everything pete mentioned)
members continuing a silver membership would not need a 2nd lot of stickers, so $10/yr seems fair.
members continuing a gold membership could pay $20 and retain their discount benifits, or downgrade to a silver membership ($10 and not receive discount benefits)
all just a suggestion...
ps im not having a go at anyone, just voicing my opinion...
i think we have to aim for high volume at low cost, rather than low volume at high cost.
for those who dont understand what i maen,, heres an example...
selling lollipops,,,
street vendor purchases lollipops in bulk for 20c each...
tries to sell them for 50c each and only manages to sell 40.
vendor has made $12.00 profit
another vendor down the street purchases for same price in bulk 20c each, and sells for 40c each, managing to sell 100 lollipops...
2nd vendor has made $20.00 profit.
and putting it into perspective for the forums,
charge members $60 each, 30 people subscribe, opelaus makes $1800...
compared to
charge members $25 each, 200 subscribe, opelaus makes $5000...
I would pay a subcription...... :):)
Having it a higher amount means less highlighted names.
With so many highlighted names, Anarchy could break out.
There would be utter chaos.
The forum owner could be overthrown!
Killed even!
And god knows what will happen to his dog!
:o
IMO.
i think paying members could also get a @opelaus.com email and sub domain with like 5 or so mb for like a gallery of their cars.
does opelaus have to pay anything to recieve the discounts?
is so 60-45 is fair enough.
if not im leanin more towards jays ideas.
for me 75 or 60 is pretty steep.
i may be naive but to me the site seems to run fairly well with as few payin members as now, i think that for the cost relative to benefit for most people is probably not good enough.
and who cares about highlighted names and anarchy its about supporting the site as its not for profit right?
and no offence but where does this money go?
thanks for the input guys, it will all be taken into consideration.
like i said, without you guys there wouldnt be a forum :)
thanks for the input jay
the money pays off the phone calls i ahve made to the UK to sort the Autovaux discoout out.
It also pays for vbulletin licence (software the forum uses) also pays for server storage.
it will also pay for any future updates that need to be done to the forum, and any other software that may be purchased.
it will also pay for lanyards and stickers that members will receive
No offence to anyone here but here is my 2 cents.
Even if this "plan" does go ahead, nothing will be changing to make OA of lesser value to anyone as it is now. Basically, we are not taking anything away if you don't choose to subscribe.
I would like to also ask everyone to have a look at 10 other forums on the internet, and tell me how many advertisements they see on the forums. This might include popups, banners, towers, rollers or just plan text randomly scattered somewhere. I then ask everyone to have a look on OA, and find external advertising in the formats I just talked about. Thats right, there is none.
There are various running costs involved with OA, this includes the domain name, vBulletin licence, hosting space, backup hosting space and the backup for the backup's hosting space.
No one is asking you to pay anything. You dont have to. Your not going to be forced to. You could pay $1 right now and we would be very appreciative of it. You could pay $100 right now and we would be very appreciative of it. However those that do, we would obviously find some way to reward, without it costing us too much money.
The idea of a "subscription" is to cover costs, and provide our own internal advertising (in the form of stickers, lanyards, coffee cups, hats, sexual based toys or whatever we might want to advertise with) in the hope that we can get more members and grow futher.
I am absolutely certain that in some way, shape, or form, that OA has helped you.
EDIT: Also costs involved with me calling vBulletin on the phone for emergency support when the database has crashed or a place in Michigan and being charged at Telstra USA Direct International Rates.