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Subscriptions etc

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  • 15-02-2010 9:00pm
    #1
    AckwelFoley
    Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭


    Ive never subscribed to boards. I should and i may but tbh, 50 quid is a little on the harsh side for what it is. Yes, i could say i do get alot of enjoyment from the site and that there is alot of cost in running the site an perhaps i should contribute to it, but personally ive never been a fan of the subscription structure on this site.

    My suggestion for what its worth, would be to get rid of the temp subscriptions .. ie monthly etc and have it as anually only.
    Change the levels of the subscription packages to perhaps - Gold, Silver and Bronze subscriptions with an anual term.

    The 3 "packages" would contain different benefits, some that exist and some that perhaps could be offered, and the prices would be gradiated accordingly.

    Bronze could cost as little as 10 euro - you would be a "Bronze subscriber" you would have very basic extras - perhaps a namechange ability and access to avatars

    Silver -same as bronze but with most of the features that are available to full subscribers now but would cost 25 euro.

    Gold Subscribers - These would cost as much 60 - 80 euro but perhaps there could be exclusive priviledges that could be created / made available to entice subscriptions.. i have a few in mind but dont want to suggest them openly yet

    The reasons i suggest consideration of the restructure is because

    a i would like to subscribe, merely to support the siteand perhaps have an avatar, but my 50 quid is abit much for an avatar, and if i did subscribe i would like to do so for a year.. im too lazy to do it every much, and not trust worthy enough to do it recurringly.

    b I think personally it would create more revenue for the site, i know 50 euro isnt the largest subscription in the world for a site but its alot more than i paid before on other sites. I do think members want to support the site but for many people that would subscribe the fee is too much, alot of subscriptions would be from younger people in the late teens and again i think the 50 euro is a little out of their range.



    ^ ^ ^ ^
    2 cents
    Post edited by Shield on


«1

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    #2
    My name is URL
    Registered Users Posts: 25,069 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    +1 to all of that apart from getting rid of Monthly subs.. I don't know if many people* would be willing to pay the full wallop with no refund if they get banned a week or 2 into it

    *me


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    #3
    Buford T Justice
    Registered Users Posts: 6,259 ✭✭✭Buford T Justice


    My name is URL wrote: »
    +1 to all of that apart from getting rid of Monthly subs.. I don't know if many people* would be willing to pay the full wallop with no refund if they get banned a week or 2 into it

    *me


    Yeah but if posters are muppets enough to get banned for knowingly breach of the charter then I say tough luck for bein a muppet


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    #4
    tbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    My name is URL wrote: »
    +1 to all of that apart from getting rid of Monthly subs.. I don't know if many people* would be willing to pay the full wallop with no refund if they get banned a week or 2 into it

    *me

    how do you know there's no refund? are you just assuming?


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    #5
    El Weirdo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,647 ✭✭✭✭El Weirdo


    snyper wrote: »
    Gold Subscribers - These would cost as much 60 - 80 euro but perhaps there could be exclusive priviledges that could be created / made available to entice subscriptions.. i have a few in mind but dont want to suggest them openly yet
    Coke and hookers?


    Although, at that price the coke would be shite and I don't really wanna think about the hookers.


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    #6
    star-pants
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    tbh wrote: »
    how do you know there's no refund? are you just assuming?

    I believe there are refunds, I assume if you're close to the end of what you've paid for it might not happen, but I've seen threads where a few days in people have asked for a refund and gotten it. Don't know the rules on it persay myself.

    I prefer the monthly subscriptions, pay as I go type thing, asking for a large lump sum may not suit some people and might in fact put some people off.
    I don't subscribe for the 'benefits' ..there aren't much really. I do it to give back to boards (that's just me).


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    #7
    tbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    star-pants wrote: »
    I believe there are refunds, I assume if you're close to the end of what you've paid for it might not happen, but I've seen threads where a few days in people have asked for a refund and gotten it. Don't know the rules on it persay myself.

    I prefer the monthly subscriptions, pay as I go type thing, asking for a large lump sum may not suit some people and might in fact put some people off.
    I don't subscribe for the 'benefits' ..there aren't much really. I do it to give back to boards (that's just me).

    I thought there were too, but I think that's based on some remark DeV made that probably isn't a statement of policy :)


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    #8
    My name is URL
    Registered Users Posts: 25,069 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    tbh wrote: »
    how do you know there's no refund? are you just assuming?

    Well I was going by this post and haven't seen anything to make me assume otherwise :)


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    #9
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    There used to be refunds. I remember a certain bannee broke our hearts on adverts-and shilled their dads company regularly on b.ie. They subbed thinking they were buying diplomatic plates, but ultimately got most of it back on request following an adban.


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    #10
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 83,210 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Monthly or Annually, isnt it still a conflict of interest? "If I ban this person, we lose Revenue" etc.


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    #11
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Overheal wrote: »
    Monthly or Annually, isnt it still a conflict of interest? "If I ban this person, we lose Revenue" etc.

    Potentially yes but in reality I've never seen it cause any conflict of interest. Plus it could have the opposite affect. If muppets who are nothing but trouble and ruining the site get around a siteban just because they're a subscriber then they could cause the quality of the site to dip and cause people to leave because the muppets have turned it to shíte. That would probably have a much bigger impact on revenue in the long term through lost page impressions and lower ad revenue then a few lost subscriptions could ever do.


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    #12
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    It's not a factor, or at least, it wasn't. I assume that hasn't changed.


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    #13
    AckwelFoley
    Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    star-pants wrote: »
    I believe there are refunds, I assume if you're close to the end of what you've paid for it might not happen, but I've seen threads where a few days in people have asked for a refund and gotten it. Don't know the rules on it persay myself.

    I prefer the monthly subscriptions, pay as I go type thing, asking for a large lump sum may not suit some people and might in fact put some people off.
    I don't subscribe for the 'benefits' ..there aren't much really. I do it to give back to boards (that's just me).

    If you dont want to pay alot of money and merely want to support the site ive got jist the package for you..

    *Introduces bronze package*


    Its a yearly subscription and only 5 euro more than a monthly subscription


    As far as banned members getting a refund - you must be joking..

    If you buy a car and wrap it around a poll - do opel give you a refund because you were driving wrecklesly - crashed the car and were unable to use the car anymore?


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    #14
    Xavi6
    Registered Users Posts: 40,867 ✭✭✭✭Xavi6


    Just don't get rid of quarterly subs. Thanks.


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    #15
    Buford T Justice
    Registered Users Posts: 6,259 ✭✭✭Buford T Justice


    snyper wrote: »
    If you buy a car and wrap it around a poll - do opel give you a refund because you were driving wrecklesly - crashed the car and were unable to use the car anymore?

    Well, not if its an audi no.....


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    #16
    Spiritoftheseventies
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Xavi6 wrote: »
    Just don't get rid of quarterly subs. Thanks.
    excellent post there by xavi. I think the 13 euro fee is a good place to start for subscribers.


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    #17
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    None of the "privileges" are worth the money. That was kinda the point. There was a time when normal users couldn't search and subscribers could.


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    #18
    Spiritoftheseventies
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Boston wrote: »
    None of the "privileges" are worth the money. That was kinda the point. There was a time when normal users couldn't search and subscribers could.
    As a once off fee its reasonable enough though. You get to chose your own avatar, change your name if you so choose . And you contribute to a good cause as well. To quote a poster "we have a good thing going here"


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    #19
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    hmm "good cause". In what way is boards.ie a good cause? It's a business. Subscribing is more akin to tipping for a good service then giving money to a cause.


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    #20
    DeVore
    Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 32,387 Mod ✭✭✭✭DeVore


    I wouldnt refer to it as a "good cause". A "tip" is a nice way of putting it... but its been painfully obvious to us that we need to revisit and revamp the idea of being a "subscriber". I would hope we will address it this year but unfortunately I cant give a better time frame then that. A one time fee for an avatar or whatever sounds like a good idea though, but I'd prefer to address the whole area as, well, a whole.

    DeV.


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    #21
    OldGoat
    Registered Users Posts: 12,637 ✭✭✭✭OldGoat


    ...and a Club necktie. I really want one of those!

    I'm older than Minecraft goats.



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    #22
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    How about RSS feeds for subscribers?


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    #23
    DeVore
    Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 32,387 Mod ✭✭✭✭DeVore


    As I said, I think we are better off approaching the area for a full overhaul or rethink rather then coding multiple specific items. It will just end up a patchwork.

    As for RSS feeds, we have feeds available at the moment... no? Feeds of what exactly?

    DeV.


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    #24
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    DeVore wrote: »
    As I said, I think we are better off approaching the area for a full overhaul or rethink rather then coding multiple specific items. It will just end up a patchwork.

    As for RSS feeds, we have feeds available at the moment... no? Feeds of what exactly?

    DeV.

    Theres an RSS feed for the main page but nothing for individual threads as far as I can see? If memory serves it was tried out once long ago and shown to be too much of a resource hog.


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    #25
    Spiritoftheseventies
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Boston wrote: »
    Theres an RSS feed for the main page but nothing for individual threads as far as I can see? If memory serves it was tried out once long ago and shown to be too much of a resource hog.
    You have to ask what benefit does it give you to be a paid up subscriber. Value for money is the bottom line.


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    #26
    Nevyn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 43,045 ✭✭✭✭Nevyn


    onestepahead wrote: »
    You have to ask what benefit does it give you to be a paid up subscriber. Value for money is the bottom line.

    Subscription was never about value for money it was about contributing something back to the running costs of the site.


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    #27
    Spiritoftheseventies
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Thaedydal wrote: »
    Subscription was never about value for money it was about contributing something back to the running costs of the site.
    Not aware Subscriptions are donations. Maybe im wrong.


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    #28
    _blank_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    onestepahead wrote: »
    Not aware Subscriptions are donations. Maybe im wrong.

    They are donations, and for that donation you get a few "perks", like a custom avatar, a namechange if you like (another way to change ones username is to open a new account, as it happens), access to certain restricted forums, a tagline.

    The subscription is/was to help with the running costs of the site


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    #29
    Spiritoftheseventies
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Its a donation so.


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    #30
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    Nah, cause you're getting something in return.


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    #31
    Spiritoftheseventies
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Boston wrote: »
    Nah, cause you're getting something in return.
    Its a good ideal anyway. All for it.


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