martinfan5 Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Simple question, a lot of forums out there offer its member's a premium membership option to help cover the cost of running the forum, with that, premium members get things that normal members don't, and sometimes have a members only area of the forum, so lets say Gregg can add that option here, and the price was say under $20 would you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Another forum (automotive in nature) that I participate in has regular free membership w/ ads, and a paid membership ($12/yr) without ads and some special forums open only to paid members...they are using the same IP Board software. Works quite well there, I'd think such an approach could work here.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 Another forum (automotive in nature) that I participate in has regular free membership w/ ads, and a paid membership ($12/yr) without ads and some special forums open only to paid members...they are using the same IP Board software. Works quite well there, I'd think such an approach could work here.. I agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaleDale Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) MacRumors charges $25 per year for no ads and access to a private forum. I'd pay here, too. Maybe as a perk for a subscription? That would get me to add that. Dale Edited August 2, 2013 by ScaleDale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Where do I send the check ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalbert Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 One of the other groups I belong to has a pay to play program, only paying members can post for sale items and they see no ads. The yearly cost is cheap. Nobodys getting rich, but there is enough interest to offset some of the costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermodel Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) ? Edited August 2, 2013 by mistermodel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramfins59 Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Where do I send the check ? Me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 MacRumors charges $25 per year for no ads and access to a private forum. I'd pay here, too. Maybe as a perk for a subscription? That would get me to add that. Dale That might work nicely and is worth considering. That said, I don't have the money right now to pay, but if it was the right price, I absolutely would considering purchasing a membership. Charlie Larkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 That might work nicely and is worth considering. That said, I don't have the money right now to pay, but if it was the right price, I absolutely would considering purchasing a membership. Charlie Larkin if it does come to pass, i'd like to see how many of the "yes" men actually cough up the dough. sort of the same as " i'm going to subscribe when .... " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalbert Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Rather than a formal pay to play policy and the drama that may or may not bring, I'm sure donations wouldn't be turned down! As long as its done with some degree of tact, don't send $20 and start threads reminding everyone about how great you are, nobody likes a selfish giver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 if it does come to pass, i'd like to see how many of the "yes" men actually cough up the dough. sort of the same as " i'm going to subscribe when .... " Joe, you're almost as cynical as I am... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonderbread Kustomz Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 I have to make sure i word things carefully, because this and the ads have become a real touchy subject.... I know the costs involved in keeping a large forum like this going. I could care less about the ads. Doesnt bother me at all. Like i said before, most of them are almost comical. I think its safe to say that Gregg has the ads here to help aid in the cost of the forum so he wouldnt have to charge members a fee or membership to post or view the forum. I myself am on disability. If it comes down to it and a membership is required, then i will bite the bullet and use the money out of my spending for kits just to pay for a membership on here. Honestly i hope it doesnt come to that, but if it does, then so be it. Now as far as diluting the forum with paid members and non paid member and accessability to the forum, i will say bad idea. I would just leave it as you have to pay to be an active member. Only other solution would to do like Brians Model Cars did and let members choose to donate. A yearly donation. The owner of that forum had it set up to where you could donate through paypal, and you could choose the amount you wanted to donate. But in the end, this is ultimately Greggs decision. Time for me to go swimming now... Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) I'll happily pay, but I also wonder how many regular users there are and what the annual gross nut is to provide the forum. Divide the annual nut by the number of regular users and what do you get?? What I'm getting at is I wonder if it actually comes down to a few bucks per user per year, if a few bucks would keep many folks away. Edited August 2, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 if it does come to pass, i'd like to see how many of the "yes" men actually cough up the dough. sort of the same as " i'm going to subscribe when .... " True..this hobby does seem to have a lot of cheapskates... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 I have to make sure i word things carefully, because this and the ads have become a real touchy subject.... I know the costs involved in keeping a large forum like this going. I could care less about the ads. Doesnt bother me at all. Like i said before, most of them are almost comical. I think its safe to say that Gregg has the ads here to help aid in the cost of the forum so he wouldnt have to charge members a fee or membership to post or view the forum. I myself am on disability. If it comes down to it and a membership is required, then i will bite the bullet and use the money out of my spending for kits just to pay for a membership on here. Honestly i hope it doesnt come to that, but if it does, then so be it. Now as far as diluting the forum with paid members and non paid member and accessability to the forum, i will say bad idea. I would just leave it as you have to pay to be an active member. Only other solution would to do like Brians Model Cars did and let members choose to donate. A yearly donation. The owner of that forum had it set up to where you could donate through paypal, and you could choose the amount you wanted to donate. But in the end, this is ultimately Greggs decision. Time for me to go swimming now... Lol I did not word the question properly, it would be an option for people, not something everyone had to do in order to be a member, its just a fancy way of asking for donation's, that's all it is. True..this hobby does seem to have a lot of cheapskates... truth be told Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Setting a membership fee for premium membership will give some folks a feeling of entitlement. Not that some don't already feel they are entitled! A donation button may work better since people could give what they want or can afford. Acme Labs (the site we make our license plates on) has a donation button, as do some of the other free services I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 Setting a membership fee for premium membership will give some folks a feeling of entitlement. Not that some don't already feel they are entitled! A donation button may work better since people could give what they want or can afford. Acme Labs (the site we make our license plates on) has a donation button, as do some of the other free services I use. Of course it will, thats just a part of life, its going to happen no matter what forum its on, there are more then one way to go about getting donations, and I am just bringing up one option that works, and where the ones that donate get something in return, who doesn't like getting something back right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morrison Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) True..this hobby does seem to have a lot of cheapskates... Careful Rob, you just stepped it up from me "dissing" the whole board to you "dissing" the whole HOBBY! LOL However if the dis fits... Edited August 2, 2013 by John Morrison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 (edited) Careful Rob, you just stepped it up from me "dissing" the whole board to you "dissing" the whole HOBBY! LOL However if the dis fits... Yes it does fit John Edited August 2, 2013 by martinfan5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my80malibu Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 No Not at All. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobdude Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 At last count,there is 11,457 members,active and not active. Just think,if everyone gave just $1.00,not a penny more,it might keep things afloat a while longer. Take the burden off your host,who generously is footing the bill for everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Yes it does fit John Really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Perhaps a nominal fee I would not mind, but the forum is the only part that I use. I suspect(I have no real idea) that a lot of forums find enough revenue in advertising to make ends meet but like most businesses, it takes some hustle to get the advertisers on board. Often sales is not really the most pleasant part of running a web site, but then that is what it takes to do business on the internet. I imagine that if the advertising became too much to bare, I might pay something, but frankly, I wouldn't pay the cost of a subscription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 "paying" will create more problems than benefits. for example, if I get a warning point for a controversial post, can I send in money to pay off the fine? or if I am banned due to reaching my quota of warning points, do I get the unused portion of my forum payment returned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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