jeffw

I saw that this is the current list of benefits for Premier Membership subscribers ($29.95):

Most of these seem reasonable (even if things like the avatar pic is a bummer). However, the three that I made bold worry me.

First of all, I can't see how the vendor/sponsors will be happy about the group buy rule which will cut down on customers. Also, the vendor fees to my350z are already embedded in the cost of their goods. So it's like customers are being taxed twice to participate in a group buy.

The attachments rule could hurt Premier Members if the attachment size limitation becomes unreasonably strict. If non-payers have trouble figuring out how to compress an image small enough to attach, they won't bother. That means less new info for those paying for the subscription.

And the third one concerns me because people come to the website for info about 350zs. What if someone creates their own "how-to" thread that covers the same topic as an exclusive website how-to article? Will the thread be deleted because it reduces the value of the article?


--
Jeff

Brandon@Forged

Moved. I posted a thread concerning usergroup access things...we'll see what happens.

GodZilla

Thanks for your post Jeff
Answers to your post.

Group Buys..
It may seem that way, but the setup isnt finished yet.When its done you will understand what I mean.

Attatchments
It will not be that strict. Although people do need to learn how to compress images.

How-to's
If someone creates a how-to and posts it on the forum we wont delete it.

Netko350Z

iTrader: (8)

What if I just send in my payment for Sport Z 2 weeks before I knew that I could get it on my350Z? Can I just pay the difference for a Premier Membership?

Wicked4u2c

iTrader: (6)

Geez, this cost more than most MAGAZINE yearly subscriptions and the benefits are weak! IM in the wrong business..

Lets see, there are 40K members on this message forum how many do you think will get this? Lets say about 5% that's $2,000 members at $29.95 thats $59,900!! Not a bad way to make money huh?

Im sorry, but been on the internet way to long and have realized that once you start charging people, the people begin to leave! To me this is more like a RIP OFF, when you start adding stupid stuff like "User name Highlighted in BOLD" wow, you know something is wrong. But anyhow, there are many cool sites from RX7 to Supra forums M3 etc... that DO NOT CHARGE and are doing just fine. As a member I feel I have the right to speak up and IM sure i'll have plenty of people that will agree with me. Why doesn't my350z pay us for making it the community it is? Like a tax return

bixby

iTrader: (2)

I'll support the site by joining. I don't care about the "added benifits", I just enjoy the site. I've gained a lot of knowledge from this site. I've discovered Zaino, found a set of Track Ray's for $1,500.00 (they're $1,500.00 ea at the dealer), met some really cool people and continue to see many advantages to being on this forum.

Hell, the money I saved on the last "door ding" meet more than pays for membership.

I'm going to sign up right now!

Keep up the good work guys! It's the best car forum I've ever seen.

bixby

iTrader: (2)

Done! Can't wait to get my SportZ Mag!!

Oh, and Nice car Jeff!!

Brandon@Forged

You don't have to get premier membership...it's an option....not a requirement.

And I sincerely doubt we will get 2000 premier members. There are hardly that many regular members that post everyday here. I would estimate ~200-400.

NVthis350

iTrader: (2)

why not join? I have saved soo much money by coming to this site. $30 a year? goodness, just save a little less than 3 bucks a month!

Netko350Z

iTrader: (8)

"and for just 3 bucks a month you can fees a starving child....."

What about if you just sent in your subscription to Sport Z?

mcduck

I agree with Bixby... I'm not too hyped about any premier member benefits. However, in the 2.5 years I have visited this site, I have pulled well more than $30 worth of value out of it. Were it not for this website, I would not have half the mods I have on my car now and, for the things I have done, I would have spent a lot more money than I did. Hell, the money I saved on the Lambo Door group buy is enough for me to be a premier member for a couple years.

I don't think the benefits listed are worth $30, but I have no issue with supporting the site considering the large amount of information I have already taken the benefit of at no charge. As we move forward, if I do not continue to gain value out of the information posted here, I simply will not renew my premier membership. For now, for me... it's more of a "thank you" for the 1st couple of years of information.

BTW, I can't imagine non-Premiem Member's attachments being any different than now. The current ones are pretty restrictive (75KB or less, I think). All members will probably still be able to do that, it's just that premier members will be able to post much bigger attachments.

mcduck

Not bad at all... of course, the point of this is to ensure there is enough money to keep this site operating as it is today (not as it was a couple months ago). You'd be surprised how much it costs for web servers, backup servers & files, bandwidth, support for the same, etc, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if upkeep on this site is in excess of $2500/month. There's half of your $59,900 there... and that's IF they get 2000 Premier Memberships.

Wicked4u2c

iTrader: (6)

Dude unless there renting the server it doesn't cos $2,500 a month. And where did you get half of 59,900? That FIFTY NINE THOUSAND not FIFTY NINE HUNDRED. 59,000 THATS THE COST OF 2 BASE MODEL 350'z PAID OFF! That's an M3 Paid in cash. I been to TONS Of sites TO4R, CLUBSI, HONDA-TECH, NAOSIC, BMW FORUMS, AUDI, EVO8 and none have this BS Membership fee's. I understand its not mandatory, but hey if you have people that are willing to give you that money I guess more power to you. Like I said before to me its more of "WE WANT MORE MONEY" because the "BENEFITS" aren't really "BENEFITS".

Ive been here since the start, and I always see things changing here and it keeps getting WORSE, next thing you know in about 1 year you will limit regular people post's to like 5 per month and than make PREMIUM member unlimited to get EVERYONE to pay. But again, just my thoughts it would of been different if you would of posted "CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR SITE" than to make it seem like your really getting "BENEFITS"

I can go to Linkin Park and become a MEMBER for less than that amount and get FREE POSTERS, FREE CD'S, FREE SHIRTS, ETC... for $20.00 That's getting benefits but having my NAME BOLD PRINTED I think they couldn't come up with better things than that... Heck every site im registered I can change my AVATAR without paying... But whatever

Brandon@Forged

Editing your avatar and user title are the only things that have changed that regular members used to have.

I think you are blowing this out of proportion...don't think the benefits are worth it? Don't pay. We aren't making you pay. Heck, we aren't making you come here either.

BTW...assuming that we get 400 to sign up for premier membership (which I doubt will happen)...that BARELY covers the cost of the server we just bought...barely.

bixby

iTrader: (2)

Dude, you got a deal on that server then. My company spends several mil a year on server related hardware & a good RAID5 server with enough juice to support a site like this (at least by our standards) will have starting costs at around $17,000.00 and I guarantee we probably get better costing then my350z.com does.

More sponsors is really the way to bring cash to the site, not memberships.
But it's a good source for additional revenue.

bixby

iTrader: (2)

Well said quacky!

GodZilla

He said upkeep not server cost. But FYI the server we just purchaced was $4500 and we are already looking at getting possibly getting a second along with some other needed hardware. Some of the software also costs money.
However, its not all about the hardware or software.

So have I and prior to a year ago it was way to hard to implement a subsription base. Fact is there are several others that I know that are starting to do it and several more that are working on it now.

Well thanks for hanging around so long. It keeps getting worse? Is that so? A few months ago the site kept crashing. Me and a few others spent countless hours behind the scenes fixing that along with upgrading the site. But sound like in your opinion our time is worth nothing and could have been spent better somewhere else.

Honestly, when I see posts like that it makes me not even want to spend my time putting all the effort into it that I do. But I know there are many others on the site that do appreciate all the hard work that goes into it. So I keep plugging away.

Just by posting people "CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR SITE"
Sure but Linkin Park has a larger audience base and they are dealing in bulk. Bulk is way cheaper. The bulk they deal with is way larger than anything we could ever get. Were talking tens of thousands as compared to a few hundred. To them though becoming a member is more or less and advertising exspense than anything else what do you think helps drive those sold out concerts.

Sorry if I'm ranting its just that I wish some people could clearly understand how much effort goes into a site like this,
Yes its site is what is is partly due to members (which we appreciate a lot) but if no-one was on the backend doing things the site wouldnt go no where either.

HyperSprite

iTrader: (6)

If I paid for the premier membership can there be a "new post" search that is restricted to actual Z stuff and excludes off topic, political and regional stuff? I don't have time to sift through all the muck anymore and if I am gonna pay, I want targeted searches.

Also, on the How-To, are you saying if I wrote a How-To and was not a premier member, it would get deleted or that How-Tos will only be available to premier members and if that is the case, why would people submit new How-Tos that most people wont see.

Chris

GodZilla

Would be too hard for me to implement

I replied to this earlier in this same thread.
No they wouldnt get deleted

Bubble

iTrader: (50)

Kyle,

just wonder about the cost. $4500 is monthly fee you have to pay for dedicate server service or the cost to build one?