Supporting Members

[02PewterBird]

Re: Supporting Members

How do we pay for such subscriptions? Paypal, credit card, e-check? Paypal is an awesome idea, considering that probably more than half of the active members we have here either dont have an account or cant get one. Credit card is another wonderful idea, good luck with the underage members. Then there is e-check, which you better have a sufficient credit to support a checking account to get one anyway. Now that I have choked the air out of the room with sarcasm, I can tell you this. With the average age of the members here being under 23, sending funds electronically is out of the question. Too much is required to send funds my Paypal, e-check, or credit card. Hell, Im 25, and I can't even do any of the three. Anyone that knows me knows that I pay everything with either cash, or money orders. CASH IS KING.

I agree that it might drive new members away if they have to pay, and I wouldn't pay too much either but I don't think the actual money transfer is really a problem. I've had credit cards and a checking account since I was 18, and I don't think I don't know anyone who doesn't at least have a debit card with a Visa logo on it. Something could probably be worked out with money orders for those who need it, but I pay for everything I possibly can with a credit card.

[Question]

Re: Supporting Members

I figured most had paypal. I don't think it will be a problem, most people buy their parts online as it is.

[Skapimp]

Re: Supporting Members

Eric, those are the best points. Subscriptions are a decent idea, given that everyone here STAYS here, because it is hard to recruit new members to a board when they have to pay a subscription to have the full amenities, not to mention we would have to recruit members to a board that supports for a dead car. The moiney might and would roll in from the start, but what about a year later? The number of paying members would dwindle, guaranteed. But I have a point of my own....

How do we pay for such subscriptions? Paypal, credit card, e-check? Paypal is an awesome idea, considering that probably more than half of the active members we have here either dont have an account or cant get one. Credit card is another wonderful idea, good luck with the underage members. Then there is e-check, which you better have a sufficient credit to support a checking account to get one anyway. Now that I have choked the air out of the room with sarcasm, I can tell you this. With the average age of the members here being under 23, sending funds electronically is out of the question. Too much is required to send funds my Paypal, e-check, or credit card. Hell, Im 25, and I can't even do any of the three. Anyone that knows me knows that I pay everything with either cash, or money orders. CASH IS KING.

BTW, I can't get any of those, and I CHOOSE not to get any of those. I WILL NOT get a credit card, I WILL NOT get a paypal account, and I WILL NOT get a checking account. I am old school, I keep my money an old sock in the drawer, cash. If anyone thinks they can rob me, love to see ya get thru the front door without a hole in ya. My point being, electronic funding can't and won't work.

trust me, you are an EXCEPTION.. most people have access to a credit card, checking card, or some sort of electronic funding option, even if it's through a friend (giving them money and using their account). It's not hard to get a merchant account for credit card processing, although it is more money. You can accept credit cards through paypal, even if they don't have a paypal account.

[KBeezy]

Re: Supporting Members

Ya'll ignored what I suggested didn't ya?


Make donating an option, BUT for those who do donate (say, $25 for a year), they get added features to the site with the option to turn off banner ads - have one at the top and one at the bottom of each page.



For everyone else, sorry, you'll have to look at one banner at the top and one at the bottom. OH NO! .........

[TealV6]

Re: Supporting Members

I think everyone is ignoring the posts I've made. This would NOT be a subscription site!!! READ THAT AGAIN, THIS WILL NOT BE A SUBSCRIPTION SITE.

What I am talking about is Sponsor membership. No matter if you think you should have this or that, it's not your call. I'm talking about getting those extras for a few dollars. This would also help KEEP BANNERS OFF THE SITE if it worked out. That is up to the members.

Now, for those of you who can't read.. please stop posting.

[Skapimp]

Re: Supporting Members

Kbeezy has it best.

Even if the feature is just having your membergroup changed from "here to stay" or whatever to "Sponsored Member", that's fine.

I think this thread is dead, we've reached a consensus. Now it's time for Steve to just pick the amount, tell us where to go, and then we'll be set.

It's not a subscription, it's a donation.

[camaro_speedemon]

Re: Supporting Members

I think everyone is ignoring the posts I've made. This would NOT be a subscription site!!! READ THAT AGAIN, THIS WILL NOT BE A SUBSCRIPTION SITE.

What I am talking about is Sponsor membership. No matter if you think you should have this or that, it's not your call. I'm talking about getting those extras for a few dollars. This would also help KEEP BANNERS OFF THE SITE if it worked out. That is up to the members.

Now, for those of you who can't read.. please stop posting.

I'm still opposed to a you pay this amount and you get this. I don't see why it's so hard to get advertising to pay for the site. And if you want to accept donations, then great. I don't know what you exactly charge for banners, but advertising is NOT cheap. I pay $50/month for two small ads for my business. My friend is a marketing director at a used network supplier website and their Adword budget is tens of thousands of dollars a month.

With average dedicated server prices, you only need about 5 advertisers charging dirt cheap for advertising, to sponser this site per year to pay for the server. And don't try and tell me there aren't venders that don't sell 3800 V6 parts. There must be atleast a dozen I can think off the top of my head. Most of the grand prix aftermarket will work in the Fbody 3.8.

One thing you need to consider, is the only people that will probably pay for any type of extras are post whores, or extremely dedicated members. You figure the most anyone will pay for perks is going to be $10/year. Asking more then that would be ludacris IMO because I can go to atleast 6 other fbody sites and get those perks for free. So asking $10/year you'd need atleast 120-130 members to pay. That's expecting alot considering this is a small site. There may be several in here saying "I'll pay this much" but when the time comes to poney up, they'll just pass.

A much more reasonable option would be to setup some kind of store. Sell shirts, hats, keychains, stickers. But don't limit it to that, sell all kinds of car related stuff. Car care stuff, like wax, drying towels, ect.

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Supporting Members

trust me, you are an EXCEPTION.. most people have access to a credit card, checking card, or some sort of electronic funding option, even if it's through a friend (giving them money and using their account). It's not hard to get a merchant account for credit card processing, although it is more money. You can accept credit cards through paypal, even if they don't have a paypal account.

Im not trying to argue, but I am the For Sale moderator. I watch transactions all day long thru that forum. I know who has Paypal, and who doesn't. Its about a 70/30 split between the people who do and dont have electronic funding of some kind.


Whether it is a donation or a subscription, my arguement still stands. There has to be some option outside electronic funding to others who would like to make a donation.

[HokieBird]

Re: Supporting Members

They could send a money order to Steve. Anyone who has cash can easily get a money order at 7-11 and mail it to him if he wants to post an address or PO box for that.

[TealV6]

Re: Supporting Members

This is becoming very moot at this point. I'll just push the banners on everyone.

Done.