Mandatory paid membership. Has the time arrived?
- Thread starter Tommie
- Start date
- Status
Forum Boss
Administrator
There are many good suggestions in this thread.
I can say this:
1. We would never restrict reading privileges to paying members only. It is important to have a large audience. However, the idea of "members only" areas may have merit.
2. We do allow people to make a modest monthly payment if they prefer that.
However the Silver/Gold options require less administrative intervention.
3. Restricting photo upload privileges to supporting members has been tried by other forums and may be a good solution.
4. Limiting the number of classifieds for Silver seems sensible. Unfortunately this whole classified system had to be created from scratch with custom code. That functionality is not available at this time.
I would also like to respond to the comment about sites with no advertising that don't ask for donations. I don't see how that is feasible for any forum manager. We provide very advanced web services and photo hosting that costs a TON of money. We now do background checks on new sign-ups. That takes a ton of time. What some folks may not also recognize is that this site also offers a vast number of web articles -- over 9000 on the Daily Bulletin alone. We provide new content every day. Today's features include a summary of the CMP's 2019 Rule Changes, plus a very insightful Zediker article on case priming. I don't know of any non-monetized forums that provide more than a handful of articles.
Read Bulletin HERE (new content every day): http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com
Benefits: If a reader did nothing more than read (and take advantage of) our Monday Deals of the Week you would quickly save enough money to pay for multiple Gold Memberships.
Alternatives: You can't sell guns on eBay or through Craigslist. The big sites dedicated to gun sales charge a LOT of money. A single $500 sale through Gunbroker.com would cost $23.75, which is MORE than our annual Silver membership.
Fee Calculator: https://www.gunbroker.com/auction/calcfinalvaluefee.aspx
I can say this:
1. We would never restrict reading privileges to paying members only. It is important to have a large audience. However, the idea of "members only" areas may have merit.
2. We do allow people to make a modest monthly payment if they prefer that.
However the Silver/Gold options require less administrative intervention.
3. Restricting photo upload privileges to supporting members has been tried by other forums and may be a good solution.
4. Limiting the number of classifieds for Silver seems sensible. Unfortunately this whole classified system had to be created from scratch with custom code. That functionality is not available at this time.
I would also like to respond to the comment about sites with no advertising that don't ask for donations. I don't see how that is feasible for any forum manager. We provide very advanced web services and photo hosting that costs a TON of money. We now do background checks on new sign-ups. That takes a ton of time. What some folks may not also recognize is that this site also offers a vast number of web articles -- over 9000 on the Daily Bulletin alone. We provide new content every day. Today's features include a summary of the CMP's 2019 Rule Changes, plus a very insightful Zediker article on case priming. I don't know of any non-monetized forums that provide more than a handful of articles.
Read Bulletin HERE (new content every day): http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com
Benefits: If a reader did nothing more than read (and take advantage of) our Monday Deals of the Week you would quickly save enough money to pay for multiple Gold Memberships.
Alternatives: You can't sell guns on eBay or through Craigslist. The big sites dedicated to gun sales charge a LOT of money. A single $500 sale through Gunbroker.com would cost $23.75, which is MORE than our annual Silver membership.
Fee Calculator: https://www.gunbroker.com/auction/calcfinalvaluefee.aspx
Last edited:
dragman
Site $$ Sponsor
I think some people are caught up on the tiny % of members that contribute. I think the real number to look at in that is how many people viewing or using classifieds are contributing members. 50% of more people are probably just random searching or reading stuff not "using" the sight for anything "valuable"
I think we could add a platinum or whatnot for higher membership. I and most people that are already gold would probably contribute to a higher level.
I think we could add a platinum or whatnot for higher membership. I and most people that are already gold would probably contribute to a higher level.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
I do think non paying members (not guests) should be able to pm and buy though. If im selling i want the biggest audience
First, I am a non-contributor and I don't feel that I am a "Freeloader". To read and post to a site/forum that is freely available to all is not "freeloading". If I decided to post some items for sale, or even if I decided to purchase an item from the classifieds I would feel compelled to contribute.
One of the benefits of the internet is supposed to be the free and willing exchange of ideas. Wanna charge me to read or post? Bye-Bye. I don't sell on here. I have bought/sold on other sites. Those sites have no fee for member participation. They do have a fee for those who buy/sell. I don't understand why anyone is allowed to sell or buy on this site without a paid membership. I also don't understand the "Tier membership": gold, silver, etc. Do those come with different benefits other than bragging rights? If not, all membership should be the same.
It seems to me that one of the goals of this forum is to promote the shooting sports. If you require a paid membership to read/post in this forum you will exclude many new shooters and it will become an exclusive site for a relative few. If that is the goal then make the entire site a paid site.
There are some good people on this site who post to help others. There are some whose advice one should take with a grain of salt (you may see me as one of those, but that is ok). I have no desire to pay to see many of the posts, especially when a thread gets hijacked, it turns into a pi$$ing contest or people are just dissing another poster such as Fguffey. Make the classified available only to paid members (of course some sellers won't like this as it cuts their advertising audience). If you want, make a section that only paid members can access. If you do make the "Members Only" section, that is where most of the intelligent conversations will take place and the rest of the forum will slowly die.
Seems to me there are two choices:
1) Mandatory membership fee for access to the classified section to buy or sell.
2) Mandatory membership to access site after a short introductory period.
Your call!
One of the benefits of the internet is supposed to be the free and willing exchange of ideas. Wanna charge me to read or post? Bye-Bye. I don't sell on here. I have bought/sold on other sites. Those sites have no fee for member participation. They do have a fee for those who buy/sell. I don't understand why anyone is allowed to sell or buy on this site without a paid membership. I also don't understand the "Tier membership": gold, silver, etc. Do those come with different benefits other than bragging rights? If not, all membership should be the same.
It seems to me that one of the goals of this forum is to promote the shooting sports. If you require a paid membership to read/post in this forum you will exclude many new shooters and it will become an exclusive site for a relative few. If that is the goal then make the entire site a paid site.
There are some good people on this site who post to help others. There are some whose advice one should take with a grain of salt (you may see me as one of those, but that is ok). I have no desire to pay to see many of the posts, especially when a thread gets hijacked, it turns into a pi$$ing contest or people are just dissing another poster such as Fguffey. Make the classified available only to paid members (of course some sellers won't like this as it cuts their advertising audience). If you want, make a section that only paid members can access. If you do make the "Members Only" section, that is where most of the intelligent conversations will take place and the rest of the forum will slowly die.
Seems to me there are two choices:
1) Mandatory membership fee for access to the classified section to buy or sell.
2) Mandatory membership to access site after a short introductory period.
Your call!
No worries! I didn't mean that anyone is being hostile or mean to anyone in particular, but that there is a strong sentiment in this thread of "there are fine upstanding, paying members and there are no-good low-life free riders who should be banned from the forums if they don't have the decency to pay." Which is pretty hostile.
group therapy
Gold $$ Contributor
proper delegation is one of the MOST important aspect of managership
Wow. i didn’t see anyone post that.
eddief
Silver $$ Contributor
Unfortunately, "Mandatory" is a bad word, people do not like being controlled, or the feeling of. Membership benefits include this: level 1,2 and 3....etc. Reading is free, get rid of "Mandatory"
Maybe bump the prices of Silver and Gold Contributions up slighty, these are your folks who mostly wouldn't mind..I wouldn't. Let's say $10 more a year for silver and $15-$25 more a year for Gold. Have a much cheaper intro membership for those new folks that want to come in and test the waters, with some limits of course.
I would like to offer up some help in the way of services. If we can get some parts donated from some vendors and or manufacturers, I would gladly build the rifle free of charge. Sell tickets and have a drawing here on the site by however means you would deem best. All proceeds going directly toward the funding/managing for this website. If interested, pm me.
Maybe bump the prices of Silver and Gold Contributions up slighty, these are your folks who mostly wouldn't mind..I wouldn't. Let's say $10 more a year for silver and $15-$25 more a year for Gold. Have a much cheaper intro membership for those new folks that want to come in and test the waters, with some limits of course.
I would like to offer up some help in the way of services. If we can get some parts donated from some vendors and or manufacturers, I would gladly build the rifle free of charge. Sell tickets and have a drawing here on the site by however means you would deem best. All proceeds going directly toward the funding/managing for this website. If interested, pm me.
I agree with this. If you want your item to sell, don't make membership a requirement. Posting something to sell is entirely different.
I like the idea of a site that gives the shooter a place to get rid off things that the no longer use and the buyer pays the site and they both gets credit for it
Someoldguy
[QUOTE="dsculley, post: 37403611, member: SNIP
It seems to me that one of the goals of this forum is to promote the shooting sports. If you require a paid membership to read/post in this forum you will exclude many new shooters and it will become an exclusive site for a relative few. If that is the goal then make the entire site a paid site.
SNIP[/QUOTE]
This is how I see it as well.
It seems to me that one of the goals of this forum is to promote the shooting sports. If you require a paid membership to read/post in this forum you will exclude many new shooters and it will become an exclusive site for a relative few. If that is the goal then make the entire site a paid site.
SNIP[/QUOTE]
This is how I see it as well.
pirate ammo
Guaranteed to take the wind out of their sails
you call me late for supper and your in trouble,,...at least I didn't use pompous.
What If some of the top level forums were off limits to non-contributors and photos could not be seen by non-contributors? And ya had to pony up $5-$10 to be a contributor. That way the loading forums and the ones with real valuable information would require some premium to access. I often like to lurk and check out the photos so it would be worth $5 just to do that. I have made a few posts once in awhile and maybe that could be a part of the $5 contributor...?
I also wouldn't mind seeing folks start saying $500 shipped with a $5 site donation or sumthin like that. I think that having 50,000 folks paying five bucks adds up to more than 3000 paying $50. I dunno just spitballing
I also wouldn't mind seeing folks start saying $500 shipped with a $5 site donation or sumthin like that. I think that having 50,000 folks paying five bucks adds up to more than 3000 paying $50. I dunno just spitballing
Forum Boss
Administrator
Good point. However, we don't have 3000 paying $50. More like 1400 paying $30 on average.
There are many interesting suggestions here. One private comment was to limit access one day a week to contributing members only. That might get some folks attention.
Get some volunteers to help manage the website aspect.
Get moderators to help police the forum.
Get sponsors/vendors and showcase their products.
Add a pay wall to sell but not to buy.
Us freeloaders are the majority of the people here, as you aid 3.X% are contributors. Those contributors want to have the largest audience to sell to. Without that audience, their incentive to contribute and sell on this website goes down. Without the ability for us to ask questions then we will come less often or stop altogether. The money to run the site should come from the people profiting off of it and without the consumer then there is no profit.
Get moderators to help police the forum.
Get sponsors/vendors and showcase their products.
Add a pay wall to sell but not to buy.
Us freeloaders are the majority of the people here, as you aid 3.X% are contributors. Those contributors want to have the largest audience to sell to. Without that audience, their incentive to contribute and sell on this website goes down. Without the ability for us to ask questions then we will come less often or stop altogether. The money to run the site should come from the people profiting off of it and without the consumer then there is no profit.
Im sure it would
And I thinkyour going to lose more then you gain
1 have a $125.00 plus donation that another person is going to pay
And I will pay the shipping
We just need a place in your site to do it
pirate ammo
Guaranteed to take the wind out of their sails
just like TAXES, you start charging to much, people leave, and some of these people give good advice. I'm only a gold guy because I sell some and bother EVERYONE..
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