Support RFF through a premium subscription

Stephen, I'm confused.

You're saying here, or elsewhere on the site that you don't need funds to run the site, that the maintenance will be sustained from ads, etc.

Then on the other hand, you're instantly taking away features that users have stated they like here, and willing to pay for, including:

a. large mailboxes

b. large thumbnail sizes

c. ability to pay one time fees for unlimited ads (personal use only)

Am I missing something here?
 
ampguy said:
Stephen, I'm confused.

You're saying here, or elsewhere on the site that you don't need funds to run the site, that the maintenance will be sustained from ads, etc.

Then on the other hand, you're instantly taking away features that users have stated they like here, and willing to pay for, including:

a. large mailboxes

b. large thumbnail sizes

c. ability to pay one time fees for unlimited ads (personal use only)

Am I missing something here?
Click to expand...

Premium Members still have ALL the same benefits that they paid for. it is simply when their premium membership expires, it will not be renewed. Nor will new premium memberships be accepted.

anyone can still place unlimited ads, at $2 each and no final value fee
at $2 each RFF ads are an incredible underpriced bargain
in fact, at $4 each RFF ads would still be an incredible bargain

revenue from RFF will come from ads
sponsor ads and classified ads
but membership will be free.

as stated earlier in this thread, standard mail box size may be increased to 50, will make a final decision by tomorrow.

File Upload size is now 300KB, that is as big as it will get
will talk over thumbnail size with George


Stephen
 
😀
Ash said:
Feels like a bit of a hierarchy will come of this, or a class system.

Those who support RFF
Those who don't

There isn't any opportunity now to change what category you fall into.
Click to expand...

class system in an internet forum? *chuckles* ...
 
I have no problem with single level membership it's the charge for each add you place. I have noticed a few thread where adds were placed and paid for then there were problems with posting. It's just another added step. I placed 4 or 5 added the other day. On dial up it's time consuming and paying for each one just adds more time involved and will most likely end that part for me here.
 
Nearly all items I sell in the RFF classifieds are sold at a loss.
Charging me to sell here just adds insult to injury! 🙁

Chris
 
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CameraQuest said:
at $2 each RFF ads are an incredible underpriced bargain
in fact, at $4 each RFF ads would still be an incredible bargain
Click to expand...

An incredible bargain compared to what?

APUG classified ads are free, as is membership.

photo.net classifieds are free, as is membership.

rec.photo.marketplace ads are free, as is subscription...

Chris
 
ChrisPlatt said:
Nearly all items I sell in the RFF classifieds are sold at a loss./QUOTE]

Same here. Personally, though, I don't place anywhere close to 13 ads/year, which would make my membership "pay" for itself in that regard. In my opinion, Stephen's correct in that $2/ad is really very cheap. That said, however, I do think it's in everyone's best interest to make sure that the "pay per ad" system is working really, really smoothly. I'll pay, no problem.

I will say, however, that removing the option for Premium Membership seems to suggest that the site adminstration is confident that $2/ad will somehow make up for $25/person/year...I wonder about that. But then, I'm not running the place. Stephen, Jorge, and the mods are.

And, by the way, thanks for that - RFF is still one of my favorite places.


Cheers,
--joe.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Stephen

Thanks Stephen

for the prompt reply. I have some clarification, but still some questions and thoughts:

1. Thank you for retaining our ad upload rights for the duration of our paid subscription periods.

2. Thanks for retaining our original mailbox upload sizes as when we signed up.

3. To clarify, it's not the thumbnail size, but the upload file size that displays as a thumbnail attachment. I signed up here to get the 1MB file sizes that I need to show intricacies of things I'm selling, or want critiqued as described on another thread. That feature has already been violated, first about a 1/8x reduction, now about a 1/3x reduction. Also, my # of uploads in my gallery is now limited, and per message is limited, as to what I decided to become a paid member for.

Thoughts:

$2 or $4 per ad may be fine, especially if you're selling an expensive rangefinder, but is prohibitive if you're selling an accessory or low end RF. Do a search here on the site for "subscription benefits" and you'll see old threads saying the same things from back as far as 2004.

If $2 per ad covers your costs, why not charge $2.25 and retain, or (gasp) restore the # of inbox messages, and/or original file uploads, and file size limits, to what they were when Jorge was asking for paid memberships and we supported him?

CameraQuest said:
Premium Members still have ALL the same benefits that they paid for. it is simply when their premium membership expires, it will not be renewed. Nor will new premium memberships be accepted.
anyone can still place unlimited ads, at $2 each and no final value fee
at $2 each RFF ads are an incredible underpriced bargain
in fact, at $4 each RFF ads would still be an incredible bargain

revenue from RFF will come from ads
sponsor ads and classified ads
but membership will be free.

as stated earlier in this thread, standard mail box size may be increased to 50, will make a final decision by tomorrow.

File Upload size is now 300KB, that is as big as it will get
will talk over thumbnail size with George


Stephen
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to pay $2 to sell a five dollar filter.

IMO ultimately this only serves dealers by discouraging member ads.

Figures. The writing is on the wall. I guess I've just been ignoring it...

Chris
 
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50 Inbox Messages

50 Inbox Messages

ampguy said:
If $2 per ad covers your costs, why not charge $2.25 and retain, or (gasp) restore the # of inbox messages, and/or original file uploads, and file size limits, to what they were when Jorge was asking for paid memberships and we supported him?
Click to expand...

After discussing it with George, 50 inbox messages should be standard for all users by tomorrow, for free. So the Premium Members won't be losing that when their membership expires. File size will stay at 300KB.

$2 is an incredible bargain compared to Ebay. Whether you advertise a $5 filter or a $5,000 Leica, your RFF ad cost is the same, with no final value fees and longer ads. If anyone prefers the free ads on other forums, that is your choice, and always has been.


Stephen
 
50 inbox messages should be standard for all users by tomorrow, for free. So the Premium Members won't be losing that when their membership expires.
Click to expand...

Yes we will; it's 100 messages now.

Whether you advertise a $5 filter or a $5,000 Leica, your RFF ad cost is the same...
Click to expand...

But lots of people here aren't shooting Leicas, and aren't really making any money on what they sell. The classifieds on this board seem more like a swap meet between friends on most occasions. Between the software glitches that keep ads from appearing promptly (my last took 14 hours to show up) and the hassle of being nickled and dimed every time you want to get rid of an FSU lens or a couple of filters, this policy isn't particularly friendly.

If anyone prefers the free ads on other forums, that is your choice, and always has been.
Click to expand...

Why can't the members of the forum have some say in something as minor as classified ad policy?
 
CameraQuest said:
After discussing it with George, 50 inbox messages should be standard for all users by tomorrow, for free. So the Premium Members won't be losing that when their membership expires. File size will stay at 300KB.
Stephen
Click to expand...

Who is "George"?

Paying members currently have a 100 inbox message limit.

So when you say that '50 inbox messages should be the standard for all users by tomorrow' does that mean that paying members will see 50 messages in their inbox deleted tomorrow (assuming that it would be full)?

When you next say 'Premium Members won't be losing that when their membership expires' what are you referring to considering that Premium mebers inbox limit is 100?
 
kevin, if you have a 100 limit mailbox i would think that's a mistake. i'm pretty sure the ,ilimt was 10/50 for stabdard and premium memberships.

and to be fair, i think stephen is listening to us and trying to get rid of the 'dreaded' (my quotes) tiered system we have had in place.

i realize even small changes are hard for some but let's give this a chance.

joe
 
What the heck is wrong with the tiered system? It's certainly successful in shaming people to become paying members, because it worked on me. 😀

It makes more business sense, too. Every business in the world would jump at the chance of $25 guaranteed dollars up front than take the gamble that any given member would post a dozen "for sale" posts in a year.

So lose the whole "sponsoring member" classification, if that bothers people, and continue to allow them the option of supporting the site in the manner they choose. Not having to deal with the software glitches of posting one ad at a time were worth the cost of premium membership to me.

Again, why is Stephen the only person who gets input on this....?
 
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