Serge944

I don't like the idea of "segregating" people by how much they contribute. If someone wants to help out rennlist, they should do so sincerely, and everyone has the ability to do this. If it'll just be another way for people to look down on others, forget about it. Unfortunately, there is enough of this already.

SD Porsche Fan

Is Rennlist short on funds or something? I realize that it is a labor of love of sorts for John and Jen but 27k+ members at $18/year seems like it should sustain this forum. But then again I have no idea how much time and money it takes. I'm sure it very well could be a full time job for more than one person.

I think that one of the best ways of increasing support for this list is to encourage more people to donate memberships instead of just giving more money. This will increase revenue, increase participation and stimulate good will in a 'pay it forward' sort of way. If someone donates a membership they are probably more likely to renew and donate to someone else.

Maybe there could be some type of incentive for people who donate in this way?

Matt O.

Please, if you're going to post a response read all responses. I am not talking about a public label, I'm talking about naming a package to purchase. That is all. NO PUBLIC LABELS!

Steve, read all the posts. Rennlist does NOT have 27K paying members. Holy geeze man I wouldn't have started this thread if that was the case. I'd be asking John for a CGT.

I think you are right in the donating of memberships, and that is a good idea.

People, please keep in mind I am not talking about getting rid of the $18/year membership. That is not and never was in my head. And the idea of 5 membership levels was just that, an idea. Two, three, FIFTY levels -- just ideas.

Serge944

Just asking. Since when is it a crime to misread?

Matt O.

Most of the reasons are because they are too cheap to pay anything, period, for something that they see as free anyway. If it was $5/year they probably wouldn't pay. Some people just don't think they should "have" to pay. Fine. On the flip side, maybe others would be interested in paying more if the benefit was there. Most people just wouldn't up and send Rennlist 25 instead of 18 for the year out of the blue. But I bet many would send $25 if it was a level of membership they were "purchasing."

Furthermore, once again, I do not think the $18/year membership should go anywhere.

Matt O.

....?

Just trying to clear the air before others also misread. It's happened multiple times already and this thread is only 3 pages long. Was just trying to be as plain as day so that others don't jump on that and argue against for the same reasons you posted (which are indeed valid reasons if they were based on a legitimate argument).

bleucamaro

What exactly do the dues pay for, and why can't your advertisers pay for this? I'm also a member on corral.net, the largest Mustang forum around, and they've been able to keep it free and have grown to 63000+ members. To me its just egotism or elitism to charge your members at all. On the other hand, I am a paying member at slocars.net which is also a bonified club, and the dues pay mostly for events and Tri-tip.

MoonBoy

How about capping the amount non-members can post? Say, the first 100 posts are free then you must become a paying member to continue posting. Seems a fair way to encourage posters to become members and also it would weed-out those who can't find the money but sure can find the time...

tifosiman

Chris, nice ride. (from a fellow cycling nut )

Matt O., I appreciate the thought and emotion that went into this idea. I think it is going to be tough to implement, though. And, I feel even if it were to be implemented, the people that purchase the higher-grade membership are going to be few and far between, ergo not enough to balance out the non-payers and make much of a difference.

I've been trying to go at this from a different angle the last few years. I tend to have a bunch of spare parts laying about (in part due to the fact I am always changing things on my car, and also due to the "parts-hoarder" syndrome I am afflicted with). When I see someone on here that needs something that I have, and they aren't a member, I usually tell them I will send them the part for free (if it has a value of $75 or less) and cover shipping............if they purchase a membership. I know that this has brought in at least 10 paying members. Now if someone is really hard up, I just send them what they need and tell them that when times are better, get a membership if possible. If some of the other members did this, maybe this would make a difference? This might be a more direct way of helping John D. and Renn (instead of the auction idea), as I would like to believe that those that become members are more likely to renew when the time comes in 12 months, thus continuing the steady flow of cash support into this site.

If John D. posts that he is going to have to raise the membership dues in the future, however, I would be willing to pay more. Whatever it takes to keep this site going. I may disappear from posting on here for periods of time, but even then I still need this place as a resource.

pikey7

Matt, I gotta say, Even if the levels are not made public, they'll still come out somewhere. Probably in some arguement with a non-member in the form "I pay my $5000 to be a member, and you have the nerve to come here and call me a........"

You gotta admit, It's gonna happen? I mean look at all the comments thrown over the fences between the 911, 944, boxster and 928 owners (Sorry I forgot Harry and his 912!). Even though 99% of the time, if a disparaging comment is made, it's in jest, but the one time it isn't, the elitist in all of us will come on strong.

If the numbers from Yields/John D's X-post thread are true, then at a 3% membership level, in my mind we need to be looking at encouraging (not bashing as happened the last months) the 97% of registered users to put their hands in their pockets.

I became a member for the pure and simple reasoning that i'd saved 10x$18 in the first 6 months of finding this place on maintainance alone!

I say let's throw it open: Non-members, WHY are you not paying $18, and what incentives would you like to see made available to you to contribute? (I mean, you already get free technical consultations (at P-rates of at least $100 an hour), a free sticker, and loadsa webspace! )

X 944 X

[QUOTE=Matt O.]Please, if you're going to post a response read all responses. I am not talking about a public label, I'm talking about naming a package to purchase. That is all. NO PUBLIC LABELS!

QUOTE]


So basically buying a 944 turbo and removing the turbo badge so people dont know what you bought? As stated several times before my post, if YOU want to donate more feel free to. IF john d needed more funds cant he add more site sponsers? I wouldnt mind a click through link if needed, but people like yourself start things because you dont have enough to do. IF john needed funds im sure he would let everyone know. Thanks JD!

Helstrm

I would just like to chime in, This is not just a forum that John pays $10 per month for. If it was I would give him the site for free.
This site has 4 dedicated high-speed circuits, over 22,000 pics hosted, 20 to 30 GB of bandwidth per day.. Plus all the space used by the members, Archive data. SQL servers. Backups... A ton of top level domains.. I would be very surprised if John is not going out of pocket... I have no idea how many paying members there are but for less than $2 per month per member he is not recouping his costs. I am sure some of this is offset by sponsors. If you get bored today call aroung.. and price dedicated circuits.. 4 of them running to your home.. and for kicks price them at T1 level... This site also has a 9.6Mbps circuit and I am not sure what the other 3 are but the smallest is a T1.. I will bet you that you could buy a 944 per month for the costs of this site if you include the servers and circuits. Also remeber that the member webpage alone is a great deal at less than $2 per month.

I will be more than happy to pay a monthly $5 fee to help support the site and the fact that this will all be in the background so nobody will know the difference in the $18 members and the $60 members should keep the drama down. I look at it this way... Sign me up to buy John D. a couple of beers per month.. He earned it.

If you don't want to pay more than $18 per year, Thanks for your support.
If you want to pay monthly, Thanks for your support....
If you don't want to pay anything.. Stop trying to sell parts for free...

Travis - sflraver

I was talking with Matt last night and had this idea. How about putting a "Rennlist Support Incentive Package" together for different levels of support. You would receive different amounts of "Rennlist Goodies" for the separate levels of support.
Like Rennlist golf shirts, rennlist shirt pins, T shirts, decals, stickers, hats etc.. then maybe have a few big items for higher levels. That way you could still support rennlist but also get something good besides just being able to say "I support Rennlist THIS much."
What do you guys think about that? It wouldn't be too hard to put something like this together and I would be willing to do some of the leg work on it.

WesM951

Thats what I was getting at! I'd figure john pays out nearly $7k a month for circuts alone! Do the math, thats what.... 1 996 TT a year? Yea, not including everything else. (I'm a Network Admin at a local ISP, we pay nearly $10k month for a DS3)

I for one don't have a problem paying more money to be a member of this site.

John works hard for what he has, not to many people here can afford something like that. I'm positive rennlist memberships don't help much.

Sean

If these numbers are close to accurate (and even if they aren't), the revenue focus for Rennlist should be upon selling advertising and sponsorships, not subscription fees.

A print mag like Excellence doesn't make its money from subscription fees ($23 annually); it makes money from advertisers.

The same goes for most media (print, radio, TV). Instead of charging consumers of the content (and in the case of Rennlist, it's the consumers who actually CREATE the content!), it's far more lucrative to charge corporate sponsors to access those consumers.

It's backwards to focus on charging individual members. That's like a radio talk show (ie. Car Talk or Rush Limbaugh) charging individual callers to participate.

Rennlist is a highly targeted Porsche enthusiast community. There should be no shortage of eager sponsors. If the ads are integrated thoughtfully, they can become a desirable part of the experience.