Important Poll

[Bubba700]

So been thinking about suggestions we could make to Harris Pub. on ways that they can run things to provide the $ to upgrade the servers/ site. Cause I am just like everyone else I get annoyed with the slow down in the evenings. So take a vote, let us know what you think should be done. Feel free to comment, but that being said, keep it serious and contribute, if you want to be a smart azz, take it to fouled plug.

 

[cummins17]

i would pay a yearly sub, its worth it from all the stuff i have learned from this site.

 

[heinracing]

I think that if there was any type of payment to get on here it would cut the posting and viewing in half

there are hundreds of free forums out there that everyone else would join

honestly snowest has less tech info now adays

it's all brand bashing and whos turbo kit is better

miss the old days when every thread was exciting to view to see a new design or new ways of doing stuff


can't be that much to host a forum

there are tons of sponsors on here that pay alot of $$ every time that a ad is shown i bet just 1 ad takes care of the forum

 

[Bubba700]

So 20 pieps can view and only 4 vote? Time to sack it up fellas and let your voice be heard, the poll is anon.

Sorry ladies, Would you please vote too.

 

[acs47x]

ok there is approx 35,000 members on snowest...wether they are active or not...who knows, but evan take half of that number, so 15,000 members and charge them $30 per year and you getting approx $450,000. How much will it realistacally cost to upgrade servers, forum, site, etc?

I could see maybe like $5 or $10 a year being ok, and at $10 per year you still end up with $150 grand...I would think thats enough? My $.02 is I think people would pay it if it were around that amount. .

 

[snowmobiler]

charge and youll see that 15000 go to 1500.jmo

 

[johnny be bad]

My neighbors dog has flee's!

 

[icr]

I'd pay for the first year then find somewhere else to go after I realized no one else paid and this forum was no longer worth viewing, even for free.

 

[blackcloud2k]

what percentage of the sponsors subscription money stays with the site as it is?

 

[PJ-Hunter]

Maybe they should offer up the Project Sled from the previous year in a raffle. Give some of the regular joes who read the mag a chance to ride a mod sled. Just a thought and a damn good one I might add.

 

[eazyduzit509]

I'd pay for the first year then find somewhere else to go after I realized no one else paid and this forum was no longer worth viewing, even for free.

I agree, don't think it would turn out so well...

 

[m_beeson]

My neighbors dog has flee's!

Poor thing

 

[m_beeson]

Important Pole

All seriousness aside, insentatives are the best answer.

Here is part of a PM that I sent Christopher a while back. Maybe you didn't get the memo.

Profits:

Get into bed with backcountry.com and online stores that sell parts and accessories, like shadetree, denniskirk, etc.

if you can offer discounts for all paying members, then it will be in the best interest of the member to donate to the site.

The flip side of that is that you are driving more business to these sites, and increasing their sales.
With a site as well established as SW, it would be in their best interrest to form that type of relationship.

Thanks for listening
Mike.

 

[Alaskan_awd]

It would be best to do it like most forums, you allow people to do the normal stuff for free (this keeps people from leaving). Then you add a premium paid membership that allows people to do things like attach images, have a bigger mailbox quota, and have a special Premium Member tag or something under their name.

 

[icr]

or give all the paying members moderator power. Could be interesting.

 

[Polar Express]

I'd vote, but I don't like your options.

$30 per year is too much, I think it would drive some folks away, but certainly prevent new folks from joining.

Personally, I like the voluntary plan. Put a "contributor" moniker under their screen name, or a different color, or something, but keep the amount private, and strictly voluntary. I like the partner store idea, where paid members can get a small discount. 3% is fine, (but I'd like more )

I belong to another forum (diesel related) where donation is just that, a donation, not compulsory. A lot of folks donate, and if you can develop a partner plan, I'd bet most would.

If you must make it mandatory, $30 is too much. Make it $10 at the most, per year.

 

[JustinB]

I would leave if I had to pay I already pay for magazines printed by these guys sled heads and snowest?

 

[Wolfrun]

I would pay a reasonable yearly fee. The free sites mostly cover back east and average age is seventeen.(really)

 

[xrated]

if anything make it donation.

I gotta imagine that the ad revenue pays for the site and then some. Harris isn't not gonna make money on something(if it's like most business)

 

[thefullmonte]

The moderators have been discussing this in depth, but it may not make it all the way to Harris publishing.
The problem is that it costs much more than you think to operate a forum of this size. It began as somewhat of a toy for the company, but is now a very real entity. Cost of magazine print etc is getting higher and there are fewer subscribers.
The kicker is more and more vendors want to advertise on the forum as it nets better results. Hence they would want to see those advertising dollars being spent on the forum not the mag. Are you starting to see the problem? They have reached a crossroad with Harris publishing and there is no longer enough money being generated by the mag.
It won't be long and I think more and more forums will be charging a fee of some kind.
I had proposed a level type of membership as was mentioned. Basic access for new users or non frequent users.
Charge a minimal fee for full access and $2 would be donated to Saws or something.
The next level would be full access a $2 donation a digital copy of the mag access to past digital copies and tech articles. I even thought there could be weekly private web chats with top riders, manufactures, etc.
Just some thoughts I felt were fair. Most people waste money on far worse. So you don't have a couple beers this week, but you get full access to snowest all year.