Subscriptions and membership levels

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1

What’s everyone’s thoughts on subscriptions? Keep it the same as before?

Someone will need to remind me what the $1/mo subscriptions was about. I was paying $36 annually to be able to post in the guns marketplace. What should you need to pay for and what should you be able to do for free? I’d like to keep it free to see most of the categories. I’m open to ideas.

I’d also like to grow the user base before engaging in subscriptions. Once we know this site has enough traction I can turn it on. It’s already setup to take online payments I just have to define the product/subscriptions. Again, I’d rather wait until we have a good amount of users before doing that. Besides I’d like to setup a LLC for this if we get there.

2

Great Idea. You dont want people coming here just for the free marketplace so we who care think that paying you for that service would be a welcome addition at some point. I like dealing with people I know so getting some new and old folks on here would be first.
Like Ant says…“Each one reach one”.

3

Why not free like 99% of the large forums on the net? Personally I would rather sell to Folks in NJ.

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4

They are supported by Ads and most do charge if you do not want to see the ads. Firearms talk wants $4.99/mo to remove the ads for you:

Do we want to pay for this with ads? I will look into it if that is the way the community wants to go.

5

I would think that $1 a month charged annually ($12) to both buy and sell should cover the site costs and keep the scammers and crooks off the page.

6

While I don’t understand this concept of selling guns (buy, no sell) I’m ok paying $36 a year to keep the site free from ads, even if I don’t sell.

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7

After some discussion with those at the meetup today I think we will attempt to roll with voluntary contributions. There seems to be enough support from those such as Kevin and others regardless if they are selling anything that find having a forum to be a valuable resource for the community.

Give me a few days to think about it and figure out how to handle sellers as this would mean anyone would be free to post. Thinking to just restrict it to Trust Level 2 and higher to post but anyone can reply.

I can change these thresholds but the default are currently:
Get to trust level 2 by…

  • Visiting at least 15 days, not sequentially
  • Casting at least 1 like
  • Receiving at least 1 like
  • Replying to at least 3 different topics
  • Entering at least 20 topics
  • Reading at least 100 posts
  • Spend a total of 60 minutes reading posts

Stay tuned for an update on this, thanks!

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8

Entering 20 topics might be a bit much. We’re going to get a LOT of stupid topics from people trying to build up their score.
Rest of it looks fine

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9

Agree, I’m sure there will be enough stupid posts anyway!

While I’m ok with the $36/year to be a site supporter, , what about charging non site members a nominal fee ($1) to post an ad?

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10

I don’t think ‘Entering’ means creating. I think it means click on 20 topics, scroll the page.

11

That’s very different.

I tried to post a new topic in Muzzleloading - couldn’t do it, don’t know why

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12

Because I messed up the permissions on that category somehow. Try now.

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13

I was discussing this with another previous member yesterday and we agree that it would be better to try to keep the entire site free. Support will be completely voluntary. Considering levels like bronze/silver/gold/platinum with corresponding badges that indicate the support level.

14

I had a similar thought, but a percentage of the list price.

15

That gets complicated.
Example, now the list price is $1.00 but shipping is $500
or the final price was negotiated over the phone, $75 was taken off the $100 price (which never actually happened)

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16

Agreed not trying to complicate things. We are not Gunbroker here, these are just personal ads that may result in a face to face transaction.

Also trying to keep the number of transactions as low as possible as that attributes to the overall site costs. The credit card company is charging 2.9% +.30/transaction. This is partly why I’d rather annual support contributions at a larger per charge than lots of $1 charges as the fees would be insane.

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17

I think asking for annual dues for those that post sales is not at all unreasonable. It also keeps the lurkers from posting here with no intentions of selling. We’ve seen our share of posters just trolling and deals just never completing after an agreed price. If they want to contribute just to fish so be it.

18

Venmo, Zelle, and PP friends and Family !

19

What should be the policy on this buyer or seller? Failing to complete an agreed deal?

A fraudster will be a fraudster and even if charging for the sell page they could use a fraudulent payment to post on there. By time I get the chargeback it may already be too late.

So I’d still like to fund this just on the voluntary support of members and private supporters.

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20

I think a membership fee is warranted not only for site overhead and events but also to keep the riff raff out. Im In !