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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Any of you that don't go visit the MGexperience, you need to take scroll over there and look at all the silver and gold stars beside poster's names, and Skye ain't giving up anything for that, so Basil takes it one step further, and if you upgrade, you get more, a better forum experience.[/QUOTE]I think the difference is that the forum experience is unchanged on the other site whether you're a paying member or a non-paying one. The difference is in features outside of normal forum posting. You get journal features, no ads on the site, etc. What you're proposing to Basil is to reduce take away features from people who don't pay to use his forum. Taking away features takes away from the forum experience, which will drive away potentially active members. Lose members, lose activity and then the forum dies.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]OH and just keep it simple, this site has too many layers, put it all out there at finger's reach. For example I never visit the classified section here, because it's hid off in the closet of this site, put it right at the fornt and realize we do live in a capitalist world, better to gain from than that than try to harbor it.[/QUOTE]I agree fully. I know Basil works very hard on this site and it's all out of love, but one of the biggest turnoffs for me has always been the overload of "features". It's just too busy for me, which is why I liked the ability to turn off the side columns, and why I never use the portal page. I want to get right to the forum, see what I came to see, and get on with my day.

While I don't agree with how Skye runs his site, nor his lack of participation in it (not to mention lack of support), he does have a very clean format that is easy to use and not confusing to a newcomer. I design my web sites (especially forums) so that a 90-year-old with his/her first computer can manage to use it. Sometimes less can become more.

Disclaimer: Don't use my M.G. Nuts site as an example of my work! It's a mutated form of my very first web site, and is FAR too big to re-write from scratch.
 
Steve, right now if you just a free member you cannnot post more than one picture on a post, if you want to post tow pics on a post, yoiu need to make anther post, my sugestion was that would be part of the first upgrade, the secon level would allow you too post tiems for sale on a trader or classified section, the third level would be for people in the bizz to post in the classified forum, and that forum shouyld be on the regulat forum page. So bascily it's offering something that isn't offered now.

Basil, I'm not talkng about CMS website, this site get way more action that that place, I'm talking about what I pay to be in the magazine, it like $78 a issue like 8 times a year, and don't get me wrong, I love the guys at CMS but I put little value in their ad bringing me any business.

Maybe the way to accomdate the big boys like, Moss, Jag Bits and such is to stay with the banner, no harm but my yearly advetising budget is way less than $1700 a year, and I at my shop always have plenty to do, so I'm not looking to spending more unless it's truely a bargain. I'm more than willing to throw something like a 100 bucks a year at being able to post in a calssified section, and even then I doubt I post more than a few things a month, just a few odds and ends I gether from time to time. Bottom line alot of us are struggling to, I nsee alot of newibie come nto the business, pluck down money for BMTA, this magazine and that magazine with big dispaly ads, then a year later, they gone forever. I survive one way one way only, watching a dollar. Alot of business are no more than small cottge industries, ma of us being a one man show. When I llok at your supporting vendor list, I see ost of them I know are no longer actice, like Tim at Moorspeed, and I know Superlite isn't doing it anymore, maybe it didn't provide the value they thought it should, so my point was maybe less exposure for less money. I see BPNW and Jag Bits pop up more than Tony, so I guess that's how that works. I could care less about the banner but I would be interested in commerical freedom and a classified ssection within the froum and be willing to spend a copuple hundred dollar year for that, if you're looking for a bunch $1000+ a year vendors, good luck with that, but I think you'll find that never last long, we're a small backyard industry, most of us can't afford a couple thousands dollars a year in advetising, Moss can, VB can (good luck geting any money form them though) but Acme and Advnced Distributors can't we're just etching out a living here, not a killing.
 
Basil should split the cost of operating the forum by member monthly dues between all active members that want the forum to continue. It's up to him to get a PM list from all that want to pay monthly dues and break down a figure that comes out to what he needs to make it worth his while to run this place. That seems pretty simple. Non paying members can only read and answer posts, they can't start one. What's so hard about that? Then advertising dollars become his profit part of the BCF for his work. :thumbsup:

.
 
Hap - my banner on BCF is WAAAAY under anything any other site offers....& I get plenty of business from it to justify it...plus, because I'm a supporting vendor, I can do business on any of the forums! If I have something special to offer to Spridget folks, I just go to the Spridget Forum & tell them!
 
I think a forum must be like a chassis dyno or a engine building shop, kinda a tough way to make a living. :smile:
 
Basil excepts paypal, doesn't he?
The boss needs to do an exersize in basic business planning. What does it cost to run + what does he need to make = total needed.
How do you get to this number? No one here is going to complain about adsense, more advertising banners , monthly or yearly fee and the such. As the roofman I own a roofing business. I am the middle $ quote when you get 3 quotes. I need volume to make my living, and I preach it to my workers when the crab about money.I give as much or more than the high price guy, but at the middle price. Sure that other guy cherry picking his jobs pays a little more, but would you like $700 this week,and ZERO next week, or $600 every week?
Like Paris Hilton says" We need all of it", and I think thats what Basil needs is to do all of the basic ideas brought forth here.
 
why dont u be a distributor for MOSS and VB
by using a referral link on every page that
users can click on to order parts?
drop shipped of course.... u shouldnt have to
do anything but cash ur royalty check....
hope im helping ....zimmmmy
 
zimmy said:
why dont u be a distributor for MOSS and VB
by using a referral link on every page that
users can click on to order parts?
drop shipped of course.... u shouldnt have to
do anything but cash ur royalty check....
hope im helping ....zimmmmy
Click to expand...
hehehehe....I wish, zimmy!!
 
Basil

This idea probably does not offer significant $$$, but I'll share it with you anyway...There is much useful knowledge contained on this site, much more than can be obtained form any shop manual. Have you considered compiling volumes on specific marques, much like the Austin Healey "Tech Tips" by Norman Nock, which is a printed compilation of articles he has written and sells by mail order. Instead of printed material, perhaps a CD or downloadable PDFs...just a thought.
 
I have several recurring memberships to web-based services.
Just tell me where to sign up and what it costs.

Basil - have a look at https://www.performanceix.com/

These folks host my favorite BMW boards (I pay for membership). The owner of the sites "outsourced" his support, although I believe he still retains full editorial control and commercial ownership rights.
 
nevets said:
Basil

This idea probably does not offer significant $$$, but I'll share it with you anyway...There is much useful knowledge contained on this site, much more than can be obtained form any shop manual. Have you considered compiling volumes on specific marques, much like the Austin Healey "Tech Tips" by Norman Nock, which is a printed compilation of articles he has written and sells by mail order. Instead of printed material, perhaps a CD or downloadable PDFs...just a thought.
Click to expand...

unfortunately in today's litigious society I would imagine that SOMEONE would get their panties in a nit if Basil pulled a post from a forum and tried to sell it for money. Yes yes yes.... i know... if they didn't want it public they wouldn't have posted the information.... but still. Someone will have a snit. And the kind of labor to edit something like this into a coherent format would just add to his woes for a minimal gain. I don't think that even Kas Kastner is lounging on the beach off the proceeds of his books and he's arguably the king of the heap of Triumph gurus. We are a tiny base of people in a tiny niche.
 
If paying a reasonable subscribtion keeps the site alive then I'm more than happy to pay. But in my opinion the best way to fund the site would be through selling advertising space.

I don't mind seeing adverts on here as long as they are in good taste... I don't want a Russian bride, Viagra, or a bigger... well you get the idea!

While I don't know of any forums similar to this one, if I were a new member I know that given the choice of joining one for free that has ads, or paying for one that doesn't, I'd be more likely to join the free one.

Whatever you decide Basil, I hope you can keep this forum going one way or another. It has been a good source of support, information and entertainment.
 
Have you looked at an alliance with the car clubs. For example, members of the Austin Healey club get access and the is through the club membership. Payment is made to you through the club. Then you get large group of subscribers and can keep the cost down. The club is not going to balk at few dollars annually per person for use of the forum. It becomes an incentive to join the club. The forum becomes a benefit of the club.

Members whose clubs don't participate can join as individuals at a higher rate.
 
Go to strictly membership by fee only.
No fee? Read only.

The dead beats will leave and thus the serious hobbiests
will be fewer in number and thus less expensive to host!

The Roadster Factory charges $100 a year to ne a member.

Heck, I pay $75 delivery for a valve cover gasket.

d
 
Basil, It sounds like you've thought a lot about this. I'll add my thanks to you for providing the forum. It has given me a place vent, brag, and learn. Because of the forum I realize there are a lot of people who know a lot of stuff. Thanks so much! T.T.
 
The true success of this forum has been that is a venue for sharing! Sharing our triumphs (small "T"
grin.gif
) and our tragedies, our passions and our problems. In that spirit, it seems to me there should be little opposition in somehow (I will leave it to Basil to determine how!) sharing the burdens of providing a forum that we can all go to on any given day and time and participate on. This forum offers a TRUE VALUE! If anyone has any doubt about that, go back and re-read the threads on Jacks resurrection of Miss Agatha, or the heart-warming story of Team Sprite, or many other sagas that we have followed and contributed to both in thought and deed as a dedicated membership!!! :grouphug:
 
Ditto what Mike just said. Miss Agatha, Team Sprite, Dale & "Amos" are but a few who's stories are invaluable, and I haven't started with my Jag yet!! LOL :laugh:
 
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