The new subsription drive has started...
This is a site that gets 90,000 visitors a day. And today it's gotten 9 subscriptions or renewals during the subscription drive. $260 down, $49,740 to go in about a month to re-do the site.
There are two different visions for the site. Let's call them the community versus commercial views. I'm on the commercial side. Zoomba/ID/jafo are likely on the community side.
We've estimated that the new site is going to cost around $50k to make. Stardock is going to pay for anything that the community doesn't come up with. But in return, the more Stardock pays into it, the more say it's going to have on the design.
I'm pretty sure that the core skinning community is no longer big enough to pay the bills and that's fine. Skinning has become one of those ominipresent things that, because it's not a niche, doesn't really have a strong core following like it used to. It has millions of users but relatively few who really care about a "skinning community" any more than people really care about a core World of Warcraft community. Skinning is everywhere these days.
The new WC, the commercial one, will be radically different than the WC we have today. First, the S-corporation that runs WinCustomize will get disolved and become part of Stardock Software (which makes WindowBlinds, Object Desktop, etc.).
Second, WC will be funded out of Stardock Software's marketing budget.
Now this may sound bad but let's face it, most people come here for Stardock related content. When this site started, programs like Winamp, Hoverdesk, WinStep, ICQ Plus and others were pretty significant. Today, it's pretty much all about WindowBlinds, DeskScapes, IconPackager, wallpapers and a that's about it.
The community won't disappear but obviously the site will become much more Stardock oriented and the days of WinCustomize as a quasi-independent entity will come to an end.
See what we have in mind: https://forums.wincustomize.com/335824
I've never had that bad connection, so it's probably something that is outside stardock that cause it. On a slow day pageloads take ~20 seconds to load for me, which is slow enough for me to complain... Going over 5 minutes for a page is ridiculous, but as I've *never* seen that, I think it's an indication that those pageloads are not caused by stardock servers.
what about.....no more free downloads.......in other words, you HAVE to subscribe to download skins......or is that just too much?
I think that would be too much, which is where the download limit comes into play. Once you go over the limit (whatever that is now) you have to subscribe/purchase a product.
Here's my thoughts on what would happen if that happened. (I'm not a pro analyst or anything, so I may be entirely wrong... But it's what I think )
It would kill the site. One major thing with putting a skin on a site like this is to get exposure. People who can't download won't come to the site and see the work put here. All non-subscribing skinners would likely just stop posting things here, and subscribing skinners would get less attention, which would lead to less subscriptions... And so on....
Yup, that is probably right on the money, and download limitations are the way to go. Thing is, while it's not an issue for those who are hard-core skin/customisation fanatics, I'm wondering what Stardock/WC could do to make subscribing more attractive to the non-subscribers who frequent the site. I mean, given that advertising is thrust upon us everywhere we look, and people have learned to tolerate/live with it, is the price of a subscription worth being able to browse WC ad free? Ads annoy the crap out of me and I prefer to be free of advertising when I'm browsing, but is ad free browsing a big enough draw card for some?
Yes, there are free skins for subscribers, but given the quality of free skins available in the galleries anyway, do those subscriber skins represent good value to those who see great skins for free in the galleries, are more casual customisers anyhow, and can tolerate browsing with ads? Probably not, given how many quality skins they can get for free in the galleries! And the promise of a personal page to upload skins and photos may not be enough, either, not if they are non-skinning and casual customisers who only want to change their desktop appearance every once in a while.
I'm not sure what else Stardock?WC could offer in the way of extra goodies and freebies to act as an added incentive, but I do know that it's easier to get a dollar from 50,000 people than it is from just a handful, so I'm thinking along those lines and tiered subscriptions may be the answer... different levels for different needs/wants...
For example:
$5.95 Basic Subscription: prvides ad free bowsing and unlimited downloads.
$9.95 Standard Subscription: provides ad free browsing, unlimited downloads, forum access and access to subscriber skins current at time of purchase.
$14.95 Premium Subscription: provides all of the above... plus personal page for uploads and access to all subscriber skins and benefits released during subscription period.
Given the current economic climate, where finances are tight and people are finding 20 buck hard to come by, much less justify on a non-essential, maybe a $5.95 entry level sub is more palatable and one that more people would be inclined to pony up for. It has to be remembered that not all customisers are as avid as the rest, and therefore require less, so why make them pay for more, like services and benefits they neither use or need.
Just a thought!
I believe Frogboy mentioned in another post that we will have a tiered system, basic and premium. $5.95 is too low of a price IMO, and the $10 starting point for a basic subscription is the best "entry level" way to subscribe. The Basic sub plan will give unlimited downloads and no ads, and I personally think that is a good deal.
I agree with Island Dog, as I'm sure most of the folks that have current subscriptions probably will, that really isn't the problem though. The problem is getting the folks that don't subscribe to think it is a 'good deal'.
ummm
i'm not a subscriber at the moment.... and i don't i will be able too any time soon, cos My Object desktop ultimate will be running out soon...
So i need to find $69.95 for that...... then $29.95 to subscribe!!!! don't think i can pony up that much...
What?? Having to pay to access the forums?? That's a horrible idea if I ever heard one.
Hmm, I guess I'm not seeing that, $5.95 would get you ad free browsing, but no indication that you need to subscribe to browse.
thought the offer was $20 for the object desktop renewal....up until Feb 28th...
Link...
Look at the second one Philly.
mmmmmm i dident see this offer....
so if i update now i get 12 months from when my other one runs out....?
Oops, I stand corrected, just goes to show we read what we think we see, not what is there.
I agree with Bebi, access to the forums should be available to non-subscribers. Now if you want to talk about restricting posting comments or replies or even starting threads that's different and possibly another way to encourage folks to subscribe. It might work.
I still don't think it's a good idea. First people pay for the product, then they have to pay *again* just to get *un*official support? Bad idea. Forums should be available to *everyone* regardless of their customer/subscriber status.
Bebi, your logic and thoughts on these subjects is dearly missed around here, you are correct, it wouldn't make a lot of sense.
How about visiting the IRC from time to time again?
Just booted up...and found that folks are still/haven't stopped with this topic.
Gotta say I side with Bebi...her logic is absolutely correct.
Another thing: People go with SD software because they like customizing the Blaaah Windows GUI.
WC has 2 halves: the skins and the forums. The social aspect is important to a lot of folks...and I don't feel it's right to nickel and dime people, wringing the last penny out of them.
Let's not forget that the skinners make the software worthwhile...but without the community? What's all of it worth? A lot less.
Exactly Doc.. SD provides the Software, but the Skinning Community provide the downloads.. or there would be NO site really.. not that aspect of it.
In your opinion, but there are probably a few who would rather pay that for just downloads and being ad free than 19.95 for sevices they never use, want or need... and IMO it would be better to have $5.95 from those who'd pony up that much, but not a greater amount.
Bebi, the idea is NOT that you'd pay extra for forum services... but rather that those who do not use or need them don't have to pay. If you look at the tier structure I tentatively put forward, you'd actually be paying less for that level than the current 19.95 sub. And for those who want/need the whole shebang there'd be a Premium sub for a little more. So yeah, the idea is about structuring subs so that people are not paying for anything over and above that they use... which seems like a good idea and may very well attract subs from people who have never considered it before: eg, those who come to WC to download skins but nothing more.
Like I said, however, it was a tentative idea and not set in concrete... but I have to wonder how many $5.95 subs may have been added to the $50,000 total Stardock is aiming for, had they been available.
No, Rob, if you update now yoyur new sub would commence when your current one expires.
50k for a new site? Someone in the Stardock crew gotta bust out the Dreamweaver. LOL.
Yeah but a lot of the forums are cross-posted from other SD sites. Would people have to pay to access the sister-site forums too? In addition, I bet there are people on these forums who come purely for the community itself and have little to do with the gallery side of things, and making people pay to access forums will go over like a lead balloon.
I am in complete agreement with Bebi on this. There are a lot of visitors using shareware versions of Stardock programs.Occasionally some have a problem or question on usage. If no "unofficial" support was to be had here,I don't think many of them would upgrade to paid versions. Just my opinion.
How is deviantart setup - couldnt wincustomize foolow a similar model? Just a suggestion
Ok let's liken it to somebody who needs an alams clock to get up in the morning, nothing more. He doesn't want a clock radio with an ipod dock and 5.1 surround sound and isn't going to pay for it... not just to get him up in the morning.
Same applies to the $5.95 sub... the user wants nothing more than ad free browsing/downloads and will pay no more foe the extas he doen't use or need.... so a $5.95 sub is all he needs and will buy, so is added to the $50k when it otherwise wouldn't be.
The 9.95 sub is for those who need that bit more, downloads, support and social interaction on the forums... a slimline version of the premium sub in that users who do not need or use a home page do not have to pay the extra for it.
The premiun sub for $14.95 includes the whole shebang that current subscribers already enjoy... meaning those who need and use it will continue to pay the higher subscription. However, they are losing nothing, nor are they paying extra.
In fact, nobody loses anything. The options are quite straight forward, and those who do not need forums or personal pages (just downloads) will choose option A. Those who use and need forums and downloads but not the personal page go for option B... and everyone else who needs the lot will select option C. Couldn't be simpler... and Stardock is seeing reveue it would not have otherwise gotten.
I see your point, and yes, unofficial support is important also.... that is why I suggested a 3 teired process, so that those who do not have a need of it (people who only come to download) can opt out of paying for services they don't use or need.
Again, the idea is NOT to take away or deny anyone, but to offer a reduced sub for those who have difficulty coming up with and/or justifying 20 bucks on something they use very little of. It's like that saying: "Less is more.".... offer slimline subs at a reduced rate for those who use less, and you increase the chances of getting more subscribers.
When I first came to WC to download I would have paid $5.95 (but not a lot more) for a sub to unlimited gallery access because I needed and used no more than that... but when I discovered the need for the forums and a personal page I was quite happy to pay the extra for those services/features. Meaning, had a $5.95 sub been available and I had paid it, I would have upgraded to the higher sub to acess those 'optional' extras.
In other words, lets cater to the wants and needs of those visitors who need less and have been sitting on the fence subscription-wise because the cost factor included stuff they'd never use, and thus saw it as not good value.... and if they decide they need more, then the upgrade option is there. Furthermore, if there are people helping to support WC with $5.95 subs, then the burden is eased on current subscribers and Stardock can offer the Premium Subscriptions at lesser price than is currently available.
Make better sense now?
Accepting Money Orders, or Subs via 'snail mail' would be in SD's best interests as well, not everybody has a Credit Card, and not everyone feels comfortable [OR safe..] using PayPal!
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