View Poll Results: Would you subscribe to S2KI?
Yes but I'd like to choose the amount and only if it provided restricted access to some information
6.61%
Voters: 454. You may not vote on this poll
Would you subscribe to S2KI?
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 23,749
Likes: 3
From: Erock's my boat!
$20????
hell, i'll send you a hundred bucks. LET ME KNOW WHERE/WHEN.
i was going to have my very own console cover made (just 1, not as a business) when i got the car.
b/c of the site, i was informed about rick's and bought his - i probably saved AT LEAST a hundred bucks in development costs alone (if you ask rick, it's probably MORE than that).
not to mention all the folks that i've met thorught the site.
CTHREE - KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK !!!!!
this place is awesome.....................................
hell, i'll send you a hundred bucks. LET ME KNOW WHERE/WHEN.
i was going to have my very own console cover made (just 1, not as a business) when i got the car.
b/c of the site, i was informed about rick's and bought his - i probably saved AT LEAST a hundred bucks in development costs alone (if you ask rick, it's probably MORE than that).
not to mention all the folks that i've met thorught the site.
CTHREE - KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK !!!!!
this place is awesome.....................................
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 966
Likes: 0
I would be happy to pay 20 a year.
I also like the idea of a "members only" section of the forum, or something along thoughs lines.
I think it should stay the way it is now for people who decide that they do not want to pay anything. And the people who do pay 20 per year get some kind of extra things. The discounts you mentioned would be good. Like I mentioned above, a "members only" area would also be cool.
I also like the idea of a "members only" section of the forum, or something along thoughs lines.
I think it should stay the way it is now for people who decide that they do not want to pay anything. And the people who do pay 20 per year get some kind of extra things. The discounts you mentioned would be good. Like I mentioned above, a "members only" area would also be cool.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,776
Likes: 1
From: Chicago (ex London UK)
ive just sat here and read all of the responses to this thread, and to be honest i cannot understand how the people who actually write that they disagree with paying anything here actually have the nerve to do so. This site is INVALUABLE to me and no doubt many if not most of the other members here in terms of content, specific answers to questions and the community that it provides. this site is THE essential accesory to any s2k. I for one have no problem at all in providing a monetary contribution for something that i use everyday. $20 a year seems like a good deal - a steal if you ask me. thats only $1.60 a month, cmon guys, im sure everyone here can spare $1 a week. that's not even a bottle of beer!!
what we all have to realise is that CTHREE is doing this for US. its all coming out of his pocket. this is HIS site. we all contribute when we see a thread we dont like, or give advice when someone asks for it...now CTHREE is asking for some help in keeping the reason why we all on here going. i personally dont think that this is too much to ask and in all honesty, CTHREE you should have done this a long time ago.
i dont think that a subscription is the way to go, as someone correctly said, some people are here out of pure enthusiasm for the car even though they maybe could never afford one. im not suggesting an enthusiasts section but i think the solution of a read only site for non contributors is a good idea. for a measly $50 a year id pay up to give my views!!
i dont necessaryily agree with an elevated status for people who donate, i dont agree with the elitism and competition. some people will never reach a high status, they might want to but could never afford to. people should donate because they feel a sense of duty and honour to keep this site going, not because they want the recognition. if people want to continue to use this site, KNOWING that CTHREE and the others need help, and not want to contribute, then let them do so with it on their conscience that one day we WILL get that thread saying ITS OVER.
AS A COMMUNITY WE CANNOT EXPECT PEOPLE TO RUN THIS OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET. AS A COMMUNITY WE SHOULD ACT TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THIS SITE IS HERE FOR THE LONG TERM.
unfortunately, like many things nowadays this means we have to pay. just think about all the useless crap we pay for in our lives without thinking and then look at the value that we get from this....WHY SHOULD IT BE FREE?
i for one have saved hundreds, if not 000's through this site....id gladly give some back...if only to keep all the friends ive made.
THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A WEBSITE.
nuff said.
what we all have to realise is that CTHREE is doing this for US. its all coming out of his pocket. this is HIS site. we all contribute when we see a thread we dont like, or give advice when someone asks for it...now CTHREE is asking for some help in keeping the reason why we all on here going. i personally dont think that this is too much to ask and in all honesty, CTHREE you should have done this a long time ago.
i dont think that a subscription is the way to go, as someone correctly said, some people are here out of pure enthusiasm for the car even though they maybe could never afford one. im not suggesting an enthusiasts section but i think the solution of a read only site for non contributors is a good idea. for a measly $50 a year id pay up to give my views!!
i dont necessaryily agree with an elevated status for people who donate, i dont agree with the elitism and competition. some people will never reach a high status, they might want to but could never afford to. people should donate because they feel a sense of duty and honour to keep this site going, not because they want the recognition. if people want to continue to use this site, KNOWING that CTHREE and the others need help, and not want to contribute, then let them do so with it on their conscience that one day we WILL get that thread saying ITS OVER.
AS A COMMUNITY WE CANNOT EXPECT PEOPLE TO RUN THIS OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET. AS A COMMUNITY WE SHOULD ACT TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THIS SITE IS HERE FOR THE LONG TERM.
unfortunately, like many things nowadays this means we have to pay. just think about all the useless crap we pay for in our lives without thinking and then look at the value that we get from this....WHY SHOULD IT BE FREE?
i for one have saved hundreds, if not 000's through this site....id gladly give some back...if only to keep all the friends ive made.
THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A WEBSITE.
nuff said.
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 37,305
Likes: 18
Do we make it a "donation" thing or do we make it a "subscription" thing? Don't know which would work. Cthree: remember about a year ago, you made an appeal to us and many of us made our own donation? Can you tell us how many of us actually sent money? Did this make any difference what so ever? If it did, then let's do it again and have an "annual donation drive" (or semi-annual).
Should we give those who send money something extra over those who don't or should we give those who don't something less than those who do? I don't know that answer either. There would pros and cons of each. It would certainly minimize or eliminate those who use this board for the sole purpose of being a "chat room" and/or those who are blatant post whores who have no other life and have absolutely no interest in the S2000 (which is the reason why this board came into existence in the first place). Maybe it's just me, but I think those who use this board should at least have an interest in the car first (they don't necessarily have to own one) and then perpetuate the non-related stuff as an aside.
Should we give those who send money something extra over those who don't or should we give those who don't something less than those who do? I don't know that answer either. There would pros and cons of each. It would certainly minimize or eliminate those who use this board for the sole purpose of being a "chat room" and/or those who are blatant post whores who have no other life and have absolutely no interest in the S2000 (which is the reason why this board came into existence in the first place). Maybe it's just me, but I think those who use this board should at least have an interest in the car first (they don't necessarily have to own one) and then perpetuate the non-related stuff as an aside.
Thread Starter
Administrator
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 20,274
Likes: 4
From: Toronto, Canada
I think there are a number of ways to do this and like most everything it wont suit everyone. When I made an appeal last year it was right after I dropped for the new server and we got new hosting. The site needed a capital boost to get over the hump and we got it. But following that I've had time to reflect.
For one we got some new sponsors and that put us in the black cash flow wise and all seemed well so the idea of hitting the members up for continued contribution seemed unnecessary. However since that time and as you can see the site has grown big time while sponsorships have not.
My main concern is that the site lives on the edge financially. We have $300 in the bank and about $2400 in bills due the end of the month. We have $2900 in receivables so in theory all is well. The financial issue as I see it is that I'm stuck being the board's line of credit. The site needs a float, some working capital, to smooth out the very irregular cash flow situation and have a cash reserve to deal with unexpected shortages, like the loss of a sponsor or two. I have been that float till now but simply can't afford it anymore, I'm tapped out.
The other thing I've had time to reflect on is that donations in themselves tend to die out. You get lots of response at first then it peters out. I also wasn't really very prepared to handle it. I didn't know where the money was coming from and lost track of who donated what and was unable to thank those who made generous contributions. The inconsistency of the funding and my total lack of organization have shaped my views on this.
I feel I can't just keep coming back to the trough every time we get in a bind money wise. I want to setup a system where people can make financial contributions regularly throughout the year and in a way that I can offer some recognition and thanks to them.
This weekend I'm going to try and put together some structured fund raising system that offers tangible benefits and recognition for the contributor and provides the steady and regular cash flow supplement needed by our creditors. I'm going to largely "wing-it" so I'm not sure I can tell you how it's going to shape up just yet.
From the response received it looks like we can get that float, put the money away in a cash reserve to help smooth the bumps without having to take them all myself. A regular ongoing means of contributions is needed to grow that reserve if not at least keep it topped up.
As odd as it sounds, I view S2KI as a perk of ownership. When you buy into an S2000 you are also buying into a community. The same kind of community, or better IMHO, as that of other recognized sports cars. With the car comes an information resource and a get community of fellow owner/enthusiasts. S2KI should, I feel, be synonymous with the S2000. We have 2100 or so owners and that's awesome but at the same time it's a failure. The tens of thousands of S2000 owners that don't have access to S2KI are IMO missing out on one of the major reasons to own one besides it being kick-ass. Just think what it would be like to own an S2000 and NOT have a resource like S2KI. No meets, no midnight drives, no new friends. That would suck. One of my missions is to find a way to reach out to those owners and bring them into the fold, even if it's just to lurk around.
I think that changing the flavor or format of S2KI would change the basic underpinnings of S2KI, open access. You all came to S2KI at various times only to be welcomed with open arms by us and your fellow owners. You didn't have to join anything because you were already a member. Simply owning and enjoying your S2000 is your entry pass. If you had found us and we were a closed site where you had to lay down your credit card or carry some membership card just to get in I'm sure most of you would have turned away. I want to make sure that future owners and members get the same reception or better when they finally clue in on what they are missing.
I'm also a realist and I know that some of the things we offer go a bit beyond what one can normally expect for free. The new photo albums are as good IMO as any of those offered by the commercial services out there. Future additions such as personal websites and e-mail accounts are also beyond that scope. Not having access to those features doesn't prevent anyone from fully participating in the S2000 community but rather they just enhance it.
I would like to offer those things as part of the owner package and perhaps as S2KI grows and becomes more attractive to potential sponsors we can. As it stands I'm going to offer them on a subscription basis. My rational is this: S2KI is free. If you want to enhance your membership with additional services and/or make a financial contribution to help support the site's operations then you can do that too. The money raised supports the free access model and helps reach out to other owners to bring them home.
We are going to offer some branded products as well like license plate frames, hats, t-shirts and the like to help promote the site to other owners and help supplement funding as well.
So stay tuned over then weekend to see what I come up with...
Thanks for the great feedback, it's really helped me a lot. Don't forget to tell me I'm nuts if you think so. Everyone's been really nice to me lately and I'm a bit concerned. I need some flames just so I know things are normal
For one we got some new sponsors and that put us in the black cash flow wise and all seemed well so the idea of hitting the members up for continued contribution seemed unnecessary. However since that time and as you can see the site has grown big time while sponsorships have not.
My main concern is that the site lives on the edge financially. We have $300 in the bank and about $2400 in bills due the end of the month. We have $2900 in receivables so in theory all is well. The financial issue as I see it is that I'm stuck being the board's line of credit. The site needs a float, some working capital, to smooth out the very irregular cash flow situation and have a cash reserve to deal with unexpected shortages, like the loss of a sponsor or two. I have been that float till now but simply can't afford it anymore, I'm tapped out.
The other thing I've had time to reflect on is that donations in themselves tend to die out. You get lots of response at first then it peters out. I also wasn't really very prepared to handle it. I didn't know where the money was coming from and lost track of who donated what and was unable to thank those who made generous contributions. The inconsistency of the funding and my total lack of organization have shaped my views on this.
I feel I can't just keep coming back to the trough every time we get in a bind money wise. I want to setup a system where people can make financial contributions regularly throughout the year and in a way that I can offer some recognition and thanks to them.
This weekend I'm going to try and put together some structured fund raising system that offers tangible benefits and recognition for the contributor and provides the steady and regular cash flow supplement needed by our creditors. I'm going to largely "wing-it" so I'm not sure I can tell you how it's going to shape up just yet.
From the response received it looks like we can get that float, put the money away in a cash reserve to help smooth the bumps without having to take them all myself. A regular ongoing means of contributions is needed to grow that reserve if not at least keep it topped up.
As odd as it sounds, I view S2KI as a perk of ownership. When you buy into an S2000 you are also buying into a community. The same kind of community, or better IMHO, as that of other recognized sports cars. With the car comes an information resource and a get community of fellow owner/enthusiasts. S2KI should, I feel, be synonymous with the S2000. We have 2100 or so owners and that's awesome but at the same time it's a failure. The tens of thousands of S2000 owners that don't have access to S2KI are IMO missing out on one of the major reasons to own one besides it being kick-ass. Just think what it would be like to own an S2000 and NOT have a resource like S2KI. No meets, no midnight drives, no new friends. That would suck. One of my missions is to find a way to reach out to those owners and bring them into the fold, even if it's just to lurk around.
I think that changing the flavor or format of S2KI would change the basic underpinnings of S2KI, open access. You all came to S2KI at various times only to be welcomed with open arms by us and your fellow owners. You didn't have to join anything because you were already a member. Simply owning and enjoying your S2000 is your entry pass. If you had found us and we were a closed site where you had to lay down your credit card or carry some membership card just to get in I'm sure most of you would have turned away. I want to make sure that future owners and members get the same reception or better when they finally clue in on what they are missing.
I'm also a realist and I know that some of the things we offer go a bit beyond what one can normally expect for free. The new photo albums are as good IMO as any of those offered by the commercial services out there. Future additions such as personal websites and e-mail accounts are also beyond that scope. Not having access to those features doesn't prevent anyone from fully participating in the S2000 community but rather they just enhance it.
I would like to offer those things as part of the owner package and perhaps as S2KI grows and becomes more attractive to potential sponsors we can. As it stands I'm going to offer them on a subscription basis. My rational is this: S2KI is free. If you want to enhance your membership with additional services and/or make a financial contribution to help support the site's operations then you can do that too. The money raised supports the free access model and helps reach out to other owners to bring them home.
We are going to offer some branded products as well like license plate frames, hats, t-shirts and the like to help promote the site to other owners and help supplement funding as well.
So stay tuned over then weekend to see what I come up with...
Thanks for the great feedback, it's really helped me a lot. Don't forget to tell me I'm nuts if you think so. Everyone's been really nice to me lately and I'm a bit concerned. I need some flames just so I know things are normal
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,441
Likes: 0
From: Honolulu
Originally posted by cthree
Thanks for the great feedback, it's really helped me a lot. Don't forget to tell me I'm nuts if you think so. Everyone's been really nice to me lately and I'm a bit concerned. I need some flames just so I know things are normal
Thanks for the great feedback, it's really helped me a lot. Don't forget to tell me I'm nuts if you think so. Everyone's been really nice to me lately and I'm a bit concerned. I need some flames just so I know things are normal
Just kidding! Maybe if you broke down the costs involved, everyone could see what you're paying for, and would help those on the borderline of contributing to the site change their minds about donating or subscribing. I'm looking forward to see what you come up with over the weekend, and hope that you can come up with a win/win situation for everyone. I, like others, am limited with available funds, but would be happy to contribute to the site (either with $ or help like the FAQ I recently did). I personally think the information stored on this site is extremely valuable to any S2000 owner, and with searches, owners can find any answer to their questions or problems not to mention all the new products coming out for the car with first hand reviews.
