On Line Membership

[Noddy]

We do not intend to stop producing a printed Journal Eric, in fact we have to edit and produce something to get an e copy. Jerry has all the figures and the costs of production are now quite small, however many copies are printed. What I am actually saying is that the new membership fee will include the barest minimum number of hard copies plus the Internet Fees, hiring the hall for the AGM, the cost of the Kulmbach table and a small annual surplus to cover things like a Society figure . There will be no postage costs.

[PJDeluhery]

FYI, current membership rates are: UK - 22GBP; Europe - 25GBP and World - 27GBP
Eric, that might happen, but let's see. There are many who say they want a hard-copy Journal, and I'm for letting them have it. But, I don't want those who can do with a .pdf to be forced to subsidize the hard-copy choice. If the hard-copy crowd all go for the cheaper rate, what does that say about the desire to have a hard copy? Meanwhile the Society is pricing itself out of reach for new members for this option. I think the beauty of this decision is that the members will decide, and they're why we are here. And again, this is not about the Journal; but about its delivery mechanism. I think we all agree the Journal is a major benefit of the Society and appreciate Jerry's fine work.

[lscrep]

I have to agree with Pat's comments. i.e. $40.00 dollars U.S. I would expect to get a hard copy of the Journal. In fact that's why I joined/subscribed. I do get online magazines, but some magazines like the Journal or International Figure Modeler I want hard copies on hand for reference. Most magazines that I buy are currently running about $10.00 to $12.00 U.S. I agree that the membership fee needs to include enough to cover postage and printing cost to us here in the U.S. and rest of the world.

[errant49]

I am afraid we are just speaking of the death of the paperback journal
The actual membership is 25£ or so with a paperback journal and Martin's proposal is to put it around 20-25 without a paperback
If you lower the online membership down to 15 or even 20 (as Pat) with the online journal, nobody will accept to pay the extra cost for a paper back which will be more expensive than ever due to the very small quantity
So where is the interest of a two level membership ?
I do not think we can keep two formulas
It's a radical choice we have to make
Times are very hard and I will regret the paper Journal, but maybe it is the way it goes
Eric

[Nicholas Ball]

£15 for those who speak English!!!!!

[Noddy]

I think Pat has said it all.Having been persuaded by my daughter in law to get a Samsung Galaxy phone I am just beginning to realise the benefits of on line magazines.


If nobody has any objections we will go to a two tier system as from Jan 2014 and agree an online membership at the Oct Committee meeting. Without wanting to promise anything it looks as though $20-$25 could be a start point.


Martin

[Larry Lee]

I clearly remember a flat painters get together at the MFCA a few years ago. Several people there were newbies (at least to me). We discussed joining the BFFS and the membership costs . One older woman (this is subjective  asked "What do I get for my money?"  Tough question to answer.

[PJDeluhery]

Thanks for bringing this up, Martin.

I certainly support the idea of an Online Membership. For those of us outside the UK, the current membership rates are high - about $40 USD.  I know some past members who have not kept up their membership because of the cost. Others have told me they have not joined because they cannot rationalize the cost. What is unfortunate (IMO) is that much of the "excess" cost goes to postage and not to benefiting the membership. BTW, kudos to Jerry for continuing to deliver a very high quality product at a reduced cost! This is not about the Journal; but about postage and choice.

Personally, I enjoy getting my Journal online, and with any of the portable readers available today (iPad, Kindle, etc.) I can sit in my chair and read a .pdf like any book or magazine. Plus, it allows for all-color issues and very high quality photos that I can expand and examine in much more detail! What's not to like?  Honestly, I used to subscribe to about 6 hard-copy magazines; now I get them all (and a few others!) online for less money. It's the way of the world.

Now, I know that some of us like the hard copy journal - and that's fine - but it is very costly. I think those that want a hard copy should have one, but should support it with their own money.  Those who want only a.pdf should pay less. There should be a choice. A lower membership fee can't help but attract new members and bring back (perhaps) some old ones. This is good for the Society.

The simplest way to set membership fees is to take the annual cost of running the  Society, subtract Journal postage, and divide by the number of current members. I hope that there would be included in this calculation a small reserve for a "rainy day."  Not knowing what these numbers might be, I have no idea where this would leave us. Obviously, we need to at least break even.  If you want to subscribe to the hard copy journal, then add postage to this number and there you have it.

As to affordability, I would love it if the annual subscription were in the range of $25 - $30 USD - or about 15 - 20 GBP. I think that's affordable and the benefits of the Society are worth every penny of that to me. If the Online Membership were 20 GBP - $30 USD - everyone would get a discount, and those what want the hard copy Journal would still pay a reasonable fee.

If the Society is to fulfill its mission of promoting flats world-wide, it needs to be affordable and provide a set of benefits that is attractive. Unfortunately, with the hard-copy Journal we are in the publishing business, which is dying. We need to find a way to make the Society a value to members. This website and the Journal are important benefits, and I'd like to see them more available to the world.

Thanks.

[Noddy]

Hi Eric


I am not proposing closing the present open part of the site I see this as another good recruitment tool and hopefully people will still continue to visit,enjoy, take part and hopefully then join.


My idea is to offer two levels of membership.basically one where you get a printed Journal the other where you dont but can read it online.


Martin

[errant49]

Hi Martin
Very difficult to answer the question
Most of the people consider internet as a free place to talk about any topic
Looking at other figures collectors sites I found most of them free
On most internet sites a payment is usually attached to a plus service
Nick says the accounts of the society are good; what does that mean , do we have a treasure somewhere or just a little money in a sock ?
Anyway I think that we should keep a free part of the site, but maybe must we reduce the content of this free part : just a gallery and no access to forum ? just a forum and no access to gallery ?
The free part must stay incitative  and  attractive to drive people to the pay per wiew part
The journal question is a true one; nothing can replace a sheet of paper with something to read; maybe could we havetwo categories of paying members with or without a paper journal ?
Eric

[Noddy]

You are right Nick.
 
As I see it Online will become the Preferred Membership Option but what will people consider an acceptable subscription? We will always, as far as I am concerned, be a Not For Profit Organization, but will need to cover the costs you set out. As I see it the more successful we get the more costs we may have to cover but the more members we may have to cover those those costs may keep them low.  At the moment a real Enigma.
 
What I want is lots of people to tell me, honestly, what they consider "a reasonable" subscription  and I can then structure the site to reflect this. Then we can get back to Fairies!
 
Seriously, though, I am grateful as ever, for your input.
 
Martin .

[Nicholas Ball]

When you say it would run along side the main membership, I presume you mean  it will become the new membership?

It all depends on what the funds are being used for? We have a fair amount in the accounts and this needs to pay for the journals, site, and possibly a London show. As well as a table at Kulmbach every 2 years.

I am happy if it becomes a non profit organisation as long as all costs are covered.

I believe there are 200 odd on this site, whilst membership is 100 odd? Is this correct?

If membership was reduced to £15, would this be acceptable? With the extra members, the funds
may go up slightly so we can give all members a BFFS free figure at the start of the year.

Nick

[Noddy]

For some time we have all been aware that, mainly due to rising postal costs , there may come a time when the cost of Postage would make the membership subscription unreasonable. That has not quite happened yet but as Pat Deluhery reminded me, the subs are quite high now and that is putting people off joining.
So, I am propose that we move to an Online Membership as soon as possible to run alongside the present membership . This can happen from Jan 2014 if we bend the rules a little and get lots of positive feedback.
My idea , and I am open to any and all suggestions, is that an Online Membership gives access to the Members Section of the Website, access to the current and past Journals and any Society produced figures , such as the recent Shakespeare. Everything except a printed Journal.
What do YOU think? Because it is YOU, the people who follow this part of the site but haven't become a Member, that we want to attract. Most importantly what would you be prepared to pay and what would you want from an Online membership? We do need to charge something because there is a charge for the Site and to read a Journal, even on line ,a hard copy has to be Edited and produced. PLEASE join in, let us know your views, contribute.
 
Martin
 
Sec