Some direction on the subscription cost...

Okay....I agree with everyone who said that this is a great site and that Dave is a great guy....but I am a little bit "dumb" on some of the finer details of the site, so ... uh....do we have to remember to renew, or do we get a notice or something....and how can I give a gift subscription?

You'll get a notice, or if you want to know when it's coming up, just go to My Info, then click on Manage my subscription, and there you'll see when yours expires, as well as options to renew or send someone a gift subscription.

Thanks ecrane3....once again you have come to my aide. Can't count the ways, but sure am glad you are always around!

Happy to help :)

Shari...I just clicked on your name and it took me to your home page....I see that you will be up for renewal on Oct. 23th, 2007.....My son's Birthday. Jo

Dave, you are most kind to lower subscription rate but on the other hand I am willling to pay what ever it may be you choose to ask for joining this wonderful offer about gardening, not to metioning new friedships, on the internet. I am eternally grateful to have found you!
When I think all my expense for this was only #25.00 for a year it seems ludricous to me not to pay that, I am certain that $2.00 per month would not have broken anyones bank if one is very carefull and forgo one small item a month, should it really be that bad, I was taught by my parents if I cannot afford something, go without it.

Jo - was a very good day.

25 bucks is a buy guess I will have to smoke one half a ciggie less each day to fund this for me and a friend. If you were a gambler you would make the charge 25 bucks for those that can afford it and 20 for those that choose that option I bet you end up with more that pay than those that truley can't. Whats to loose if you are thinking of lowering it all the way anyway. Ernie

Dave, I have been a member since 2005 and just recently decided to subscribe. Well, I did not know what I was missing!! Yes, the price kept me from joining for the longest but I decided to try your 2-mth option for $5. I thought it was worth the risk of paying $5 over your annual subscription fee if I liked it and renewed it on a bimonthly basis. Although your subscription prices may sound like peanuts, I would say that people, including myself shy away from “annual fees” or “commitments” even if the actual cost may be minute. It may be because people have to select or choose between many different membership fees, including professional and hobby memberships, etc. For example, I am a nurse and have to decide between many professional organizations and “pleasure”. I guess that could be why a gardening subscription could be lower on some people’s priority lists.

Good idea Ernie, but sometimes those that have it are at times as stingy as can be.

I would love to be able to give gift subscriptions at a reduced rate - I think $15 would be an ideal price for a gift subscription for a new member. There are many people who I would love to introduce to Dave's Garden but I am on a fixed income and have limited funds myself. However I can afford to spend $15 on a birthday or Christmas gift and I have so many gardening friends. I feel sure that once they are given a subscription and discover how much DG has to offer that they would be glad to renew their subscription at the regular rate in subsequent years.

P.S. Hi, Ernie!!!

Dave, I don't care what the price is, I will hang in here as long as the wallet doesn' t go completely flat. I am fortunate and blessed in that I have a good retirement income, and would be happy to contribute to the Angel Fund to allow another menber become a subscriber. I will commit and say that I will "sponsor" one new subscriber a year. Now, if you can just figure out a way to do this without accounting nightmares!! I applaude you for your heartfelt decision to question whether we can all afford to be here. Thanks for your kind, caring spirit, it comes through loud and clear.

If you have a particular member in mind who you want to help, you can always give a gift subscription to a specific person, no accounting nightmares at all! For the Angel fund though you'll have to wait until Trish decides it's time to collect more money, I remember her saying a month or two ago that the Angel fund had plenty for now and they weren't taking donations at the moment.

I do not think that I would have become a subscriber if the price had been $25. I can see the value in it now but I know that I would not have paid that much to begin with. I think that $19.95 is a much better price and I encourage everyone that I meet to join DG. That is just my 2 cents worth.

Jesse

Great move, Dave! Glad to hear subscriptions are up already. I agree about perhaps decreasing the amount of things to be gotten free, maybe fewer searches, etc as someone already suggested above. You're the best bar none, Dave. :~)

Lana

edited to say I'm so glad you have more time to work on DG now, Dave. I'm really enjoying the changes and just had a wonderful walk down memory lane being able to search thru all my posts and not just threads I've started. It was a lot of pages since I've been here since 01 :~) Thanks.

This message was edited Apr 12, 2007 2:33 AM

I think the $19.95 is just right. $25 probably would have scared me away when I first joined. I agree to limit some of the freebies, just give people a taste of what they are missing. Great job, Dave. I love the place. Karen Shaver

I agree with liebran on just giving people a taste of what they are missing - limiting the freebies. It may also allow subscribers to feel more smug at what their money bought! :-)

Some of the music subscription sites have an interesting way of going about it. This is only an illustration, of course, it's not a comparison:

Member recruitment: They might offer something more than the other music sites e.g. you can listen to the entire song, not just 30 second clips for free.

Going from member to subscriber: They might give members a little something, but it will leave them wanting more. e.g. members can download any song, but subscribers would get a far superior audio quality. Also, it's a monthly credit card charge you may cancel at anytime. (Someone said it above, but a lot of people are scared off by a long commitment and sometimes a monthly charge is more manageable).

Subscriber Plus: They might have still one more step... where subscribers can upgrade their account for a few dollars more and get complete portability of the music.

Like I said, it's just an illustration, I'm just throwing it out there.

Sandy

Dave and Co. -

You have shown a great deal of empathy and compassion! It is obvious that you are genuinely concerned and interested in the future of DG and that is a wonderful feeling for all of us out here.

Thanks!!!!!

Carol

Would it be possible to flag the accounts that are paying $5 every couple of months and give them the rest of the year once they hit the annual fee of $20? If I saw someone consistently paying every other month, that would tell me they really want to be here but possibly can't afford it.

I think it's awesome that you care Dave.

Great news Dave, I will let my member friends that have been shy on the $25 know about the reduction! It isn't that they couldn't afford it, they just can't see what additional benefits they would gain by being a subscriber over what they get free now. The 19.95 is sooo much cheaper than $20 LOL!

Dave, where are my manners? I forgot to thank you very much for the reduction.

Sandy

Would it be possible for membership to be paid in other currencies?

I'm very fortunate that a U.S. DG member paid my sub as a gift; without it, I'd not be able to subscribe, because of the disgraceful bank currency transaction charges our banks make. For me to pay US$25 would cost GBP 14 (the converted amount of the DG sub) plus GBP 40 (transaction charge), = GBP 54, = US$ 105. Even at $19.95, it would still cost $100 total.

If subs could be paid in other currencies (GBP, Euro, CDN$, AUS$, etc), I'm sure a lot more international subscribers would join.

Resin

Resin, I think you're doing business at the wrong bank! I'm not trying to offend, but if you convert GBP or Euros to USD at the booth at the airport (a moneychanging venue that is well known for fat surcharges), it's not going to cost that sort of premium.

If Dave isn't able to set up the system to accept other currencies (and I can see where that would be helpful, but I can also see where it could be difficult to implement), I am sure that you would be able to work out a way to reimburse somebody in the US so they could purchase a subscription for you.

Have been reading these posts. I have only been a member for a short time & am addicted. I too was hesitant to pay for a site I did not know I woul use. My daughter is a member & I used her site while visiting & got hooked, however I would have been hesitant to pay 25. dollars, since I also am on a fixed income. I joined when it was 15 & resubscribed before it went up. 19.95 seems reasonable to me. Thanks for a great site!!!

Hi Critterologist - it's a lot cheaper getting cash, but that can't be sent through the mail. The charge is for making a cheque (US: check) payable in a different currency

Resin

What about a credit card? Aren't Visa and Mastercard issued internationally? When I visited Australia, I used Mastercard for some purchases. There was a surcharge on my statement but it didn't seem excessive. But then, I suppose the rate does fluctuate
rather often.

I don't think credit cards are currently an option to pay for subscriptions here, could be wrong though.

Actually, credit cards have always been an option here. We take American Express, Discover, Visa and Mastercard.

We also take PayPal, money orders, checks and cash. Once a gentleman mailed me a $5 bill from Romania for a 2 month subscription!!

dave

Then credit cards are definitely the way to go, I've made international purchases with my Mastercard and there is a surcharge for the currency conversion but it's only a small amount, definitely not quadruple the actual amount!

Dave, been a member since 2002, hesitated about the $15, now will pay anything you want. Nothing, at all, anywhere on the web like this site! Can't make me go away, no way, no how, I'm a Daves Garden Lifer!
Carol

Hey Dave!
I luv davesgarden and enjoy it here!

I just wanted you to know about this: not sure if anyone has mentioned it.
you may want to check this out:

I belong to NHGC(national home garden club) and for 12.00 monthly you get the internet site and a bi-monthly magazine.
For 250.00(when i did it) you can become a life member and they give you several gifts.
They also have product testing where you test something and keep it-thats for any member!
It can be anything from seeds to a greenhouse or power tools.

I have talked to several members and some of them are thinking that 25.00 it to much
some will still sign back up but i know a few that have said they just cant. I know the angel fund is there to help, some just don't want to do that.

i think a lower price is a GREAT idea. good luck fearless leader! :)

Dave there are very few businesses that are as concerned about the clients as you appear to be!!!! The fact that you are concerned about EVERYBODY is why this is such a good site.

Thank you!!

Jeri

Hi Dave! I'm new to Dave's Garden, and I love it! In about a month, I've learned so much, the subscription cost has paided for it's self. Now, I certainly don't want to ruffle any feathers, or get off to a bad start but..........I also am a member of the NHGC, which is 12.00 annually. I've not been able to access their site in days, have NEVER been able to access any forums. I receive bill after bill for a membership already paid for. I'm not getting the free " stuff" that was promised., despite receiving not 1 but 2 different member cards and numbers , ( which was brought to their attention, with no avail). ..........................................NO, I think I will stay at Dave's, no matter the cost. It's worth a couple extra bucks, not to have the headaches. I'm sorry to have made a issue about another establishment and If I affended anyone, I'm truly sorry........................................P.S. Dave, Plantfiles is awesome!

I have received great things to test from them-my lawn vac 899.99 value was the best so far! The seeds i tested were kind of a let down but we all have to test a some small things too!
I access the site and have never had any problems. Dont know why you are having so much trouble with everything!


I am going on my 7th yr here at daves and have watched this garden grow and grow and want to keep as many members here as we can-its the BEST garden site there is!
Just giving some insight into another garden site and what they offer for comparing

I know Hallsons and Tinkers are donations still and Tinkers site runs raffles and the raffle money goes towards your membership-so thats a win win-if u win! lol

Just a lil info on different site out there!
Daves is still tops !

I had problems with the NHGC also-I paid the dues, got one product to test, several packages of the same seeds (baby's breath) and bill after bill for an encyclopedia I never got. I wrote to them FIVE times to cancel my membership. I think they finally got it. I hope. I LOVE DG, made some friends here and feel thankful that you care enough about us to discuss the membership charge. Thanks, Dave. Karen Shaver

I'm new to DG, but I think you have gotten the magic number. When I realized I needed to join a couple days after finding your site, the $25 was just too much for my limited income (disability), so I went for the $5. If it had been $19.95 when I signed up just a few weeks ago, I would definitely have gone for it.

Always the procrastinator, I only renewed recently at the $25 price....so does that mean that I have credit to give a gift subscription for half price as was suggested now that the lower price has been enacted?

She is not a subscriber and is a great candidate for this gift and would love to give her this! I think that she would have a lot to offer and we would have a lot to offer her!

Dave, I don't know if someone else said this, there was a lot to read through, but why don't you offer first time subscribers the $15 annual fee with the understanding that it would be $25 after that? I don't have a problem paying the $25 fee, can you tell us how the fee is used?
Kathy

daisyavenue--if you renewed at the $25 price, then Dave extended your subscription by a couple months when he dropped the price (I think somewhere earlier in this thread he mentioned how many months)