Scott,
The only topics I found on the subject were between you and Rodney back in 2005.
Many sites are now using joining fees in their subscription model. My clients are very interested in the addition of a joining fee option in Subscription Tools.
Their reasoning is as follows:
Most of the quality subscription sites which offer substantial content in the download library have a joining fee.
The joining fee is a one time fee you pay when you first subscribe - usually $100 or more.
After the first month, the normal monthly fees apply.
If you cancel your subscription, and later decide to rejoin - you have to pay the joining fee again.
The joining fee accomplishes a number of things.
1. It helps discourage those who plan to join at a low monthly price, then download all the items in the download library and then cancel.
Rather than being able to join and download it all and quit for $9.95 (or whatever the monthly fee is), they have to be willing to pay the joining fee.
2. It helps recover the cost if someone does join the site with the intention of downloading everything, and then cancelling.
3. The joining fee gives members a reason to not cancel - especially if they find value in the site.
After investing in the joining fee, it makes sense to stick with the site since the monthly fee is usually very small (compared to the joining fee).
4. The joining fee keeps spammers out of the site.
While a spammer might be willing to pay a small monthly fee to join the site, spam the forums, and then cancel, most won't be willing to pay a joining fee.
5. The joining fee helps the site owner generate more revenue up-front from each member, providing the site owner incentive to add even more content to the download library.
With the money pool that we are putting together for the recurring payments, can we address joining fees at the same time?
BTW - I will mail my share next week. Is the address on the contact page the correct one to receive payment? |