Response to the Future of NikonGear.net/.com/.org

[ColinM]

Is there any value in sending a short email to the 2,500 people who haven't subscribed?
(doesn't need to be "pushy")

At the moment, they'll only know the situation when they next log in.
I'm sure at least a few of them might happily subscribe if they knew.

Just a thought....

[Erik Lund]

Is there any value in sending a short email to the 2,500 people who haven't subscribed?
(doesn't need to be "pushy")

At the moment, they'll only know the situation when they next log in.
I'm sure at least a few of them might happily subscribe if they knew.

Just a thought....

Thank you!

This is definitely a very important topic and for sure we will look into what we can do to keep NikonGear up and running.
 
JA ensures me more subscriptions has been paid already! Thank you all for the support!

[Luc]

I have the same issue with memory.  Personally, I do not need an automatic renewal but DID appreciate it when I would get a message around the time of renewal.  That feature seems to have dropped off the platform and I had to check from this thread to see that mine subscription has expired.

I also missed a reminder. I've now payed my supporter fee and added a yearly reminder in my personal Agenda. Simple and effective.

[Hugh_3170]

Luc, that is what I have also ended up doing.

I also missed a reminder. I've now payed my supporter fee and added a yearly reminder in my personal Agenda. Simple and effective.

[Birna Rørslett]

If people are visiting NG on a more regular basis, they should also appreciate the need for having a solid funding for running the site. We don't making it compulsory to be a subscriber if you post images or otherwise use site resources. Let your conscience be the necessary guide.

It is at present unlikely we'll send out mass "beggar" mails. What we might hope for is the future number of supporters increase to  a level at which subscription fee can be slashed significantly.

[BillO]

If people are visiting NG on a more regular basis, they should also appreciate the need for having a solid funding for running the site. We don't making it compulsory to be a subscriber if you post images or otherwise use site resources. Let your conscience be the necessary guide.

It is at present unlikely we'll send out mass "beggar" mails. What we might hope for is the future number of supporters increase to  a level at which subscription fee can be slashed significantly.

While I can appreciate that you don't want to send out a couple thousand "beggar" e-mails.  What about a simple reminder for those of us who have, and are, supporters but don't track dates that well.  How about something simple like a reminder positioned around the login/greeting:

"supporter status is active thru: date"

[Hugh_3170]

Maybe send out a reminder message to everyone in about 12 months time since many people have renewed their subscriptions in the last week or so?

While I can appreciate that you don't want to send out a couple thousand "beggar" e-mails.  What about a simple reminder for those of us who have, and are, supporters but don't track dates that well.  How about something simple like a reminder positioned around the login/greeting:

"supporter status is active thru: date"

[Birna Rørslett]

When the subscription isn't renewed, the member loses the double yellow marks, and is shown in black not yellow font Thus the status change should be pretty obvious?.

[Ian Watson]

That is how I tend to remember but it does not work for our subscribing lurkers.

[Ashlandish]

Might be helpful if there were a highly visible link for new subscriptions, and an easy way to gift a subscription or two.

I’m seldom much of a contributor here, being a bit shy to post for no good reason, but I’ll remain a supporter until the end—whether mine or this site’s.

I enjoy the images and information and personalities, and especially the civil discourse. This is a community to be treasured (even from the periphery) and preserved.

Whenever someone leaves or is absent for periods, or passes away, I feel a sad, even though I don’t really know anyone here and no one knows me—sadness compounded if this community passes.

[MFloyd]

I became aware that I was not a paying member anymore. So this has now been renewed. Knowing that I’m systematically refusing automatic renewals. Next time, I will to have to put a reminder to renew my subscription.

[Akira]

If I remember and understand correctly, the posters name shown at the above-left corner of each post will turn from orange to brown when the annual subscription is expired.

So, posting even sparsely could be a good way to know when to renew the subscription. 

[Snoogly]

I have been looking at PayPal again, and I can’t see any way to set up automatic payment each year. Has anyone else managed to set it up?

[Jan Anne]

I have been looking at PayPal again, and I can’t see any way to set up automatic payment each year. Has anyone else managed to set it up?

When subscribing there is a checkmark to renew it automatically each year.

This was the default setting when setting up the payment mechanism in 2015 but this surprised some supporters in various ways, some did not want to extend and others extended twice by also doing it manually with subscriptions running till 2026+ as the automation simply extends the NG Supporter subscription period after each received payment. We refunded the additional payments after checking with the subscribers what to do.

So the automatic extension was made an opt-in feature a few years ago instead of an opt-out feature and we did not receive a complaint since about the double payments.

[RobOK]

I am a mostly lurker, sometimes poster. I am truly inspired in the art, craft, and science of photography by the people here, many who post daily or near daily. That inspiration and education is worth more than 20 EUR (less than 2 per month!) to me and I have other photography and media expenses that are far higher. I suspect there are many here who are willing to contribute more. Earlier in the thread there was a point about displaying the "health" of the forum (I am paraphrasing) and I think that or similar would be good.

If some of us want to support at a higher level, how do we do that?

Thanks to the whole NG team especially Birna!