Poll Results: Site Sponsorships
Talk about a close one...
Monday, December 10, 2007 by Zoomba | Discussion: WinCustomize News
Wow, last week's poll was a lively one! And the results at the end were far and away different from how things were looking near the start of the week. To recap, the discussion was around additional ways to support the site in the future. One possibility that had been presented to us by our ad rep was a Site Sponsorship, a graphic that would be placed somewhere on the site for the duration of the sponsorship. The catch is that the image would be visible to everyone, even subscribers.
Here's how the voting came out:
The surprise for me by the end of the week was how much the "I might leave" option grew. For most of the week, the response seemed to be more or less receptive to the idea. But it ended out the week with a third of the vote. With the voting over, those in favor came out with 57% of the vote, while those opposed had 41%. With the voting coming so close, it's an issue we'll have to continue to debate before making any decisions.
The discussion on the topic went well over 100 posts, and remained entirely civil and constructive. It's probably one of the best discussions on site policy I've seen here in a long time. Thank you to everyone who tossed in their $0.02 and helped me get a better idea of where the community stood on the issue.
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Reply #22 Monday, December 10, 2007 6:37 PM
I doubt they would leave but they may not re-subscribe.
Since I'm Stardock customer, and I already had the only blind in the giveaways that is Vista and WB6 ready, ad free was the main benefit for me to subscribe. Well, that and the fact that this was a charity drive that would help the kids, I figured what the hell, I spend that much for a few beers at the pub, I'll stay at home for a night and subscribe. Now that I'm subscribed until 2010, I'll give it a few years and see how many ads this turns into. If it gets out of hand and they multiply too much, there will be little reason for me to re-subscribe since I will still be a Stardock customer. Now that I think about it, there is another perk I like...the 100 blinds per page is really nice.
Reply #23 Monday, December 10, 2007 6:37 PM
Myself.. I could care less.
Reply #24 Monday, December 10, 2007 6:50 PM
I find it hard to believe that Stardock would shut the site down even if it loses money. It would hurt Stardock's sales too greatly for them to shut it down. If this site didn't exist I never would have bought Object Desktop, and if it shuts down, I doubt I would buy it again.
There are not enough sites to take up the slack, as Zubaz thinks there are, and there is no other site that has near the collection of skins that Wincustomize does.
The ship will stay afloat as long as Stardock stays in business.
Reply #25 Monday, December 10, 2007 6:56 PM
Before the success of Galctic Civilizations there was talk of closing the site by the Power that be's.
Reply #26 Monday, December 10, 2007 7:10 PM
I also would not renew without WC.
Reply #27 Monday, December 10, 2007 7:32 PM
If WC would shut down, which I don't see happening, all the skinners here would not just stop skinning. They would find a home. Guess who would follow them, yep, all those people who didn't want to subscribe, and of course, the rest of us.
Reply #28 Monday, December 10, 2007 7:32 PM
Same with me. I would be willing to dish out more money to keep the site going.
Reply #29 Monday, December 10, 2007 7:38 PM
I would also, but then that gets us back to some of what was brought up, only a small group keeping the site open for everyone. (
Reply #30 Monday, December 10, 2007 7:38 PM
Reply #31 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:08 PM
If WC would shut down, which I don't see happening, all the skinners here would not just stop skinning. They would find a home. Guess who would follow them, yep, all those people who didn't want to subscribe, and of course, the rest of us.
From Stardock's perspective, WinCustomize has to live or die on its own. It's been a very close thing for the past couple years between keeping WinCustomize around versus closing it and teaming up with deviantART.
The net result of the debate is that WinCustomize.com has to be able to pay its own bills by the end of this fiscal year (June 30th) or face drastic measures. Right now, it's not quite breaking even but it's getting closer each month.
I suspect subscriptions are going to be changed next year to be $29.95 per year with users getting deeper discounts on Master skins. I also suspect non-subscribers are going to end up with a LOOOTTT more ads than what they see today (think full-screen ads like what you see on other sites).
Reply #33 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:19 PM
Reply #34 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:24 PM
Reply #35 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:32 PM
Reply #36 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:34 PM
Not real crazy about an even larger cut into what little I get from skin sales either.(tho I did very much appreciate the money I did get,that I wouldnt have gotten)
Dosnt cover the amount of effort yet...but I hope that changes...and when you live on AID,any amount seems huge...plus skinning gives me something to do.
Reply #37 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:35 PM
IMHO more like being swallowed up. Like LightStar, nothing personal, but the thought of this scenario is is just devastating. (
Reply #38 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:37 PM
Viva WC !!!
& Maxstyles
Reply #39 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:44 PM
talk about a death wish. Sorry you see it that way Brad.
Stardock never would have made it without WC. It was/is the perfect match and the unique factor. Obviously, SD has made quite a bit of money despite the money pit that is WC. DA would kill the skinning community as we know it today. The skinning community keeps stardock alive. Without the fine contributors that freely have made the thousands of skins for SD products you would have had to pay to have them made by a select handful of people. I don't know what I'm missing in this common sense equation, or what you fail to see. I'm not trying to stir a shitpile here. I would just like to know what makes you see it the way you do?
Reply #40 Monday, December 10, 2007 8:44 PM
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Reply #21 Monday, December 10, 2007 6:07 PM
But if that's the sole reason that some folks subscribe, just to not see ads, and they would leave because of 1 static add on the page...that seems kinda sad to me.