Weekly Poll: Subscription Changes
Vote early, vote often!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 by Zoomba | Discussion: WinCustomize News
Yes, I know it's Wednesday and I'm just now posting the poll thread for the week. And I'm also aware that the poll has in fact been up for a full day already. There are very good reasons for all of this, I assure you. With all the announcements and major news going on the last two days, I didn't want the big "VOTE NOW" button to be lost in the chaos. I also wanted to give people a day or so for the news to sink in.
So by now you've no doubt read about the fantabulous changes we've made to the WinCustomize Subscription (and probably got a chuckle as we joked over the "real" reason for the change).
The short version is subscribers will now be getting 12 Stardock Design skins per year for free, but the price of the subscription has increased by $10 to pay for it (still a killer deal for the subscriber).
What I'd like to know is how people overall feel about the change. Like it? Love it? Hate it more than anything you've ever encountered in your long and tortured life? Let us know!
angus1949
Reply #3 Wednesday, May 7, 2008 3:03 PM
Time will tell for me on the changes. My annual software budget is just about stretched to the max. And with this economic "slow down" (DEPRESSION), it's going to get worse for many of us this year.IMHO. 
Reply #3 Wednesday, May 7, 2008 3:03 PM
I find it's the young folks that like to torture the older members of the community. Why is that?
Yeah we young guys just love to torture you old guys. Puts all the fun in the "S" part of "S&M". 
Time will tell for me on the changes. My annual software budget is just about stretched to the max. And with this economic "slow down" (DEPRESSION), it's going to get worse for many of us this year.IMHO. 
Cherokee Kid
Reply #4 Wednesday, May 7, 2008 4:31 PM
Reply #4 Wednesday, May 7, 2008 4:31 PM
I'm thinking of taking my annual software budget and eat more than one meal a day. Tired of paying and paying for things that don't count?
ALMonty
Reply #5 Wednesday, May 7, 2008 5:34 PM
Reply #5 Wednesday, May 7, 2008 5:34 PM
I wish there was a warning when this was happening. I would have bought 5 more subscriptions. Do you get a % off if your an ODNT subscriber?
The__Goo
Reply #7 Friday, May 9, 2008 12:41 PM
Reply #7 Friday, May 9, 2008 12:41 PM
Reply #5 ALMontyMay 7, 2008 5:34 PMI wish there was a warning when this was
I agree whole heartedly on that
The__Goo
Reply #8 Friday, May 9, 2008 1:22 PM
Reply #8 Friday, May 9, 2008 1:22 PM
Personally I think this cost increase is a way of sticking it to the subscribers so Stardock can make more money. The cost of Stardock creating 12 themes once a year and charging 10 dollars to every subscriber is just a way to for Stardock to make more money and doing what you think to keep us from objecting.
Lets say you have 10,000 (and that is a short estimate with member number hitting well over 3 million)
Thats 100,000 dollars just for the first 10 thousand subscribers. You have over 3,000,000 members but we know that a lot of them are not active so lets take a third of that and that leaves 1 million subscribers. At that amount that's 10,000,000 dollar increase in sales. But lets be generous and lets just say you have 10 percent of that. Thats 100,000 users and at 10 dollar increase for each subscription that gives you a 1 million dollar increase in sales. And all we get is for you to generate 12 skins per year. The lets say you have 12 or so guy back there who can make a decent skin, then all they have to do is each make 1 per year and then at my current inaccurate estimate that would be more than 83,000 dollars of guaranteed sales per skin. If I was a pro-skinner and was able to bet on sales like that... well.. lets just say I would burn the little rubber feet of my mouse in no time.
Anyways, that my humble opinion. Anyways, that my humble opinion. What am I supposed to do if the 83,000 dollar skin doesn't suit my taste. You are in a sense forcing me to buy it. Can you guarantee that i will like and use it. Am I going to get what I paid for. You stated that you are giving away 12 skins per year but need to increase that subscription rate to pay for it.
Lets say you have 10,000 (and that is a short estimate with member number hitting well over 3 million)
Thats 100,000 dollars just for the first 10 thousand subscribers. You have over 3,000,000 members but we know that a lot of them are not active so lets take a third of that and that leaves 1 million subscribers. At that amount that's 10,000,000 dollar increase in sales. But lets be generous and lets just say you have 10 percent of that. Thats 100,000 users and at 10 dollar increase for each subscription that gives you a 1 million dollar increase in sales. And all we get is for you to generate 12 skins per year. The lets say you have 12 or so guy back there who can make a decent skin, then all they have to do is each make 1 per year and then at my current inaccurate estimate that would be more than 83,000 dollars of guaranteed sales per skin. If I was a pro-skinner and was able to bet on sales like that... well.. lets just say I would burn the little rubber feet of my mouse in no time.
Anyways, that my humble opinion. Anyways, that my humble opinion. What am I supposed to do if the 83,000 dollar skin doesn't suit my taste. You are in a sense forcing me to buy it. Can you guarantee that i will like and use it. Am I going to get what I paid for. You stated that you are giving away 12 skins per year but need to increase that subscription rate to pay for it.
Pricing Because we are now offering $60 in free skins a year, the pricing of the WinCustomize Subscription is changing. Effective immediately, a WinCustomize subscription costs $29.95 per year and you'll renew on a year-to-year basis (i.e. no more 2 year renewals). You will receive all the old benefits of a WC Subscription, only now for $10 extra you're getting $60 in skins.
KarmaGirl
Reply #9 Friday, May 9, 2008 1:45 PM
Reply #9 Friday, May 9, 2008 1:45 PM
Do you get a % off if your an ODNT subscriber?
I think we are working out bundle deals (like discounts if you have/buy other software programs).
ZubaZ
Reply #10 Friday, May 9, 2008 1:54 PM
I think the increase is due to the fact that it is needed to support the site. 3 million (or whatever the current day's traffic is) has a cost.
It was the same for a LONG time. That surprises me more than *this* change.
So they made the change in the subscription . . but . .
Reply #10 Friday, May 9, 2008 1:54 PM
You will receive all the old benefits of a WC Subscription, only now for $10 extra you're getting
I think the increase is due to the fact that it is needed to support the site. 3 million (or whatever the current day's traffic is) has a cost.
It was the same for a LONG time. That surprises me more than *this* change.
So they made the change in the subscription . . but . .
- Grandfathered in all existing subscriptions
- Are giving 12 skins a year as a bonus
Commander Phil
Reply #11 Saturday, May 10, 2008 2:49 AM
Reply #11 Saturday, May 10, 2008 2:49 AM
Hi Zubaz. 
I have no problem with the fact that Stardock is a business and at the end of the day needs to cover costs and then make a profit. The cost of hosting approx 3 million hits per day must be a real drain on finacial resources. I don't even have a real problem with the cost of the first year's subscription rising by US$10. (50% increase) I do have a bit of a problem with the renewal cost rising from US$19.95 for TWO years to US$29.95 for ONE year. (200% increase per year) 
Such a price rise in one hit seems to be overkill. It appears to be a case of making the members pay for the costs incurred by the non-members once again! I am however pleased that Stardock has 'Grandfathered in' all existing subscriptions. Thankyou. Commander Phil
I have no problem with the fact that Stardock is a business and at the end of the day needs to cover costs and then make a profit. The cost of hosting approx 3 million hits per day must be a real drain on finacial resources. I don't even have a real problem with the cost of the first year's subscription rising by US$10. (50% increase) I do have a bit of a problem with the renewal cost rising from US$19.95 for TWO years to US$29.95 for ONE year. (200% increase per year) Such a price rise in one hit seems to be overkill. It appears to be a case of making the members pay for the costs incurred by the non-members once again! I am however pleased that Stardock has 'Grandfathered in' all existing subscriptions. Thankyou. Commander Phil
Jafo
Reply #12 Saturday, May 10, 2008 3:30 AM
Reply #12 Saturday, May 10, 2008 3:30 AM
Thats 100,000 dollars just for the first 10 thousand subscribers. You have over 3,000,000 members but we know that a lot of them are not active so lets take a third of that and that leaves 1 million subscribers. At that amount that's 10,000,000 dollar increase in sales. But lets be generous and lets just say you have 10 percent of that. Thats 100,000 users and at 10 dollar increase for each subscription that gives you a 1 million dollar increase in sales. And all we get is for you to generate 12 skins per year. The lets say you have 12 or so guy back there who can make a decent skin, then all they have to do is each make 1 per year and then at my current inaccurate estimate that would be more than 83,000 dollars of guaranteed sales per skin. If I was a pro-skinner and was able to bet on sales like that... well.. lets just say I would burn the little rubber feet of my mouse in no time.
If only.
About the only number there that's even in the correct order of magnitude is the '3,000,000 members' .....closer to a bit over 3.5.
Other than that, it ain't 'generosity', more 'fantasy' ....
Wizard1956
Reply #14 Saturday, May 10, 2008 12:22 PM
Reply #14 Saturday, May 10, 2008 12:22 PM
"The short version is subscribers will now be getting 12 Stardock Design skins per year for free, but the price of the subscription has increased by $10 to pay for it (still a killer deal for the subscriber)." I just re-read that. 
Imho, that's a mis-statement. The price was going to increase anyway (rising costs) and is deserved. The free skins are a way of saying thank you for sticking with WinCustomize.That's how I choose to look at it anyway. 
Non-members become members, most all started out as "visitors"
Imho, that's a mis-statement. The price was going to increase anyway (rising costs) and is deserved. The free skins are a way of saying thank you for sticking with WinCustomize.That's how I choose to look at it anyway. It appears to be a case of making the members pay for the costs incurred by the non-members once again!
Non-members become members, most all started out as "visitors"
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Reply #1 Wednesday, May 7, 2008 10:51 AM
For some of us that covers a lot of time.
I find it's the young folks that like to torture the older members of the community. Why is that?
What's not to like with the changes that are coming? I took advantage of the two year renewals, now I get free skins for a couple of years before I have to renew again. Heck by that time who knows what you folks will be giving away. I like chocolate by the way.
I may be old, but I can still identify a good deal when I see it.