WaterfowlForum.Net

So now that WFF has moved to a paid hosting company some of you have expressed an interest in helping out financially. I have been giving this a lot of thought lately, I want to make it very clear that I got into this knowing the cost and have no problem with always funding the site out of my own pocket.

That being said I have three ideas about helping with funding the site for the foreseeable future. These ideas are in order of my favorite to least favorite.

1. We start a paid membership program here on the site. For a fixed amount per year you become a member here on WFF. It comes with some benefits, like a special forum with super super lax rules that would be just for members (maybe turn the DD into this forum) your user name in a speical color or a speical title under your name denoting that you're a paid member. I'd like see other things like an increased say in how this site is run as members, maybe include a membership package when you join giving out stickers or even a t-shirt in the future.

The reason I like this idea the most is because you guys are actually getting something for your money. Be it the physical item in your hand or the special forum.

2. I put up a simple donation button and see how that works.

I like this also because it doesn't put pressure on anyone to donate.

3. This is my least favorite idea. I start taking paid advertising from vendors. The reasons I do not like this are it would mean having to please some vendors who might not like that the site is a little less friendly than other forums out there and it would also mean putting banners and signs on the site.

To me WFF is about friends/BSing/ duck hunting. Not about trying to sell you something or making money.

Those are my ideas, I want all your guys input good or bad on this issue. I know most of you aren't used to a forum being so open with these things but I really want you guys to know I look at this as a community site and not owned by one individual.

I say do what you need to do Olly. I know you started this as a hobby of sorts, but at a certain point a hobby needs to fund itself.

I vote the way you have the options listed.

But mostly what Tre' said

Like I said at the beginning of the post I don't need any help with the site financially (seriously). This isn't a request, it's a response to y'alls input.

How much did you figure those stickers are gonna cost you to make and ship? Why don't you start out by doubleing your money on those instead of giving them away? I would think that most here would be willing to send a "donation" to the site for the sticker.

I want a purple name and a special forum

jehler wrote:I want a purple name and a special forum

I already tried for a special color name and got denied.

Olly
I'm up for whatever. I don't think you will build a huge user group if the whole site is pay to play but having a 1% club in addition to the open forum might raise some funds. What you need is traffic and sponsers. I think nothing but DD would offend a sponser. If you can build up users, then selling Tshirts and stickers will help generate funds also. I say we need to spread the word about the site and then weed out the Topwaters as needed. Let me know how I can help.

3legged_lab wrote:I say do what you need to do Olly. I know you started this as a hobby of sorts, but at a certain point a hobby needs to fund itself.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Olly , You own it so you decide Im in what ever that is. Just let me know how much and where to send the check.

OGblackcloud wrote:Olly , You own it so you decide Im in what ever that is. Just let me know how much and where to send the check.

x2.

I'm up for donations or whatever way you want to work it. But if it's paid members with a say in things, I'll certainly pay, but I don't want a say. Because I'm an inherently lazy bastard.

assateague wrote:

OGblackcloud wrote:Olly , You own it so you decide Im in what ever that is. Just let me know how much and where to send the check.

x2.

I'm up for donations or whatever way you want to work it. But if it's paid members with a say in things, I'll certainly pay, but I don't want a say. Because I'm an inherently lazy bastard.

yea I don't wanna be held accountable for anything. But I'll send money no problamo.

Oh and can my title be changed to Kingsh!t?

Olly wrote:Like I said at the beginning of the post I don't need any help with the site financially (seriously). This isn't a request, it's a response to y'alls input.

If it's not too personal, what is the actual cost per year? Not that I care, but I've always wanted to know the cost of owning a site. Does it cost more the bigger you get? I like the idea of option #1 and I'm in for whatever option is chosen. Make it happen!

P.S. Dibs on my name being in Neon Yellow font.

Eric Haynes wrote:

Olly wrote:Like I said at the beginning of the post I don't need any help with the site financially (seriously). This isn't a request, it's a response to y'alls input.

If it's not too personal, what is the actual cost per year? Not that I care, but I've always wanted to know the cost of owning a site. Does it cost more the bigger you get? I like the idea of option #1 and I'm in for whatever option is chosen. Make it happen!

P.S. Dibs on my name being in Neon Yellow font.

don't tell him Olly. He's already pm'd me trying to get me to join his new waterfowl forum...Duckduckgoose.net

Redbeard wrote:

Eric Haynes wrote:

Olly wrote:Like I said at the beginning of the post I don't need any help with the site financially (seriously). This isn't a request, it's a response to y'alls input.

If it's not too personal, what is the actual cost per year? Not that I care, but I've always wanted to know the cost of owning a site. Does it cost more the bigger you get? I like the idea of option #1 and I'm in for whatever option is chosen. Make it happen!

P.S. Dibs on my name being in Neon Yellow font.

don't tell him Olly. He's already pm'd me trying to get me to join his new waterfowl forum...Duckduckgoose.net

You can tell he's lying because that name is too original. I would have went with something super cool like waterfoulforum.net

Red, those PMs were confidential:cry:

Eric Haynes wrote:

Redbeard wrote:

Eric Haynes wrote:

Olly wrote:Like I said at the beginning of the post I don't need any help with the site financially (seriously). This isn't a request, it's a response to y'alls input.

If it's not too personal, what is the actual cost per year? Not that I care, but I've always wanted to know the cost of owning a site. Does it cost more the bigger you get? I like the idea of option #1 and I'm in for whatever option is chosen. Make it happen!

P.S. Dibs on my name being in Neon Yellow font.

don't tell him Olly. He's already pm'd me trying to get me to join his new waterfowl forum...Duckduckgoose.net

You can tell he's lying because that name is too original. I would have went with something super cool like waterfoulforum.net

Red, those PMs were confidential:cry:

sorry I got Olly's back bro. No homo

I want my special user name for the proposed site change to be "shouldbeaguide"... Whadya say?

Redbeard wrote:

Eric Haynes wrote:

Redbeard wrote:

Eric Haynes wrote:

Olly wrote:Like I said at the beginning of the post I don't need any help with the site financially (seriously). This isn't a request, it's a response to y'alls input.

If it's not too personal, what is the actual cost per year? Not that I care, but I've always wanted to know the cost of owning a site. Does it cost more the bigger you get? I like the idea of option #1 and I'm in for whatever option is chosen. Make it happen!

P.S. Dibs on my name being in Neon Yellow font.

don't tell him Olly. He's already pm'd me trying to get me to join his new waterfowl forum...Duckduckgoose.net

You can tell he's lying because that name is too original. I would have went with something super cool like waterfoulforum.net

Red, those PMs were confidential:cry:

sorry I got Olly's back bro. No homo

You would

I definitely would like to keep it ad free. Also agree that people who donate should get something tangible for it. I like the first option best but I wana throw the idea of membership levels out there maybe three different levels three different prices. The more you pay the more you get.


Sent from Olly's basement using Turpaturk

My only true concern is that our sign-up/join numbers may start to decline rather quickly, due to having to pay for a duck hunting forum, considering there are a few more out there to choose from that are free. Yes I do understand that the proposal to charge a fee, would also come with perks per se. I do understand that having sponsors with adds would be annoying, but overall would it be better for the website as far as new potential members? Who knows? Its a tough egg to crack, but this is the delima.

Good point, new members most likely won't jump in blind and pay for a site they don't know.

I for one would not be bothered at all by sponsor banners. Besides, I like it when a new sponsor does a giveaway.

FlintRiverFowler wrote:I definitely would like to keep it ad free. Also agree that people who donate should get something tangible for it. I like the first option best but I wana throw the idea of membership levels out there maybe three different levels three different prices. The more you pay the more you get.


Sent from Olly's basement using Turpaturk

how much for a hand job?

Redbeard wrote:

FlintRiverFowler wrote:I definitely would like to keep it ad free. Also agree that people who donate should get something tangible for it. I like the first option best but I wana throw the idea of membership levels out there maybe three different levels three different prices. The more you pay the more you get.


Sent from Olly's basement using Turpaturk

how much for a hand job?

ZJ?

Redbeard wrote:

FlintRiverFowler wrote:I definitely would like to keep it ad free. Also agree that people who donate should get something tangible for it. I like the first option best but I wana throw the idea of membership levels out there maybe three different levels three different prices. The more you pay the more you get.


Sent from Olly's basement using Turpaturk

how much for a hand job?

That's the life time membership level.

I would think a few ads would cover the cost. They wouldn't bother me since I'm always using tapatalk. I think the site should fund itself. But it's your site Olly.

JGUN wrote:I would think a few ads would cover the cost. They wouldn't bother me since I'm always using tapatalk. I think the site should fund itself. But it's your site Olly.

x2

benelliquackstacker wrote:My only true concern is that our sign-up/join numbers may start to decline rather quickly, due to having to pay for a duck hunting forum, considering there are a few more out there to choose from that are free. Yes I do understand that the proposal to charge a fee, would also come with perks per se. I do understand that having sponsors with adds would be annoying, but overall would it be better for the website as far as new potential members? Who knows? Its a tough egg to crack, but this is the delima.

the way I understand it.
Under the paid membership "program" that olly proposed there would still be a free membership option available. Having a paid membership would just come with a few extra perks. Name in a different color. Maybe access to a private forum for paid members,stickers, tshirts Etc... So it wouldn't be that anyone was required to pay there would just be some incentive.


Sent using tapatalk

The idea for the paid membership came from a Jeep forum I was a member of for a while.

http://www.naxja.org/html/membership_faq.htm

Those are some of the things you got there for being a member.

Olly wrote:

Redbeard wrote:

FlintRiverFowler wrote:I definitely would like to keep it ad free. Also agree that people who donate should get something tangible for it. I like the first option best but I wana throw the idea of membership levels out there maybe three different levels three different prices. The more you pay the more you get.


Sent from Olly's basement using Turpaturk

how much for a hand job?

That's the life time membership level.

What about dry hobo jerks, they should be cheaper.

What ever you decide Olly the kalifornia spoondogies are on board.