New VIP System

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:49 pm Post subject:

This is what's stuck in my craw. With out that ISP, I can't listen to SST... it's an unfair comparison. I see this argument all over the place, not just here on SST. And as far as I am concerned it's an erroneous comparison. After all, where does it end?

You're right, to feel guilty or not is up to me. I refuse to. But the insinuation is there that I should be able to cough up $5 a month, just because I can afford something else, and that's simply not the case. Would it help that I had hoped to become a VIP, I just cannot do it right now, and now with impending health reasons, I probably won't be able to this year. Then again, things could be different in 6 months.

In my opinion, the best way to get people to sign up for VIP is to find out what would get them to do so. Me, if it was the only way to get the 64k/128k and I could have favorites.... that alone might be enough. Being able to request more often is almost enough on it's own, but the queue is usually long enough that I rarely have the need or desire to add to it.

Maybe the reason people aren't signing up for VIP is because they're still trying to pay off Christmas.

I think I have just realized something. No matter what you do, the number of free listeners will always outnumber the VIPs. And now that I've thought about it, the reason for it is pretty basic and simple. Those that do sign up for it, are the regulars we all see. They are the ones donating albums and spending time in the forums, and keeping things alive in the chat room. It's because they are the ones that are passionate about it. They are the ones that cleared their schedules for the Morricone concert. They are the ones that care. They are the ones that know the difference between all the Adiago tracks. They are the ones that have taught people like me more about soundtracks than I would have thought possible. Unfortunately there is less of people like that than there are people like me. The tone-deaf, partially dyslexic average joe who just simply wants to listen to something while they work.

Mathematically, it works out something like this:
# of Listeners > # of Registered members > # of people who infrequently participate (forums/chat) > # of people who regularly participate > # of people that are passionate enough to sign up for VIP.

I was going to ask about the conversion rate of L365 VIPs that have moved over to SST VIP status, but 1) That's not really any of my biz, and 2) Based on what I've seen, it looks like there has been a problem on L365 side in letting go.

I still think there needs to be some kind of research done to find out why people aren't signing up for VIP status. It's clear that the current list of benes isn't enough or people would be signing up in droves. Granted that has to be balanced with not alienating the existing membership (paid and unpaid).

Have some VIP-only contests with some really cool prizes.

I still think 3-4 weeks isn't enough time to gauge if something will work. Something of this magnitude needs a couple to three months to really take hold. If it's still not working at that point, then it's time to re-evaluate. Sour the free stuff, sweeten the VIP stuff.

But this is all just my opinion. You can take it or leave it for what it's worth.

-akm/tg

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:37 am Post subject:

I think that GD made an excellent point regarding this situation in a different thread:

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject:

I looked at the Rankings page and noticed that of the 16,900 members, approx. 15,600 have never posted in the Forums. That's 92%! If BQ is correct, and only 10% of the remainder pay or donate, that's a lot of people to carry. It tallies with my guesstimate that say 1,500-2,000 members are active members, that is they do something (request, chat or post) at least once a month on average.

I paid for SST VIP membership because I want to hear new music, so I like to request my choices rather than wait for them to appear in the playlist queue. I feel for those who, more often than not, are faced with a 2-3 hour queue and a 30 minute wait to request. That can mean a long time sitting at or near a computer.

I think it may be that time, or lack of it, is what prevents many from paying for membership. Working full-time I can only visit the site 2 or 3 times a week, and I can't always sit at my computer waiting to listen to a few tracks. I don't have the download limit to stream SST like a radio. So some people may not want to pay for their own (self-imposed) limited access to SST's features. I imagine Pay TV must struggle for the same reasons. I wouldn't pay the monthly subscription for a premium Movie Channel because I simply do not have the time to watch enough movies to justify the cost.

I think in the long run, when there is a real consolidation of technology (computer, radio, hi-fi & TV), that a internet radio station may attract more paying members, especially if the price of broadband and unlimited download volume makes listening to SST as easy as turning on the radio at home to listen to an FM station.

I can understand people who feel entitled to a free service (after all, most of us have enjoyed free radio and TV all our lives), and this extends to the internet. Such is the influence of the World Wide Web that many cannot remember a time without it, and so we take for granted media and entertainment that are free, but once never existed. SST provides a service that would otherwise never be available and I am happy to pay for that privilege. If I woke up tomorrow and SST had gone, I would survive. I would keep reading reviews and buying CDs, but goodness knows my life would be poorer without it.

I like to envisage a future when listening to the SST stream will be as easy as downloading a favorite TV show or movie. Times are changing, techonology is improving, and I hope SST hangs in there.

It may take a decade for things to improve, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, I have no problem with SST bringing in advertisers now if it helps pay for the running of the website. I just hope it will be possible for VIP's to bypass this for a price!
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 12:55 pm Post subject:

Sounds excellent.
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject:

My previous idea has evolved. Why not charge a once-in-a-lifetime registration fee for everyone, on the order of $1 or $2? Yes, that means people who have been carrying on for free now have to pay, but I believe a fee like that is the definition of nominal. That would mean a few dollars a day from new people. Who knows? It may encourage people to participate more. And if it's not free from the beginning, the sense of entitlement may be diminished.

I say, let the dead bury the dead. Or something like that. Maybe send a warning to last known address for people who haven't signed on since registering (if that can be seen) and give them a grace period to confirm their existence and registration for free. Those that don't can be deleted, with the option always open to re-register, but not for free.

As for that movie trailer thing, that would definitley be more interesting than ads for toe fungus cream. But they wouldn't be part of the audio stream, would they? That beggars belief. Maybe somewhere else on the site. I suppose we can cross that bridge when we come to it.
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject:

I say, let the dead bury the dead. Or something like that. Maybe send a warning to last known address for people who haven't signed on since registering (if that can be seen) and give them a grace period to confirm their existence and registration for free. Those that don't can be deleted, with the option always open to re-register, but not for free.

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:46 am Post subject:

It is worth concidering for sure, but I expect that it sounds good only in theory.
In fact it would be rather another barrier preventing people from becoming SST members.

For example I think I wouldn't be here if such rule was implemented two years ago.

BTW: Some way of verification of "dead" SST members is a good idea. But my opinion is that it's not a good way of gaining money for the site.
It won't be big money, I suppose, and - for me - there is always some risk of "damage" of current SST image in listener's eyes as effect of such policy.

It all depends on what we want to achieve. Stay friendly for all users giving them a lot of SST free, or turn into more commercial way of running the site. Or stay a place for all or become more "elite" community.

*Edited to correct way of qouting*
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