All Non-Plats come inside here.

[needtogetaas]

The subscription business model for information is pretty much dead. Newspapers and magazines are dying because information "wants to be free." Unless you have VERY unique information (think WallstreetJournal.com) then a subscription model doesn't make sense.

As great as EF is, the information isn't all that unique. It's a great community and a board with great features, but there just isn't enough here to justify the Plat membership. The best part of the membership is ones ability to search. However, all pages seem to be indexed by Google, meaning anyone that digs a bit can manipulate the Google to return only results from EF. Even better, you can create your own Google based search engine and index EF along with other BB sites and search them all for free.

My guess is that Plat membership sales make up about 8% of total revenue. This is typical of vertical sites like EF. How many more pageviews could be generated if the internal search and other Plat features were free? Membership revenue could easily be replaced by the additional advertising inventory.

I support the site by buying supplements almost exclusively from board sponsors. Perhaps there should be a points system that allows EF members to earn Plat membership and EF gear (hats, shirts, whatever) based on how much they buy from participating sponsors. However, any good SEO/SEM e-marketer would tell you to dump the Plat system and move to a 100% advertising supported business model.

Or keep the plat but make just the search part free?

 

[02gixxersix]

I was Plat forever. I think it's a great idea for newbies because you can search, but to be honest I just don't want to pay $11 a month to use the search function. When I want to search there are other sites I go to, and I have a lot of threads bookmarked or I'm subscribed to them.

To put things in perspective, Jeep Forum which is much larger than this site if I'm not mistaken is only $29 a year, or $150 for a lifetime membership. For $30 a year I would keep my plat, and with the number of members (170k I think Frank told me) I think the owners of the site would be doing just fine.

My original point is that if you are new to steroids, plat is the way to go because the majority of the good info needs to be searched for. I also think paying to search is ridiculous. Sorry if that sounded like a rant but it kind of was.

 

[cydex01]

Three questions :

#1 If you are not Plat, what is the reason why?

#2 If you are not Plat, what is something that *I* can do to make you consider becoming Plat?

#3 If you are not Plat, what is something *EF* can do to make you consider becoming Plat?

Serious questions here. There are really no wrong answers. No flaming responses here either.

If you need to PM me in private about your reasons, do so. I am open to all suggestions, criticisms, and complaints.

1) I was plat for about a year or so when I was spending hours a day on the site. The best feature about being plat was being able to use the search tool effectively. A tool most any/every forum on the internet gives you for free. Now, I'm more knowledgeable and it isn't worth my money to spend on that search tool anymore.

2/3) The only way I'd consider becoming plat again is if I found myself on EF for a large portion of my time again and felt I wanted to give back to the community.
Or, there was some product bundled with plat that made it worth my while to pick up the service, such as discounts with the sponsors like AG, GPZ (I believe GPZ is a sponsor), or SourceCheck (or whatever that new sponsor is).

Otherwise, my occasional question I have can usually be answered with a quick search/post within the plethora of bodybuilding sites out there.

When I come to EF, I can't help but to feel like there's a lot of folks here trying to sell me things I don't necessarily need for, what seems to me, an outrageous amount of money.

On the other hand, the absolute *best* thing about EF is the extremely knowledgeable people that do post on these boards, which are often the same people trying to make a living off those products.

Give and take I suppose.

I'm uncertain what the best route for EF to take is.

 

[02gixxersix]

1) I was plat for about a year or so when I was spending hours a day on the site. The best feature about being plat was being able to use the search tool effectively. A tool most any/every forum on the internet gives you for free. Now, I'm more knowledgeable and it isn't worth my money to spend on that search tool anymore.

2/3) The only way I'd consider becoming plat again is if I found myself on EF for a large portion of my time again and felt I wanted to give back to the community.
Or, there was some product bundled with plat that made it worth my while to pick up the service, such as discounts with the sponsors like AG, GPZ (I believe GPZ is a sponsor), or SourceCheck (or whatever that new sponsor is).

Otherwise, my occasional question I have can usually be answered with a quick search/post within the plethora of bodybuilding sites out there.

When I come to EF, I can't help but to feel like there's a lot of folks here trying to sell me things I don't necessarily need for, what seems to me, an outrageous amount of money.

On the other hand, the absolute *best* thing about EF is the extremely knowledgeable people that do post on these boards, which are often the same people trying to make a living off those products.

Give and take I suppose.

I'm uncertain what the best route for EF to take is.

I concur. Too many ads. With so many sponsors I think everything should be free. I think there is a little bit of greed going on at the top at this point. Yeah there is a lot of knowledge but 90% of these guys post elsewhere where I can search for free.

 

[Bigpimpin10]

i love being plat..it sucks waiting 10 minutes before posting again...
search function has helped me alot..
its hard to stay off this site...educated about steriods or no...
i love helping members on this board.

 

[02gixxersix]

i love being plat..it sucks waiting 10 minutes before posting again...
search function has helped me alot..
its hard to stay off this site...educated about steriods or no...
i love helping members on this board.

10 minutes before posting?

 

[Bigpimpin10]

the 600 seconds... i think thats 10 minutes lol.. thats what i had when i wasnt plat... i wouldnt let me post in a thread for 600 seconds

 

[02gixxersix]

the 600 seconds... i think thats 10 minutes lol.. thats what i had when i wasnt plat... i wouldnt let me post in a thread for 600 seconds

I don't think I have that but let's find out.........

 

[02gixxersix]

................nope

 

[meoff]

been a free member for months and found some worthwile things [tsc]but when you
have had sponsers in the past we all knew were scammers and some of the slanted advertising why would I spend money to look at pictures? ANd supplements- give me a break - eating well and shops such as gnc and the like will do close if not as well-
I really like the site and the reference to tsc was great but there is also to much in fighting with people who would not associate with each other in the real world.