HOT DEAL! Anandtech Forums for $30/yr.

[SeiyaMan]

Well, if no one joins the forum, then there won't be any posted hot deals. So no go with the $30/yr.

 

[CYLINDERMAN]

I look at this like an upgrade, stick with the old or pay for the new. $30 a year is nothing you pay more for the electricity to run your monitor. Plus you get tech to help you with a problem and see howmuch that costs. I feel this premium is worth it.

 

[PacketMaster]

I would not pay it. How ever I would miss it. It would not be an issue of the Money for me. So Many people would leave it would render the sight useless. Nothing like paying for something that used to be great.:frown:

 

[tazmania99]

Wow! I really think this thread becomes a survey whether people are willing to pay for a fee for being a member of Anandtech. And those who run this forum will be glad to see more people willing to pay and they can make the decision in future they will REALLY charge you guys! Stop saying you are willing to pay the fee plz~

 

[beatinitup]

This sucks, what if we click on the banners to help support anandtech?

 

[kaiotes]

nope, never pay for stuff online!

 

[wjsulliv]

First, this is not maditory. Anandtech is telling us that it is getting expensive to support the forums and so they cust down bandwidth to the general public. For $30 you can get restored full access.

Second, $30 is too much. I would be in for $1 a month ($12 a year) via paypal. Every one of us can afford $12 a year considering what we are saving.

Third, I'm suprised nobody saw this coming considering the concept of the internet being free is dying.

For example:

Free dial-up services are becoming fewer and fewer, because nobody clicks on the ads, and most just hack them.

Most websites are based off some service which you have already paid for, or will pay for. I.e if you are interested in buying a video card you might look up ATI's site to check out a Radeon, when you buy the Radeon you support the site. Or when you go to Blizzard's online site to play Star Craft, you have already bought the game (well maybe) and thus financially supported the site. You really wouldn't use Discover Card, or Amex's site unless you were interested in a service they provided.

Which brings me to my point...

DO ANY OF YOU DO ANYTHING TO SUPPORT THIS SITE FINANCIALLY?

I know I have never clicked on an ad in this forum, don't you have to click the ad for the site to be paid?
And if we all leave won't other forums eventually follow the trend and find a way to charge? If not how will they support the increased bandwidth?

 

[Digobick]

<< I read the subscription screen, and they seem to be quite honest about the fact that the hardware is up to date, they have just severely cut the bandwidth available to free users. I see no reason to disbelieve what they say. They don't state their motivations for doing this, but I think it is pretty obvious. The difference right now, is the difference between painfully slow (for free users) and lightning fast (for subscription users). You would think that would encourage subscriptions, but in the long run, I think it will just drive contributing users away. >>

It's painfully obvious to me that these forums are costing Anand too much money, and that he is trying to at least break even through any means possible. Cutting back on the bandwidth SAVES MONEY. Have you ever run a high volume website that gets hundreds of thousands of hits PER DAY? You have no idea how much a forum like this costs, and I for one can respect what Anand is doing. With proper funding, this board will cease to exist.

 

[cheetoden]

I don't know why some of you people think we owe something to Anand Tech for these message boards. If it were not for all the high traffic we create, Ole' Anand wouldn't be collecting huge amounts of advertising cash.

 

[BurntCpu]

unlimited pm?
price match with fat wallet? + amex blue?

 

[MegaNerd]

<< IMHO - the model of paying for hot deals is identical to CostCo. You can either be a member and pay to buy something in their store or have someone you know who's already a member go buy the stuff for you. >>



I don't agree with your analogy here. Anandtech doesn't provide or generate the content of these forums - members find and post the hot deals. Anandtech provides the venue for the exchange of information.

Anandtech might generate more money by having more sponsored hot deals for members like the current Crucial memory deal. The alternative forums that folks are mentioning are mostly pretty upfront about using their referral links.

 

[Digobick]

<< Wow! I really think this thread becomes a survey whether people are willing to pay for a fee for being a member of Anandtech. And those who run this forum will be glad to see more people willing to pay and they can make the decision in future they will REALLY charge you guys! Stop saying you are willing to pay the fee plz~ >>



Once again, more idiots join the bandwagon. AnandTech WILL NOT CHARGE YOU A FEE TO BE A MEMBER! THE FORUMS ARE STILL GOING TO BE FREE! If you feel like you need the extra benefits then you can pay for them. If not, then feel free to still post and surf on the forums...they're still free!

 

[Tal]

Well, I know I have done my part... Remember my deal about getting a free Ferrari with purchase of Peanut Buster Parfait at Dairy Queen? Thanks to me, we all drive Ferrari's. Heh. Oh, no, that musta been a dream. But How cool would that have been? Yah, I guess at first I though $30 was not bad, but I guess, I'm kinda pissed that my *Free* access is so slow... Who knows. At least it's not mandatory. -TAL

 

[nev4]

If anandtech forums stayed just like they are right now, and we if we were allowed to post coupon codes, and there were to be les downtime, I would pay. However, the Hot Deals forum is is so great because the knowledge of the cheapest, penniless people is shared here. If Anand starts charging a fee, those people will no longer post here. If that were the case, I would go somewhere else.

 

[paawk]

Who started this thread? Whoever did is a complete moron. If Anandtech wanted to make cash,
they could make a killing. If you look at the threads, how many people are buying from the links
in the threads? I know I've spent thousands from Anandtech forum links. So gee, why not have
the mods insert Anandtechs code into the links? If you look at some of the big threads, it's 10,000s
of dollars. In general you get a cut of 4-6% of the sale. I wonder how ebates gives out so much money,
um, it's because they get a larger % then they pay out. The big deal sites make a killing on this stuff,
and I've always wondered why Anandtech doesn't have special links or edited threads so they get
a cut. Even worse base, you think maybe 2-3% cut off all the sales from these forums? Jesus that's
probably 100,000 bucks a year easy.

In summary, this whole 30 bucks a year thing is retarded. Just put anandtechs linking code in all
the threads so they get a cut. It doesn't effect us, we just pay back anandtech for finding us the
deal. I'm sure it would pay for this stuff 10 times over.

(I noticed they're doing this with the crucial thread, and it's a good idea. If I ever buy memory I'll
use that link so Anand gets a cut)

 

[Roy2001]

<< This thread will be deleted soon, watch. Ars has very a very good community and very good software/hardware/gaming forums that are free and fast. You gotta pay for the lounge though.

Ad advertising can't pay for the costs of running a high-bandwidth forum anywhere. I'm willing to bet a good majority of you have good paying, full time jobs. $30 should be pocket change to you guys. >>



You are right that lots of ATers have good paying (to save a lot, we need to pay a lot first). But question is why we come here? If non-pay guys get very slow access speed, there are several other hot deal forums we can visit. Fewer visits and fewer posts, then fewer visits again. Chilly cold deal.

If they find a way that we click ads and help them raise the money, then we will be happy to do that. But don't ask how much we make. If I won't care $30 a year, and won't care $100/month for fast connection (like a rich ATer above), then why I need to care to spend more $$$ for those hot deals you guys jump in?

 

[raz]

I wonder if banned AT subscribers would get a refund.

 

[Bob61]

Let me get this right... we post the deals, they charge US for OUR information? I don't recall seeing too many hot deals posted by the Anandtech gods. If that happens, I'll just get have to get a FAT WALLET elsewhere and read up on BIGBIGSAVINGS some other place too. The other sites don't mind helping me get a better deal through the use of coupons either....

 

[bret]

these fourms are definately useful. but 30 bucks would make me leave the fourm. i think AT makes enough money with all the banners and stuff like that that are on the site.

hot deal? i dont think so.

 

[payjo]

You gotta be kidding. I love reading forums but for $30, I'll go somewhere else.

 

[Digobick]

<< Let me get this right... we post the deals, they charge US for OUR information? I don't recall seeing too many hot deals posted by the Anandtech gods. If that happens, I'll just get have to get a FAT WALLET elsewhere and read up on BIGBIGSAVINGS some other place too. The other sites don't mind helping me get a better deal through the use of coupons either.... >>


No, you got that WRONG... all wrong. AnandTech isn't going to charge anybody anything unless they want those few extra benefits (more PMs, buddy list, faster surfing). The forums as they are right now are still going to be FREE. Pay attention.

 

[bret]

can we make a poll or have AT make a poll and see what the members vote on?

 

[Digobick]

<< You gotta be kidding. I love reading forums but for $30, I'll go somewhere else. >>


For the low low price of ZERO DOLLARS you can still read the forums. Maybe if you would READ the Subscription Information you would understand this.

 

[MegaNerd]

<< The forums as they are right now are still going to be FREE. Pay attention. >>



True enough as long as you note that the phrase "right now" includes the crippled bandwidth.

Ironic how the subscription page has a couple of ads on it. I guess you don't even get a subscription demo for free!

 

[RexTheDino]

I wouldnt pay $30 a year!