ATS user generated income and special board privileges

Ok, so i have an idea to expand the forum in areas that i think the users of ATS may be interested.... now hear me out. I am not 100% sure about the business of ATS and its probably not my business to know but....

here is what i'm thinking...

Enable user generated donations to help support the ATS page and generate income for the owners. Now here is where it gets good... enable special forum privileges to users who donate up to a certain amount with a new TnC that allows us to discuss specific topics that i won't mention here in a HEAVILY moderated fashion.

What do you think staff?

Hmmm, sounds like an interesting theory. I don't mind dropping a few bucks here and there for this site, as this is one of my favorite past time fav's.
I know that a lot of user's have finances of their own to worry about, but a few like me can donate a buck or two here and there, it's better than buying all those energy drinks I spend hundreds of dollars on, my wife always gives me crap about that. Though she loves it when I come onto this site.

Pay to access a special forum?

Na....but ATS profit sharing? Sure!

Skeptic....where's my money?

reply to post by onequestion


Pay to win? For exclusive posts? For top priority on the front page?

No longer purely "user-driven" but more "profit-driven". I don't see how it could coincide with the site's current philosophy of "deny ignorance" unless they change it to "deny ignorance -- unless you can pay for it".

ownbestenemy
reply to post by onequestion

 

Pay to win? For exclusive posts? For top priority on the front page?

No longer purely "user-driven" but more "profit-driven". I don't see how it could coincide with the site's current philosophy of "deny ignorance" unless they change it to "deny ignorance -- unless you can pay for it".

I am in agreement.

Now, a "donation" link?

I am for that. Maybe less ads then?

As per Springer and Skeptic Overlord, although I can't find the direct link right now, ATS will never be pay to use. Any feature or aspect. It will be a free, open to the public forum.

why would you want to pay to talk about subjects that shall not be mentioned here, when you can go to other sites and talk about them for free.

reply to post by sonnny1


To that I can agree but still it gives a perception and perception in business is everything. Why are Sonny's posts always on the front page? Didn't he mention that he donates to the site?

reply to post by ownbestenemy


Yeah.

I see your point on that.

Unless the "donations" are not being seen, or being used to levy or warrant that type favoritism.

reply to post by onequestion


I don´t think that´ll work.

I guess advertisment is the main source of income for ATS as it stands. An average of 500K page views a day will drop considerably when people have to pay for access to certain areas as non/paying vistors will simply stay away because all the good stuff will be assumed to be in the paid section.

Peace

On a side note,

how a about sponsored forums??

We can have the McDonalds conspiracy forum.....sponsored by....Burger King!!

Members will be rewarded according to their participation....

reply to post by sonnny1


Models such as this site do have to find that fine line between user generated content and actually keeping up the site. Their revenue (perceived) is via advertisement. Random advertisement at that. Right now I have an ad for blood pressure -- I am 34 with no history of heart disease in my family and overall very healthy genetics....so why that ad! I have digressed.

Donating to the site or becoming a partner might be something they would do and to distinguish such "partners", they give you a moniker such as the moderators have. Even give you a separate T&Cs to CYA.

If we believe in a product we want to support it and with models such as these, they say if you want to support us, then "patronize our advertisers". Sad thing here is the advertisers are random (from what I can gather). Maybe a site like this should take up the Talk Radio model and find specific markets that are willing to advertise to us loons and nuts!

SO has already answered this by stating that there will not be any paid membership in any form, to prevent any 'holier than thou' attitudes by those who've paid against those who have not.

Access to restricted areas would imply that would be the case.

As said, there are other sites dedicated to the off topic topics here. with far better resources to affect change in whatever manner you can contribute.

And the irony is you will find they are almsot bereft of 'stoner' derailment. if thats the topic you're referring to

reply to post by winofiend


Its got nothing to do with paid membership its anon donations that grant you access to a forum that noone knows you have access to.

The hollier then thou attitude is already promote through the star and flag system.

onequestion
reply to post by winofiend

 

Its got nothing to do with paid membership its anon donations that grant you access to a forum that noone knows you have access to.

The hollier then thou attitude is already promote through the star and flag system.

No one knows about until egos go bust and posters start claiming it -- to deny that would happen would indicate you have never realized the real world or other people.

Yes the S&F system does promote a "holier than thou" attitude, but having access to an exclusive "vip room" would further exasperate such attitudes and would create a perception that this site cannot afford.

reply to post by ownbestenemy


Oh get out of here... your tripping dude. If people want to brag about their finances their already doing it.

Its not going to change someones personality. If they are prone to this type of action then that means their already doing it in some fashion.

I can see where the OP is going with this, by providing a donation, an incentive would be gained. But that would defeat the donation as you would be receiving something.
--
With that being said, I don't think there is anything wrong with Donating to this site. There just happens to be a bunch of good willed people here on this ATS site that wouldn't mind doing something to help out such an awesome and great community. Cut the incentive, make it purely donation, then I'm all for it.
This is after all an open forum, free to discuss anything you want...almost anything.

So, if you guys quote me, don't get it confused with the OP, I'M FOR DONATIONS WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS.
Purely for the sake of acting out of kindness.

A very important lesson I learned from a really good friend who really helped me out in some serious financial binds, when I opted to pay that person back whenever I had the cash, that person would not take it, told me to keep it and said that the real goal behind this is to pass it on to somebody else. I was perplexed as I have never met an individual like that.

So again, I wouldn't mind donations.

onequestion
reply to post by ownbestenemy

 

Oh get out of here... your tripping dude. If people want to brag about their finances their already doing it.

Its not going to change someones personality. If they are prone to this type of action then that means their already doing it in some fashion.

edit on 2-10-2013 by onequestion because: (no reason given)

What am I tripping about? I damn well agreed to what you said.....maybe take time to read what I said before you step into some idiocy.

I see your edit now. I agreed to this, as to why I was wondering what the heck you were getting at. Step back a bit and actually read what people write.

reply to post by ownbestenemy


I was kind of responding to multiple replys at once sorry if i got a little confused.

reply to post by onequestion


Roger dodger. My only contention is the perception it would create. If people are bragging that they are "donors" to ATS and they begin to constantly show up on the front-page; it gives an air of "pay-to-win" on a site that is driven by users; not money. That was all I was trying to convey.

On that note, I have juggled many of posts before so I know what you mean.

onequestion
reply to post by winofiend

 

Its got nothing to do with paid membership its anon donations that grant you access to a forum that noone knows you have access to.

The hollier then thou attitude is already promote through the star and flag system.

but we are all capable of earning those by the contribution of content. Not cash.

If anything it's currently seen via the "I've been here since 2001 and this guy registered yesterday and look at this guy!!"

Donations to gain access.. but what if I want to contribute but I'm skint?

Limit the conversations to those who can afford to contribute. Doesn't sound much better to me...