SPS Accounts Priced Too High?

Yea, a bit too high. I wouldn't pay those rates I'm afraid mate. If it's not viable to lower the rates permanently, I'd at least run a 'Steamesque' huge discount every now and again. Extra revenue = good!

 

Ok ok, I was being political .
Really should consider though, making it so inviting/cheap that pretty much everyone thinks 'yeah OK, sod it, that's nothing'.

 

I think the pricing is fine (obviously). It got me, a usual $10/year donor to sites I value, to give a little more. That said, one thing I think you should do is advertise the fact that if you donate, even at lower levels than SPS rates, you gain the option of the avatar/?? whatever else I got when I donated $10. It was a nice surprise, since I wasn't expecting anything at that time, and it might be a good incentive to others.

 

The prices are fine - I've just been a cheap prick lately - I just signed up to return to SPS Status.

 

It's the most expensive 'premium membership' I've ever seen on an internet forum.

 

just to add my I feel that the prices are a bit too high. I love having the stuff that comes with the SPS account but with my income it is kinda hard to justify spending that amount. I did the game donation mainly cause it got me the year long membership but I am not sure if the prices don't come down by the time I am out of account time if I am gonna renew it. Thankz for listening to my rant.

 

Tal,

I think as Bladezuez's comment above reveals, there is no amount that you can realistically find as a sweet spot in pricing for getting SPS memberships. You have a pool of members, a smaller pool of active members, and an even smaller pool of active members who would consider getting an SPS account. Assuming that this smallest pool consists of people who are interested in an SPS account, but do not get one owing to the cost, there's very little you can do here.

It's all what is available in terms of disposable income within someone's personal discretionary budget. I do not view $35 for a year's membership to be particularly high to begin with - I spend more than that to fill up the tank of my car. It's less than $3 per month - less than 10 cents per day. I don't think someone who is unwilling to spend $35 on a year's membership will suddenly run to purchase one if you lowered the price to say, $25. You're not going to see a surge in sales.

And that's likely because the benefits given are rather small. I imagine most people - myself included - view their SPS memberships as a donation to the site more than anything. OK - you can turn off the ads. The page will load 0.2 seconds faster. A nice feature, but not one you're going to pay for if you weren't already willing to donate to the site in the first place. I guess what I'm saying is most SPS members would make the donation even if there were no benefits at all.

Viewed from this perspective, you will be unable to find a sweet spot, simply because one doesn't exist. People who can afford to donate will, and people who cannot afford to do so won't. It is true that taken to an extreme you would see membership changes. For example, if you jacked up the price to $300 for a year's membership, I wouldn't pay that. But I would think someone who doesn't have $35 is going to see value in the membership if it cost $20 instead.

 

What about creating an "SPS Lite" option for those who can't afford the full price? Maybe half price gets you an avatar and SPS Account Holder designation, but you don't get access to some of the other things "regular" SPS account holders get. That way you can support SP and at least get something in return.

Edit: Although I guess an avatar isn't that much of an incentive since there are ways to have one without having an SPS account (I forget what those ways are, though).

 

Same here, pretty much. I don't really see the perks as a major selling point.

 

Why not let people set up a direct debit/pay monthly. People don't want to pay a lump sum

 

As others have said, I only paid for mine out of loyalty for the site. The benefits have near to zero value for me. I don't pay a cent for any other website I go to, as a comparison. So it's pretty hard for me to comment on what might work for other people.

 

Great idea.

 

Ditto. I don't even turn off the ads.

 

The scintillating conversation!

Seriously though, if you're asking what you could offer that would attract more subscribers ... that's a good question. Don't know off hand.

It seems like what random outsiders would come here for is info/downloads re: the games they like to play, which they can already get for free. If they like it enough to want to stay and start participating in Alleys talk etc., or join the community as it were, then their motivations to donate are probably going to be "giving back." I don't see the rewards principal really being invoked anywhere along that chain.