WC Poll: What Would Make You Want to Subscribe to WinCustomize?

We're trying to make the site better for subscribers

https://www.wincustomize.com/webpoll.aspx
from WinCustomize Forums

Summary of last week's poll is going to be short since this week's has a long explanation.  I asked what sort of news you most enjoy seeing on the WinCustomize every day.  The goal was to find what everyone enjoys the most and try to deliver more of that, making the site a more worthwhile destination during your daily travels. What sort of news would you like to see on WinCustomize
General Tech News 49.47%
Internet News 12.63%
Company-Specific News 7.37%
Weird News 24.21%
Other 6.32%

On to this week's poll....

WinCustomize is a big site that is, in large part, supported by user subscriptions.  Now, to a lot of people the entire idea of paying a website for some sort of exclusive content or improved service is a bit of a foreign idea, but it's what allows us to provide the services we do without bombarding users with a ton of ads, pop-ups, pop-unders and other extremely annoying methods of advertising.  Many of you here have supported us for years, through times both good and bad, and to you, we are extremely grateful.  But at the same time, we have millions of visitors every year, many of whom come back over and over, who for one reason or another, don't want to subscribe.

So this week's poll is an attempt to find out what it is that would make a $19.95 annual subscription to the site a no-brainer value to users.  WinCustomize 2008 is undergoing a very significant visual redesign, and as we work through the early stages, we are looking at pages and wondering how we can make the subscriber experience better, cooler, and more inviting to users who spend a lot of time on the site.  However, we want to be sure we're putting our resources towards something that will be worthwhile to our users, and hopefully encourage more people to subscribe.

So, assuming you're not already a subscriber, what features would make that $20 purchase easier?  And if you're already a subscriber, what would keep you renewing if we added it?  Or maybe what could we add that would make you suggest subscribing to friends who might visit the site?  We want to keep making the user experience better (which we have made great strides towards with the new site and better performance)

Poll options are:

  • Exclusive Website Features (i.e. RSS feeds, enhanced personal pages, customizable page layouts etc.)
  • Exclusive Website Content (i.e. subscriber-first tutorials, product previews, articles etc.)
  • More Subscriber Skins (such as WC Select, RIP, Kryptonite and XP Augustus)
  • Other (Please specify in comments)
19,393 views 54 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
More Subscriber Skins is kicking butt.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
other..... How about all of the above? I do not use any of the subscriber skins but am sure that would encourage new people.
Also an app that is now included in the Object Desktop or a *NEW one to be only available for subscribers. I think that would be a way to encourage people & add an incentive that is not commonly found around the net.

I would love to have the Exclusive Website Features (i.e. RSS feeds, enhanced personal pages, customizable page layouts etc.)

I do love it here & even if I couldn't afford to keep my programs renewed I would find the money to subscribe here. The staff, moderators & subscribers are kind, helpful & supportive.

It's My Secret

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'd actually like to see more and better skins overall. I come to wincustomize for skinning, not tech news. I have three other RSS feeds for that, thanks.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
other..... How about all of the above?
With most of these sorts of polls, I'm trying to get a feel for the single most wanted item.  "All of the Above" doesn't help us determine which individual item will have the greatest impact.  If I had put "all of the above" it would have likely been the runaway winner and wouldn't have told us anything about the relative importance of any one of them.  Forcing a single choice lets us rank the relative popularity of any one item.

Lets say subscriber-only skins ends up being a run-away success with 95% of the vote, and the other three get little pieces of what's left over.  That tells us a lot about how to direct our time and effort.  An "all of the above" response would lose us that very important piece of data.

I'd actually like to see more and better skins overall. I come to wincustomize for skinning, not tech news. I have three other RSS feeds for that, thanks
The quality of the work on the site isn't a function of staff, administration or site coding, it's a result of the community and what it makes and submits.  And "better skins" is a pretty relative term.  What you love I may hate, and what I love you may hate.  Plus, none of us here can snap our fingers and summon forth legions of artists to make more skins.

This poll is for what we can do on the website end of things to make that subscription more valuable. 
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am a subscriber, but may not renew, sometimes days pass before there is anything to download, especially "windowblinds"
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Personal site become free for users but in the past that was good attraction for regular users to make space in the community.
Subscriber should be allow to customize site (layout,Design,colors and fonts) like you see in MSNSpaces. Or atleast user's personal site. Then he can say to freinds and family to look i have created my own Wincustomize.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm fairly certain your Poll answer will be more subscriber skins. Those of us who already subscribe must like the setup at least a little to keep coming here. The majority of those who don't only come for the downloads anyway.

I think you've made a lot of improvements since the 2005 site debacle and the site seems to be faster, smoother with fewer errors nowadays. I'd hate to see the site roll out another new layout only to have a repeat of January 2005


Just a thought.......how about scheduled community events. Something like "Grill the Frog" on IRC or even on the forum, where at some scheduled time Brad makes himself "available" to the community in real time or the same kind of idea for some of the Master Skinners you got in company now like Treetog and Mike giving real time skinning tips, answers or inspiration.

I remember Brad started a thread a year or so ago about getting a scheduled event going on IRC to discuss just the kind of thing this thread is about. The item sort of died without any date or time ever being set even though it got quite a few bumps.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I've talked with several people about the idea of holding community events on IRC, and while we all agree it's a good idea, we're not sure how to best manage them.  I'd love to hear suggestions on how we might be able to pull them off, and what topics we could cover.  With the slow summer months approaching, I'm looking for new and interesting content to put on the site to keep people alive and interested.

I know I could find the time to make myself available for questioning (interrogation?) but I doubt people have much interest in grilling me about what I do   

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I subscribe not for any of the benefits that have been offered or benefits that may come in the future.

I have subscribed because I want Stardock to know that I believe in them and what they are doing.  I subscribed so I had the right (assumed) to bitch and moan about things.  I have subscribed because I wanted to be a part of this place.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This is simple to manage weekly events on IRC, announce on wc with its time. Like any TV Shows. The interested users may come to join in.
Other thing i forgot. I suggest good skins (Suites) for subscribers. Atleast 2 to 4 good skins in a year should be present for WC subscribers. Good Skins always encourage users to buy subscription.
Skins like Kryptonite and XP Augustus are outdated. Need upto date skins to meet todays requirments.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'd love to hear suggestions on how we might be able to pull them off, and what topics we could cover.


I agree with Themerboy......just set a time, date and topic and see what comes of it. I can forsee things like Community Suites & collaborations, skin testing groups, code sharing groups, bitch and moan groups (for Zubaz) etc.

....include politics & religion and your sure to get a lively response
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Other thing i forgot. I suggest good skins (Suites) for subscribers. Atleast 2 to 4 good skins in a year should be present for WC subscribers. Good Skins always encourage users to buy subscription.
Skins like Kryptonite and XP Augustus are outdated. Need upto date skins to meet todays requirments.


I agree. I signed up to try and do my part to keep Wincustomize alive, but a few new skins a year would be great. Agustus hasn't been updated since late 2003! I think that 2-4 new skins, that showcase the latest technology, would be a great incentive.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Able to download "Master Skins" for free. I think for some (at least for me) that would be a better option than having the subscriber resource skins updated or added to.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am a subscriber, but may not renew, sometimes days pass before there is anything to download, especially "windowblinds"


I don't want to sound like I'm flaming you Bill Allen, but you haven't uploaded anything so I'd say you don't have any idea on what it takes to make some of these skins. Especially a WindowBlind. And your comment solidifies that.

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Able to download "Master Skins" for free. I think for some (at least for me) that would be a better option than having the subscriber resource skins updated or added to.

That would be tricky since master skin sales are a profit split between the site and the artist.  If they were given away for "free" to subscribers, there would be difficult questions of how to assess payment to the artist etc. 

You already have a 20% discount on all master skin purchases.

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I would really like the customization of the site, with more searching and sorting ability. What we have now is ok, but the bit where you can limit the skins displayed to ratings doesnt work, for me anyway, and there are so many skins and bandwidth is at a premium, then i would really like more sort and display options.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
More subscriber skins.  I would like to add one tiny observation - we have to log in to vote. I'm not sure if this poll will target the group of people you are interested in. Unless it's registered users who haven't subscribed? Anyway, as I said I like skins.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What do you really get for $20?
At least porn sites give you streaming video and high res pics. WinCustomize does have the high res pics but not streaming video! ...add video

Seriously, why $20 and not $10? Try that new retail software in the news last week to determine the right price. Maybe you are asking too much?

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Seriously, why $20 and not $10?


It is $20 for first year of sub. renewals are $20 for 2 years.
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Maybe you are asking too much?

There is a thin line where if you charge too little people thing that it has even less value.  If $10, and $10 is so little, why not free you greedy, capitalist pigs?

I think the price point is fine and the services are fine.  I will always be willing to kick in a few bucks to make sure the site knows I care and kick in for a super-tiny percentage of bandwidth and dev time.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
here goes...

More tutorials...many, many, more...from the Masters and people that WC holds in high regard

A Gallery for Works In Progress

Still...a separate gallery for fan art, 'non-skinner' work, re-posts/ports of other people's work

some wallpaper contests..themed/off the wall.. to encourage some more unusual content (and you could do this with other area's )

just my two cents for what it's worth..and you did ask

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have been a subscriber for a couple of years and intend to subscribe every year. Mostly I just download stuff, but I but since I'm here every day I figure I should support the site.
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
More tutorials...many, many, more...from the Masters and people that WC holds in high regard


One the one hand I agree. On the other... after all the time they spend creating, wouldn't it kinda be asking too much to have them write it up too?

But I would like to see 2 simple versions of creating a WB step by step using the test skin and a free, easy to use, downloadable graphics program (or maybe regular paint) (since not everybody has PS or PSP or etc).

I say 2 versions because there seems to be 2 ways. One is graphic by graphic, the other is design the whole thing and cut out the pieces.

Not looking for fancy animations, transparencies and such.. just a simple: here's the test skin, now follow me...

A Gallery for Works In Progress


That would be nice.


Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Free Beer isn't on the list..   
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I paid Stardock for a blog navigator which turned out to be a waste for a few reasons. Wincustomize is nothing more then a fun site, not worth paying for because I am already an annual subscriber to OD. Charging for Wincustomize in conjunction with OD - would make me have to re-consider my OD subscriptions overall value and cost; and I suspect many others would as well.
A piece of advice - trying to turn this into a subscription site would be very costly. I know a few others sites that got greedy and lost so much they couldn't get it back; don't get greedy...