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Subscription Drive: Status report

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Subscription Drive: Status report

We're not going to make it..

from WinCustomize Forums

If you click HERE you can see WinCustomize's traffic details.  Most sites keep this kind of thing secret but we tend to operate as transparently as possible.

The key figures are: 788,000 visits per day average. 5.5 MILLION visitors this past week. 

13 days into the WinCustomize subscription drive, we have a total of 345 people who have re-subscribed or subscribed new.  Quite a few of them are individuals who re-subscribed long before they needed to or bought a subscription for someone else.  That means a very small number of people are doing a lot of the heavy lifting for the site.  345 subscriptions means $6,900 in revenue (thank you to those who have subsribed).

As you can imagine, running a site that gets 5.5 million visitors every week is very expensive. Especially when it's on a download site. For instance, Kol's VistaXP skin has been downloaded about 2,000 times today.  It's a 2MB file.  That means 4,000 megabytes (4 Gigabytes) of bandwidth were used just for that one skin. So as you can imagine, the bandwidth costs of this site are immense.  Moreover, as skinning gets more popular and more users interact, we need full-time people to code and manage the site.  Thank goodness we have volunteers who actually run the site and a day to day basis or else there'd be no WinCustomize.

Which brings us back to the start of this news item.  WinCustomize costs probably around $300,000 a year to run.  That's bandwidth + salaries.  Anyone in the Internet business will tell you wer're running the site on a shoe-string.  A site in the top 3000 or so most popular in the world would typically cost far more.  deviantART, for instance, has around two-dozen employees working just on that site. 

So what happens to WinCustomize when October 31 comes and we're not even close to our goal?  Well, for skinners, subscribers, and SD Customers the answer is, not much.  Skinners and subscribers are going to get new stuff -- we have a Halloween skin in the works for instance and there will be subscriber-only content made in the future.

For regular users it's going to be a different story.  Users are going to have to start creating accounts to access skins made that month.  We'll also have to put in some code to make it more difficult for someone to simply create a duplicate account.  This will likely drive away some users -- which will be part of the goal.

In the midterm, the site will begin focusing more and more on the community with the community defined as people who care about WinCustomize.  That would be the skinners, the subscribers, and SD customers.  People not in that category will still be able to do many things on the site, but it will be much more restrictive. 

 

63,729 views 167 replies
Reply #151 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Some very interesting comments in this thread. I still think a Subscriber level model would work. But one thing i have noticed is a lack of input from Stardock? Are they really interested in all the ideas being thrown around here?

Such is life....This thread started the day I was off to Phillip Island....working at the MotoGP [that other volunteer job]...and came back to 3 pages of thread....149 comments, many of which were lengthy.

As a Wincustomize.com site 'admin' I naturally [conscientiously] read each and every word....so I've 'caught up'...

Stardock themselves are equally interested in Community input.....that is the very reason it's called a 'Community'.

What can be gleaned from all the input so far is a general acceptance that something 'needs' to change, so it probably will.  It's Stardock's declaration of the 'need' and the Community's understanding of the 'necessity' that will lead to change....

No matter how you phrase it, arrogance/exclusional/elitist, the reality is there are only two types of people accessing this site....Those who contribute, and those who don't. 

I think it's time for those who don't to jump ship and join the 'those who contribute'.

Now, 'contribution' is not limited to 'subscription', hence they are two different words.

Skinners, forum chin-waggers, subscribers, SD customers, casual visitors monopolizing bandwidth....they ALL 'contribute'...to a degree.

The 'degree' differs.

Unfortunately, the first four 'groups' make up such a small proportion, number-wise, yet are essentially the ONLY financial supporters of the site.  [the 'visitors' have a potential 'value'...through word-of-mouth dissemination/advertising that 'may' lead to new 'visitors' who decide to subscribe, etc].

The obvious site traffic means that the content is appealing.....and if that's the case it 'should' also be saleable, too.

Now, 'saleable' does not mean specifically paying the skinner who has his works here....but paying FOR the skinner's having his works here....aka...paying the bandwidth those skins use.

The trick is obviously to coerce more casual visitors to JOIN...to become members of the Site's community, willing to financially contribute....maybe just because it's helping their new 'friends'.

The Community NEEDS to be appealing to the 'newbie'....if it's 'cliquish' that should be all-embracing....exactly what 'community' means, afterall....

Mention has been made about WC 'exiles', and other sites, etc.  Some of the people who raised these as 'issues' are new so are probably unaware of the history/s.  Wincustomize.com is just one skinning site amongst several 'sister' sites....we all know each-other....most older members here are members of all the others as well.  Each targets a slightly diverse user-base...Deviantart for example morphed from originally being an art-oriented skinning site to an art site with skins.

From time to time, a site member may overstep his/her welcome and fail to respond to reasonable requests to be more 'community minded' and will be shown the door.  I think, this year there's been 4 or 5......a pretty good batting average in a site that has grown 500,000 members or so in that time.  Their removal, as with the quiet asides to the odd person suggesting a 'rethink of attitude' is how Wincustomize.com is kept running 'smoothly', where people can freely interact without being reviled/insulted/abused.

Some people see Wincustomize.com as a place to grab heaps of free skins...

Some people see Wincustomize.com as a place to feel at home, hang out with friends, and grab heaps of free skins.

Some people see Wincustomize.com as a community...and are more than happy to put their money on the fridge.

It's up to one and all to realize the 'value'....

TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #153 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hear here.
Reply #154 from WinCustomize Forums Top
500,000 members
?

Is that figure still correct?
Brad says the site costs $300.000...

Become a member for $1 per year...case solved

Reply #155 from WinCustomize Forums Top
#154 ==>
Reply #156 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just my own 2 cents.........

The overwhelming majority of the content appears to be provided to Wincustomize, free of charge. But I am fully cognizant that it is the 'service' that is being paid for...

No matter how someone might try to "seperate" them, to me, Wincustomize is an intergral part of Object Desktop. I'm one of those who is truly irked when I purchase something, then have to purchase something else to access the full abilities of what I originally purchased. And again, I am fully aware that this is pretty much par for the course in any business.

I am an OD subscriber. However, if I don't have access to the "prettys" on WC, that will have to be looked at seriously. I have OD for the express purpose of making my Desktop look and act they way I want it to.......and if I don't have access to the "prettys" that make OD worthwhile to me, then why would I continue using OD??

Suggestions..........

Add $10 or $20 to my OD subscription and quit playing these petty games.

Work out some sort of rate for those who are contributors of the "prettys" who are not subscribers of OD.

Let the rest look but not touch.
Reply #157 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Its amazing how people rant instead of reading. Dragger201, as an OD purchaser, you have unlimited access to all the uploads. Whats your point? The only major thing that you won't get is the suites made and paid for by Stardock for those that have subscribed. That is currently 2. Been that way for years.
Reply #158 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I read just fine, thank you. And am fully aware that I have unlimited access to uploads. I also know that where income is involved, things change.
Reply #159 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm one of those who is truly irked when I purchase something, then have to purchase something else to access the full abilities of what I originally purchased.



Let's see ...

Television (cable or satellite),
Cd player (cd's),
Automobile (gas,oil)
Refrigerator (food),
House (furniture, appliances, gardening supplies...),
Computer (software, peripherals),
etc.

You must be truly irked.
Reply #160 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Speaking from personal experience... I first discovered this site about 18 months ago, totally fell in love with it then began purchasing their programs; Object Desktop, WinCustomise Subscription, Cursor XP Plus, ObjectDock Plus, Natural Desktop and Orion Icon Suite.

BUT, I have since had many problems with several of the main programs, in particular DesktopX, Natural Desktop (never been able to run without the CPU redlining), ObjectBar and Desktop Gadgets, even the SmartException program I used to document my problems soon stopped working for no apparent reason?!

Usually I'd wait for the next update to see if that fixed things but to no avail, so then I would contact support for some help. Excuse my expressive language but, THE SUPPORT SUCKS! They start out very helpful but before the problems are sorted they stop replying!! Very frustrating, especially for a novice like myself. Then if you keep nagging about a particular problem they reply like it's the first time they heard from you and you have to start from scratch in explaining the whole thing again!

I still visit and use the site as there are some very talented skinners and high quality work to enjoy, BUT I definitely WON'T be wasting anymore of my hard-earned cash on something that's given me so much grief and no help/support! Maybe I'm not the only one experiencing similiar problems??

Sincerely Frustrated and Dissappointed,
Brad Griffin, (mrdarb).
Reply #161 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have been coming here since windowblinds 1!
I figure it is time I give something back.
{you know, that whole circle of life thing.}
Plus I really like the halloween skin!!
Reply #162 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is that figure still correct?
Brad says the site costs $300.000...

Become a member for $1 per year...case solved


Great Idea LeCrayon. I've got four bucks sitting in my paypal account...heck even two is worth it! Throw some extra money into skinning competitions.
Reply #163 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Some people complain about the skins being old and what more they should get with a subscription. Well, I have to say that I am a very satisfied subscriber of WC and SD/OD. Who cares what year the skins were made-if you like the skin that's what counts.I f want newer skins then make them. It's not a quick, easy task. Try it sometime, then all of you complainer's out there might appreciate all the artists who contribute and what this site offers. I am on a fixed income too, but I think 19.95 is a great deal for what I take from this website! We are given enough time to see if we like what is offered here before becoming a member. If you subscribed and are complaining then I think maybe you just like to complain!
Reply #164 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I also agree with Citizen SuBFG about people complaining about the skins being old and that they want more with their subscription. Well how much do people really want for that much money. I am also satisified with what we get with subscribing here plus there are so many, many, many skins to download so I just don't see why there should be complaints about how old the skins are as there are daily new ones to be downloaded. Plus you can tweak and customize those or any other skin to your liking, the Skins are there the Software Programs to do it with are there so they don't have to be old in that point of view and old things is a stupid deffinition, does that mean they are bad or they don't like them because they are just old.
I am on a fixed income too, but I think 19.95 is a great deal for what I take from this website! We are given enough time to see if we like what is offered here before becoming a member. If you subscribed and are complaining then I think maybe you just like to complain!



TOTALY AGREE.
Reply #165 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There should be no one that has more benefits available to them than a Stardock customer. All others should be secondary. It appears that what you intend on doing is relegating the customer, who got you started, lived with the quirks since WB's first release, and pays your bills, to a level below one who pays an additional fee, who doesn't own your product, but want to download lots of free goodies.

You created the bandwidth nightmare by offering items for non-Stardock applications. If you wish to charge a fee, you should separate SD compatible items from others. Then, your fee is justified.

Remember, no one needs Object Desktop, WindowBlinds, or any other product you make. Each and every one of them is an addition to Windows, not a prerequsite to running it.
Reply #166 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There should be no one that has more benefits available to them than a Stardock customer.



What you purchase with your Object Desktop subscription is just that: the software that comes with it, plus unlimited downloads here. The higher tier access is for people who directly support (by subscribing to) WinCustomize. They get additional services from the site plus some premium content.

The bandwidth problem is not just due to non-Stardock applications. It is due to too many people using the site and not contributing, either by being a Stardock customer, or a WC subscriber, or both.

I'm both an Object Desktop subscriber and a WC subscriber, so shouldn't I get a little something more than you, who only paid for the first?
Reply #167 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't mind paying for valuable software or service.

More than a year ago I purchased Windowblinds 4.x, then I found the suites, so I upgraded to Object Desktop.
My OD subscription expired (I wasn't aware of a limit there when I made my payment) I didn't renew.

So, now Windowblinds 5 is coming up, for which I'm sure I have to pay an upgrade fee in case I'm interested.
And before that, you want me to contribute to cover the cost of your site.

It doesn't feel right to me, too much like "please throw money, let us catch".
So, why would I pay twice this season?