Future of VW Audi Forum - Need your help..

**Jinxit** · 02-08-2020,11:25 AM

I still think you should charge a membership fee Stuart. You tried donations and some of us did donate but obviously not enough.

**stuart** · 02-08-2020,02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Jinxit

I still think you should charge a membership fee Stuart. You tried donations and some of us did donate but obviously not enough.

I think about 8 of you donated which is very much appreciated... The problem with a paid subscription, which is a great idea, is I need to offer something extra which I am not sure we have enough to offer as a site to make people want to pay, it is easy to take stuff away from non paying members but will that have a negative effect

I am trying to find some new advertising methods, I have just tested pop-ups, pop-under, tab-up and tab-under but one showed porn which is should not... so I have removed them..

ylliX | Ad Types

**stuart** · 02-08-2020,02:40 PM

Originally Posted by Crasher

Don’t the CEO’s of companies like this realise that such arrogance and complacency comes back to haunt those that behave in this manner? The history of commerce is littered with failures of huge “too big to fail” concerns that, well, failed....

Google think they own the internet and it is time people realised this, the site no no longer uses Google which up until 2020 has worked well...

The estimated revenue for July was £1250 and i got paid £4

This has gone on for the last 8 months for me and loads of others, Google are doing something... I have used Adsense for 16 years with no major issues and good revenue until 2020 ....

These are NOT all invalid activity Google have or are doing something to upset publishers too many have had the same issue over the same time period!

Time people stopped using them, they would be in the **** if that happened...

I did take the adverts off but just tried for July... they are now off again.. I am not lining there pockets for them to not pay at the end...

**VAG-Abound** · 02-08-2020,02:50 PM

I'd happily pay, but I don't think others would unless they knew it was going to help - so if it blocked posting the flow of new queries for everyone to learn from or simply read would dry up. Plenty of people pop in, get help and move on again and it would be good to get a small payment from them as they do so. I'm not a big fan of the types of site that let you start reading, but then block you half way through a thread with a invitation to pay - but I can see how it is perhaps a reasonable attempt to tackle the same problem.

If there was a simplish way for posters to be told they needed to pay a (say) £10 monthly / £20 annual subscription if they want maximum support and payment then showed on their messages that might allow some focus on supporting those who are supporting the site. That would still allow access for all and some members may choose to equally support both subscribers and non-subscribers. Maybe read / post access could also be limited (but not entirely blocked) unless a lower £5 sub was paid? No point trying to block things that a simple switch to private browsing would circumvent though.

**stuart** · 02-08-2020,02:57 PM

Originally Posted by VAG-Abound

I'd happily pay, but I don't think others would unless they knew it was going to help - so if it blocked posting the flow of new queries for everyone to learn from or simply read would dry up. Plenty of people pop in, get help and move on again and it would be good to get a small payment from them as they do so. I'm not a big fan of the types of site that let you start reading, but then block you half way through a thread with a invitation to pay - but I can see how it is perhaps a reasonable attempt to tackle the same problem.

If there was a simplish way for posters to be told they needed to pay a (say) £10 monthly / £20 annual subscription if they want maximum support and payment then showed on their messages that might allow some focus on supporting those who are supporting the site. That would still allow access for all and some members may choose to equally support both subscribers and non-subscribers. Maybe read / post access could also be limited (but not entirely blocked) unless a lower £5 sub was paid? No point trying to block things that a simple switch to private browsing would circumvent though.

If it did come to a subscription then I think and annual fee of £10 or £20 would be the maximum, I may have a word with Colin on Briskoda and see how there "Freedom" works ...

It is one of those things, the site was always done to be free for members and the valued companies that advertise plus the Google and Skimlinks paid for the site and allowed a buffer to cover the quite months but after 16 years I have got to know that some members do not like change.... lol

**Crasher** · 02-08-2020,10:08 PM

If people come on here looking for a “free” (i.e. stolen) download of all the information they need to use an illegal copy of intellectual property software to access security systems designed to stop theft of cars and components... just to stop them paying a professional to do the job for a few hundred quid; what hope is there? In twenty years time we will be having people on here who want to know how to hot wire faulty EV battery packs carrying 440v... it is a downhill spiral driven by the WANT to move from A to B for the least cash.

**stuart** · 04-08-2020,12:17 PM

Hi

I would imagine that most of us use Amazon to make purchases, if so I have signed up to the Amazon Affiliate scheme to help support the site....

If any of you are looking to purchase from Amazon and would like to help the site with a small commission then please follow the link in my signature, or search from the banner on the left & right of the home page...

I have also added it to donation notice at the top of each page..
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No idea if this works yet so if anyone does use this link please let me know so I can check

It should take you to the Amazon UK website and any purchase mage will help the site with a small commission

Stuart

**stuart** · 05-08-2020,03:30 PM

Thank you to the couple of you that have donated again this month, it is very much appreciate during these difficult time, anyone else that feels they can help please do...

I have added a couple of new banners from a new company which seems to be working, not great yest but early days and I have added an Amazon associate link which again offers a small commission to the site on qualifying purchases so every bit helps..

Thank you to all the members that have supported us so far...

Stuart