money for the teachers of jazzguitar.be

604bourne123 · #1 05-31-2009, 09:17 PM

I think that all this instruction is worth something.Instead of beer there should be money.I dont know what your website objectives are be it too spread jazz or teach music or to leave your mark in world history.My suggestion is charge ten dollars per year to help pay for everything.We all know that their is rich people that like to pay money for the not so rich.They know they cant take it with them,and this site is a popular place to go so its a good thing to spend money on.Have a poll ask the question if there is a majority get a tick from them and solve the problem of hours and hours of work putting the website to where it is now

Banksia · #2 06-01-2009, 06:13 AM

I remember this issue coming up recently. I wasn't able to put a $ number on it because I have no idea what the balance sheet of a site like this looks like. One aspect I looked at was the cost of sheet music, compared with the number of free, downloadable arrangements on this site. That would certainly make $10/year look very cheap.

I know from my involvement with community organisations that many people want to see where the money goes before they contribute. I've suggested to Dirk that he send monthly email reminders to members. I think he's too tactful for that but, even though I couldn't guarantee a monthly number, I would at least remember it when I could afford it.

I'm definitely not one of the rich members. I'm living on Disability Pension, but I would be comfortable with $10/year. I just doubt that this would be enough. Sure, the stats say we have 10,000 members but I'm equally certain that the daily traffic figures are far more modest.

I don't know the answer but I'm also not embarrassed by having an open discussion about this. After all, how many of us would work for nothing?

wizard3739 · #3 06-01-2009, 09:31 AM

I am retired and live off my social security, a very small pension and whatever I can make from jazz gigs (not really very much). I would be happy to make an annual $10.00 donation to help Dirk keep this great forum going.

wiz

604bourne123 · #4 06-01-2009, 09:34 AM

who to say how much in donations is being made lets face it being a member and paying a monthly or yearly subscription would probably make them happy/but donations could be more lucrative but what is at issue is the learning experience in the forms and the lessons having the feedback enforces the lessons and everybody is happy

Tom Z · #5 06-02-2009, 08:41 AM

The Steel Guitar Forum has a one time $5 member fee. Everyone there seems to be generous and help. The moderator also has a store that sells strings, CDs of members and other things just to keep it going. Donations are always accepted too...I donate a few bucks everytime I purchase something through the site.

Holmes Monaco · #6 06-03-2009, 05:32 PM

have you seen the ads all over this site? the owner of this site should be making a profit, and I suspect that he is. if not thats his fault. having one of the top spots for 'jazz guitar' on google is worth a lot of money, i dont see any reason why we should have to play for this forum considering by posting here we are increasing the power and reach of this site. thats why this forum was started in the first place. plus this site shoud only cost $10 for the domain name above the hosting costs which if he has a good plan shouldnt be that much.

you guys need to realize how the internet works. if the owner wants to put up a donation form then he should, i encourage that, but a membership fee would be stupid and I for one would not pay it and would find a free forum to post on instead, as would many others. it would not benefit him to have a membership fee. this is the internet, not a country club. simple internet economics.

Banksia · #7 06-04-2009, 12:06 AM

Here's a link to one of the Website Valuation sites:
jazzguitar.be >> $9,311 >> Website Worth Calculator >> Calculate your website value !!!
As you can see, if that's the total value, then I really don't think the advertising is generating quite as much as HolmesMonaco suggests. I can't find the valuation site I usually use - it has more comprehensive numbers on revenue and traffic - but I know from other sites I've analysed, with way more traffic and advertising than this one, most don't generate what most people would consider an "income."

To me, the question isn't what Dirk should or shouldn't do, it's how much is this site worth to me?

Holmes Monaco · #8 06-04-2009, 09:31 AM

that site is a joke. i just put one of my sites in there and it wasnt even close on any data point. I dont even know where its getting its information but sites like those are always wrong. even if it was right, you think membership fees could come close to giving him 9k a year (assuming that crappy site's information was yearly (which it doesnt specify because its terrible))? is 9k a year not a fair trade for just letting this site sit here (hes already made all the lessons, its passive at this point)?

your question is completely irrational. what does it matter what the site is worth to you, there are bigger things to consider than one person. putting a membership fee on a forum like this is a great way to throw the whole site into decline and keep younger jazz guitarists from being able to access the info.

put up a paypal donation page, drop this ridiculous idea of membership fees. this advice i give to the owner free of charge.

604bourne123 · #9 07-02-2009, 05:36 PM

what you say makes sense to me to have youth pounding at your door.makes any business a success

fep · #10 07-02-2009, 05:49 PM

There is so much good free information on the internet. Lots of competition that is free. If you where to charge a membership fee then I believe you would immediately price yourself out of the market.

And the content would change. I for one would have never joined and therefore would have never written the lessons or chord melodies that I have posted on this site.

And there are already professional instructors posting to this site (as there are on some of the other internet sites that compete with this site which are also free).

ZzaJMarc · #11 07-03-2009, 12:04 PM

This forum is already not very very active, lot of good posters but not a LOT of them. I dont know if 10$ by year would change that. It would repulse a lot of newer persons to join imo. I, for exemple, wouldnt pay 10$ by year to access this website because i dont own any credit card, and because i think a forum should be a place people exchange and not pay for having something. Some people here share a lot of materials and insights and its great, they dont do it for money i think.

franco6719 · #12 07-03-2009, 01:43 PM

I would willingly pay to help keep the site and the forum going, but I have a similar problem. No credit card. I buy most of my books and things like that from some of the Italian sites which allow cash payment on delivery. I'm trying to find a way to buy my strings and other guitar accessories like that. No luck so far. I have to take a train to Benevento from the boonies here in Italy. I have some materials I can share though.

franco6719 · #13 07-03-2009, 01:51 PM

10$ is nothing. But....no damned credit card. Any other ideas?

Banksia · #14 07-04-2009, 05:11 AM

Don't you people have Debit Cards? They are like a normal ATM card but can be used online or by phone. Your spending is limited to the amount in your account. In Australia they are either Visa or Mastercard. They are clearly marked as Debit Cards so nobody can steal them and rack up several $K on your a/c.

I don't mean for the purpose of this thread specifically but for e-commerce in general. My only other thought on this thread is that I can't believe how offended some people got, at the thought of contributing $10.

fep · #15 07-04-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banksia

I can't believe how offended some people got, at the thought of contributing $10.

I read every post and I saw no indication of anyone being offended.

Yes, people made practical arguments against the idea... But offended? Who was offended?

ZzaJMarc · #16 07-04-2009, 10:45 AM

Actually banksia visa and mastercard are credit cards. I have in fact a debit card, from my bank account. I Never saw any site where i could pay in that manner. Normally its only credit card.

I am not offended at all, but theres a lot more inconvenient to demand 10$ to join than advantages. Someone said the competition, hes right. A lot of people come here to help too and not to receive. Would they be willing to pay 10$ to help ? I dont say its a bad idea, but i think its great like that... It is a great site but 10$... i dont know.. not for me.

Regards
Marc

Banksia · #17 07-04-2009, 07:56 PM

Mastercard Debit Card: Commonwealth Bank Group - Debit MasterCard

OK I showed poor choice of words. Let me say I was surprised at the strength of the resistance to the idea.

Also re: Holmes Monaco: When I said "how much is the site worth to me?" I didn't mean "me" as one individual forum user, I meant "me" as any random forum-using individual or potential forum-using individual. Yes thank you, I do realise that the issues of any forum are greater than the convenience of one individual

worktodo · #18 07-05-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZzaJMarc

Actually banksia visa and mastercard are credit cards. I have in fact a debit card, from my bank account. I Never saw any site where i could pay in that manner. Normally its only credit card.

I've also got a debit card, but i've never had a problem paying for things online. Although they often say visa credit, i'm yet to come across a site that doesn't let me pay by debit.

ZzaJMarc · #19 07-07-2009, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worktodo

I've also got a debit card, but i've never had a problem paying for things online. Although they often say visa credit, i'm yet to come across a site that doesn't let me pay by debit.

wow. really ? Does Amazon let you do that ? I dont know if mine is supported, or only like visa and mastercards DEBIT cards are accepted...

Ill try.

worktodo · #20 07-07-2009, 06:36 AM

Yeah man! Not a problem so far! Anyway, sorry, back to the topic!

Paul Dillon · #21 07-07-2009, 07:50 AM

I would be happy to pay but I very much take the point of the others here who think that it would drive the membership down and discourage newbies. So how about a premium content area so that the site is still free and the forums and most of the lessons but put some premium (pay-per-download) stuff on there. Also, if Dirk could get himself a reseller (referal?) deal with the likes of amazon or other online sellers of music then, whenever I wanted to buy something like that I would come through this site and Dirk would get a commission. I have no idea how practical this suggestion is, just my 2 cents worth.

604bourne123 · #22 07-11-2009, 10:09 AM

would it be there if a membership is levied.The idea is that the musical people who work this site would not contribute as always because the $10.00 membership would be a negative circuit.To have a free competive site keeps the energy at a level that is healthy.The $10.00 membership would take the site to the abiss.

604bourne123 · #23 07-11-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 604bourne123

would it be there if a membership is levied.The idea is that the musical people who work this site would not contribute as always because the $10.00 membership would be a negative circuit.To have a free competive site keeps the energy at a level that is healthy.The $10.00 membership would take the site to the abyss.

Amazon should be paying a commission to dirk/maybe that's the answer/can't fool with economics just as fast as you make it can reverse itself

dcmey · #24 07-31-2009, 04:38 PM

This is coming from a person that only goes on the site once in a while, I go on to mylespaul forum frequently and can get lots of info free there. This site's lessons are great, I would be more inclined to purchase things from a site store. I don't believe in a certain amount of money to contribute to a site.

Bluesguy · #25 08-16-2009, 09:46 AM

Monetarizing a web site is notably difficult. The site store can be a reasonable idea, and some things are sold here. Ads can help but if the click through count isn't there....

And concerning credit cards... I prefer to do business with those take Paypal because I get money paid there for songs I've licensed and other work, and I hate using a credit card (not just online).

dcmey · #26 10-18-2009, 08:09 AM

Just so you guys no I personally have made about 4 purchases off Amazon since my original post in this thread on 7- 31. The site getting some money like a finders fee is what I think should be done.

604bourne123 · #27 10-19-2009, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcmey

Just so you guys no I personally have made about 4 purchases off Amazon since my original post in this thread on 7- 31. The site getting some money like a finders fee is what I think should be done.

This may be the answer who is to approach Amazon are we being watched does Jazz guitar no this already /we can't see the books/the best position to play is nothing/this is the best answer/and hope they read the replies/cause this is about where some money could come from

604bourne123 · #28 10-23-2009, 11:17 PM

would sell because its a success on the internet or Dr. Warnock

mississippi · #29 10-25-2009, 08:00 PM

I think we support this site by using the e-store

by the way there is really a cool coffee cup for sale on it