A Serious Word From The Publisher
As we come up to the end of the second quarter 2012, for the first time since its inception, TGForum has gone into the “red” in bookkeeper parlance. There was not enough revenue this quarter to meet expenses. I personally put a lot of time into making sure the back-end of TGForum works properly so that Angela and the other writers can focus on writing for you. Now, I don’t require TGForum to make a profit, but it must break even (I’m a business person, not a philanthropist). So there will be a policy change coming.
Sometime in the next few months, TGForum will go back to subscription-based access. The fee will be $0.50 a month billed in 6 month increments ($3). There will be a two-week refund period. Payment will be made through PayPal. You will not need a PayPal account to use the PayPal payment gateway. It will accept any credit card. Subscriptions will automatically renew every 6 months unless you unsubscribe.
I expect to begin testing the payment process within a month. The code is being written now.
Fee-based access to TGForum will help out a couple ways. As of now, about 10 percent of the people who register for TGForum never sign in, ever. Another 10-15 percent sign in once and never come back. A fee-based registration system will discourage that and also discourage lurkers, trolls and spammers.
We need between 1,200 to 1,500 paid subscribers to make this work. More than that and TGForum will make a profit. I might even get paid! With a profit we might be able to expand services, add more writers, maybe get a faster server. Anything might be possible.
What I do know for certain is this: if TGForum cannot break even I will have to shut it down rather than lose money.
It’s all up to you.
Category: TG Forum News
About the Author (Author Profile)
I am a writer, editor and educator. I was one of the 5 founders of the Renaissance Transgender Education Assoc., and have served on the boards of IFGE and AEGIS. I've published several books on CD/TS/TG subjects. My how-to books are available at the CDS Bookstand (www.cdspub.com). I am most proud of "Coping With Crossdressing: Tools and Strategies for Couples in Committed Relationships". I was an early TG political activist and one of the co-founders of GenderPAC. I wrote and published a Bill of Gender Rights in December 1990. I've appeared on several television shows and in the movie "All Dressed Up And Nowhere To Go". I published "LadyLike" magazine for 18 years, as well as "EnFemme" magazine and "International TranScript". (JoAnn passed away in June of 2013.)Subscribe
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$3 for 6 months will barely cover the cost of the credit card transaction plus the administrative time for resetting people’s passwords.
I suggest sizing the subscription to the exact proceeds of spending a $25 gift card for Pay Pal or Amazon. This would give somebody a way of buying a subscription without creating a paper trail that somebody else could discover.
If $25/year is too much, then make it last for 2 years or throw in a CDS product of your choice.
Count me in; I never wanted to stop paying in the first place. 🙂
Payment made! I think $6 is so little to ask that everyone should be OK with this. Good content and transgender community doesn’t rarely come free, that’s for sure. And $6 should still feel pretty free!
Hi JoAnn,
Totally agree with what you say (I am self-employed) and common sense lets us know that we do not value things as much if we get them for “free”. I will be more than happy to pay for the good information we get through the forum/newsletter and I value your contribution.
Regina (Ian)
JoAnn, as I recall, I was one of the first subscribers to TGForum at 30 bucks per month..and that was OK even back in the ’90’s..and you and Angela have kept the site alive since..even thru the years the site’s been free. To keep this site alive, I’ll gladly pay the $6.00 per year.
Ladies, if you don’t think paying a small penitence for membership here will make a difference, think again. I’ve learned SO much over the years and been encouraged by the lives of so many friends I’ve met here.
As a result of THIS WEBSITE, today, yes, just today, after my very first visit with the VA Psychiatrist, I got the go ahead to begin HRT..fully funded by the VA. Now, had this site not been available for us, how many of the rest of you would be where you are in your lives today?
JoAnn and Angela, again, thanks for doing all you do and have done for Trans women of the world.
Kristyn
JoAnn, you can always count on me to support you and your efforts. It has been a pleasure to have you around for all of these years. There are just not enough of you and Angela to go around for all that the two of you try to do for us.
xoxoxo
JoAnn, I tried to do the automatic sub through PayPal and it just took me to PayPal. After I logged in, it just showed my account. Nothing about TGForum or a subscription. Did I do something wrong? Thanks!
Geena Marie
Before I make a subscription mandatory, we’ll try an Honor system. There is a Subscribe button on the right that will take you to PayPal where you can make a voluntary $6 payment for an annual subscription. New registrants are encouraged to subscribe before they register.
I have supported you in the past and will continue to support TGForum. My only wish is that I could support via some other way, not through Paypal. Penny T.
I would be more than happy to contribute to such a wonderful resource for us trans people, even if you needed to ask for a little more that would be ok by me.
pippa
x
YA!!!! FOR ALL DO AND THE WRITERS i am so supportive of your plan this site and you and your staff a treasure.
i will pay my annual membership as you plan and will also donate annually some additonal funds i would love to see you get paid for all you do so keep me posted. i hope all our sisters and friends will help the dream to be hugs veronica
Tell you what JoAnn when it comes time to ante up I will pay my 6.00 for the year and put 30.00 more on top for the cause. 36.00 per year is a fair price to me.
Sarah
I’ll stick around a pay. Everyone’s efforts at TGF are appreciated.
Though auto recurring charges are one of my least favorite things.
Hugs
‘lissa
Thanks for the support. Yes, TGF used to be $30, then $36 and finally $42 a year. At that last price we had less than 600 paying users. I don’t want to make subscribing to TGF a burden for anyone. If we can keep 1500 users @ $6 a year, that will do the trick. if there’s more, then I get to take some money out.
The fee will be $3 for 6 months. I feel that way people can really get an idea whether or not TGF is what they want. If not, they only spent $3. The renewals are automatic unless you unsubscribe through PayPal.
Didn’t we used to pay something on the order of $30 per year?
Dear JoAnn I am all in favor of a paid system, but I must admit 50 cents seems a bit low. Also can I pay for a yearly subscription instead of being billed monthly?
Sarah
Of course you should charge! Its the trend in the publishing world…
Keep it up!