Increasing sub rate and new model additions

[Abby]

Hiya

This is the thread for discussing the current survey, on increasing the standard monthly rate from $15 to $20 a month, and adding two (instead of one) new model a week (basically a reprint of what is on the members' page, for referance)

There are a few caveats:

All existing subscriptions would be honored on the rate they are at until they naturally lapse, or you cancel (but, if you un-subscribed, you'd have to re-sub at the new rate) Longer term subs would proportionally increase in price as well Gold additions would stay on a similar update schedule More video material would be added each week Updates would change from four to six days a week the new content would be more of the same as what you are getting now - still shot by VidDude and Elvaar and I, the same type of new, fresh faced, real models, similar number of pics, same image quality, and so on.
So, basically, if you plan to stay a member, you have nothing to worry about - we plan to take care of you, as you'll be paying what you are paying now, and getting more content for nix. But hark back to when you subscribed - did you feel the site looked like it was value for money before you laid down your cash? Did you think it was when you first gained access? Do you think it is currently?

From the research we have done, subs to this site are cheaper than everyone else who does a similar thing by $5 to $15 a month. The original goal when I started was to provide quality material at a decent price, and I think that, to date, we have done just that.

Now, I'd like to provide more content, still at a decent price. As much as I'd like to, we cannot provide more content for the _same_ price. Currently, we're not in danger of going bust, nor are we making millions. We're covering our expenses, and there's a little left over for new projects. What we are proposing is part of natural growth of the site, and something we have had on the grand plan for around a year.

This site was largely built on feedback from members, and I'm not about to change everything to make a few more bucks at the expense of members' goodwill. We're going to carefully consider all the options, and discuss it a lot with everyone interested. If the feedback we get is largely resistant to the idea, we won't do it (keep in mind, we cannot please everyone!). What we decide to do - with your advice - will affect new subscribers more than current ones, so it'd be great if you could "put yourself in their shoes" somewhat.

We'll probably run this survey for a few weeks, so everyone has the chance to respond.

Sooooo, what do you think?

a

[Talking Figleaf]

As current subscribers it's hard to complain. As you say we get extra pix for nix.

While you start running into the price range of some of the firehose-o-content sites you have some offsetting qualities such as
- you're already pretty reasonable so new prospects may not notice a price shift.
- through your comments and solictation of feedback your site is less anonymous than most I'm familiar with.
- The increased number of days you have new content certainly helps.

Personal anecdote: I'm a recent subscriber. The extra $5 wouldn't really have slowed me down.

Personal request: Say no if it doesn't cost out correctly but is there a chance you could boost the quality of at least some of the ordinary videos closer to the nice big-format ones in the Gold section? (Since it looks like most of your subs are still on dial-up the answer is probably no, but I ought to ask. The bigger gold-format videos are very nice.)

Anyway I'd say go for it.

figleaf

[humperdink]

The updates: I like the fact that the site is updated quite regularly, however...

I would much rather that the ongoing sets be finished up rather than have many partial sets of new models.

Other than that, the site kicks ass! Great work, Abby!

[Abby]

Hiya, Humperdink

Welcome to the boards (your first post, I think?)!

There are not that many partial sets these days, as I tend to shoot shorter sets of more models (there are only seven models that have pics to be updated, currently).

Anyway, with the proposed new plans, the rate would be simialr as it is now - there'd be more new models, and more ongoing sets... but they would be updated more often.

Really big sets would take maybe a month to complete, most, no more than a few weeks.

a

[Abby]

Hi TFL

Thanks for your opinion.

We're looking at increasing the quality of the vids, but some mroe feedback would be nice. Bandwidth is an issue, for sure, but we may be able to make some changes. What is it about the current vids you don't like, exactly? Frame rate? Pixel size? Compression?

Also, are you referring to the AVI's or MPG's?

a

[redstar]

I agree with figleaf on the video size as I run my Desktop at 1600x1200, so the regular size is really small. Also, I am unhappy that only .AVI's are available in the Gold section. Not everyone runs Windows (or Mac). I run Linux, and the .MPG files play MUCH better and smoother for me, plus, my video app allows me to magnify the stream to a larger size (double) when I play them.

Please consider making .MPG versions of the video's in the Gold section, like you do for the rest of the videos.

Redstar

[slipjig]

I'm probably not your average subscriber - I have an ultra fast machine and a broadband connection. I would always prefer the highest quality video regardless of size. I like the AVIs in Gold better than the MPEGs.

As far as the price goes, I'd say you could probably manage it in the market you're in if you do everything that you're planning.

Good luck. As another self-employed individual, I wish you success.

Slipjig

[Abby]

Hi Redstar

We're unlikely to release the Gold vids as MPGs, as the size would be enormous (150Mb, I think VidDude told me), and that would create bandwisth problems.

Please tell me more about the AVI problems you are having (by email is fine) - what player are you using, and what is the exact nature of the problems?

Slipjig: thanks!

a

[barkingsquirrel]

Abby,

I think the price rise would be acceptable considering all the extra updates and other bonuses you are planning to put in to the site. I believe that your site offers good value for money due to the excellent quality of your photos, the amount of vidoes you already have and the number of models you have. I don't think the rise would be unreasonable at all, twenty dollars would still be excellent value. Keep up the great work.

[Talking Figleaf]

But don't get your hopes up. Just because we appear willing to part with $20 doesn't mean you should raise your bid to $25. :-)

figleaf

[redstar]

Abby,

I found a Divx Player for Linux. It's a very early release (Alpha), but functional.
Linux doesn't come with a Divx player, but does come with an MPEG player.
When you go to divx.com, they always direct you to the Windows player, but eventually found the Linux version. Before they just had the divx codec, and you had to find another player that would use it.

So I either skipped the Gold videos in the past (usually), or try to use some other computer to see them, which was a hassle.

Redstar

[Abby]

Hi Redstar

ok, sounds good... so what's the problem with the DivX player you have, exactly?

a

[redstar]

Abby,

The new Divx Player for Linux is fine. It is not reliable (crashes or hangs sometimes). That's why it's an Alpha release, not finished enough even for Beta testing.

However, good enough to play the Gold videos on my computer, which is a good thing.
This app will just get better with time.

It's true, I still like the MPEG player better right now, as it's rock solid, and has more controls.

Redstar

[muggins]

Happy second anniversary!

Regarding the soon-to-be changes to price and content: $17.50 represents incredibly good value for money, imho - I can't imagine existing members finding fault in this trifling increase, considering the benefits. Back when I was thinking about signing up, $15 seemed like a pretty good deal, and that was before I found out about all the little extras that make this site exceptional, in addition to the superb photography and models. I can only hope that those considering joining at the new price recognise what a great deal it is.

> TFL: Personal request: Say no if it doesn't cost out correctly but is
> there a chance you could boost the quality of at least some of the
> ordinary videos closer to the nice big-format ones in the Gold section?

Some of the videos, mainly those containing a lot of detail (outdoors) or movement can be a bit jerky and grainy. I've noticed that a few sites (bubblegirls and teen-pleasures, for example) use quicktime. These seem to be no bigger than avi vids, and still look good even when displayed at double their normal size. No doubt qt has its own limitations of which I'm not aware, but image quality-wise and in terms of file size, it seems rather good.

best wishes
Muggins

[muggins]

Did I mention I'm really looking forward to the new two-model-per-week update schedule? The prospect of having to wait, under the old schedule, seven months or so to see the models sampled recently (on the other forum) was almost to much to bear. http://www.abbywinters.com/discus/clipart/happy.gif

[arsby]

I am thrilled beyond words that we're going to 2 models per week.
For the reason Muggins give, now I only have to wait 3 months to see a model I like instead of six months.
http://www.abbywinters.com/discus/messages/7/845.gif

I'm sort of hoping that along with the 2-models-per-week Abby will widen her selection of models to include some a little heavier (Ange) and/or older (Heidi).

[Vid Dude]

Muggins: Quicktime is cool and all, but in order to get the excellent compression (low file size/high quality images and sound) you need a particular compressor algorithm called Sorenson3. It's a codec that Apple have sole rights to, I believe, and it's not freely available like most other codecs. Originally it was beyond our price range, and thus we deemed it unnecessary.

Now, as we develop, it's much more within our reach, but we haven't made any decisions regarding it. We're likely going to get some new software for compressing our videos soon, so maybe we'll get the package with the latest Sorenson codec included. Watch this space.

[arsby]

I'm jumping for joy now that Abby's putting up 2 models per week!

http://www.abbywinters.com/discus/clipart/your_image.gif

[arsby]

Frickin' image was too frickin' big.
Have to wait till frickin' later to try to condense it.
It was frickin' good, lemme tell you.

(Can't use the real word because Tara's on the boards.)

[arsby]

I'm jumping for joy now that Abby's putting up 2 models per week!
http://www.abbywinters.com/discus/messages/7/851.gif

[Swanstar]

Nice!