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| Porn Users Forum » Long term subscriptions! |
| 1-19 of 19 Posts | Page 1 |
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| 05-22-10 10:35am - 5328 days | Original Post - #1 | |
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messmer (0)
Disabled User  Posts: 2,582 Registered: Sep 12, '07 Location: Canada |
Long term subscriptions! I guess in these economically turbulent days it is not the smartest of moves to subscribe to a site on a yearly basis. One of my Favorite DVD sites, American Vice, just went out of business and here I had eight months to go on my membership.  Quite frankly, I did see it coming and won't miss the site for what it became in recent days. At one time it was cutting edge, updating with niche material that no one else carried but lately it had become too main stream and with between one and two listless updates a day there was no way it could keep up with the big boys and their five daily updates. I wonder how many more porn sites will bite the dust in the months to come? Makes you nervous about long-term memberships, doesn't it? | |
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| 05-22-10 02:49pm - 5328 days | #2 | |
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lk2fireone (0)
Active User  Posts: 3,618 Registered: Nov 14, '08 Location: CA |
I'm surprised more porn sites aren't going out of business. The recession/downturn has lasted quite a while, and the porn sites are getting hit along with the rest of the business economy. But we don't read specific news or listings of which smaller sites have been closed. I think that American Vice did a classy thing by sending out emails to subscribers notifying them what was happening, and stating they would give a refund. I believe there are plenty of small sites that have stopped updating, but still accept new members, and the members won't realize the sites have stopped updating until after they have joined. Not exactly the same situation as what happened at American Vice, but like I say, I think American Vice is a class act. Just sorry to see them go. | |
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| 05-22-10 03:01pm - 5328 days | #3 | |
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messmer (0)
Disabled User Posts: 2,582 Registered: Sep 12, '07 Location: Canada |
I thought they were a class act as well! I haven't done too much downloading from their site lately but really liked their earlier contents and especially the hands-on attitude of the web master. He almost made you feel you were friends. This whole thing almost reminds me of the Betamax vs. VHS battle. The wrong people survived. I only discovered yesterday that American Vice actually had HD Wide Screen material, and a fair bit of it, too .. something I haven't seen with the competition. It wasn't true HD but was close enough and better quality than anything I have seen at Videosz or Video Box. | |
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| 05-22-10 04:08pm - 5328 days | #4 | |
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Drooler (0)
Disabled User  Posts: 1,831 Registered: Mar 11, '07 Location: USA |
My bets are on that the well-established, highly rated sites will survive. I renewed with MetArt, MetModels, and Errotica-Archives (their 3 for $200/year) and I'm not worried about them. Some of the weaker sites might crash and burn, but although the shortage of revenue is of course a factor, I think it's even more often the choice of the webmaster and/or owner. After all, there are plenty of sites out there that have stopped or reduced their updating, but they are still around. And that makes sense whether they're weathering the current storm or just keeping the dough coming in without having to spend as much as before. I wanted something new, so I left England for New England. | |
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| 05-22-10 05:21pm - 5328 days | #5 | |
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Tree Rodent (0)
Active User  Posts: 708 Registered: Oct 29, '08 Location: UK |
I'm truly sorry to hear of their demise. They were a class act. The sad thing is they were brilliant at customer service and customer relations. So is the true model of success Videobox or ebay, where they don't give a shit about customers? Ebay is brilliant for cutting out all the costs of having customer service and spending it on publicity telling you what great service they have. Provide rude, ignorant, or non existent customer service, and it seems you will succeeed. It's a jaundiced view, and only partly true, but I feel a real sadness at the end of AV. WTF is wrong with people? They continue to join sites who have lousy customer service, then complain when their emails aren't answered. | |
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| 05-22-10 05:41pm - 5328 days | #6 | |
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pat362 (0)
Active User  Posts: 3,575 Registered: Jan 23, '07 Location: canada |
It bothers me when I hear that a good site went out of business. More so when you consider some of those that are still in business and their content is significantly crappier. I agree that the way American vice advised their customer is a sign of a company that understands customer service. Hopefully the webmaster is able to move forward and create something else. I've never picked a yearly membership to any site, but I kept my Brazzer and 21sextury membership for many months. I suspect that in both cases the yearly membership would have been less than what I finally spent for the total number of months I stayed a member. Long live the Brown Coats. | |
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| 05-22-10 06:31pm - 5328 days | #7 | |
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PinkPanther (0)
Active User  Posts: 1,136 Registered: Jan 08, '07 Location: Oakland, CA |
Videobox doesn't give a shit about their customers? Based on what? They have done more updating of the features of their site, such as custom clips, various types of tagging faves, etc, than any other site I can think of in the last year. You might not like their updates, which certainly vary in quality from day-to-day and week-to-week, but give credit where credit is due. I'm also not too terribly worried about stable sites, such as Twisty's, Met Art & team, etc going away, but I think the overall point is a good one. There are going to be sites that are going to disappear, probably more now that the Euro-zone seems to be having a new round of recessionary issues that are having repercussions in the US. If people don't "feel well-off", they're going to hang onto their money and not spend as much on discretionary purchases. ALS Scan made the point recently that they need the support of their current members if they are going to continue to be able to do expensive trips such as their Caribbean trips. That's a sign of the times, for sure. | |
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| 05-22-10 07:54pm - 5328 days | #8 | |
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Drooler (0)
Disabled User Posts: 1,831 Registered: Mar 11, '07 Location: USA |
Oh, yes. Naughty fun for all! Especially them. I wanted something new, so I left England for New England. | |
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| 05-22-10 10:47pm - 5327 days | #9 | |
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anyonebutme (0)
Active User  Posts: 294 Registered: Aug 23, '09 |
This is fine and all, but lets not forget that American Vice is not a producer, just a reseller. To PinkPanther's comment on Europe's issues, actually they may be helped out here with the dollar becoming stronger against the euro. | |
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| 05-23-10 01:39am - 5327 days | #10 | |
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Capn (0)
Active User  Posts: 1,740 Registered: Sep 05, '09 Location: Near the Beer! |
I don't see it makes any difference to the customer whether a site is a reseller or producer, JM.  Basically, any long term subscription is going to be a gamble. You are making a substantial saving on an annual basis & hoping that: a: You are going to continue to get regular updates that appeal. b: That the supplier will uphold their end of the contract. As with most things in life, perhaps the middle ground is prefrable? Go for a 3 month option, which offers some savings over the monthly deal. If they stop updating or go off-topic at least then you are not tied to it so long and haven't lost so much cash. Cap'n.  Admiral of the PU Hindenburg. 2009 PU AwardHilarious Post of the Year 2010 PU Award ( I would have preferred it to be Helpful Post of the Year for Guys who Hate 'Retail Therapy' ) :0/ Sanity is in the eye of the Beholder! | |
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| 05-23-10 03:13am - 5327 days | #11 | |
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anyonebutme (0)
Active User Posts: 294 Registered: Aug 23, '09 |
It does make a difference in the side discussion of the overall health of the industry. Plus that this site shutting down is not depriving us access to any content. But to the discussion of long term subscriptions, no there isn't much difference between the two. | |
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| 05-23-10 04:41am - 5327 days | #12 | |
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Capn (0)
Active User Posts: 1,740 Registered: Sep 05, '09 Location: Near the Beer! |
Ah, I see your point. Cap'n.  Admiral of the PU Hindenburg. 2009 PU AwardHilarious Post of the Year 2010 PU Award ( I would have preferred it to be Helpful Post of the Year for Guys who Hate 'Retail Therapy' ) :0/ Sanity is in the eye of the Beholder! | |
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| 05-23-10 08:38am - 5327 days | #13 | |
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Drooler (0)
Disabled User Posts: 1,831 Registered: Mar 11, '07 Location: USA |
I've learned that any subscription is a gamble, having been shortchanged by a suddenly non-updating site more than once myself. Of course, the longer term increases the risk, but there are other factors that come into play, such as the popularity of the site. But you risk things with mid-term subscriptions, too, if the site doesn't have problems and you wind up spending more than you would have on it over a year with a lower average monthly rate. I just like knowing that I'm signed up for a good long time with a well-established site. I wouldn't do it with the ones that look risky, even though you're right -- they all are. I wanted something new, so I left England for New England. | |
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| 05-23-10 09:58am - 5327 days | #14 | |
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badandy400 (0)
Active User  Posts: 869 Registered: Mar 02, '08 Location: ohio |
For me to fork over the money for a long term site there must be long record of consistent updates and a lot of them. So far Videobox is the only site that meets this for me. I have bought a 10 month membership, twice I think, and I am in an 18 month membership right now. It is only worth subscribing that long to because they update many times a day and their library is extremely large. They can not be downloaded during a one month deal, trust me, I have been trying for a long time! Twistys is another site I would be willing to sign on for a year. Actually I just signed up with them last night.   "For example, badandy400 has taken it upon himself to become the one man Library of Congress for porn with a collection that surely will be in Guinness Book of World Records some day." ~Toadsith~PU Interview | |
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| 05-23-10 04:32pm - 5327 days | #15 | |
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PinkPanther (0)
Active User Posts: 1,136 Registered: Jan 08, '07 Location: Oakland, CA |
Uh oh, Andy - I just read that Twisty's.. - they're fine, actually - updating as usual, which I would expect to continue for quite some time - definitely through your new sub. | |
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| 05-24-10 01:23am - 5326 days | #16 | |
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turboshaft (0)
Active User Posts: 1,958 Registered: Apr 01, '08 |
To be honest I just don't have the attention span for a six-to-twelve month long subscription. I prefer to cancel and then come back in a few months to a year and see what I have missed. It's a lot of fun! That and I just don't get all hot and bothered over updates. For some reason I have never been very excited about 'coming attractions' as I am usually disappointed and let down by the hype--hey, just like life!  I either prejudge things too much, thinking they will be really great, or just ignore them all together and focus on what is currently available. And for reasons having nothing to do with the economy, I may also have serious commitment issues...  "It's incredibly obvious, isn't it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That's the way your hardcore Commie works." - Gen. Jack D. Rippper, Dr. Stranglove | |
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| 05-24-10 08:27am - 5326 days | #17 | |
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pat362 (0)
Active User Posts: 3,575 Registered: Jan 23, '07 Location: canada |
I always get excited about upcoming updates but I often feel let down. Sometimes because of the hype but it's usually because of the finish product. I must also have major commitment issues because I don't want to be tied down to a single site for such a long time. That or the fact that paying such a large upfront amount is sure to bother my bank account. Long live the Brown Coats. | |
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| 05-24-10 08:39am - 5326 days | #18 | |
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Ed2009 (0)
Suspended Webmaster  Posts: 509 Registered: Sep 12, '09 Location: Wales, UK |
I try to keep to the system of not selling memberships which are longer than the number of updates I have in stock. That way even if the market dries up and I can't afford more shoots, I can always fulfil my obligations to my existing members. It's never a gamble for members anyway. If they sign up to a site which goes bust, companies like CCBill will refund them their remaining membership (sites have to contribute to a holdback fund to cover this cost!). I don't like offering subscriptions which are too long as it ties me into keeping the particular site running for that amount of time regardless of whether it is viable or not. Of course members who sign up, download all the content, cancel then sign up again a few months later to do the same again put a lot of strain on the traditional style of site. Basically people get all the content for a fraction of the money. Over the last few years I've restructured the features for my members so they benefit from maintaining a recurring membership. A regular income is what keeps sites running. Webmaster of StripGameCentral and A Measure of Curiosity. | |
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| 05-24-10 08:34pm - 5326 days | #19 | |
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anyonebutme (0)
Active User Posts: 294 Registered: Aug 23, '09 |
I don't particularly like the idea of subscriptions in the first place! I'd rather buy on a per-scene basis, but I understand it's not feasible for sites to do things that way either. I do not like paying for content when I haven't a clue what it is even going to be. That being said, I do have two long-term subscriptions currently  one of which you'd all think I was insane for buying  if I said what it is | |
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