I need your help!!

[Reynard]

A cat forum I'm a member of does an annual Christmas auction to raise money for an independent rescue it supports. Members put up lots that they wish to submit to the auction, and then there's online bids for each - a bit like a silent auction really. Then you post the lot(s) you have put into the auction to the winner.

Maybe something like that might be workable?

I'd be happy to contribute some home made preserves and a "goodies" hamper for cats.

 

[Tin Pot]

A cat forum I'm a member of does an annual Christmas auction to raise money for an independent rescue it supports. Members put up lots that they wish to submit to the auction, and then there's online bids for each - a bit like a silent auction really. Then you post the lot(s) you have put into the auction to the winner.

Maybe something like that might be workable?

I'd be happy to contribute some home made preserves and a "goodies" hamper for cats.

There's a cat forum?

 

[biggs682]

Three times a nightly pee when you get to my age...

i am up to 2 and a half a night

What about a 1% or ?? fee for selling stuff ? i would be happy with a small charge

 

[AndyRM]

There's a cat forum?

Yeah, the members all sit around looking aloof before begging for food.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

There's a cat forum?

But of course. The internet is owned and run by cats, after all.

 

[classic33]

There's a cat forum?

There's CC

 

[Welsh wheels]

i am up to 2 and a half a night

What about a 1% or ?? fee for selling stuff ? i would be happy with a small charge

With all this talk, now I need to go and I only went 10 minutes ago!

 

[buzzy-beans]

Can I ask what the breakdown of the £3,500 is?

Surely, it doesn't matter what or how the costs of running this amazing forum are incurred, personally I trust the information we have been given!

So for heavens sake, cut all the cr-p, if this forum is costing the founder his personal money and as WE ALL are appearing to enjoy his efforts, then surel to god, put up and shut up and lets all dip into our pockets and cough up a little on an annual subscription basis. Oh and those who run commercial businesses no matter how large or small should be charged an additional premium in the same way as they have to do on other forums such as ukcampsites.co.uk, where membership is free but all commercial people no matter how large or small have to either cough up full time or be kicked off................. I know this only too well as I tried to push/promote my businesses in France for free, until I was caught out and kicked off!!

 

[stephec]

Sir Ralph Halpern was five times a night unless my memory is playing tricks,,,

The last time I felt like doing it five times a night was just before I finished the first effort.

 

[Spinney]

One of the things I like about cafe threads is how a request for a contribution can turn into a thread about how often a bunch of old men mature cyclists get up in the night!

 

[classic33]

One of the things I like about cafe threads is how a request for a contribution can turn into a thread about how often a bunch of old men mature cyclists have to get up in the night!

I think you've mis-read @stephec's post.

 

[Spinney]

I think you've mis-read @stephec's post.

Maybe I did, maybe I didn't.
Depends how you interpret 'getting up'

 

[classic33]

Not the ones before that though.

True.

 

[Brandane]

One problem I can see with charging a subscription for site access is that it might prove difficult to attract new members. I don't think many people would pay anything to join up to an unseen forum. Let's face it; most forums on the net are absolute dross, and can't attract members even without a fee. If I didn't know any better and just happened to stumble across this site but wasn't able to see it without signing up, I would just assume it was yet another dodgy forum and move on. Facebook (I am not a member) is free and has pages relating to every group under the sun, CycleChat included, apparently.

Or ...... Would lurking be free?

 

[Spinney]

'Guests' can read the forum without joining, but they see adverts. They have to join to post, then the adverts stop. If you log out, then view the forum, you'll see what I mean. So people would still stumble across the site as they do now.

One possibility could be to have signed up members see the adverts (they're not those horrid, pop up and blot out the website type, just a banner across the top, I think), then those who don't mind paying a small subscription get an ad-free site.