AstroMart should...

AstroMart should...

>When I say AM is a product, it is a wonderful one and unique. It's a daily Sky and Telescope with all the columns, advertising and reviews and is interactive for each of us.

We even are allowed to buy and sell to thousands of hobbiests!! There is no other comparable outlet for our stuff. In a direct way, we (supporters) are competing with Anacortes and sponsors! How much more of a product could one ask for?

It's design is clean, simple and inviting.

>I see advertisers (sponsors) as yet an additional source of information and entertainment. I wouldn't want to loose them from the site. It would become just another forum site. They should pay for the exposure of course. I view them in some regard as competitors to Anacortes. So, in any event, AM should be self sustaining.

>All should subscribe for the product up front.

Anacortes has lost tons of money from me because of Astromart. If I didn;t have Astromart, I would have to buy all my toys retail. Although I couldn't/wouldn't afford as much stuff, I would likely be buying it from places like ATWB.

Since I have Astromart, I buy and sell all manner of things that I want to try out, knowing full well there will be a robust market for it if I choose to resell it. Astromart has saved me thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of dollars. If Herb charged me $200, $300 or even $500 a year, I wouldn't blink an eye. I'm not rich, I'm just not as poor as I would be if Astromart weren't around.

It's time for us to give back to Herb in one of the only ways that we can. We owe him and Astromart a lot.

Tom

I second that, and although I feel a bit hypocritical, I completely agree. However, I have found that it is in many people's nature to not pay for things if they dont have to. This is why I feel that if AMart is not staying afloat on its own, we (you, Herb) have to make it stay afloat if you want it to survive. This would mean a manditory charge of some sort, or obtaining funding from an outside source (don't ask me where).

ER

It just boggles my mind that some AstroMart users don't have a clue for what it takes dollar/expense wise for a site like AM. It is encouraging to see some of us that have paid to be Supporters, some of us renewing recently for the 3rd time. I then look at the Top Users and see many who have never supported AstroMart, yet have placed hundreds of ads. C'mon folks, $10.00/month is so cheap to keep a site like this going. Like one poster noted, AM is actually a competitor to Herb and Ray, yet they have come out of their pockets so we could have a great place to buy, sell, trade and visit with others who enjoy Astronomy. It really is time for the big users to throw some money into the pot. I've seen hundreds of sites go belly-up due to ever increasing costs (larger and more Routers, Servers, T1 Lines, etc.) and when they go kerplunk without notice you really feel it, especially if it is a site where you've stored photos or had items for sale or even investment sites where one could really get good info. So please, everyone pay the Pauper. It won't be painful. Just give up a couple 'junk' fast food meals per month and you'll not only be healthier but, you'll still have a place like AstroMart.

(i've stayed out of this survey until i ponied up some support...)

Now that i have, i feel free to say that i've hoped that things would remain the same as they have been, but it looks like Herb is bleeding bucks on this venture, and really, for the service to the amateur community it provides, he ought not to be.

My only reservation is based on observation of human behaviour as seen in a club to which i belong... when it became apparent that membership dues needed to rise, the folks who seemed to cry the loudest about it were folks who wouldn't think twice about laying out hundreds for a new eyepiece, but wept over the $5 increase...

My point is that a subscription fee of some kind will drive out many folks... maybe that isn't neccesarily a bad thing, but it does make the buyer/seller pool shallower.

the cost of bandwidth for the forums alone must be staggering, and though i don't know the figures (which may be available on the site,) i'd not be surprised if they vastly outweigh the classifieds in cost.

The forums are fun, and for many, a vast source of good info about the hobby/avocation of astronomy.

The paid advertising of astronomy-related sponsors is essential.

And although i personally would greatly prefer that Astromart remain free to the majority of us (and i voted so, it's the Scotsman in me...) i understand that this is most likely not an option.

Perhaps i might suggest a Trading Times/Starry Messenger solution? A fee based on a percentage of a successful sale?

Just an additional 2 cents' worth. Thanks, Herb.

-mw.

I (and others) have been known to sell stuff cheap simply because someone needed it. These are the things that are not worth the effort of selling, packing and shipping. Sometimes we all do this simply by responding to ads, because someone needs that rare motor cover or adapter, or what-have-you. If I had to pay to sell it, I probably wouldn't bother.

That is only to say, that I personally prefer a subscription payment. I've been a supporter continuously for a few years now so that fits my requirements quite well.

Randy

I agree with a lot of the points made and would like to hear what Herb has to say.
What would generate enough money?
Subscriptions might drive off "newbies" unless a subsciption would be required by sellers only.
I am planning on becoming a supporter myself and I really don't want to look at a bunch of ad's.

I'm a supporter myself and I feel that it's more fair to the users if we were charged for placing ads. I agree with Brian that subscriptions could drive off new people. What more, as someone else pointed out, there are some who posted hundreds of ads and aren't contributing anything (not even a 2 cents here) That really bothers me.

Well, I guess the smarter ones here have already snuffed me out, I don't place many ads here. But I'm happy to report I just purchased $10 of ads although I still have 3 or maybe 2 left from my previous purchase

Derrick

I too feel that all ad's placed should have a nominal fee say 5% of selling price.I've noticed many seller's who fail to sell there item here go over to E Bay and pay there charges even it they do not sell.Also not that i could not afford it but i personally hate subcription site's and feel it would drive old and new alike away.