Extreme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You do not know any of the cost breakdowns. Period.

FP doesn't give out that information, it's all speculation on your part of the costs associated with your business. So just please recognize that you are playing a guessing game, that you do not have actual concrete facts and figures from FP's business ledger.

 

I totally agree. The excuse for the higher international membership cost is the higher shipping expense. If the number of shipments to an international member will halve due to the end of Master Collector, then international membership should be reduced.

 

And nor do you. So suggesting that the international members should gladly keep swallowing that $50 tax because "y'all just don't know" is just as insulting as the cost of international membership itself.

 

I genuinely believe we need to continuously make a loud fuss about this until it happens.

 

Yep, I don't know, however I'm not suggesting that. My point is that no one knows, so while it's great to hope for a price break, it may perhaps be setting yourself up for disappointment to expect a price break.

 

I aint expecting nothing from nobody, but there is a great, great drop in output from Master Collecter. While setting up a website might be a frontloaded investment, over time it will practically run itself for very minimal cost. That much we do know. As such that should be passed directly on to the members even if only a modest discount.

However we also know that MC run their business like it was the goddamn 1920's in some respects so no doubt Brian Savage will be authorising all new content and auctions by hand thus making it a pointless transition and one members will continue to "pay" for.

 

Yes, so given B. I don't think we do know A.

 

Given B is a joke that can't possibly happen in the 21st fucking century... I would strongly hope that A comes to pass.

 

the X is always for eXtreme, wether they acknowledge it or not.

 

This is FP we're talking about, I don't expect anything from them when it comes to their international members. Which is a shame as I want to rejoin.

But I do know some things, such as using the club stores shipping costs, shipping everything we curently get except MC costs $10 less than international members currently pay. I also know they don't use that shipping method for club membership items, they use a cheaper option as the stamps labels etc are different and if they did the MC would bump the cost another $30-50.

So knowing that I can suggest that with the clubs current international shipping method not shipping MC 12 times a years theres no reason to be charged over $40 maximum on top of standard membership next year. So unless the cheapest membership rises by $10 next year then international prices should fall. Your right I don't know for certain, but I think I'm making an educated guess.

I honestly think if they could get international membership under £50 a year (which is $75-80) they would see an increase in members. And yes I know £50 is an arbitary figure (actually I think £40 is more likely the magic number) for anyone outside the UK but I think the same would be true in Europe as 50 Euros is about the same.

 

You have a tiny bit of information and a whole lot of guesses and assumptions that you are putting all in the way most favorable to your desired outcome. That's setting yourself up for disappointment and self-righteous indignation.

Yep, mine's a joke too, but still gets to the point of hope instead of know/expect.

 

General Store Clerk: I can get the part from Bristol. It'll take two weeks. Here's your pomade.
Everett: Two weeks? That don't do me no good.
Clerk: Nearest Ford auto man's Bristol.
Everett: Hold on, now. I don't want this pomade. I want Dapper Dan.
Clerk: I don't carry Dapper Dan. I carry Fop.
Everett: Well, I don't want Fop, goddammit. I'm a Dapper Dan man.
Clerk: You watch your language, young fella. This is a public market. If you want Dapper Dan, I can order it for you, have it in about two weeks.
Everett: Well ain't this place a geographical oddity! Two weeks from everywhere! Forget it! [slams money on the counter] I'll have a dozen hair nets.

 

They will have the cost of running MCAX as an excuse  

 

oh look out dudes i am totally about to predict the future

seriously stand back because shit is about to get real!!!

THE PRICE OF MEMBERSHIP WILL NOT CHANGE BECAUSE RUNNING A WEBSITE REQUIRES FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES LIKE ELECTRICITY AND VACUUM TUBES AND THOSE ARE ALL REALLY EXPENSIVE, WAY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN FRIGGING PAPER WHICH WE INVENTED LIKE 50 BILLION YEARS AGO

P.S. INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIP COSTS WILL NOW DOUBLE BECAUSE WE FIGURED YOU CRAZY FOREIGNERS WEREN'T SUBSIDIZING THE US MEMBERSHIP COSTS ENOUGH ALREADY

 

It sounds like they're still going to send out the club comic, so I suspect they can still use that as an excuse for high shipping/membership fees.

I wonder if they'll just fax you the pages of the website every couple of days.

 

As I said I have no expectations of a price reduction. FP have stated they are a US club and international members should just be grateful for being allowed to join. If thats their position fair enough.

As for guesses I only see one. The club store is accessible to anyone to see the costs. Fact. And today FP sent us all an email stating DHL lost the international mail bags. DHL is not one of the club store options. Fact.

Your right though that I am guessing when I say I don't imagine FP chose to send the club material by DHL because it was more expensive than Fedex or the post office. Oh ok the MC adding $30-50 was a guess too but that wasn't really important.

If my guess is right my conclusion is not unreasonable, if its wrong my conclusion most likely is too. No righteous indignation here.

 

Just stop paying the membership fee every year. Nothing makes a buisness sit up and take notice of a problem more than a major hit to their profits. As long as you and the rest of the international members keep forking over that fee every year they have no reason at all to change anything for the better. And why should they?

I realize that means giving up the "free" membership figs, but there are other avenues available to get those. And if you're a Botcon attender, I don't think you have to be a member of the club to buy any of the packages(though I could be wrong).

Seriously, vote your wallet.

 

Other than the Seacons and maybe Astrotrain, has the club really offered figures so amazing that you would pay the annual dues? Not for me. I only 'join' when they have an exclusive that interests me. Vote with your dollar people.