Please support your Forum!

[Stephan Whelan]

Hello everyone,

I've got a personal plea going out to all regular members of this forum to join our Supporter program.

We've had a supporter program for a number of years now and we're seeing a rapid reduction in numbers of members helping to support the forums.

So, why support the forum I hear you ask!

Well - it costs around $1000 per month to run this site (which the forums make up a large portion of it). We do run ads on the site which help in a very small way (around $150 per month) but the large shortfall is generally made up by coming out of my personal pocket.

One of the main ways of helping to support the running of this site and forum is to become a member of our supporter program. We have a number of options that allow people to contribute anything from $9.95 to $99.95 for a year of benefits to forum members including no ads on the forums which is generally the main reason people sign up. More benefits are listed further down.

For those who are feeling particularly generous we offer Platinum Supporter membership for $99.95 per year that offer you all the normal supporter options plus a FREE DeeperBlue.com T-Shirt or you can become a Lifetime Supporter of the forums for $499.95 which includes all the benefits below plus a FREE DeeperBlue.com T-Shirt and a DeeperBlue.com Soft Shell Jacket.

So - please consider signing up as a supporter program and help keep this forum running! Don't forget to tell your friends, family and buddies to come on join in the forum and then click on the supporter program option!

The Benefits

You will receive the following benefits while also helping to insure the upkeep and smooth operations of the Forums:

1. You will be able to upload up to a massive UNLIMITED amount of attachments and images to the forums.
2. You will no longer see most of our advertising campaigns on the pages in the forum (yes, that means no ads).
3. Your member name will appear in light blue in all of your posts, and in the "Who's Online" listing (just like how Admins are Black, Team Leaders are Red and Mentors are Orange!) if you choose.
4. You get a very special Supporter badge under your name.
5. Your PM box will massively increase in size, to 20000 messages maximum (all folders combined), and you'll have the ability to PM up to 20 members at once.
6. You will be granted access to a special "Supporter Area" only forum for discussions about the board or life in general.

We feel this is truly a great way to give back to the forums and the volunteers who help run the forums every day for you. To get started signup at https://forums.deeperblue.com/account/upgrades.

Thanks!

Thank you for your continued support of DeeperBlue.com forums!

Please note, in adding this membership DeeperBlue.com has not removed or changed any access or features from regular Registered Members. This program is intended to give an extra bonus to users who choose to support the board but does not take away from our current users.

 

[foxfish]

Due to recent forum upgrade we all had to endure a few hours without the supporter benefit of not seeing the adds!
I was surprised how noticeable the adds were & very pleased when the forum returned to normal!

It just seems to me for just a few £ - $ the supporter benefits are well worth while.

 

[devondave]

Is there a possibility of introducing payment by credit or debit card?
I would have joined the site support program years ago if it was by credit card, I don't have a pay pal account and it looks a pain to set one up.
Maybe others feel the same way?
DB is such a great resource, I'd hate to see it fail because of lack of support.
My wife might have a pay pal thingy, I'll see if I can join using that.

Dave.

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Hey Dave...

PayPal allows you to use your credit or debit card. If you go through the Paid Subscription page and order a Supporter option you'll be prompted to setup a PayPal account (along with credit/debit card info) which should only take a couple of minutes.

The only option we have at the moment is PayPal - I may look at introducing Credit/Debit card option with our WorldPay payment provider but need to look at costs and options around that and how easily it integrates into our forum software (vBulletin).

 

[laminar]

Hi Stephan,

Sorry I didn't do this sooner!

Maybe put an ad for this on the forum index page or the home page?

I think long time users would do this if they were reminded to do so.

Cheers,

Pete

 

[devondave]

OK Stephan, I'll do that, (feeling a bit lazy/guilty now.)
Can I remind people that $9.99 a year is less than a dollar a month for what must be the best collection of spearing and free diving information in the world.
Access to the best free divers, spearos, gun builders etc.
You can even send Pm's to Tanya Streeter :inlove (at least until her lawyer tells you to stop .)

Well worth every cent.

Dave.

 

[foxfish]

Dave, you have a point but, to be honest for the time it takes to set up a pay pal account it is well worth it!
The benefit of your own paypal account (for me at least) is because it is then possible to speed buy.
Many online purchases can be made very simply without the need to feed in your credit card number, just a password.

 

[nostres]

$1000 a month, ouch! Stephan, You have one expensive hobby

for what it offers (mostly pictures upload for me) 10 bucks is great value. The only thing I'd comment here is that 9.95 to 99 is rather big gap.
Seems to me that few more options in between would create higher budget for
"our" website
just my 2 cents
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Okdokey - happy to consider other fee structure if people think they'd like some other breakpoints.

What do you think? What breakpoints might work? What do you think might be a good trade off in benefits for a higher cost?

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Nudge nudge - any thoughts folks?

 

[devondave]

Personally, I can't think of any benefits I'd like (maybe some GPS co-ordinates from the more productive spearos on db.)
But an intermediate price or two is a good idea.
I don't know the costs involved, but a look at different methods of payment would be welcome too.

Dave.

 

[Anders]

PayPal is fast, secure and reliable. It's always my preferred online payment system, so no need for anything else in my opinion. 5 min ago I paid and happily became a supporter; the banner is already up and the advertisements are gone. That's eerily fast and a welcome relief!

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Anders - thanks so much for supporting the site. (as they say in a UK supermarket advert) every little helps!

 

[laminar]

It's nice to have the site supporter logo on my profile. Feels nice and shiny.

 

[foxfish]

All supporters have access to your own private section - look here.
http://forums.deeperblue.com/supporter-area/87573-welcome.html#post818305

 

[Bill McIntyre]

By coincidence, I just got this email this morning.

You made an automatic payment
Transaction ID: ----------------
Hello William McIntyre,

You just made an automatic payment of $9.95 USD to DeeperBlue.net Limited.

Thanks for using PayPal. See all the transaction details in your PayPal account.

I think I set up this recurring payment 2 or 3 years ago, and now I don't even have to think about it. It just happens, and its a great investment. I wish all my investments were giving me as good a return as this one.

PS- having access to the special Supporter forum with all the photos of naked female divers is a real bonus.

 

[fcallagy]

Bill,I told you before I'm not female.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Bill,I told you before I'm not female.

Then maybe you need to get closer with the camera.

 

[tony15]

as I pay a year support usd 9.95


tony 15

 

[Salehthefish]

hey!!! tried to pay and support since i joined but i do not have paypal and my bank doesnot support paypal...

If there any other way to send money would b glad for that!!!