Guest Clive Posted December 25, 2005 Share Posted December 25, 2005 I see that another quite comprehensive Motorhome "Online Community" claiming some 8500 members is going to charge £9.99 annual membership, subs required from January 7th. Its a shame as its a popular site but I guess it marks the peak of this particular sites growth and from now it must be downhill. So be prepared for some new faces here. Perhaps MMM would like to purchase this site and amalgamate it with this one?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted December 25, 2005 Share Posted December 25, 2005 I've often wondered how many different people visit the MMM forum during a year. As one needs to be an MMM subscriber (or have obtained a valid access code from the magazine) and have internet access and have an interest in yapping about motorhomes, I suspect it's a relatively small number. Not sure if it's possible to find out either as the use of multiple aliases is rife on forums. It would be interesting to know if anybody would be willing to pay any sort of membership fee (never mind a tenner) to join a motorcaravan-related 'online community'. Certainly I wouldn't - and neither would my 17 alter egos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill H Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 I don't see any point in going to another Motorhome site. This one being related to the MMM Magazine provides all the comments and advise required as far as I'm aware. It appears just a money orientated venture with little depth. We shall see. Bill H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Will Redfearn,Wirral Motorhome Club Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 £10, what's your motorhome worth? £30k,40k--more!! Ten quid! How much do you pay for the golf club,the lodge,Caravan club,Camping club or even annual subs to a magazine??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 Will: So, if Warners decided to impose a £10 annual subscription charge for accessing the MMM website, would you be willing to pay it? If you did pay, I've a feeling you would be a very lonely guy on the MMM forum. Just because motorcaravanners may be prepared to fork out large wedges of cash when buying their vehicles doesn't mean they should automatically be expected to spend 'inconsequential' sums on things that offer them no tangible value for money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 The demise of the MHF site has been brought forward. Its no longer Jan 7th but now. When one enters the site the login page has gone and the subs page is up. From my personal viewpoint it was a much more complicated site (for my simple brain) than this and tried to do far too much. Someone else has already said it, a victim of its own success. If it had stuck to being a FORUM and not a MOTORHOME COMMUNITY it would still be free and successfull is my guess. Cash, Its us tight sods who hang onto our tenners here and there who can save up the cash tp buy a Motorhome. Look after the pennies and the pounds ... etc. I got a FREEVIEW box for Christmas! C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colin Munro Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 Hi everyone and a Happy NY I am also a member of another forum which is well worth a look at and its free!! www.motorhomefacts.com/index.phd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dave Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 colin maybe if you look on this free web site, you will find that it is not going to be free ? but a charge of £9.99 per year as from 7 jan. cheers happy year dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Will Redfearn,Wirral Motorhome Club Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 I pay an annual subscription to MMM and consequently have a permanent log in on this site. I consider it to be a benefit as part of my annual subscription. MHF is not connected to any magazine, so I still stand by what I have said previously. You pay yer money you take your choice!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill H Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 Ho Ho Ho. And a merry Christmas too. Someone thinks I should pay the £10 fee and shut up then? No I'm not a Golfer, not a Lodge member, not a M/H owner, not even a Camping Club member. Not anything at all really. I had my fill of club's and one-upmanship being trained to kill people with bayonets in the army! (It does teach one to be tolerant of others) I like a simple life being an old fashioned cyclist who wanders through life being kind to others and looking for a nicely decorated coffin to end his days in! In between I search the MMM Forum and ask many questions so I'm conversant with what goes on in this aspect of daily life. Happy New Year to all. Bill H. (Ho Ho Ho) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 i'm following your lead clive ,join all the other freebies! jimB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 I spend more time on here than in the motor home. To listen to as much good sound advice, honest comments about owners problems with their 'vans, and be amused by such interesting banter as one gets on this Forum, would cost the petrol to get to a site or show, the camping fee on arrival, plus various other expenses. So perhaps a charge is not too bad a thing, but on the other hand, it is more exciting to actually meet real people in the field rather than on a screen. So on reflection, if a charge were made would I spend more time away in the 'van, and try and meet more motor homers in person? If I abandoned this Forum I would save the fee, if there was one, plus I would cancel my broadband contract as I do not used the www for much else, and save even more money toward travelling expenses. "Swings and roundabouts" To stay on or jump off? that is a tricky question. When in doubt, do naught. Negative I know, but nothing ventured nothing lost!!! Happy New Year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest roger Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 Why did you bring subject up Clive ? The mhf site is very popular and does take time and money to run as its not connected with any publishing house that has dealers ads to subsidise it. I agree it is a bit jumbled but thats how (the majority) of its current users want it. I would worry about the sites you use rather than those you dont use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 Hi Roger, Well I am not profilic on MHF but have some 170 or so scored on it. (Whatever that means) But like many I use an Alius (just the one), but if anyone looks up my details it clearly says who I am by name and gives a working email address and true location. Even some of my compatriots ask me questions via email then post my replies on the MHF site!. Only telling me after the event. So I have an interest. I am told that the MHF small print covers all that is going on but I still think its a bit of a liberty having built such a database from individuals free input to turn round and then say its now going to cost a tenner. (£9.99) All the data was given for free by many but all the income will come to one. Many on this site also use the MHF site so I thought of it as an Internet news item for Motorcaravanners. Was I wrong to do this? If so why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Burley Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 Hi all just thought i would correct some misconceptions I am the administrator of MHF and as such the target of any criticism for the subscription policy we are bringing in. Can i first correct some incorrect assumptions above:- Firstly "but I guess it marks the peak of this particular sites growth and from now it must be downhill. So be prepared for some new faces here." this doesnt mark its downhill it simply marks a way of evolving this site even further, yes i agree the membership takeup speed will drop as we normally get around the 10-13 new members a day mark but i dont think this is the start of its downfall by any means !! "The demise of the MHF site has been brought forward. Its no longer Jan 7th but now" again completely incorrect !! the non demise i.e. the subscription start has actually been put back to 30th January 2006 in response to members feedback about christmas spending etc, we have also listened and bought in an early bird discount of 50% up until the subscriptions become mandatory, and finally we have also bought in a system for multi account households i.e. husband and wife accessing MHF so that they pay a single subs fee not a double one. "MHF is not connected to any magazine" - and this isnt a bad thing ;) as independance allows us more leeway in what can be said "I am told that the MHF small print covers all that is going on but I still think its a bit of a liberty having built such a database from individuals free input to turn round and then say its now going to cost a tenner." thx for your positive comment !! It is not a liberty, it is simple economics, the site has outgrown its current model of free enterprise i.e. for the last 2 years it has been a completely 100% free website surviving on small donations from members and a few small adverts and this is no longer sufficient to maintain its incredible growth rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 Clive's original observation is perfectly valid and relevant in my view - much more so than some of the postings that have turned up on this forum in the past. What intrigues me is not whether a flood of ex-MHF adherents is about to transfer allegiance to the MMM website (doubtful, as long as this forum remains access-limited), but how many people would be willing to pay to participate in on-line repartee if ALL the motorcaravan-related internet forums decided to charge a fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tony Hunt Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 Very good post dave. Over the last few months I have frequented both forums quite regularly. I can honestly say I personally find MHF a more interesting and informative website on the whole. I was glad to voluntarily subscribe a week after I joined MHF and have no regrets whatsoever. When all the current hooha dies down I reckon the forum will be all the better for losing some of the deadwood that you always get sponging off the rest. How can anybody complain at having to hand over a measly tenner for so much enjoyment and information, it beats me. Some of the guys who have contributed a lot of information to the forum are apparently teed off because they are being asked to cough up a few quid to help cover the enormous costs. They forget that theyve had the benefit of also soaking up others donated information in return. It all works both ways and poor old Dave has been stuck in the middle with all the expense and work of collating it all. He deserves to reap something back in return. Keep up the good work you will be surprised at the number who will hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rowley Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 Quote-: "So, if Warners decided to impose a £10 annual subscription charge for accessing the MMM website, would you be willing to pay it? If you did pay, I've a feeling you would be a very lonely guy on the MMM forum." This seems to be an odd statement when I am paying over 3 times that amount to have the privilige of accessing this Site. This Site is useful but I find that motorhomefacts offers me so much more. I believe that it is well worth £5 to help keep it going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest phil Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 MMM forum costs £30+ per year maybe the influx will be to motorhomefacts? its cheaper phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 Rowley, you seem to be missing the point for you £30+ you also get 12 of the BEST MAGAZINES ON THE MARKET included in that figure. I tried Motorhome facts once it was a bit like talking to a someone who speaks double dutch (apologies to our Dutch friends) David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest roger Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 There are a couple of points, although I dont post on here very often, I have done since it started and it costs me the value of MMM each month, which I dont mind, but do remember we are paying for a mag with a majority of adverts. A point many of you are also missing is a good slug of MHF readers/posters are also subscribers to or buyers of MMM, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ja Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 I believe one reader of MMM was sufficiently bored and decided to check what he was getting for his money from the "BEST MAGAZINE", [imo not nearly as good as it was but .. .. ], stats given:186 pages from 324 - ie some 57% of the content consisted of full page adverts - on which Warners depend for revenue - and thus dare not offend in a 'free' debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tony Hunt Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 Very very true that. That 57% of our subscription is sneekily covering our subscription to this forum which makes it a dearer forum than MHF to belong to. :) I honestly dont think people will leave that forum in droves, its too good a forum for that. When people wake up and take stock they will realise they need to be pretty sad to lose all that enjoyment and knowledge for a measly tenner a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trixie Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 Pay by 30th of January & pay only half subscription price per household. That is an improvement on per member & makes it more attractive. trixie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 The point that most people are missing is that MHF has built up to the excellent site it is today because of the depth of knowledge from its members.It is this knowledge and access to it that MHF enjoys a 8000+ membership,so if most of the knowledgeable people on MHF decide that they do not want to pay to be able to dispence this knowledge then the site will fade into a shadow of its former self. Reasons for charging include high running costs, well maybe a simpler version of the site would serve everyone better ie loose some of the bells and whistles. I think it is a very sad thing that MHF will not be freely available to any new motorhome owners as it has helped me tremendously in the last 18 months. Personaly I do object that anything that I or others have freely contributed in the past will now be charged for. MHF RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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