[Bonjoy]

It don't cost owt to post a sob story and an address for donations on the top/bottom of the forum index, any funds it pulls in is a low hastle bonus.

[Bubba]

I think you'd have to limit the resolution of images in the
photo gallery or something similar to non-payers.

I agree, but I'm really against that sort of thing, it goes against the whole idea of ukb. It's supposed to be a community, not a business.

[tommytwotone]

I'm going with the herd, I'd go for some ill UKB merchandise. Guess you'd have to manage the risk of the initial stake to produce said goods tho you could take advance orders.

Dave's got a valid point on the subscription ting, plus the fact that you'd have the cost and work of setting up payment / validation methods, people wanting refunds when it goes wrong...

[Bubba]

I'd have to set up online payments anyway, but it's easy with paypal/nochex and most people online have one of them these days....

[grimer]

Might I just say, bubba, good effort on all you have done on this site up until now. Give yourself a pat on the back.

Although I must say that printing moichandaise seems to me like a lot of work (design, production, posting etc) for what might not be a great return. You yourself will have to make an initial cah investment too. And, I suspect, most people buying them will be doing it as a form of donation.

I would be tempted to ask a single company to spomsor the site. I don't think it would be much out of their advertising revenue, and would be a load less work than setting up a clothing empire.

[Fiend]

Sorry Bubbs but I've voted for Other and that Other is banner adverts and all that shit. Basically every other site I go to has those and I find them easy to ignore now. How effective they are, I don't know, but for me I find they don't detract from the integrity of the site - particularly when the site maintainer does a good job of explaining their need. Like, I don't think of Blues News as a vehicle for a whole load of film/credit card/console game adverts, I think of it as a good gaming news site that needs some adverts to support it.

Failing that, well, I would pay, via donation or subscription - it's a good site and worth it for the entertainment and interest it provides. As for the merchandise, well, most people support that and so do I, although I'm not sure whether I'd buy anything unless it was that UKB design with the gangsta Bee on it  :D

[Bubba]

Might I just say, bubba, good effort on all you have done on this site up until now. Give yourself a pat on the back.

Cheers grimer :D

Although I must say that printing moichandaise seems to me like a lot of work (design, production, posting etc) for what might not be a great return. You yourself will have to make an initial cah investment too. And, I suspect, most people buying them will be doing it as a form of donation.

I need to see exactly how much work/costs are invovled I guess.

I would be tempted to ask a single company to spomsor the site. I don't think it would be much out of their advertising revenue, and would be a load less work than setting up a clothing empire.

Ah but then you lose independence. I'd rather not have the site at all than have it controlled by a corporation. And it's goodbye the end of corporate reviews, moderation of forum posts that diss thos products, etc, etc. Yuk!

[Bubba]

How effective they are, I don't know, but for me I find they don't detract from the integrity of the site - particularly when the site maintainer does a good job of explaining their need.

I don't think that they're all that effective these days, and I really hate them. I agree that it's easy to ignore them after a while, but I think that ads would be the very last resort.

although I'm not sure whether I'd buy anything unless it was that UKB design with the gangsta Bee on it  :D

 

Maybe merchandise and a donation option is the way to go  :?

[Big Frank]

The merchandise option is looking like the clear winner so far.

What would be the best stuff?

- T-shirts
- Hoodies
- Beanies
- Chalk bags/buckets
- bags/sacs
- Lighters

What else?

Bouldering rags for cleaning your boots.
Neat bags that fit inside your pad.
Wirebrushes and blowtorches  :wink:
Thermos flasks for those cold winter days  :oldgit:

I'd go for the merchandising.
Think you should have UKB branded pof rags!

[Fiend]

And UKB own brand wire brushes for you eh  

[Big Frank]

And UKB own brand wire brushes for you eh  

I'm sure UKB would only put their name to a quality product with the best possible steel wire, so yes.

[Fingers of a Martyr]

i'd go with the merchandise bubba. the limited runs sound like a very good idea as well. u wouldn't have to just sell clothes though wud you? maybe the horse/ati stump cream shit if ordered in bulk and sold at a tenner a tube wud sell like fuck.

i always find as far as t-shirt designs go, less is always more...

[dave]

i always find as far as t-shirt designs go, less is always more...

as adequately proved by this:

[Dave Flanagan]

What kind of money are you talking about Bubba? Hundreds annually?
What about writing some articles for the mags and using that? Or some one could donate an article?
Otherwise I think getting one sponsor is the beat bet, I don't think you would loose the site's independance

[Bubba]

About a $1000 a year with the next step up needed - and more if things go to plan.

Mags? They don't pay much, do they? And again, hard to get any sort of regular income coming in.

I can't see how it's possible to have a sponsor and remain independent? How would this work?

[webbo]

i would be happy to pay a donation,but i would also buy merchandise.





any plans for designer shirts and tie's with the uk bouldering logo. :wink:

[a dense loner]

a couple of meets a year that turn into a party. lets say for instance that people were goin to northumberland at about the same time. they could then retire to the bunkhouse with reels of film n slides, buy cans for the evening instead of pints in the pub. am quite sure that we've got enough people on here who like the sound of their own voice to talk us through how to climb or take better shots. £5-£10 for the privilidge. 20 people =£100 - £200 quid. do this at least a couple of times a year n that's half the feds sorted. all proceeds to site. same can be done in the earl for a proper party etc.
as for the extra programmer, surely someone else on the site is a spod who can donate a bit of time while at their IT job farce. :wink:
personally i am rather tight, i would rather do this party mode or similar than set up donations which i don't think will work, you can set this up as well n see what happens. the merchandise will be too dear imho. people won't buy things unless they're quality n this costs. meaning i'm not going to be rampaging through the peak in a ukb t-shirt if its crap. say you're goin to brand toothbrushes, they cost £1 you then have to put design on n post them. the most you will get is £2. so it's not worth it

[dave]

the funny site b3ta.com is run offa  donation flava - might eb worth emailing their admin G to see if they actually make enough throuhg that route, to see if its worth it.

[grimer]

No offence, but beware of solutions that rely on people doing things or coughing up when the crunch time comes. They won't. Just think of the example of how everyone said UKB should put loads of free, up to date bouldering topos up, and there was a resounding support.

And what happened......

Fuck all.

There is no way you will clear a grand selling rags without putting some serious time into it. And as for donations, I would say that there are about 20 users who are regular enough to be expected to pay up. This makes it £50 a head. Kidding. And as for writing articles for a mag? You could write a dozen or so. Alternatively, do a half hour overtime.

Bubba beware of things that will just mean you doing shit loads of thankless tasks, spending your valuable time licking stamps etc.

Personally, I think a sponsor would be the best thing. And if you get a good one, who is sympathetic to bouldering, then they will realise that ramming brands down throats is not the best way. There are sponsored heroes on this site. What about their sponsors? And what about boldering.com. How do they do it?

[Bubba]

And what happened......

Fuck all.

Not true Grimer - the topos are being done, indeed some are finished but we're holding on until they're published. They were all done by other ukb crew and not me.

There is no way you will clear a grand selling rags without putting some serious time into it.

I was under the impression that the markup on clothes is pretty high?

And as for donations, I would say that there are about 20 users who are regular enough to be expected to pay up.

True, but even if 20 users donate a tenner than that's some of it.

And what about boldering.com. How do they do it?

No idea, I'm assuming the guy just pays the server fees.

I'm not under any pretence that the site will suddenly pay for itself, but every little helps....

[Dave Flanagan]

About a $1000 a year with the next step up needed - and more if things go to plan.

Thats a decent amount. Mags idea isn't feasibile so. Whats the nest step up? And what are your other plans?

I can't see how it's possible to have a sponsor and remain independent? How would this work?

I don't think they are going to ask out to sell your soul. I assume it would be a straight swap money for banner ad on site?

[Fingers of a Martyr]

but what happens when people slag there whack products and the sponsor gets in a tiff?

[Fiend]

Just thought this had to appear again  :wink:

[Teaboy]

I'd have thought producing anything other than a T shirt would inolve more time than its worth for you and it'll be a while before you see any return. If there was a simple method of making a contribution I'd do that but if I had to stick a cheque in an envelope and send it I might never get round to it. Why not put a payment system in the new site anyway and see how much you generate anyway?[/url]

[a dense loner]

my idea is a clear winner

n grimer's right on what he's said about crunchtime n thankless tasks. "crunchtime" now that's a good problem name