[brian]

Please discuss the following announcement in this thread.

Please watch this video walkthrough of the features for the platinum membership. here:

allnurses.com Video Tutorial Please press the play arrow to begin the video

We recently released a new membership level called Platinum. We have created a comparison chart of the different membership options available. From the help menu - then Upgrade Membership Link.


or at the footer of each page here:

[canoehead]

Brian, honey, I love you but...the ads were added on with the last redo of the website, as was the left sidebar. So now after adding things that were irritating you are offering me the opportunity to pay to have them removed again? Nope, not gonna shell out for something that transparent. (Have you taken the same administrative courses as my hospital CEO?)

I WOULD however pay to be able to ignore threads or forums, or to have access to a adult rated (as opposed to PG-13) forum. Oh, and if I send you $60 do I get any pens in the bargain? You know nurses love pens!

I will remain a supporter of you and allnurses, but the platinum member status- well as it stands, it stinks. Back to the drawing board and I won't hold this one against you.

[bethin]

Canoehead, I agree with you. I changed to platinum because there were extra ads at the bottom and you had to scroll down to reply to a thread. But you're right: ads were added that were not there before and then when you clicked to remove this ad you were forwarded to an advertisement for platinum membership. I feel like I've been had. It's like it was put there so you would sign up for platinum membership and it ain't cheap.

[llg]

I think it was an OK idea ... but the timing was bad. To add the option of turning off the ads for a fee at the same time the ads was added seems "tacky." Either one could have been done for a while and then the other added. That would have seemed less like extortion.

For example, we could have been told that more ads were coming ahead of time and the financial necessity of including more ads could have been explained. Then, in the context of that discussion, the option could have been presented with the option of removing the ads for an extra fee (to financially compensate for the decreased viewing of the ads.)

Or ... the ads could have been added and there could have been a discussion of their impact. In the context of that discussion, the option of turning them off for a fee could have been presented.

Either way, it would have been a "gentler" transition and people would not feel so "extorted" by having to make the decision. It would simply be a choice everyone would need to make about how they wanted to compensate allnurses for the service provide -- view the ads, or pay extra.

I give it a "thumbs sideways" -- the basic idea was OK and understandable, but the execution was a bit off-putting.

[Suesquatch]

Originally Posted by canoehead

Oh, and if I send you $60 do I get any pens in the bargain? You know nurses love pens!

Oh! Oh! I want pens!

Seriously.



I'll upgrade when I can afford to, which isn't now. I didn't, though, become premium for any features. In fact, I find it off-putting that all members can't frequent all forums. So premium bells-and-whistles don't matter to me. I support the site to pay for its bandwidth and because I pay for what I use. Nuthin's free.

[brian]

Thanks for all your feedback. Just to clarify, we've always had a sidebar with ads, it used to be on the right hand side, a month or so ago, we moved it to the leftside.

I'm sorry the whole timing of the platinum option seems like extortion, that is the farthest thing from my intention. I have actually resisted the "No Ads option for a long time", despite many suggestions by members. Just a few months ago, we decided to offer it with the launch of the redesign. So we added the option and failed to execute the option properly, sorry.

No, I have not taken the same administrative courses as my hospital CEO? . I am the kind of person that tries things out, if they don't work, I change, I am quite flexible, I'm not afraid to make decisions and admit I was wrong etc... etc...

The premium members never had ads at the bottom of the threads, and I intended to keep it that way, if you are seeing ads at the bottom of the threads, that was not intentional and I will look into that . There were literally thousands of settings and changes we made with the redesign, we've tested as many things as we could think of and that must have been missed or overlooked. I'll take care of that right now.

I will double check the premium member features to make sure all the perks were the same and no more ads were dumped in your lap to make you feel you were duped

As for pens...
I heard ya, I will send all platinum users 10 free allnurses.com pens! And I also have plans to offer premium and platinum members special offers down the road as well.

Thanks again!
I really do appreciate all your honest opinions! I have always run the site by asking your opinions and it helps guide the changes we implement (including the no ads option).

[brian]

I'll have to have our web developer look at removing the ads for premium members at the bottom of the threads for premium members, those should only be displayed to no premium users. It might not happen til Monday. Thanks for your patience.

[llg]

Thanks, Brian. I'm sure that once the bugs are worked out, my thumb will be pointed up.

[brian]

Thanks llg!

I really appreciate everyones patience with the re-design, and understanding that there are bugs and hiccups! I understand change is not fun dealing with, but in the long run, I know that the improvements will be beneficial to everyone

allnurses.com cost several thousands of dollars each month to run and operate and about 95% of the cost is funded by advertising. The platinum membership option is really intended for those users who want to help contribute to the cost of the website and show support and avoid seeing the advertising, it was in no way meant to extort money out of members

We have many more plans of growing allnurses.com and making many new features for members to enjoy the site! My role in keeping allnurses.com financially viable through all this growth and development is a high priority

Thanks again!

[kwagner_51]

Originally Posted by llg

I think it was an OK idea ... but the timing was bad. To add the option of turning off the ads for a fee at the same time the ads was added seems "tacky." Either one could have been done for a while and then the other added. That would have seemed less like extortion.

For example, we could have been told that more ads were coming ahead of time and the financial necessity of including more ads could have been explained. Then, in the context of that discussion, the option could have been presented with the option of removing the ads for an extra fee (to financially compensate for the decreased viewing of the ads.)

Or ... the ads could have been added and there could have been a discussion of their impact. In the context of that discussion, the option of turning them off for a fee could have been presented.

Either way, it would have been a "gentler" transition and people would not feel so "extorted" by having to make the decision. It would simply be a choice everyone would need to make about how they wanted to compensate allnurses for the service provide -- view the ads, or pay extra.

I give it a "thumbs sideways" -- the basic idea was OK and understandable, but the execution was a bit off-putting.

I became a premium member for several reasons. 1. Was to get rid of the ads. Wasn't even on for 2 weeks before the ads showed up at the bottom of the posts again. 2. To keep this great forum functioning. I can't afford to upgrade again and the way things are going its going to be another 3 yr before I can.