*Update* - Based on the feedback in this thread, the paid PM system was modified from what is presented below. Please see this thread on the actual Paid Private Message system that has been implemented.
Dear IL’ites,
Effective Monday 28th September, we are making private messages as a paid feature in Indusladies.com. Less than 0.2% of our members actively use private messages and hence this change doesn’t impact 99.8% of our members.
We want to give advance notice so that in the next 3 days you can finish off any current conversation that you might be having. After this time period, we cannot temporarily open private messages for anyone. You need to go through the paid process only.
Why are we making this change?
As Indusladies.com grows, we are having several new ideas to grow the site and provide additional member benefits. However, we are currently limited by the resources we have. We hope that paid private messages provides us with some income that we can reinvest to grow the site.
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What are the investments that we are talking about?
Lots of new stuff that we can work on - Downloadable ebooks, Video section, Social Media presence, Facebook/Orkut Widgets etc. etc. The list is endless. The site is currently on a bumpless road to nowhere and that needs to change.
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How much will PM cost?
There are two levels of paid PM access. Basic and Advanced.
Private Message Access - Basic
Costs US $10 per year if paid online and Rs.500 if paid using cheque
100 message maximum storage
Comes with 1 Free Gift Subscription
Private Message Access - Advanced
Costs US $25 per year if paid online and Rs.1250 if paid using cheque
500 message maximum storage
Comes with 3 Gift Subscriptions (see below)
Free IL Cap (for a Limited Time)
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Why does each paid PM access comes with a Gift Subscription?
If you buy paid PM you will be able to gift a subscription for Free to another member of your choice. If your intent of buying PM access is to contact a specific individual, this would enable you to do so. After getting paid PM access, send a private message to "Laxmi" informing the username of the person to whom you want to gift the subscription. That way you both will be able to communicate. Basic Access comes with 1 Free Gift Subscription and Advanced PM Access comes with 3 Free gift subscriptions to PM.
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I already have PM access, but I would like to gift a subscription to another IL’ite. How can I do that?
You can buy gift subscriptions on a standalone basis. For $10, you can buy 2 gift subscriptions. You can gift one subscription and let the recipient decide on the 2nd one or you can gift them to 2 separate members. Once you complete the payment process, private message "Laxmi" with your intended recipients and they will be setup with PM access.
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How can I pay?
There are two ways for your to pay - online using a credit card or mailing in a cheque.
To pay using a credit card, go to Paid Subscriptions. Step by Step picture instructions are given in the next post. Even though Paypal is our payment gateway, you don't need a paypal account. You just need a credit card. Once the payment process is complete, you will automatically given access to the private message system.
To pay using a cheque, send an email to support@indusladies.com with "Paid PM Access" in the subject line. We will provide the name and address to which you need to mail a cheque. Once the cheque is encashed, we will turn on private message access.
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Can I exchange contact information in posts/threads?
Unfortunately, No. All contact information should be communicated only through private messages. If a member exchanges any contact information in public(in forums / in profile page), the member will be given infraction and will be unable to participate in the site for 3 months. We want to ensure that the integrity of the paid private message system is protected.
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Please ask below if you have any questions. Thank you.
With the introduction of Paid PM , as an alternative can members post their email address on posts/threads? so they can communicate with another member via personal email? (Currently posting of email IDs in not allowed).
With the introduction of Paid PM , as an alternative can members post their email address on posts/threads? so they can communicate with another member via personal email? (Currently posting of email IDs in not allowed).
Unfortunately, No. All contact information (email, telephone, address etc) should be communicated only through private messages. The fact that several members are paying for private messages to exchange contact information only requires that we enforce the "no public exchange of contact information" requirement much more universally and swiftly.
Thank you for the announcement, i do not have a problem paying this amount but how many members are going to pay and 3 days notice is a short notice, it would be viable if you could give at least 15 days to one month notice.
This is just a suggestion.
Thank you for the announcement, i do not have a problem paying this amount but how many members are going to pay and 3 days notice is a short notice, it would be viable if you could give at least 15 days to one month notice. This is just a suggestion.
alpa
Alpa,
Thanks for your suggestion. Also, it is nice to know that you would be willing pay for the private message service.
It is always fine to give as long a notice as possible. Agreed. But we believe those who value private messaging as a service and find the need for it, will choose to take the option given a 3 days or a 15 days notice.
whoooooaa....so u mean to say that from the 0.2 % members who use PM facility...u are gonnaa make income....which u are going to re-invest..
With the current limitation we have on resources required to grow the site, we are thinking even "tiny drops will make a mighty ocean". Hence we thought we will start with charging the 0.2% used service.
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