"Member Discounts?" Topic

Thought I'd bring this up for discussion. Several people have proposed that TMP arrange for Supporting Members to receive discounts from participating companies. Some companies have expressed an interest.

The questions involve how to implement such a system.

(a) who qualifies? All Supporting Members, even those who perhaps only bought a 1-month membership with no intention of extending? Only those with a certain time left on their membership (6 months?)?

(b) How do the companies verify that you are qualified? This seems pretty easy on first glance - you give them your membername, they query TMP using a web form, the form shows that you're qualified. However...

(c) What prevents someone from claiming to be "Operon" (for instance) so they can get his discount? There needs to be some sort of verification, perhaps a code or password which the member gives the seller...

(d) but what prevents a member from handing out his "discount password" to other people? Does there need to be some kind of limit, orders only valid if sent to actual name and address on file at TMP?

Your comments are welcome...

Perhaps a one time only discount coupon or code that the member may use with any of the participating vendors, much like say "Barnes & Noble" gift certificates. The only difference would be that a code would be given upon subscription or renewal, instead of a physical coupon. The code could then be sent with an online order to a participating vendor.

One such coupon or code per six month membership; two for a year, etc. It would be an incentive to renew membership at TMP. The member then would be free to give it away if he/she so chooses and you wouldn't have to worry about fraudulent use.

Just a thought.

John

Lon at Brigade Games has coupons like that. Is there a way so ALL participating manufacturers could honor the coupon on a one-shot basis? OR forever, if they really feel jiggy.

This sounds like a great idea. As an online vendor, I can create coupons which people use at check out by entering a coupon code. I don't have a problem creating a code for all supporting members but would not want to create a separate code for every member. I also don't have a problem with supporting members giving away the coupon to others. Anything that will bring people to my site...

Tom

Most membership discounts have the same problem - HMGS, SOA, etc. All people want to know is your id number. And none of those places seem to worry about forgeries. Maybe this isn't that much of an issue.

Bill,

How about doing like the way that the RPGA used to do it? Everyone gets a membership number (which expires when their paid membership does), and this is used for ordering. The retailer (in the case of the RPGA network used to be the TSR Mail order hobbyshop) would only send the product to the on file address of the subscriber (the RPGA membership included a subscription to Polyhedron magazine).

The best way to implement this among several retailers/manufacturers? TMP would need to keep a list of Active members via their member number, and quickly purge anyone who was no longer a member (say within a week of expiring). The vendors would have to collect the order (including TMP #), and then somehow verify the membership. This could be done via email, a web form, etc. depending on how you wanted to set up the process. The downside is that it might take extra time to ship your order out to you. There is also the possibility of a member buying things at discount for his friends and having it shipped to his house, but you get that with any type of business of this sort.
I think the biggest decision involved here is how much work you will have to do for each method and determning what works for you
Toron

Bill,
I assume there is a way to restrict certain content on TMP to supporting members only. Would it be possible to create a "Vendor Discount" page which supporting members can access to see the various discounts, and link to the vendors' sites? I would envision running various specials at different times, such as 10% off, 20% off, free or reduced shipping, special order discounts, etc. However, managing the changing vendor discounts might be challenging on your end.

Tom

Well Bill,

A. How about those that paid their $25 (USD) to join?

B. Can they verify this with YOU since you have our names, email info, et al? (Since we WILL either pay by cheque, credit card, or an online payment source.)

C.See above and youe own quite good answer in D.

:)

If there was a message board that only supporting users could access, and the vendors used that message board to enter their sales specials for supporters, that would work fine.

For example, BTD might say "GW smashes harmless bugs: Not really, but if you order with code 3r5tyh on our website this month you will get a 10% discount. Good through February, or as long as GW continues to smash harmless bugs."

[(a) who qualifies? All Supporting Members, even those who perhaps only bought a 1-month membership with no intention of extending? Only those with a certain time left on their membership (6 months?)?]

I would suggest maybe the discount is proportional to the investment--more time signed up for up front = bigger discount.

[(b) How do the companies verify that you are qualified? ...orders only valid if sent to actual name and address on file at TMP?]

This might be the best way to do things, as it seems the least vulnerable to exploitation. But I would hate for you to have to code up an address field just so us greedy bums could get a couple of groshniks off our orders.

RATBONE HAS IT!

A company can already do this by placing a message in the supporting members board.

The company, of course, would have to be a supporting member.

Wow ! Impressed as I am with the $20 escorts, this REALLY sweetens the pot.
Issueing the coupons might be the way to go. Not sure if I'd get as much use out of it as I do the escorts though.
These days Im more likely to find gaming supplies in the local Dollar Tree (tm) or Loews than an actual gaming store.

Why should a manufacturer be the only one to be knobbled for discounts, ( Discounts can kill companys ) what about the retail sector.

The order would need to come from the Email address supplied by the supporting member to TMP...his/her registered Email address. Then the company in question could simply submit the address the order came from to verify the supporting member status.

here's a simple idea.

Put up a webpage somewhere on TMP and limit its access via a password. Then just have a text list of the real names of members. You can search for text in IE, Netscape, and most other browers. Give the URL and password to participating companies and stores.

This way if, say Brand XYZ minis thinks its important to know if 'Joe Shmoe' is really a TMP subscriber they go to said website, type in the password, and search. On the other hand if Brand ABC minis doesn't want to bother to check they don't have to. Its simple, only involves putting up one more page, and I would imagine you can code the page so its linked to the membership database.

Sometimes you have to ask if the solution isn't a bigger hassle than the problem. While I'm sure there are people who would lie about their ID on TMP when placing an order, the overwhelming number of people will not. So what if once in a while someone gets a discount they don't deserve? You're not likely to find a fool-proof system anyway that isn't a pain to manage so make it easy on the legitimite people.

[Can they verify this with YOU since you have our names, email info, et al? (Since we WILL either pay by cheque, credit card, or an online payment source.)]

The information doesn't arrive in a way that's easy to slam into a database, and if it's not in a database, it'll be too much hassle to do the look-up. Also, I don't always know YOUR name - just the name of the payee! (Which is the same about 75% of the time...)

[I would hate for you to have to code up an address field just so us greedy bums could get a couple of groshniks off our orders.]

Well, I was going to add Location as a profile option, to support opponent finding through TMP - adding a full address isn't any harder.

[Why should a manufacturer be the only one to be knobbled for discounts, ( Discounts can kill companys ) what about the retail sector.]

I didn't limit it to manufacturers - I said "companies."

[The order would need to come from the Email address supplied by the supporting member to TMP...his/her registered Email address.]

Too easy to fake - if I know the email address of any Supporting Member, I have their discount...

[Put up a webpage somewhere on TMP and limit its access via a password. Then just have a text list of the real names of members.]

That would give out ALL member's contact info to the participating companies, which I couldn't do without permission of everyone. It would also effectively give a "free mailing list" to the companies.

We don't need discounts - we paid for the membership to support TMP, not to get free stuff. The icon after my usermane is enough.

That said, if we do get offered discounts, I certainly won't turn them down...

er, userNAME. My rapidly thinning hair can't really be called a mane...

[We don't need discounts]

But it may be in the companies' interests to offer discounts.

Let's say Company A and Company B both make the same type of product - maybe it's terrain, or 15mm ACW, or both have good sci-fi games. If Company A offers a discount to TMP Supporting Members and Company B doesn't, which will you buy?

Of course, it only makes sense for Company A to offer the discount, if they make more in increased sales than the cost of the discount.

However, if TMP Supporting Members are watching the discounts page to see who is offering discounts, Company A *should* be getting more traffic (and sales).

And then Company B is under some pressure to match the discount.

I imagine I'd probably implement some kind of "discount" icon (similar to the Supporting Member stars), so that discounting companies would be "marked" whenever mentioned.

Bill : Who isnt going to vote for member discounts. The fact youve even put it down will bend many companies into the must do it position regardless of what they would like to do, to justify a cost right off for your supporting fee program. I think you should have contacted companies directly instead of putting them in this position.

Ill tell you now, Black Tree Design will not sign on for discounts for Members only. No offence to members but if we have a discount, its for EVERYONE and not for the few who contribute to a charge you have placed.

I respect the TMP and its readers but do not like member only clubs.

Please consider how this looks to us manufacturers, it looks like we are expected to provide the reason and brunt the cost as to why readers should join the supports club.

Mr Enzyme
BTD

[I think you should have contacted companies directly instead of putting them in this position.]

With regard to this most recent discussion, *I* didn't start it - someone else did. :-) And several companies have already contacted me about participating (at least one of which has already said so on the Boards).

With regard to previous discussions, if you'll check your email you'll find I've brought this up several times in the past for discussion (in the advertisers newsletter, which you receive).

Bill : im not looking to blame nor am i angry about this subject ( thats the problem with text rather than chat )
as it wouldnt effect us. My concern is that the metal soldier industry is shrinking like a cheap wig in a rain storm and the last thing it needs is another oppertunity to kill itself.

Enough said ......... the idea sucks.

Mr Enzyme
BTD