Transformers Club "Online Only" Membership

I'm pretty sure Griffin posted something like this previously, but my initial searches aren't revealing it. I've been chatting with some of the folks at Fun Publications and I'm curious if a new membership option would entice some of you.

As it stands, membership options are as follows (thank them for the oh-so-presentable all caps):

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THIRD CLASS MAIL TRANSFORMERS COLLECTORS CLUB $40.00 PER YEAR (6) BI-MONTHLY COLORED MAGAZINES (FEB APRIL JUNE AUGUST OCTOBER DECEMBER) w/Dion (figure ships late spring 2010) $40.00 (US)

FIRST CLASS MAIL TRANSFORMERS COLLECTORS CLUB $62.00 PER YEAR (6) BI-MONTHLY COLORED MAGAZINES (FEB APRIL JUNE AUGUST OCTOBER DECEMBER) w/Dion (figure ships late spring 2010) $62.00 (US)

CANADIAN FIRST CLASS MAIL TRANSFORMERS COLLECTORS CLUB $69.00 PER YEAR PER YEAR (6) BI-MONTHLY COLORED MAGAZINES (FEB APRIL JUNE AUGUST OCTOBER DECEMBER) w/Dion (figure ships late spring 2010) $69.00 (US)

FOREIGN/OTHER COUNTRIES AIR MAIL TRANSFORMERS COLLECTORS CLUB $89.00 PER YEAR (6) BI-MONTHLY COLORED MAGAZINES (FEB APRIL JUNE AUGUST OCTOBER DECEMBER) w/Dion (figure ships late spring 2010) $89.00 (US)

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When it comes to ordering a Botcon non-attending set, the difference in price for members vs. non-members is about $50. Unfortunately, that means membership is NOT WORTH it if all you are after it exclusive toys.

What if Fun Publications offered an Online Only membership? In other words, what if you could be a member and get access to the same options except the magazine, like:

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* FREE Membership Transformers figure (if you join by March 16th each year)
* Transformers Club Shop offering club discounts on Transformers toys
* Ability to purchase member's only figures from Club store
* Discounts on packages to the official Transformers Convention: BotCon
* Member's Only Forum
* Prizes from Club Contests
* Free listings on MCAX.com (Coming soon)

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Naturally, you would still have to pay shipping and handling on any shipped figures (free or otherwise). I'm not sure if that's included with the international plan, is it?

Would you be interested and what would you be willing to pay? I'm going to be informing Fun Publications directly of this poll, so please be honest. Do not say you'd pay to affect a change if you would not subscribe if such an option is created.

Thanks!

ADDENDUM

Please abstain if you are already a member as I'm trying to determine how many NEW members they'd get by offering this.

i'll go for just US$40....

I concur, I would spend up to US$50.

Shipping for the six issues of the magazine and the freebie toy is included in the $90 we pay a year.

Ah, so shipping for the exclusive toy IS included in that $89?

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Originally Posted by jaydisc

Ah, so shipping for the exclusive toy IS included in that $89?

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affirmative but not for botcon toys...

$40us

ADDENDUM

Please abstain if you are already a member as I'm trying to determine how many NEW members they'd get by offering this.

I'd consider it.

just found it in the email i've enquired on the future membership fee on 28Jan2010

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Originally Posted by Brian Savage 30 Jan 2010

Unknown at this time as the cost structure is actually higher for the
hand insert version. After a couple of runs of this and seeing what the
postage increase will be in April, we plan to revaluate the structure.
Brian
Please make note of my new email brian@funpubinc.com
>
>
>The following message has been submitted from the feedback section of the
>Transformers Club website.
>
>Submission Date : 01/28/2010
>
>Name : Daniel Chua
>E-mail : c77dan@gmail.com
>
>The following comments have been made:
>
>Comments : FOREIGN/OTHER COUNTRIES AIR MAIL TRANSFORMERS
>COLLECTORS CLUB $89.00 per year for 12 issues (Includes 12 Master
>Collectors And 6 Newsletters coming in Feb., April, June, August, Oct., Dec.)
>
>Hi Angie/Brian,
>
>Will the International Membership fee be revised as I believe you won't
>be sending out the 12 issues of Master Collectors anymore which will
>save some TFC postage cost...
>

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I voted $30 plus shipping on the free toy. If we're now saying that shipping of the free toy is included I'd pay $40US.

With the free toy included, I voted US$40 as well.

With the shipping of one deluxe size toy included, but no magazines $40 sounds fair.

Although an option to make it cheaper by removing Botcon incentives would be helpful.

I'd cop $50 for an online only membership... it's still easier to stomach than $89 considering I'm only interested in the toy exclusives.

seeing as i'm already a member, you don't want me to vote. but, $us50 sounds fair for online access & shipping on the members toy. Let's be honest Botcon incentives are nearly worthless for people outside of north america and we get the magazine 4-6 weeks after it gets released.

Well, when I started the topic, I didn't realize $89 included the shipping of the free toy. My "Online Only" assumed that shipping would not be included, so if you wanted the free toy, you'd have to pay shipping (ideally at cost) separately.

Personally, I think US$40 for an exclusive deluxe toy from a small production run shipped to Australia is an incredible value.

I'd pay $40 for membership to get the fig shipped to me, no probs.

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Originally Posted by jaydisc

Personally, I think US$40 for an exclusive deluxe toy from a small production run shipped to Australia is an incredible value.

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Or mailed. The mail boxes the last few toys have been sent in have been very small. Just saying.

As a member who is not renewing my membership this year due to their decision not to allow internationals to use USA shipping address .. I vote $0!

The club can rot in hell.

Ok, now that I have that gotten that out of my system. Happy to pay $40-50US for an online only membership. Gives me the benefits of what I have received for the last 5 years, without waiting for my yearly comic batch to arrive.

I would currently be keen to sign up for anything up to about $45. Although I understand that costs would potentially make the actual price higher (~$50-$60).

I remember back in the old, old days when Transfandom still existed that the mods there did an article on the production costs of limited run figures that made me rethink what I expect in terms of price for such things. Unfortunate that site died and all that old info is gone. :(

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Originally Posted by jaydisc

Please abstain if you are already a member as I'm trying to determine how many NEW members they'd get by offering this.

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AT the rate the club is going, I will end up being a non-member. I wont vote in the poll but I think $50 is fair enough.

My main concern is the MCAX.com site might be just as useless to non-us people as the lame trading mag they forced upon us.

I want to be a member of the TF fan club, not some friggin trading post! Keep the club magazine and lose the Master collector auction site is what I say.

Considering the figure you get with membership is supposed to be a "free" figure you get just for joining, I would pay the cost of postage plus $5 (so approx $20-25).

Sorry for reviving an old thread but I have been interested in becoming a member at Transformers Club. trying to figure out if its worth it. Id be happy to pay $50 or more if I was getting bang for my buck. If I joined today, would I get the bonus deluxe at some point. They make it sound as though you only get the bonus if you sign up before 16 March of that year.

If you sign up now, ie before 16 March 2012 you will get the 2012 toy which is Runabout (or Runamuck)

I put $25, but really, I'd probably go upto $40.

The thing is that if they can offer 12 issues of a magazine plus a figure shipped for $40 domestically, then I have to wonder just how much of that subscription is shipping costs, especially when you consider their having bulk shipping rates with USPS, and how much is printing and publishing costs for the magazine.

If they were really going to go with online, then the best option would be for them to have the figure's shipping costs pre-calculated by country (considering that USPS already has this info laid out, integrating it into an online subscription form should be straightforward enough) and simply adding it to the base subscription cost.

Depending on how it was sent out (in particular, if they were going with 1st Class), I don't see why it couldn't be done for around the $30 mark with them still maintaining the same sort of margins.