Gaia Community

Re: Subscription Survey!

Tim [no longer around] said Oct 3, 2007, 7:07 PM:

It is quite disappointing but not at surprising that Zaadz would go the way of the rest of the U.S.: Commerce first, service somewhere down the list. A tiered experience also smacks a little of elitism. That's no surprise either, I suppose.

So my question is, if you're planning on charging for this service, does that mean Zaadz has some added responsibility for all the services & other stuff people are trying to sell here? It seems Zaadz has become a lot more about marketing the goods than growing the mind and heart.

Start charging, I'm out…

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Re: Subscription Survey!

Rakey Master Dan said Oct 3, 2007, 7:11 PM:

gag me
a few years integrity
will reresh

Re: Subscription Survey!

Siona said Oct 3, 2007, 7:33 PM:

Oh, Dan. Why? What's out of integrity about this?

Re: Subscription Survey!

Rakey Master Dan said Oct 3, 2007, 7:48 PM:

made me feel funny
have to interupt dreams
wanted non change
still digesting
love is the answer
i am dan, judge

Re: Subscription Survey!

Siona said Oct 3, 2007, 8:20 PM:

Ah, but of course… all change requires digestion, and I certainly wouldn't want anyone to feel surprised or left out by this next phase. That said, this is Zaadz. We're here to be the change, and to embrace it. This is all a big exercise, I think, in expanding our hearts and mind and perspectives, and I'm so grateful to have all of you pushing and prodding and exploring on the way.

Made you feel funny in what way?

(I agree; love is the answer… and I do love this place.)

Re: Subscription Survey!

Rakey Master Dan said Oct 3, 2007, 7:43 PM:

refresh

Re: Subscription Survey!

Siona said Oct 3, 2007, 7:30 PM:

Tim!

Hey. No fair. :) When we put ads on the site (someone has to pay to keep this business running… ) there was an outpouring of requests from within the community for us to offer an ad-free version; people said they'd be more than willing to pay a few bucks to keep the site free from advertising. I completely understand this, and I'm glad that we're finally going to be able to offer such a service. To my mind, though, it seems only logical to add in a few more benefits for those who are going to be paid members…. why not toss in some more upgrades to show our appreciation?

Could you say more about the commerce first, then service? I still feel our service is coming first; the basic site will always be free, and how can service and commerce be separted in this model? Also, we've been clear from the start that Zaadz is an elite service… you had to apply to get in, no? We're for those who want to change the world–and who believe in conscious capitalism. This is a community of people who 'get it.' We've been fielding charges of elitism from the beginning. :)

Anyway. I certainly hope you don't leave! Again, we'll always reamin a free social networking service! The upgrades (be they to have a tree planted in your name or to sign up for a series of ecourses) are add-ons, and only for those who want them.

And thank you, hugely, for helping to grow my own mind and heart with this response. I'm glad you're here and so glad you care enough to write in.

Re: Subscription Survey!

Bill said Oct 3, 2007, 8:08 PM:

I thought it was an okay survey. Sort and simple at least.

I parsed over the explantions without really absorbing them, and went directly to the list of questions.

I thought there was a question missing - or rather, a level missing. Like I said, I didn't really study the extra services proposed - but I knew that $5 a month, $60 a year, was a price point that made me balk - because I couldn't imagine a service so useful I'd leap at paying $60 for the priviledge of generating content here.

The price point I thought was missing was $15 a year - roughly the price of a magazine subscription.

But, even at that, I did click the freebie choice.

Re: Subscription Survey!

Siona said Oct 3, 2007, 8:15 PM:

Thank you, Bill. And I'm with you; I like the idea of a one-stop, pay-for-a-year (at a discount!) option. I think we'd want all these having some sort of one-fell-swoop payment plan, but you make a good point by having something at more of a magazine subscription level. I still don't see the $5 as being that prohibitive–again, it's two Starbucks stops, or 16 cents a day (I feel I lose that in the cracks of my car seat anyway)–but I can understand, too, how that does add up.

Good stuff.

Re: Subscription Survey!

*Ladybear~ said Oct 3, 2007, 8:14 PM:

Thanks for the options.
Here is my post to someone's blog post regarding the survey.

When Gaiam took over we already had the question answered that ZAADZ will always
be free. i can't find the link right now, but i'll look around for it and post it if i locate it.

what is being brought up today are just options being thrown around.
like paying $5 for an ad free page and higher prices for other things.
they are asking us what we want, how we feel. not threatening us to pay up or leave.

personally, i don't have a business to promote, or anything to sell. so i just come to Zaadz for the social fun of it. but i can see how people with business intent would want to up their options here.
i am seeing ads for Gaiam on TV now and all over the net. so of course they are going to want to expand. that's what capitalism is about.

and WE'RE HERE FOR FREE.

i click on the ads on each page just to give them a boost.
why not, it's painless.

BTW… I LOVE YOU SIONA!
Thanks for everything you & the team do!

XOXO

Re: Subscription Survey!

Siona said Oct 3, 2007, 8:32 PM:

Ladybear?

Thank you. Deeply. :)

Re: Subscription Survey!

Amy said Oct 3, 2007, 8:12 PM:

Siona,

I'm glad you say you were always planning to offer tiered options - since the casual way that survey response #4 was worded didn't seem to reflect the positive feeling I had about having those choices.

I was more attracted to some of the $15 - $20/mo. benefits than others, so I'm watching with interest to see what is offered and in what combination/s.

For example, I think there are other sites and organizations (Ken Wilbur's Integral Institute, Heartland Circle, etc., etc.) who offer courses, videos, interaction with visionarys, etc. and to my way of thinking it would be a better use of Zaadz' resources to just provide links to those folks and focus your energies on your own unique contribution to this new world we're building together.

What I mean by that are things like developing the infrastructure to make the waves of 'blessed unrest' as Paul Hawkins calls it (individual people and small and large organizations that are already doing all kinds of amazing things to help make the world a better place) more visible to us here; to better support us in finding each other and collaborating effectively on the projects and ideas we're passionate about. I was excited by indications that you're imagining some new features along those lines…

I was also curious to know more about what you're imagining as the zPro Toolz benefits for “growing your conscious business”, and how that might weave in with what I was talking about above.

I think Zaadz is amazing, and it's not a contradiction in my eyes to see that you (or Gaiam) are looking at ways to make it financially sustainable as you go forward. As far as I can see you're handling this transition with integrity and grace.

Love and Light,

Amy

Re: Subscription Survey!

Siona said Oct 3, 2007, 8:37 PM:

Amy? This is beautiful. Thank you.

I think you might really appreciate the ideas we've been discussing around a 'resonance engine'; that is, something to make it easier to find those people and resources and emergent happenings with which you're meant to discover, and who have some kind of message or important connection to offer you. (It's hard to put this into words, but I'm sure you know what I mean… I love those strange 'coincidences' and I love how Zaadz already facilitates them, and I get excited about being able to do more in that area.)

I'd love, too, for this forum to flow into a possible discussion of some of those features that you mentioned, though a part of me is just as excited about getting to surprise the community a bit with more little additions; it was fun, say, unrolling those status updates and the shout-out features, and I can't imagine that anyone would be disappointed by anything that helped spread joy and appreciation in a community. But I digress… :)

Thanks again, and by all means keep sharing. It's lovely to hear your voice here.

Re: Subscription Survey!

Chris said Oct 4, 2007, 11:23 AM:

Commerce is service… An exchange of value…