A Plea to Our Readers *** PLEASE READ ***

[gene]

All;

These are tough times for everyone and the consumer A/V industry has really taken a hit since late last year. Normally I wouldn't be making a post like this, but I would just like to remind everyone that reads and interacts in this site to please mention our name to manufacturers (especially our advertisers) when taking the plunge to buy new gear. Many manufacturers are in panic mode and the first thing they do in an economy like this is cut advertising, even if their companies are doing well. Some manufacturers don't understand the importance of branding, especially if consumers don't tell them where they learned about their products.

I started Audioholics 10 years ago as a hobby but now its more than that and employees people with families. I'd like it to continue on doing so and with your help I am confident we will press on.

thanks to all that have helped make us a success....

 

[Adam]

Gene,

Will do. I already talk about Audioholics with my friends and family. I really enjoy this site and especially this forum.

Adam

[I notice that this isn't a sticky, yet. You might want to do that, or it will fall off the list in about a day.]

 

[Alex2507]

For a second there I was worried you were gonna ask us to watch what we said on the forums. I am so relieved.

How about you tell us who stopped advertising with Audioholics?

 

[jamie2112]

I already recommend everybody to this site. It is a wondeful place and I will do my part to help. Thanks Gene for all YOU and all the rest of your employee's do for us Audioholics.....Many more years to come.....

 

[gene]

How about you tell us who stopped advertising with Audioholics?

Recently, we lost a few good ones that we have very close relations with such as:
Impact Acoustics / Cables to Go
DVI Gear
Dayton Audio
Velodyne
Studiotech (as of today 1/31/09)

We hope they will return when the economy improves and we encourage you to support them as always to help keep them afloat. thanks.

 

[Alex2507]

we encourage you to support them

If you say so.

I'm not an economist obviously but I thought cutting back on advertising was like digging your own grave. Bose and Monster have done quite well with big advertising. But what do I know?

 

[john72953]

Gene,

10 years? Wow! Quite a feat and you are to be commended for having grown this site into what it is today. As a (former) business owner I truly do understand the hard work, persistance, dedication and passion that goes into a business one believes in. I personally wish you nothing but success and grandeur in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

John

 

[MinusTheBear]

Is there still any chance of doing both a free and paid membership (which can offer members all sorts of extras)? This site is well established with many loyal members and I am sure the traffic on this site is growing at a rapid rate.

 

[Alex2507]

I am sure the traffic on this site is growing at a rapid rate.

Yeah but we're all unemployed,
so the only pay sites we visit are for ... well, never mind that.
But you go and send 'em all the money you want.

 

[Shock]

My hours were cut in half today at work. Not a pretty sight when I see half of what I normally get on my paychecks.

 

[Rickster71]

Gene,
that is a real coincidence you're mentioning this.
I've recommended AH to two friends in the last two weeks.

 

[john72953]

Is there still any chance of doing both a free and paid membership (which can offer members all sorts of extras)? This site is well established with many loyal members and I am sure the traffic on this site is growing at a rapid rate.

I think if there were an option for a paid membership, this site would lose it's lustre. It will no longer be seen as a hobbyist forum, but instead a site whereby there are 2 classes of members....and many non-paid-subscribing members would lose interest and gravitate elsewhere. Would you pay and what would you pay? What are the benefits you would expect from your paid-up membership?

Forums are about freedom of expression without paid contribution.

John

 

[gene]

Is there still any chance of doing both a free and paid membership (which can offer members all sorts of extras)? This site is well established with many loyal members and I am sure the traffic on this site is growing at a rapid rate.

this is in the works, but our site developers are part time and it takes awhile to get stuff done. Yes sadly our traffic is at an all time high and we should be cranking right now, but the econ's got us down and the industry is in panic mode.

 

[gene]

that is a real coincidence you're mentioning this.
I've recommended AH to two friends in the last two weeks.

thanks but again we want our readers to remind the manufacturers where they get your info from....especially when making buying decisions.

 

[Rickster71]

I think it's very telling that AH is at the top or near it, when a Google search is done on things AV.

 

[MinusTheBear]

I think if there were an option for a paid membership, this site would lose it's lustre. It will no longer be seen as a hobbyist forum, but instead a site whereby there are 2 classes of members....and many non-paid-subscribing members would lose interest and gravitate elsewhere. Would you pay and what would you pay? What are the benefits you would expect from your paid-up membership?

Forums are about freedom of expression without paid contribution.

John

It would be very easy to merge the two types memberships together without forming any "classes". The forum would be esentially the same as well as the interaction between paid and no paying members. The "free" membership would not lose anything and the paid subscribers can get special benefits such as entries into draws, special deals at the AH store through emails, an AH magazine mailed to them a couple times a year and many other possibilities.

 

[Alex2507]

I'll do the pay thing if I can get an autographed picture of Tom Andry.

 

[john72953]

It would be very easy to merge the two types memeberships together without forming any "classes". The forum would be esentially the same as well as the interaction between paid and no paying members. The "free" membership would not lose anything and the paid subscribers can get special benefits such as entries into draws, special deals at the AH store through emails, an AH magazine mailed to them a couple times a year and many other possibilities.

But there is still a distinction......paid subscribers can get special benefits. In my opinion, you'd end up with 2 classes of members talking to one another anyway. As a non-paid member it would be annoying to constantly read about whatever deals a paid member received. Would that make me become a paid-up member? I don't think so, at least not in the immediate term. If I'm going to become a paid-up member anywhere, you better show me a savings better than the annual fee. Is that realistic to expect?

 

[Adam]

I'll do the pay thing if I can get an autographed picture of Tom Andry.

Heck, I'll send you one. He keeps sending me envelopes full of them. "Pass them out to your friends and neighbors!" It was cool at first, but geese...enough already, Tom.

 

[speakerman39]

It would be very easy to merge the two types memberships together without forming any "classes". The forum would be esentially the same as well as the interaction between paid and no paying members. The "free" membership would not lose anything and the paid subscribers can get special benefits such as entries into draws, special deals at the AH store through emails, an AH magazine mailed to them a couple times a year and many other possibilities.

Would the paid members also get free back massages like Midas does? Just kidding, but hey it never hurts to ask.......LOL!!!!! No really, I do think you have a good idea here. Just wanted to put a little humor into it.

Cheers,

Phil