Subscription levels dropping

[Kobold Boots]

Thanks - I hope that didn't come across too abrupt. It's just that I need to pin down that particular thing right now.

I'm with you Morrus and apologies for straying but I think you're not thinking globally.

Why are people dropping their subscriptions is the same thing as why are people not subscribing. (They're choosing not to subscribe.) People subscribe because they think they're getting something useful. What I'm telling you from my perspective is what you're offering isn't useful to me for a rotating paid subscription and why.

Aside from that, you're getting replies that Paypal makes people concerned and the economy isn't great, spousal considerations etc. Those are signs that people don't find what you're offering as having value considered against other hobbies or personal relationships. There's a reason for that.. value. See the general content of my above reply as to what content would benefit me and make me subscribe, because I consider myself median and others may think similarly.

Sorry for thinking your reply was a bit dense, and for this slappy follow up reply

Best,
KB

 

[RangerWickett]

Russ, it might help to edit your first post to make that clearer; I imagine some folks are reading the entry page and replying before they make it all the way through the thread.

 

[Fanaelialae]

When I renewed I ended up with two subscriptions so, when I noticed it, I canceled one of them.

 

[Morrus]

Why are people dropping their subscriptions is the same thing as why are people not subscribing.

I respectfully disagree. There's an overlap, sure.

People not subscribing in the first place because EN World doesn't provide X is one issue; a lot of the time it's because EN World *can't* provide X. That's OK - we've decided what product/services we can provide and are doing so, and some folks will take us up on that and some won't. That's completely factored in to the business plan. Most of the time there simply is nothing we can do about that; we can't provide OD&D materials, we can't provide non-PDF materials as a subscription, we can't provide personal grooming services, etc.

That's fine, that's not what we're selling, and there's no mystery as to why folks who want those things are not subscribing. We're also not selling motorcycles, and there's no mystery as to why motorcycle fans aren't subscribing. The take-up levels are sturdy, and we're happy with them at present - the content is prompting good levels of subscription.

I know that sounds simplistic, but there's more planning involved than that - I just don't want to turn this thread into a diversion.

People who subscribed but then cancelled, however, are a specific group of people who originally wanted the things we were selling but then decided otherwise. That's where we need to pin down what's going on.

Anyway, I don't want to sidetrack this into a general discussion of business theory or anything. Basically, the info we need right now is related to cancellations, not original subscriptions.

 

[Kobold Boots]

I respectfully disagree. There's an overlap, sure.

People not subscribing in the first place because EN World doesn't provide X is one issue; a lot of the time it's because EN World *can't* provide X. That's OK - we've decided what product/services we can provide and are doing so, and some folks will take us up on that and some won't. That's completely factored in to the business plan. Most of the time there simply is nothing we can do about that; we can't provide OD&D materials, we can't provide non-PDF materials as a subscription, we can't provide personal grooming services, etc.

That's fine, that's not what we're selling, and there's no mystery as to why folks who want those things are not subscribing. We're also not selling motorcycles, and there's no mystery as to why motorcycle fans aren't subscribing. The take-up levels are sturdy, and we're happy with them at present - the content is prompting good levels of subscription.

I know that sounds simplistic, but there's more planning involved than that - I just don't want to turn this thread into a diversion.

People who subscribed but then cancelled, however, are a specific group of people who originally wanted the things we were selling but then decided otherwise. That's where we need to pin down what's going on.

Anyway, I don't want to sidetrack this into a general discussion of business theory or anything. Basically, the info we need right now is related to cancellations, not original subscriptions.

.. and that is a completely fair answer. I'd argue that you need to put a form submission in place when people choose to unsubscribe and make it a required text field such that you'd not have to ask the question..

If you've already done this and are still asking the question because people aren't answering you effectively, I'm sorry to hear that.

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

Basically, the info we need right now is related to cancellations, not original subscriptions.

Why make this a forum topic rather than emailing the people who cancelled and asking directly?

 

[MrMyth]

.. and that is a completely fair answer. I'd argue that you need to put a form submission in place when people choose to unsubscribe and make it a required text field such that you'd not have to ask the question..

If you've already done this and are still asking the question because people aren't answering you effectively, I'm sorry to hear that.

Well, no one needs to give him a reason when they unsubscribe. I think this is his attempt to reach out and see what reasons they have, from those who want to give them. A forum thread hardly seems an inappropriate method which with to do so, nor is the desire to try and keep the responses in the thread on-topic.

I mean, my opinions have largely been in-line with yours on the entire issues, but I think it is a bit much to start arguing that he "needs" to approach this topic in one specific fashion, and that doing so in a different method (via a forum thread) is somehow unacceptable.

 

[Wicht]

For some reason I'd ended up with two subscriptions. One just had to go.

I ended up with three and canceled two.

 

[nedjer]

Paypal may be a pain for some but those who subscribed once could get it working, so it seems unlikely that's decisive.

It'll probably be content, because it's always content - especially with subscription services. Give out a whole campaign on day one and the warm, happy glow will last for three months. Give out the same campaign in six installments over a year and the warm, happy glow will last for a year and three months.

Currency also tends to be a factor, e.g. a crisp new Kobold Quarterly has exclusivity. A KQ back catalogue has lost it's 'buzz' and is archive material.

Perhaps check out the frequency of different subscription downloads. Monthly analytics should tell all. If Ordo and similar downloads have diminished over time it's maybe headline content that's losing it's long tail. The on-going uptake'll complicate the picture but there should be tracks if you factor in new members against total numbers.

It'd also be worth tracking WotC reach and richness against EN World's on Alexa and Quantcast; to see to what extent EN World's fortunes are linked to 4e. You won't get clean results, as, for instance, WotC interest will be up with CCG sales up. However, it might indicate whether or not you want subscription leaders to focus on 4e or more generic content.

 

[harpy]

The main reason I subscribed was for the search functionality, which I used a decent amount.

What is curious to me is that I had my subscription set up to automatically pay the $3 every month, which it did. I'd get emails once a month updating that I was charged the $3.

Then for some reason it just stopped. I hadn't been using the site much and then one day when I came on and I noticed that I wasn't a supporter anymore. I didn't actively do anything. I don't think my credit card expired.

I haven't reupped mainly because my wife and I are about to close on a house and I need to demonstrate lily white fiscal restraint, not because $3 will undo us, but to demonstrate to my wife (who lacks fiscal restraint) that she needs to tighten her belt right now. She's looking for any excuse to spend more money on nesting right now. I think in a couple of months when we're settled and a clear house budget is established then I could re-up.

As for services... Like I said, I'm here for older forum content. I'm not into 4E so none of it interests me. Actually, I don't even know anything about this site aside from the forums.