Membership on AO is FREE

bobalong · #1 03-23-2014, 03:17 PM

I have read the thread title comment many times on her about the membership being free. Sometimes the poster seems to imply that this is an exception. Actually I frequent about 10 different outdoor related boards and they are all free, so it would seem that is the norm, not the exception.

I would like to think that myself and the other members here do offer value to the board. With almost 50K members, I would assume the majority of them anglers and hunters, we as a group must be a reasonably desirable bunch for advertisers.

Not only does 50K members represent about 20% of the anglers and hunters in this province who purchase licences, the demographics of this group is ideal. The majority from 20-60 years old, most working, with enough disposable income to purchase boats, quads, sleds, fishing equipment, numerous firearms, new trucks, homes, worldly trips, and almost any other outdoor related product you can think of.

As a business that provides products to the outdoorsman and wanting to advertise, does it get any better than that? There are currently 55 sponsors listed on this site, so I don’t think you can argue, that we do not provide some value.
IMO this is a win-win, a partnership if you will. Not only do we offer opinions on hunting/fishing/trapping, but many of them are actually reviews/information on product, services and prices, and the owner provides the website.

Even though many of the comments are not always positive, "hands on" comments/reviews like this are very beneficial to a business. These type of comments/reviews can be very difficult, and almost impossibe to get by a business, as a request for written reviews/surveys are typically ignored. I suggest that we need each other for this “business” to work well.

Swangin · #2 03-23-2014, 05:17 PM

This will go over well

tri777 · #3 03-23-2014, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobalong

".. With almost 50K members, I would assume the majority of them anglers and hunters.."

..imagine if all those 50k member's actually posted though..seems like there is under 200(being conservative) that keep the forum active. I'd bet the majority of registered member's have long since jumped ship an are just a number now, kinda cheating the 50k thing.

bobalong · #4 03-23-2014, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tri777

..imagine if all those 50k member's actually posted though..seems like there is under 200(being conservative) that keep the forum active. I'd bet the majority of registered member's have long since jumped ship an are just a number now, kinda cheating the 50k thing.

That could very well be true, I have not checked, nor intend to, but there are probably thousands that view it, and the banners at the top of the page.

Providing a website and charging sponsors to advertise on it, is the "business" of websites and I have no problem at all with it. My concern is that sometimes there seems to be the implication that because it is a "free" board and privately owned, that the members should basically keep their opinions on the content, and operation of the board to themselves. Is the question of why a complete thread is deleted, unreasonable?

This is not to suggest that members dictate how the board is operated, but I don't think comments/suggestions about content and improvements should necessarily be considered a bad thing. When comments like "if you don't like it hit the road" or "start your own board if you don't like it" are made, I don't believe it encourages members to even offer, what may very well have been very good suggestions.

I believe that the board, overall is operated well, and in all fairness to the board they have responded to some suggestions offered by members, eg. (no comments in the buy and sell except for the OP) and the addition of a Fly Fishing section.

catnthehat · #5 03-23-2014, 06:39 PM

I've looked at a few sites, and if they even think of mentioning a fee for membership, I'm outta there!!

The best things in life are free , and so are the best internet forums IMO!

Cat

drake · #6 03-23-2014, 06:44 PM

Tldnr.....

Redfrog · #7 03-23-2014, 08:17 PM

Some great ideas there. Have you ever had your own forums? Do you intend to? I'd like to see what you think of your ideas after they've been road tested for a year or two.

ESOXangler · #8 03-23-2014, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Some great ideas there. Have you ever had your own forums? Do you intend to? I'd like to see what you think of your ideas after they've been road tested for a year or two.

Presenting the eternal antagonist!!

Swangin · #9 03-23-2014, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESOXangler

Presenting the eternal antagonist!!

Na the first guy takes the cake.

Man you guys take this internet bs seriously.

roper1 · #10 03-23-2014, 08:48 PM

Good post Bobalong. I cruised the site for a year before my first post. I feel there have been some very good threads that I have read with no participation & a few where I had input. Great place to exchange ideas & offer insights & experiences to other AO members or general public diverted here by Google. If I was in the market for anything from a long range rifle to a new wall tent or a salmon fishing trip, etc., the sponsors on this forum would be my first call. I also enjoy the outdoor pics & pursuits posted here. I also come on-line to watch some of the heated exchanges that result from differing opinions cause I can get an honest chuckle out of the goings on. Some of the epic threads can be hilarious. I have also purchased needs ( well maybe not ) but wants ( definitely) from other AO members. I hope we can be respectful to one another but I sure hope we do not work too hard on political correctness. We need some discourse; that is the spice of life.

220swifty · #11 03-23-2014, 08:56 PM

So who was the guy I gave money too? He said his name was Rob, but I thought it odd he wanted to meet in a dark corner behind the red deer sportsmans show.

purgatory.sv · #12 03-23-2014, 10:10 PM

Free only has meaning if you don’t exploit.