Patron status, archiving older items, and a special offer

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Patron status, archiving older items, and a special offer

Dear DigitalScrapbook.com community,

This is a little announcement to let you all know about an upcoming change to the DigitalScrapbook.com unlimited downloads subscription system.

Over the last few weeks we've had a few instances of people who have subscribed for unlimited downloads who have tried to download everything on our site within a couple of days, and then promptly unsubscribed. I want to stress that not many people have done this, but unfortunately even a few people doing so makes it difficult for us to maintain the stability of our server, or manage our bandwidth costs. We have over 1,500 kits on DigitalScrapbook.com, and nearly 30,000 individual designs, so you can imagine what a problem it is for us when someone tries to download all of that at once, in exchange for $10 (this is not to say that everyone who does this has malicious intent--but it's simply not a sustainable model for us).

When we started offering unlimited download subscriptions we wanted to make the offer as great and unlimited as we possibly could, but we always knew that we might have to add in some constraints down the road if the system got abused/overwhelmed.

In order to keep offering our unlimited download subscriptions, we are planning to archive some of our older items, and implement a two-tier system of “new subscribers” and “patrons”. New subscribers who sign up for a regular monthly subscription will have unlimited download access to everything uploaded to DigitalScrapbook.com during the last year, and to all new items, but not to archived items that are more than one year old. We may also implement a kits-per-day download limit. We hope these limitations will be a fair way to give people access to lots of downloads while also protecting against abuse.

That being said, it is not our intention to punish people who are using the site reasonably, and we particularly want to celebrate people who continue to support DigitalScrapbook.com over the long-term, because it is our long-term subscribers who keep this site alive from month to month.

So in balance to the limitations above, we are implementing a “Patron” system, where people who stay subscribed for six months or longer (or who sign up for yearly payment) will be granted “Patron” status. Patrons will have access to everything in the DigitalScrapbook.com archives, they will have no throttles on downloading, and they will have access to additional perks (some of the features we have planned for the future, such as an area for community uploading and downloading, and access to digital scrapbooking classes, will probably be limited to Patrons only, at least at the beginning).

Special Offer:
We don’t want t to blindside anyone with unexpected changes, so until the end of August we will be offering a special subscription deal: anyone who signs up for an unlimited downloading during the next two weeks will be granted instant patron status (regardless of whether they choose monthly or yearly payment), rather than having to wait the usual six months. You can sign up by visiting our Subscribe page. (Current subscribers have already been granted Patron status).

The thing to be aware of is simply that if you unsubscribe once the new system is in place, then choose to resubscribe later, you will need to be subscribed for six months (or choose yearly payment) to regain Patron status.

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I hope all of this makes sense. If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, don't hesitate to reply here, send me an email directly, or give me a call at 1-952-955-9473. As always, please keep in mind that even though DigitalScrapbook.com has been around for a while now, we are still in "Beta," and still in a state of constant change, and flux, and adaptation: we are working to find ways to create a community that promotes generosity and creativity in accordance with our manifesto while also being sustainable, and allowing us and our designers to make a living. Things can and will change as we do our best to figure out how to make things work, and we appreciate your patience in the meantime.

Sounds like a tough choice to make. I hope this helps out the site!

This sounds perfectly reasonable. I have only been a member for a couple of months, and I only became a paid subscriber a few days ago, but I absolutely love this site! It saddens me that people would pay for a subscription only long enough to download everything and then bail out. Everyone here is so helpful and friendly. This is a wonderful community that I'm happy to be a part of. Thank you so much for everything you do, Marisa! It truly is appreciated!

It's such a shame that some would choose to abuse the system in that way. The patron system seems perfectly reasonable.

I'm so sorry a few people were abusing the system smiley

Hi Marisa!

I am so sorry that I had to cancel my subscription. Next September would of been a year for me that I have been a PS subscriber. I hope that I will be able to someday be an active subscriber. In the meantime, I will give a donation of $20 whenever I need something. You truly have a wonderful system going on. I hate to see people abuse your good graces.

Marisa! I just noticed something!!!! Ever since I cancelled my subscription as of two days ago, my 12 and 13 badges disappeared. Can you PLEASE give them back? I take great pride in having them and look forward to when I can add badge number 14.

Please let me know.

Thank you.

Sharon

I have to confess, I got a little bit excited for a few days there when I first activated my CU subscription... sorry! In essence I had my eye on Janet's One Stop Bunting Shop, so thought I may as well up my subscription for a few months.

Hope I didn't break the site!

XKEG

Marisa and Jordan, You offer an amazing body of work at such an amazing value. Thank you for all you have done. Shame on the abusers. I am asking a little favor to karma on their behalf right now!

so sorry to hear about the site being abused, happy about the counter plan though and best of luck with it smiley

It's sad that there are people who do that, but there are so many do not understand the costs of running a site. So lets hope it wasn't all with ill intent. smiley I think these conditions are perfectly reasonable. Especially since there is SO MUCH content on the site. I feel that it would be quite impossible to use/download it all.There must be some crazy people out there!!! smiley

it's disappointing when some folks make poor choices. the new plan sounds great and was very well explained. your site is already the most incredible value in all of digiscrap, so adding these updates makes perfect sense. thank you so much for the wonderful work you do to make this such an amazing site. the cost to members is very small and the art is beautiful and diverse. this is truly the most unique and all around best digiscrap site ever!! smiley

Thank you for explaining the motivation for the changes. I'm sorry that there are people out there that only want to take advantage of your generosity. Please know that the vast majority of us know how special this site and subsequent community is and that we are more than willing to do our parts to keep it going.

It makes sense when I saw the breakdown of why the changes were happening. I hope this helps with the site and structure. I absolutely love digitalscrapbook.com and if we all have to make some changes to keep it, then I am always on board. Thanks Marisa!

I, like many others, simply LOVE this site! I would urge EVERYONE to support Marisa and Jordan by subscribing to keep this wonderful site operational - I will be a member for as long as I can.

SHAME ON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ABUSED YOUR GENEROSITY!!

Thanks everyone for your understanding and support.

I just wanted to clarify one thing, which is that we realize that people get excited about downloading, and people who try to download everything on the site at once do not generally have malicious intent. Even those who immediately cancel their subscriptions are not necessarily being malicious--after all, they may simply consider it a good deal that they are taking advantage of, and we didn't put anything in place to prevent that. But we do hope that on thinking it over people will understand the intention behind our subscriptions, which is to create a sustainable ecosystem where we can offer people a great value in exchange for their (hopefully) continued support and patronage. It's obviously not sustainable for us to sell someone 1,500 kits for $10, and that's not the intention of our subscription system. Some people just don't think through all of that.

I just LOVE the new system, it was a great solution to this issue. And, I think a limit of 3-5 kits a day would be pretty reasonable. It´s enough to use that day and you can get the rest of your bundle in the next ones, or individually download things... Even if it´s one kit a day it´s already good...

I've recently started working with the behind-the-scenes of sites like this one and I think this sounds like a fair solution. I appreciate the site you've built here and your efforts to keep it a community.

I have to admit, when I first subscribed to PS, I downloaded a bunch of kits and such, albeit not in one day. Yes, I got excited to see all the goodies being offered but never had any intention of grabbing and running. What would be the point in that? I would never do such a thing to Marisa or Jordan or anyone for that matter. I think it's awful that people would do such things.

This is a great value for anyone who subscribes and I feel that the subscription price is more than fair. Where can you go on any other site and have unlimited downloads for a measly monthly fee? If they wanted to raise the subscription another $5/month, so be it. You still couldn't beat that value!! I, for one, would still subscribe.

Let me get down off my soapbox here and just say that all I've downloaded here, is now being looked at to use. I'm making my way through the kits and bundles and will produce a LO for each and every one of them. I thank Marisa and Jordan for this site and can't think of any other place I'd rather be. Love the community, love the quality products that are produced and love the price. Not going anywhere anytime soon.

Thank you all. smiley

I got a bit download happy when I joined, but have no intention of leaving. Such amazing designers continuously coming up with wonderful new ideas? count me in full-time!!

Its a perfectly reasonable step to take and thanks for explaining it so well! Thanks so much for everything you all do to make this such a friendly and generous place to be smiley

I love this site, I found your philosophy/manifesto very appealing right away and in line with my own thoughts and beliefs, certainly more so than any other digi. scrap. site out there so PS has naturally become my new HOME in the digi. scrap. community. I think the changes you are making are not only fair but a brilliant solution!

Best of luck to you both (Marisa & Jordan); you're the best!

Amara has expressed my thoughts perfectly! smiley

Quote:
It makes sense when I saw the breakdown of why the changes were happening. I hope this helps with the site and structure. I absolutely love digitalscrapbook.com and if we all have to make some changes to keep it, then I am always on board. Thanks Marisa!

Well said Rose! This was my thought TWO years ago when I first found PS and why I became a moderator here. I totally believe in the site 110%
emphasis added to Roses' quote are my own. smiley

Quote:
I love this site, I found your philosophy/manifesto very appealing right away and in line with my own thoughts and beliefs, certainly more so than any other digi. scrap. site out there so PS has naturally become my new HOME in the digi. scrap. community. I think the changes you are making are not only fair but a brilliant solution!

I completely understand and agree with the needed changes. smiley

I have 2 thoughts on it tho...well the 1st one is more of a question!

1) Re: people paying $10. and canceling after downloading everything they want....
when the subscription process first started and I signed up for it, there was a
3 month payment to start it. Has this not been the case recently? If not, that was
probably part of the problem with people doing that. I think the 3 months, non-refundable
payment to start a subscription was more than fair! smiley

2) With the current patron plan....I would like to see maybe a 2 week leeway if a patron's subscription runs
out to get it renewed again due to life events, like being on vacation, in the hospital or a family emergency.
I think that most of us that have been supporters from the start would not intentionally let our subscription
run out, but sometimes life gets in the way of staying on top of everything. I hope this is something you will
consider implementing with the new changes.

As always, I love it here and you have all of my support for what you need to do to keep this a wonderful 'home'
to all that come here. smiley

It pains me that there are people in this world taking advantage of two such generous people like Marisa and Jordan. Ever since I joined the club, as a downloader, as a moderator and now even as a designer, I have wondered time and again over their limitless generosity. Sometimes I really feel like they are giving away too much for too little - and I am not saying that because of my paycheck smiley. There is no other digiscrap site in the world so generous as this one. I can't believe people want an even better deal... Sad smiley

On one hand I am really sad you've had to implement these changes, on the other hand I think it is the sane thing to do. And, as always, you are still being very generous and friendly in the implementation progress. Love you guys!

PS has been a source of inspiration for me since the day I discovered its presences in cyber world. I visit the site every day whether I download items or not. I support your actions to make it a friendly community of artists and creatives.

I know I had to cancel after 1 month, and I felt horrible doing it, because I do download a lot. But I'm on a fixed income and my grandma is in and out of the hospital and I need the money for gas to go see her, as she doesn't have much time left with us. And yes, fuel costs that much here, I am in the middle of nowhere and Grandma lives about 40 miles away.

I have every intention of subscribing again once that cash for fuel is no longer necessary (<cry>). I'm perfectly ok with limits, etc. This site is invaluable. I am working on being more active here, but I'm really shy, so it might take me a while to really come out of my nest.

Oh I like the idea of a 3 month plan. 1 year is too much for me, I can't afford that in a single payment, but 3 months I would be able to save up every 3 months to renew.

Oh Autumn, I am SO SORRY about your grandmother.

If it makes you feel any better, the people who were the problem will most likely never see this post. As in, you're not it. Life happens and family always comes first. Tell your grandma that your internet friends send their love. And when you come back, we can be friends smiley

Aww thank you. Grandma is the sweetest, kindest and most gentle woman I have ever been blessed to know. We are all visiting and supporting her as much as we can, but you can hear it in her voice how defeated she feels. It's heartbreaking smiley

And you're probably right, but I still felt horrible canceling. I'm going to see if I can scrape together the $20 before August ends. My payday isn't until the first week of September, but I feel guilty for having canceled.

Feel hugged Autumn. And don´t feel guilty. Life happens and someday you can subscribe again, or help the site on some other way. You´re so, so, soooooo blessed for being able to see your grandmother on her last moments. Mine passed away two weeks ago, and I couldn´t never say her farewell. For some weird reason that I never found out, my mother didn´t wanted us to go to her funerals and made everything in a way that we couldn´t travel to there, although she was there. She was there, she had plenty of opportunity to call us and tell about her passing, but she didn´t. She only called when her funerals were being held 4 hours later, and the trip to there was a 8-h straight by car, 10h by bus (the only thing I could afford) or a really expensive flight if you don´t buy weeks before... Even so, we did what we could to go and arrive there on the next day, but when we were leaving she called asking not to go and that she was coming back. Me and my brother were forbiden to go, like if we were 6 year olders that didn´t understand what is to pass away... It hurts me till today. So please, enjoy your grandmother while she´s still alive, and when she goes take your time to grief...

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