BladeForums.Com is shutting down! PLEASE READ!

I feel like a pansie member...gads..i wish i could do more...and you can bet i will when i can...bladeforums is the major info getter for me with knives and related items...i just have little or no income...sucky..anyways..i haven't read all your guy's posts...but i'm glad to see people subscribing to the magazine..which i'm going to beg for some money from the parental units to do as well...
god save BF

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"I wouldn't mind you being inside my head if you weren't clearly so crazy."

"Suddenly there came a tapping, as of some one gently rapping, rapping at
my chamber door." Tis only me with my Sifu, nothing more. ;)

 
Hey Mike, I sent my order for a subscription in last week. Keep the free gift, this site alone is worth the $30. I already spend 99% of my time on-line here. With the addition of the magazine I'll probably make it 100%.
Thanks for the excellent site.

Martin
 
Mike,

I don't know if anyone has already suggested this (lots of posts, blurry eyes) but how about making the monthly giveaway exclusive to subscribers.

Or have two giveaways, with the second giveaway (with the cooler prize) for subscribers only.

Maybe make the member/lotto prize a subscription to the mag, and a knife for the subscriber/lotto prize.

Gift certificates to the BF store, or REKAT, Spyderco, Chris Reeve Knives, Himalayan Imports, etc. Folks who get a gift certificate will usually spend more than it's value.

I know you've thought of most of this stuff, but I'm on a roll
smile.gif


The perks add up
smile.gif



Nick
 
Wow, just fell onto this post, VERY glad to see lots of folks getting off the dime. I read thru the subscription page Fri. nite, printed out the order form for faxing out Mon. from work. I still don't like that credit card over the net. biz. I know maybe overparanoid but hey thats me. As a relatively new member I couldn't understand why more had not stepped up to the plate but now I can see it was only a matter of 'timing'. As noted earlier perhaps some 'member' only contest or drawings as well will attract new blood as time goes on. I'm sure you'll be evolving this thing into a successful marketing tool and everyone will want to be a 'member' as soon as possible once they see a variety of 'benefits'. As far as I'm concerned the $30 probably doesn't even pay for the benefits I've already received just from BF.
 
Mike -

What is the score for non USA residents for both the magazine subscription & free gifts etc please?


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Harvey Wareham

Live Long & Prosper, so you can buy more knives

 
mike,
i have subscribed two days ago,and i do not need the shirt[i live far away anyway].
the forum is the reason i run to my computer every evening.and being one who thought he knows a lot the forum gave me lots of priceless info. thanks for a great site.
now i have a suggestion to help the "WAR" effort, why not ask dealers /knifemakers or just BFC adoring members contribute something for a online sale in a bidding.
i will start by donating a AK-47 bayonet of the north korean army.it is a rarety since not many north korean stuff is hanging around.it is brand new and should get a fairly deacent price that i will be happy to support my favorite and only online forum i am in.
scorpio
 
While e-commerce is booming, sites that reach profitability are the exception rather than the norm. This new medium is very tough business.

I'll talk to my boss (wife) and ask for the subscription. I'm sure that won't be a problem. I'll also make a very concerted effort not to post too much BS.
wink.gif
 
Thanks guys. I will try to see what we can do to have some sort of clearing house of sorts. It may be possible to start threads in the BFC Store forum and you guys can bid on items auction style. I will talk to Spark and see what we can do.



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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!

Support BladeForums! Check out the BFC Store!
www.bladeforums.com/store
Subscribe our NEW online magazine!
www.bladeforums.com/magazine
Enter our Raffle!
www.bladeforums.com/raffle
 
--------------------------------------------
Quote:
We would need to sell $10,000 a month to break even.
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Mike,
maybe I'm misunderstanding this, but at this rate, that would be $120,000 annually. The same amount would be generated if roughly all 4,000 members buy the $30 subscription to the online magazine.
Here is my question then:
Is this attempt with the mag just like sticking a finger in a leaking deich? I've seen the number of members go up steadyly. What is going to happen if this site becomes more popular than it already is and more bandwidth is needed, or seperate servers for different sections of this site.
Basically right now you would need close to 100% participation to break even. That is going to be hard to accomplish. 50% would be a great goal. This puts you still $60,000 in the hole. SO what are the chances that despite 2000 subscriptions you'll be forced to shut the doors?
You see where I'm going with this? The mag seems like a bandaid. A cure for a symptom, not the cause. So what is the plan that ensures future prosperity? You don't want to compete with internet dealers, so no general knife store, more advertising perhaps? I don't know.
Anyway, with that said, I'm heading over to subscribe to the mag just the same, but I'd really like to think you have some more profitable solutions
smile.gif

 
Mike,
have taken out a subscription (when can I buy that nifty Sypdercard?
smile.gif
).

To others; I have used the Bladeforums store (for a sharpening tool) and the service was excellent. The goods arrived in no time at all and in great condition.
Gerry
 
The $10,000 break even figure is on selling product with a 30%-40% profit margin. The Magazine is not a product so the profit margin is higher and therefor we do not need 4,000+ subscriptions to break even.

I think combining several things will be our best bet. Raffles, auctions, the store and the mag should ensure our future.

Our highest cost factor here is the time it takes to keep this site running smooth. That time equates to dollars and that is where the crunch comes from. That will only get worse as we get bigger. So I am putting several strategies into place. Some are tests and like the auction should they fail they will be cancked.

We may put items up for auction on Ebay. That will help relieve us from the hassle of running an auction.

------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!

Support BladeForums! Check out the BFC Store!
www.bladeforums.com/store
Subscribe our NEW online magazine!
www.bladeforums.com/magazine
Enter our Raffle!
www.bladeforums.com/raffle
 
Mike,

If time is the main constraint, is there anything that forum members can do to help out as far as volunteering services?

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For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23


 
OK OK OK You can count me in! I took time to read the trial issue and I like it! I am new to the forum but plan on using alot of the info here so it is well worth the subcription price.
COME ON GUY'S PONY UP! We may not get a second chance.
 
Maybe this has already been suggested, but if you really want to raise money for BladeForums, how about a boxing match between Turber and McClung, and sell tickets to it.

With all the standard pre-fight hype that's been going around here, I'm sure the event would be a sell-out. - Jeff

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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com



[This message has been edited by JeffRandall (edited 17 December 1999).]
 
Sure! Sorry but I would be third in line behind Lynn Thompson & Bob Taylor
smile.gif


I am sure that with all the secret training he is probably a Ninja too and can take all three of us on.

------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!

Support BladeForums! Check out the BFC Store!
www.bladeforums.com/store
Subscribe our NEW online magazine!
www.bladeforums.com/magazine
Enter our Raffle!
www.bladeforums.com/raffle
 
I'm in a situation simlar to that of Vailin Krow's. I too am, probably to you guys, just a kid. I am 16 years old, work at a local hardware store and am sad to say dont have a credit card yet. If I did though, I would, beyond a shadow of a doubt, suscribe. Another factor is that my parents would drop dead in their boots if they saw how many knives I have(around 45 I think). They only know I have a few and they hate that. Therefore I could try for a lifetime to get my dad to fork over his credit card number and still get an "absolutley not!". I feel like such a jackass making up all of these excuses but I will try my damndest to convince them to let me buy a few of those cool photon lights instead of a subscription. I'm sorry I cant be more of help.
Good Luck
Pete
 
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