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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/8/2009 7:14:31 PM | First up, thank you for the link, n-r-gizer bunn, which I had read about it.
I thought there was something "REALLY FISHY" about this paid gold badge membership thing.
And now, it has become inevitable.
As a gold member, sure ya pay for it, and your online seaches come up more often, then non-gold members.
If you want, your name to come up more often, then ya, pay the price, and ya get an upgrade, from blue and green to gold.
Much like the paid sites, that I have seen. Ya start out, with a basic membership, that cost ya nothing, and ya get the basic services, but, by the way, ya can also upgrade to silver or gold membership, and ya get all this, for a PRICE.
True enough, but, what kind of price is it going to be, is another question mark.
Also, this gold membership badge, is a good way, to benchmark, how many people will signup and pay for a gold membership.
That is one way, how business works, to use something as a benchmarker, in this case, a paid membership gold badge, to see how much business it draws, and to ultimately, MAKE MONEY.
We have had it for free, for sooooooooooooooo looooooooooooong now, we are going to start paying for it.
Had better batton down the hatch, and hold on tight, because, I bet there will be more to come.
Am I being negative????
NOPE!!!!!
It is all about business, and business strategies of making MONEY. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/8/2009 7:20:16 PM | Ouch. I resent the following opinion and "label".
3. Forum users for the most part aren't serious daters, they don't send as many messages, they are
far more picky, don't respond etc. The average dater stays 5 months average forum user is 3+ years.
IF I hadn't dabbled in the forums there is no way I would have been brave enough to venture to an event
and actually meet people. I have dated more people that I have met at the events than I have through
unbearably stressful coffee meets.
I have sent numerous initial messages after reading an interesting profile, extended invitations to
events, made people aware of the events (when their restrictions allow it) and I have responded to
99% of messages sent to me. I seldom get responses back. Pfffft! Oh well.
Gotta love all the personal rejections from both sexes when a mass email invite goes out for an event.
At least I am making an effort and trying to meet compatible people. Those that want to reject me without
meeting me or getting to know me have that choice. It is all about preferences, isn't it? | |
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Xavery
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Joined: 4/22/2007
Msg: 28 | |
| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/8/2009 7:20:29 PM | The link is really appreciate and I went voted and put in my 2 cents worth.
I enjoyed reading the quotes that HumourSense posted. I think it is true that forum posters are not seriously looking, but do we really stay here for an average of 3 years? I suppose that could be true, too. I am approaching my second year on POF. I am not sure it is because we are too picky. I know that I personally am to picky, but I am not sure about the rest of you. If we are too picky, it may because we have been in the tank a while and are more wordly. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/8/2009 7:46:17 PM | You know, when I read these comments that Markus has supposedly made, I wonder what other business there is, where the owner would get away with talking trash about their customers, right to their faces ?
He may be speaking the truth about a few, or maybe many, however reading those words I wonder what else he thinks about the people that made him rich. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/8/2009 8:07:34 PM | The last time I felt the need to have a gold star attached to something of mine was in kindergarten. 
I do realize that bandwidth costs money and if Markus wants to make a few bucks with this site (it is, after all, his) so be it. but he won't be getting $6 from me.
If someone blows me off becaus I'm not a "Serious Member" I'll just chalk it up to their shallowness and move on. | |
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Xavery
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Joined: 4/22/2007
Msg: 31 | |
| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/8/2009 8:46:52 PM |
Ouch. I resent the following opinion and "label".
3. Forum users for the most part aren't serious daters, they don't send as many messages, they are
far more picky, don't respond etc. The average dater stays 5 months average forum user is 3+ years.
I am not worried about the label. At least you have standards and are not trying to gold star people. Isn't there a tuna commercial where the tuna ends up gold starred? Did I ever mention that I really hate fish? (I had an aquarium as a child which end up diseased. All my fishies ended up belly-up.)
I suppose some people think of forum posters as bottom feeders. I am reasonably sure that some of us do not take the dating thing happening on this site too seriously, while that is exactly why others come here. Whatever you choose to do, keep swimming. Don't end up floating to the top belly up. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 1:56:18 AM | | I can't believe we have to pay someone to find our soul mate or friends or whatever we want in life I think its a low down dirty scam . This stuff shouldn't happen , you should not have to pay for trying to find someone to spend an adventurous life with . I am against all dating sites that want u to pay . I am not gonna pay 125 a yr just to get onto a friken gold badge , come on OP you know this isn't right what your trying to do on this site . You should NOT have to pay to find love its not right it should be a free well being service and not be judged with badges . | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 6:36:46 AM | FYI, the vote thread has disappeared from existence.
Why does this not surprise me. When I went to bed last night there were 28 pages of mostly NO votes and some pretty good reasons and thoughts as to why this "upgrade" should be a "no fly" 
It's s Marcus's baby, he will do what he wants with it, irregardless of what we feel about it.
What you/we need to do is vote with our actions simply by NOT spending the money for the upgrade.
Markus has admitted himself that he has made nothing but money over the years from the advertising revenue from this site. Because of the economy, his revenue has gone down, just has EVERYONE's in business has done.
His overall concern is money, and how to bring it in to keep his revenues up. I think he really does not care about the thoughts of us Forum people and made that quite clear in some of his comments in the deleted thread. You will notice that all the other threads that were started about this have been "CLOSED"
I expect this one to be killed as well as he got his answer, and it wasn't what he wanted to hear..... | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 8:22:50 AM | QUESTION:
Is this uproar...indignation...insults...etc...is it about 'Apartheid', 'Segregation'... Gold Badges????
Or is it about Having to Pay?
QUESTION:
Does this site Self-Running?... Automated?....No Operator Required?
Does it run on Vapour?
man...a Green Site eh?...fuel efficient site run on vapour.
QUESTION:
Why is it suddenly a Crime to want to make a profit....or dare to make more of a profit?
Why is the site owner suddenly a paranah and a capitalistic pig for wanting to make changes to his site?
QUESTION:
Is anyone forcing you to upgrade?
QUESION:
Is it the intent of Big Fish to charge everyone eventually?
Maybe we need more answers before we start the name calling. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 8:46:14 AM | Your right Wild Rose
I ain't a gonna pay though!
And just in case we are required to pay in the future.
I am goinig to take this oppertunity to apologise to everyone I have
offended on this system, I'm sorry for you all.
Then there is the Ticket Man.
Ticket Man, I am even taking back half of the bad things I ever said about you.
And just in case this is my last chance to speak to you all.
mrchicken says goodbye for now, and see ya all later, because we'll all meet-up in hell sooner or later ! | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 9:05:33 AM |
Does this site Self-Running?... Automated?....No Operator Required?
Does it run on Vapour?
Hahahah... It's not a question of running the site or not. POF rakes in millions of dollars every year and has peanuts for costs - a staff of one (maybe it's two now, seem to recall he finally hired somebody else) so the only real expense is bandwidth. Even with declining revenues, this scheme might be the difference between making (waves hands) six million or eight million a year.
http://www.workhappy.net/2009/01/remember-markus-frind-the-adsense-millionaire.html
I think he's just looking for something new to do, and gold stars are one more possibility for expansion. It's an interesting idea trying to mark serious users, but I don't see it working. He should've stuck to his own advice and not tried to add pay features to a free dating site. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 9:50:11 AM | If Markus was looking for feedback, he certainly got it. Paying for upgrade features will put money in HIS pocket and that's why he started POF in the first place.
POF has brought Markus success and fame. Good for him.
Markus, if it ain't broke....don't fix it. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 10:25:21 AM | WesternWildRose ^^^ interesting questions
QUESTION:
Is this uproar...indignation...insults...etc...is it about 'Apartheid', 'Segregation'... Gold Badges????
Or is it about Having to Pay?
QUESTION:
Is anyone forcing you to upgrade?
The uproar is indeed justifiable when you put matters into the right context. Ir is about integrity and honesty that people complain. Remember this site grew on the promise you never pay
And NO. No one is forcing anyone to pay. The point is if you do not pay you are labeled and "unworthy" member with all the negative connotations that may be attached, from "freeloader", "sociopath", "nymphomaniac", "dishonest" , generally a low life undeserving respect.
QUESTION:
Does this site Self-Running?... Automated?....No Operator Required?
Does it run on Vapour?
man...a Green Site eh?...fuel efficient site run on vapour.
QUESTION:
Why is it suddenly a Crime to want to make a profit....or dare to make more of a profit?
Why is the site owner suddenly a paranah and a capitalistic pig for wanting to make changes to his site?
Again this is about integrity.
Apparently this is more or less a one person operation we are told. It's genius concept generates more than adequate funds to pay for the substantial expenses of servers and bandwidth and it is outsourcing the for pay competition.
No one is upset about Markus having become wealthy, that is well deserved if for nothing else than having come up with this concept. Your "capitalism" well deserved.
Again the implementation of a for pay alternative if only an option is against everything this site its concept and owner stood for.
No one denies his rights to do with this site as he pleases; it is his and best I recall he had previously refused to sell despite very generous offers.
QUESION:
Is it the intent of Big Fish to charge everyone eventually?
Whatever the intention may be any ones guess and no ones business.
What is clear to an alert observer is that there is a significant change of tone of voice.
The approach of introduction of the pay option sounds much like that of an inexperienced, unscrupulous university graduate marketeer setting up a company to be sold or brainwashing existing clients of a company to adjust to a corporate takeover or partial asset change and stay on board as such arrangements and the funds exchanged depend much on maintaining the client base.
But that is just my observation and speculation. Whatever the outcome I have had fun while it lasted and I'm sure I'll continue to have fun with or without what I have become to enjoy as the POF we all knew.
 y'all | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 10:41:19 AM | So . . . . . . . let's say that everyone did pay for the upgrade . . . . . . we'd be right back where we started with everyone being equal again . . . . . . . except at a price. I thought equality should be/was free ?!?!?!
Yes, there are a lot of "paid for" sites out there, but people are aware of that requirement when they signed up. Ultimatedly, this one lived on the promise there would never be a fee to use the servise.  | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 12:07:10 PM | I HOPE, that you are listening, VERY CAREFULY, and VERY CLOSELY, Marcus, because a lot of people, are speaking up, and they are NOT, for the upgrade that you wish to charge them with.
Ya better, really seriously, think twice about charging people for this upgrade. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 12:07:18 PM | Does it really matter?
Do you honestly think that your chances of meeting anyone cool is diminished by the addition of a flippin gold star or lack of?
It's the guys site to do with as he pleases. | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 1:43:24 PM | I, for one, am absolutely convinced that $6/month will weed out less desirable suitors.....and the crazies.
Oh, wait a sec......if I pay $6..... | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 4:07:05 PM | Pretty sure it cost me more than 6 bucks a month to hang around this place, do the initial contact,,,do the e-mail thingy,,,and then maybe, just maybe, go waste an afternoon in some coffee shop with somebody that almost looks like their pictures in their profile when I looked at them boiled out of my mind on whiskey,,,,,with my glasses off!!!
Don't understand the reasoning behind Markus' efforts, but like others have said,,it's his site,,,he can join the "others" out there and bury this one with them if he wants. I'm wondering,,,, if this place goes by the wayside,, how many more interviews will he be doing on his dating "expertise" in this day and age. I would be betting his "free" advertisements will fall real quick like once the site decides to go full bore on the need for more $$$$$$.
All his "facts" that he is putting out about forum users,etc and their dating efforts are just from the numbers,percentages,etc he collects from the site itself,,and doesn't mean squat in the "real world". They are,after all,,,just numbers and are not related to the people here, in the "real" sense anyways. Kinda like a survey, without really asking the people themselves the questions that he has decided to answer for us. Kinda neat,,huh???? | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 5:05:16 PM |
Pretty sure it cost me more than 6 bucks a month to hang around this place, do the initial contact,,,do the e-mail thingy,,,and then maybe, just maybe, go waste an afternoon in some coffee shop with somebody that almost looks like their pictures in their profile when I looked at them boiled out of my mind on whiskey,,,,,with my glasses off!!!
That's an interesting way to look at it.
Still, the question isn't just whether we're willing to pay... but if we ARE willing to pay, why would we pay for POF rather than some other site? | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 5:22:22 PM |
Still, the question isn't just whether we're willing to pay... but if we ARE willing to pay, why would we pay for POF rather than some other site?
Answer: Cos.... 
no really now...because we have had a great deal ...getting a Freebie for all these years now.... an some of us made good use of it too!
Comeon now...not even Visa and MC give you a introductory low rate forever eh?
Has anyone benefitted from POF?... has it enriched your social life at all?
your sex life?...comeon...share!... I mean.. you see all the photos from the events... hiking and biking...snow shoeing...Grouse Grinding.. dances and darts....camping weekends.
A place for you to vent on subjects in the forums and to strut your stuff to other Fishes.
Have other sites given you free access of its membership for 4-5 years?
I am still not going to upgrade..but really now... you ask why POF and not some other site...well...have you been able to interact with people so freely on such a large scale anywhere else? | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 6:06:55 PM | Regarding Message 40;  Perfect..
Mountain Lion, Thank you for expressing the thoughts that I couldn't. (some of us Forum posters don't have the "free time'" to keep up with the forums that the admin suggests, and actually have to "work" during the day)
Like I have said before, it is not about money, it is the fact that :
A. This site was advertised and is still being advertised as a totally free site. It's called integrity, backing up your words with conviction, and right now from what I am seeing the admin's credibility has been hugely lost...
B. Whether you chose to believe it or not, It IS a form of segregation between the people who can afford to pay and the ones who can't. The one thing that attracted me to this site was the fact "you get what you pay for", Good or Bad.
To me,everyone on this site was in one big "melting pot" that you could choose from, EQUALLY. That has now changed, and to be totally honest, I do not think for the good....
What ever happens to this site, I have made both wonderful acquaintances, and life long friends
Much love to you all and may you all find your special someone, "Serious Badge" or not... | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 6:18:57 PM | Talk of Capitalizm...this thread will disappear soon...
You bottom feeders….. 
Actually its done! He owns the site…he will and has done what suits him and his comfort level. Marcus or who ever owns this site has created it to what it is technically.
Personally I think it’s all those ‘bottom feeders’ and POF event organizers that have made it what it is today.
The POF events and the spirit of ‘just doing’ will be now replaced with conditions. Will they be the same or will people come to the events (marketing) with an air of “gold” about them?
I have a strong feeling that Marcus will set the standards of the site with his membership fee as he projected and sell. The forecast of course will be based on the increase membership of the the last three years and sell within 6 months.
I also see him working in the background creating a new free dating site….lol… so he could create another ‘brown cow’ in 3 years.
I wonder what he will call it!
Note* Find a great dating site name and sell to Marcus
For all you bottom feeders, myself included, I suggest we all create some support for getting a Life Time Memberships for those that have gone to the POF events and Platinum Memberships for those that hosted the events…lol 
Darn I wish I went to a POF event….
I agree Mountain Lion...It is about integrity....
integrity only has value for those that exercise it's meaning...
one gives up some integrity when faced with monetary goals.... | |
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| Isn't BC talking about the Upgrade ?
Posted: 3/9/2009 6:27:34 PM | If POF slowly graduates to some form of Paid Dating Site, it's quite possible another Free Dating Site will take it's place.
Markus Frind is free to do what ever he wants , as are the rest of us.
Delete Profile is one click only. | |
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