Hi, @JonT@hollboll@moose, just wanted to know if you're regretting the free VMP promotion because of the huge wave of VMP cancel requests (both in public and through support).
I doubt it. They probably sold a butt-ton of product in the past two months, maybe some that wouldn't sell because of the shipping cost being the same price of the product. They also, most likely, have more VMP member still singed up then before the promotion.
Mostly I regret the implication that we were eager to have more VMPs. We weren't quite large enough in total for non-VMPs to subsidize a VMP club that size. It's good to get back to a more organic balance.
@snapster it was a great way to accelerate our understanding of a more mainstream audience's appreciation for the VMP program. It's impossible to gain that knowledge and not find it integral to decisions moving forward (so no regrets). With a majority of the freebie VMPs staying on, we're still overweight VMPs as a negative result but as we grow that should be fine.
@snapster Seeing as free VMPs essentially have until the 24th of this month to decide whether or not they're staying on (assuming they read the terms), I wonder how much that number will change… Interesting stuff, thanks for the insight!
@Kidsandliz no, we're interested in keeping the recruitment metrics healthy, so we're absorbing any lack of freight income. And I should say that since everything is dynamic and in growth mode that I have no idea whether I'm accurate on what a normal ratio would be long term. I'm guessing.
@snapster have you thougt about doing something with VMP where those of us who don't need our products shipped right away can opt in to a monthly one box shipment of all our purchases for that month? I wouldn't discount products or VMP, instead those that opt I are entered in to a monthly raffle for some leftover inventory prizes. There could be a list of prizes of varying value and you could having a drawing for the, say top 3, winners and then a drawing to determine what prize they each won. I was actually thinking about this yesterday so I am glad there was a thread that worked to submit the idea. Anyway, just a thought.
@snapster Well I'd guess you'd have a pretty good idea since you have already been there done that have the t-shirt so to speak once with woot… so your guess is probably a fairly good educated guess (grin)
@snapster So, wait, free shipping for VMPs is subsidized by the shipping fees of those who aren't VMPs? I just assumed some of the shipping was built into the product price.
EDIT: Wait, I just realized @unixrab must be subsidizing the shipping for those of us who are VMPs, and that's kinda funny.
@lisaviolet Pardon me, but I believe you have failed to include my 3rd purchase since July 2014 of some fine barware
Speaking of subsidies, I assume that it costs SOMEWHERE between $0.01 and $5.00 to ship these three lucky packages to me... so before you ring up what amount I'm subsidizing, be sure to deduct what the ACTUAL postage is and then the remainder would be the amount I've "subsidized" (while you're here: Also remember that [let's just say it takes a hypothetical $3 as the going rate] SOMEcost to ship me some fine barware]) so I've "subsidized $2" into the ole shipping kitty... Your first purchase with VMP ** ALSO ** kicks that $2 in as well... for certain, you will damnwellget your money's worth so you'll (by the end of the month) purchase some other needless thing to utilize that "free" shipping... so now - (let's be kind and say you bought stupi*t* inflexible charging whatevers (Meh Snap Cables with Fancy Box) - now you exult "haha meh.com you bastards! I've gotten BACK my initial $5 investment in free shipping! just look! You've shipped me cheap branded stiff charging plastic thingys!!! FOR NOTHING!!!! You fools!!! "
... invariably my name will come up and all will have a laugh and pat themselves on the back... but what you dare not think about, what will keep you awake at night and surely make you get a hangnail is that you've already contributed a hypothetical $2 into the shipping subsidy kitty and a bet you a diddled-eye-Joe to a damned-if-I-know it didn't cost no two dollars to ship that stiff charger to you... and on and on it goes....
try not to think too much about it @jqubed You'll hurt yourself. .... and then cancel VMP.
@jqubed ... well... I was waiting for the kicker until you processed the shipping donations... ....they also make money on the product. So Let's say you kick in that $2 at the beginning of each month ... (as a reminder to those to lazy to read above- we've assumed for the sake of argument that shipping doesn't really cost $5, but a more hypothetical $3 with $2 in 'profit' subsidizing the shipping department's bottom line) --- so.. you kick in your VMP$2 and then your next purchase you maybe break even or get a little ahead (let's say you bought a mixer and those bastards are HEAVY ) you've won... !
IF !!!
you actually needed the mixer. Now... the probability that meh.com is going to sell 2 things per month that you want, andneed are big.... but THREE!?? well... ok...logic aside... let's say (hope against hope) meh.com sells THREE things you both want and need - you've won.... this month. Congrats! you've crossed out 3 needs and paid only $5 in shipping for the three of them.... ... but... The HOUSE ALWAYS WINS...those mythical months where you get three items you needed . (batteries! barware! Mixers!) don't happen every month....and the months that they don't they quietly extract your VMP donation... hit you with some 4th quarter(4th week of the month) VMP BAIT ...little gizmos and gadgets that give you the warm fuzzy that your VMP CA$H was not donated in vain.... lather rinse repeat. ... right @cengland0 ;-)
@unixrabDAMMIT!! I wanted to be the one to point out to someone that you bought that one thing that wasn't a fuku. I was too late. I'm going to go sulk now.
@Superjimtendo That idea with collecting the purchases and sending it all at once is a great idea. Don't know if it should be once per month, or just when you decide to release it... And then they can give away some of the crap they don't sell. I'm collecting everything at a friends house anyway, until I have about 20 lbs of free crap, then I'll send it to Denmark via USPS.
The economics of how VMP works are a bit crazy when you think about it; it would be better for the bottom line to charge more for it, not because it brings in more money, but because fewer people would use it.
@unixrab I think your main point about VMP tempting us into buying things we wouldn't otherwise is the strongest argument against VMP. If people are willing to cancel at the end of the month, though, and wait until the next time they buy something to rejoin, why not? It costs the same either way, and if you have the willpower to resist the tchotchkes, why not take the gamble that sometime in the coming month something else worth buying will come up? You may not "beat the house" in terms of Meh eating some of your shipping costs, but paying $5 to ship two items is better than paying $10 to ship those same two items, so you still come out ahead.
@jqubed Well... I thank you for your honesty and well reasoned response. Ultimately, I find:
the house always wins
willpower eventually fails (see next point)
VMP Bait is sneaky, subtle, tricky and powerful
keeping track of yet another thing to cancel/enroll/cancel is a young man's game that I'm too tired for (I'd wager you're the former - but then again... why wager).
PS: About your last sentence: You are right... with the following exceptions:
if the two items cost $5 or less to ship (say two memory cards or USB chargers).
the item wasn't VMP Bait in the first place.
With those two exceptions - your last sentence is correct.
I've always thought that subscribing to VMP was a no brainer. Every month there is at least one thing I'll buy. In truth I buy something almost every week. Can't resist cheap crap with free shipping. Plus it keeps our cute mail girl coming to the house. As you can see, she's been delivering stuff to us for awhile.
@kippyj My wife didn't even know I had the VMP membership until she opened the socks by accident. She thought it was hilarious. She is definitely now a VMP.
The socks rock! People who freaked out over receiving free socks, seriously? How do you make it in the outside world? "Sir, would you like some condiments?" OH MY GOD! PLEASE NO I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE FREE STUFF!
Are you regretting making this post yet?
@phatmass Since you replied, I'm not feeling nearly as much reget as before. Thanks!
@phatmass Do you regret this comment?
@phatmass i regretfully regret regretting my regrets
@joelmw yes. Yes I do. So much so.
Nah they like the traffic I'm sure
WTF.. My VMP didn't renew after freebie was over, I didn't cancel it just didn't renew.. Pfft..
Elaborate trick just to reset everyone's 'VMP since'.
No email, tweet, instagram, text, instant message, smoke signal, nothing no warning. Good thing you guys don't supply oxygen to nursing homes. :'|
@BabyBear You must be special.
@BabyBear Let me test mine. Edit: still there!
What free VMP promo? You mean I paid $5 at one point for nothing? Bah!
@DrunkCat On Christmas day, the Meh item as two months of free VMP access. Now that it is March, the promo is over.
@DrunkCat @frmorrison But only if you clicked buy did you get it.
I doubt it.
They probably sold a butt-ton of product in the past two months, maybe some that wouldn't sell because of the shipping cost being the same price of the product.
They also, most likely, have more VMP member still singed up then before the promotion.
@The_Baron
Mostly I regret the implication that we were eager to have more VMPs. We weren't quite large enough in total for non-VMPs to subsidize a VMP club that size. It's good to get back to a more organic balance.
@snapster So would you do it again? Not will you, but knowing what you know now, would you go back in time and change your past self's mind?
@snapster it was a great way to accelerate our understanding of a more mainstream audience's appreciation for the VMP program. It's impossible to gain that knowledge and not find it integral to decisions moving forward (so no regrets). With a majority of the freebie VMPs staying on, we're still overweight VMPs as a negative result but as we grow that should be fine.
@snapster Overweight VMPs! Yeah, buddy! That's me!
@snapster Seeing as free VMPs essentially have until the 24th of this month to decide whether or not they're staying on (assuming they read the terms), I wonder how much that number will change… Interesting stuff, thanks for the insight!
@snapster so translation of "overweight VMP" is we have to raise prices a bit to account for that…?
@Kidsandliz no, we're interested in keeping the recruitment metrics healthy, so we're absorbing any lack of freight income. And I should say that since everything is dynamic and in growth mode that I have no idea whether I'm accurate on what a normal ratio would be long term. I'm guessing.
@snapster have you thougt about doing something with VMP where those of us who don't need our products shipped right away can opt in to a monthly one box shipment of all our purchases for that month? I wouldn't discount products or VMP, instead those that opt I are entered in to a monthly raffle for some leftover inventory prizes. There could be a list of prizes of varying value and you could having a drawing for the, say top 3, winners and then a drawing to determine what prize they each won. I was actually thinking about this yesterday so I am glad there was a thread that worked to submit the idea. Anyway, just a thought.
@snapster Well I'd guess you'd have a pretty good idea since you have already been there done that have the t-shirt so to speak once with woot… so your guess is probably a fairly good educated guess (grin)
@Superjimtendo interesting line of thought for sure - had not thought in that precise direction before.
@snapster So, wait, free shipping for VMPs is subsidized by the shipping fees of those who aren't VMPs? I just assumed some of the shipping was built into the product price.
EDIT: Wait, I just realized @unixrab must be subsidizing the shipping for those of us who are VMPs, and that's kinda funny.
@jqubed @unixrab has got two things here. Both Fukus. He's not subsidizing squat.
@lisaviolet Pardon me, but I believe you have failed to include my 3rd purchase since July 2014 of some fine barware
Speaking of subsidies, I assume that it costs SOMEWHERE between $0.01 and $5.00 to ship these three lucky packages to me... so before you ring up what amount I'm subsidizing, be sure to deduct what the ACTUAL postage is and then the remainder would be the amount I've "subsidized" (while you're here: Also remember that [let's just say it takes a hypothetical $3 as the going rate] SOME cost to ship me some fine barware]) so I've "subsidized $2" into the ole shipping kitty... Your first purchase with VMP ** ALSO ** kicks that $2 in as well... for certain, you will damnwellget your money's worth so you'll (by the end of the month) purchase some other needless thing to utilize that "free" shipping... so now - (let's be kind and say you bought stupi*t* inflexible charging whatevers (Meh Snap Cables with Fancy Box) - now you exult "haha meh.com you bastards! I've gotten BACK my initial $5 investment in free shipping! just look! You've shipped me cheap branded stiff charging plastic thingys!!! FOR NOTHING!!!! You fools!!! "
... invariably my name will come up and all will have a laugh and pat themselves on the back... but what you dare not think about, what will keep you awake at night and surely make you get a hangnail is that you've already contributed a hypothetical $2 into the shipping subsidy kitty and a bet you a diddled-eye-Joe to a damned-if-I-know it didn't cost no two dollars to ship that stiff charger to you... and on and on it goes....
try not to think too much about it @jqubed You'll hurt yourself. .... and then cancel VMP.
@unixrab Well, that surely is some mighty fine barware. I was unaware of your barware. I swear.
@lisaviolet it's an easy oversight - three purchases in 7.5 months flies under the radar...think nothing of it!
@unixrab So I think what you're saying is I need to buy 3 items per month with VMP and then I'll be getting away with one. The fools! I win!
@jqubed ... well... I was waiting for the kicker until you processed the shipping donations... ....they also make money on the product. So Let's say you kick in that $2 at the beginning of each month ... (as a reminder to those to lazy to read above- we've assumed for the sake of argument that shipping doesn't really cost $5, but a more hypothetical $3 with $2 in 'profit' subsidizing the shipping department's bottom line) --- so.. you kick in your VMP$2 and then your next purchase you maybe break even or get a little ahead (let's say you bought a mixer and those bastards are HEAVY ) you've won... !
IF !!!
you actually needed the mixer. Now... the probability that meh.com is going to sell 2 things per month that you want, and need are big.... but THREE!?? well... ok...logic aside... let's say (hope against hope) meh.com sells THREE things you both want and need - you've won.... this month. Congrats! you've crossed out 3 needs and paid only $5 in shipping for the three of them.... ... but... The HOUSE ALWAYS WINS...those mythical months where you get three items you needed . (batteries! barware! Mixers!) don't happen every month....and the months that they don't they quietly extract your VMP donation... hit you with some 4th quarter(4th week of the month) VMP BAIT ...little gizmos and gadgets that give you the warm fuzzy that your VMP CA$H was not donated in vain.... lather rinse repeat. ... right @cengland0 ;-)@unixrab DAMMIT!! I wanted to be the one to point out to someone that you bought that one thing that wasn't a fuku. I was too late. I'm going to go sulk now.
@Superjimtendo That idea with collecting the purchases and sending it all at once is a great idea. Don't know if it should be once per month, or just when you decide to release it... And then they can give away some of the crap they don't sell. I'm collecting everything at a friends house anyway, until I have about 20 lbs of free crap, then I'll send it to Denmark via USPS.
@SSteve sorry mang... I was not thinking - I'll check with you next time. ; -)
@snapster 80/20 ? I just made those up.
The economics of how VMP works are a bit crazy when you think about it; it would be better for the bottom line to charge more for it, not because it brings in more money, but because fewer people would use it.
@unixrab Apology accepted!
@SSteve You are a gentleman.
@unixrab I think your main point about VMP tempting us into buying things we wouldn't otherwise is the strongest argument against VMP. If people are willing to cancel at the end of the month, though, and wait until the next time they buy something to rejoin, why not? It costs the same either way, and if you have the willpower to resist the tchotchkes, why not take the gamble that sometime in the coming month something else worth buying will come up? You may not "beat the house" in terms of Meh eating some of your shipping costs, but paying $5 to ship two items is better than paying $10 to ship those same two items, so you still come out ahead.
@jqubed Well... I thank you for your honesty and well reasoned response. Ultimately, I find:
- the house always wins
- willpower eventually fails (see next point)
- VMP Bait is sneaky, subtle, tricky and powerful
- keeping track of yet another thing to cancel/enroll/cancel is a young man's game that I'm too tired for (I'd wager you're the former - but then again... why wager).
PS: About your last sentence: You are right... with the following exceptions:- if the two items cost $5 or less to ship (say two memory cards or USB chargers).
- the item wasn't VMP Bait in the first place.
With those two exceptions - your last sentence is correct.@unixrab I think meh needs to make a profit to carry on. So.....?
@YahSah15 So.... that's what I'm pointing out.... so...?
@unixrab OK. :)
I've always thought that subscribing to VMP was a no brainer. Every month there is at least one thing I'll buy. In truth I buy something almost every week. Can't resist cheap crap with free shipping.
Plus it keeps our cute mail girl coming to the house.
As you can see, she's been delivering stuff to us for awhile.
@Teripie Oh! So THAT's what they meant by first class mail. Totally get it now. Thanks.
@Teripie This upsets me...mostly because I don't have a cute mail girl
@Headly I wonder if she regrets that slightly crooked piercing? That would bug the crap out of me.
@Headly omg........i'm totally speechless.....wow
@atravis6 hmmmm. I'm with @1wally1
I suspect in the years to come she will regret a great many things about the entire ensemble...
@Headly Especially if she doesn't get some antibiotics soon
VMP membership has always been a deal, but thanks again for the free two months. And the socks. Especially the socks.
@kippyj My wife didn't even know I had the VMP membership until she opened the socks by accident. She thought it was hilarious. She is definitely now a VMP.
The socks rock! People who freaked out over receiving free socks, seriously? How do you make it in the outside world? "Sir, would you like some condiments?" OH MY GOD! PLEASE NO I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE FREE STUFF!
@JokersWild "You're just giving me this free ketchup so you can charge me $5 for it afterwards! SCAM!!!"