# Super SDMB subscription special! **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 31, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108 "2005-03-31T20:48:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/81 "2005-04-13T04:35:07Z")
Well… maybe I’m a dork, but I clicked “Subscribe”…then on the next page I clicked the button marked “Order”… then the next page says: > [@](#): > > To pay for your subscription, please click the order button next to your preferred payment method and follow the instructions on the following page. > Subscription: Straight Dope Board Membership > Cost: $7.48 > Payment is also accepted using PayPal. And there’s like, no buttons or anything…? I’m sure I missed something simple but for the life of me, I can’t see how to proceed. Advice? ---
**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/82 "2005-04-13T04:37:17Z")
glurgh, please ignore my double-post. ---
**Author:** ![Re\_PT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@Re\_PT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Re_PT)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/83 "2005-04-13T17:26:44Z")
I found that clicking on the link which mentioned paypal got me through to the next page which (believe it or not) had paypal and card methods of payment. But if you think that I’m going to take up the offer to subscribe for some cheap amount [Sub]after having missed out on charter status by being internetless and then failing to notice my last three days of guest status before my posting priviledge expired[/Sub] then you’ve got another thing coming! …um. :smack: Can I have a refund? 🙂 PT ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/84 "2005-04-14T01:36:12Z")
Heh. No. your humble TubaDiva But it’s quite a story. ---
**Author:** ![Gezellig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4af34b/32.png) [@Gezellig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gezellig)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/85 "2005-04-25T15:20:22Z")
> [@Ed Zotti](#): > > After renewal season we’ll probably change everyone to “Member.” Would it be possible to go back and pull up the terms that were offered at the time to entice people to subscribe and get “Charter Member” status? My recollection was this was a in-perpetuity deal. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/86 "2005-04-25T21:17:07Z")
> [@Gezellig](#): > > Would it be possible to go back and pull up the terms that were offered at the time to entice people to subscribe and get “Charter Member” status? My recollection was this was a in-perpetuity deal. It is an in-perpetuity deal, perpetuity being understood to mean as long as (a) you’re alive and (b) you continue to subscribe. The deal, so we’re clear, is that you get half off the regular subscription price. Whether your user title would SAY “charter member” in perpetuity we never really addressed. I don’t have strong feelings about the matter personally and have heard arguments both ways. Lacking a consensus I think for now we’ll leave things as they are. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/87 "2005-04-25T22:06:36Z")
Charter Member Status: You were a subscribing member before April 27, 2004. The initial Charter member rate for the first year was $4.95 The charter member rate for the second year is $7.48 (50% of $14.95). Half the current membership fee in perpetuity, that’s the deal here. If you missed signing up as a Charter Member, you can still save by signing up/renewing/extending your subscription now. These non-Charter Members get to pay $9.95 instead of $14.95. This offer expires April 28, 2005. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/88 "2005-04-26T05:23:24Z")
> [@Ed Zotti](#): > > … Whether your user title would SAY “charter member” in perpetuity we never really addressed. I don’t have strong feelings about the matter personally and have heard arguments both ways. Lacking a consensus I think for now we’ll leave things as they are. yeah but, > [@shijinn](#): > > it didn’t matter before, but if you’re going to charge for vanity titles i think the title ‘Charter Member’ should be made the default or free for those involved. it not quite fair to start charging for something that’s been offered as an enticement. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/89 "2005-04-26T16:40:49Z")
We aren’t charging extra for the Charter Member user title. Not sure what you mean here. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/90 "2005-04-26T17:10:50Z")
at the moment no. i’m just saying if you ever decide to start charging for vanity titles you should not change “Charter Members” to “Members”, just so they can pay to change it back to “Charter Members”. … not like anyone would do such a thing, of course. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/91 "2005-04-26T18:06:54Z")
As Ed wrote above, where the “Charter Member” user title is concerned, chances are we’ll leave things as they are. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/92 "2005-04-27T17:32:44Z")
So I _think_ I’ve got this down. I subscribed Jan 08, 2005, for $14.95. At this point, I can either: a) pay $9.95 now, and extend my membership to Arpil 2006; or b) do nothing now, wait until Jan 2006, and pay $14.95 for another year (or whatever the price is at the time) getting me to Jan 2007. er, is that correct? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/93 "2005-04-27T17:40:26Z")
If you renew your subscription before April 28, 2005, 12 noon CDT, you will pay $9.95 and your subscription will be extended to January 8, 2007. If you wait until just before your current subcription expires, you will pay whatever the going rate is at that time. Currently the full-freight no promotion everyday rate for subscription is $14.95 a year. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/94 "2005-04-27T17:57:33Z")
Ah, okay, that makes much more sense… Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/95 "2005-04-27T21:14:39Z")
I agree, enabling Paypal was a wise move. I assume that by using your link, you know you paid you right? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/96 "2005-04-27T22:03:50Z")
Um, not sure what this means. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/97 "2005-04-27T22:30:45Z")
Sorry, I am a little under the weather today. I logged in. Then went to the subscription page. But rather then pay with a credit card, I used the paypal link you provided. By using the link, I am assuming that you can associate my paypal payment with my account. Sorry about the confusion. In the immortal words of Ralph Wiggam: “Me fail English? That’s unpossible.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/98 "2005-04-27T22:42:45Z")
Just checked and it looks like whatever you did, it processed correctly; you’re good to go and paid up through 2006. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/99 "2005-04-28T23:18:48Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > If you renew your subscription before April 28, 2005, 12 noon CDT, you will pay $9.95 and your subscription will be extended to … Dang! I’ve missed the cut-off, haven’t I? I thought it was midnight. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108/100 "2005-04-29T04:56:18Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > The charter member rate for the second year is $7.48 (50% of $14.95). Half the current membership fee in perpetuity, that’s the deal here. I see a vicious cycle in the future… If anyone suggests trying to bring in more money from Charter Member renewal by jacking up the subscription price, remember this post. If the reason for wanting to bring in more money is not enough new subscriptions, shoot the person making the suggestion. Seriously, what’s the trend data on total members? Are we losing members faster than we gain them? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-sdmb-subscription-special/297108.md?page=6)