The new 2-Month Memberships for $20 do not appear to be available through the TD/Affiliate area. Will TDs be able to submit them in advance of the tournament?
Given the ADMs on the subject, the office has delayed implementation of the 2 month membership until after the meeting. the 3 month membership is still supposed to be in effect until then
Mr. Priest, thank you for this clear direction on an issue many of us were wondering about. Personally, at my own
expense, i have purchased for several young adults the $ 10 three month memberships so that they could participate
in my events, even waiving entry fees. To date, I have not refused service to anyone wishing to play. I hope I am
able to continue this service.
At the very least, given the number of ADMs in this topic, I feel certain some sort of compromise will be reached.
Rob Jones
Woody Allen said that 80% of life is showing up. Those who show up in Orlando for the 2014 Delegates Meeting will be in a position to influence what happens to two/three month memberships. Those who stay home will have to live with whatever is decided in Orlando.
!!!
Just keep in mind that it is many of us who “stay home” as you put it, that are running events for those who are in
Orlando are very much affected by the groups that we serve. And in that regard, I do believe it is vital to note the
importance of those of us contributing on the local level. For example, in the time that it takes to hold the workshops, meetings, etc, I will have directed quite often 3-4 tournaments, and sold perhaps a few dozen USCF
memberships, perhaps started a new affiliate, or chess tournament. Those of us heavily involved on the local level
with USCF events must find replacements for everything we do. And sometimes, that is next to nigh impossible.
Rob Jones
Woody Allen might even have based some of his films on the Delegate Meetings.
Naah. As someone once said, fiction has to make sense, reality doesn’t.
I got the email today about the upcoming discontinuance of the 3-month memberships and the start of the new 2-month membership.
The email didn’t say anything about a player being able to upgrade the 2-month membership to a yearly membership? Is there going to be an upgrade option?
Also, It said “The two-month membership will be available through the tournament submission process and through TD/A”. This means it won’t be available for purchase in the webstore but will it be mentioned in the webstore or will it be one of the “secret” membership options?
As far as I know, members will be able to upgrade it to a full-year membership by paying the prorated difference between $20 and whatever membership category and length (1 year or longer) they want. Upgrades cannot be processed through the membership webstore for privacy reasons.
As these memberships are intended to be sold BY affiliates AT tournaments, they will not be available on the membership webstore.
For the full text of the announcement that was sent out to affiliates and TDs about the new two-month adult membership, see uschess.org/two-month-membership.html
Yes, but why not mention it in the webstore so people are aware of this option? I believe the point of the 2-month membership is to get players who wouldn’t pay $40 but would pay $20 to play in a tournament. If you don’t mention this option, these players won’t know about this option and won’t play.
Webstore is mass market and doesn’t necessarily create relationship. Affiliate is person-to-person and gives a much larger chance of relationship…which in theory will bring the person back more often than a monetary transaction would. Graduating out of transactions and into relationships helps something called “stickiness” and it’s something all customer services / relations teams strive for.
OK, but if you don’t mention the 2-month membership in the webstore, you might not get that person to person relationship.
A cardinal rule of sales (and by extension, online sales sites) is that you do not promote choices that give the potential buyer a reason to NOT buy something now
Then make the 2-month membership available online.
Apparently you did not understand what Mike Nolan said.
That’s a matter for the Executive Board, since the current policy (as set by the EB) says that they can only be sold by affiliates, presumably at tournaments. If you have an affiliate, you can sell them.
Then what did he mean?
He meant that you do not promote choices that give the potential buyer a reason to NOT buy something now, just like he said.
Yes, then like I said, make the 2-month membership available online.
Another cardinal rule of sales is that you have to promote your product.