I’d like some clarification on that preposterously long list of membership categories. The “Web Store” claims that we still have a “promotional” $36 rate for “Returning Members from 2006 or earlier and New Members.” This is in addition to the $41 “promotional” rate. However, the TD/A drop-down list does not include the $36 rate. (Though it does include a 3-year promo rate of $93, which is apparently a scaled-up version of it.) Question 1: Is the $36 rate still valid? Question 2: Can’t someone clean up this mess? Looking at that list is more likely to scare a new member away.
Only the Delegates can implement a significant simplification of membership categories or rates, and they rejected a proposal to do that in 2004. The Board can create promotional memberships, like the $36 one that was part of the January mailing to former members.
I don’t know if the latest new/returning member promo ($36 for one year, $65 for two years, $93 for 3 years) is supposed to be available through the TD/Affiliate Support Area or not or at what rate, I think the renewal postcard may say it is only available through the USCF webstore (or at a slightly higher rate by mail or phone to the USCF office.) I don’t think the 3 year version of it should be on TD/A by itself, I’ll try to find out what’s causing that.
That really doesn’t make much sense. By far the most likely place for a new/long expired member to join is at a tournament. Are we supposed to tell the player “Sorry, you could have joined for $36 on line if anyone had told you about it, but instead you have to pay $41 right now”? And having the webstore say that a new member can join for the special promotional rate of $36 or the special promotional rate of $41 looks kind of strange.
I agree that having a both a new/returning member promotion rate and a dues sale rate (the word ‘promotion’ or ‘promotional’ does not appear there) is a bit confusing, but I don’t set the rules, I just have to try to make them work as best I can on the website, sometimes without much in the way of advance notice or consultation as to what’s either possible or logical.
Assuming you were faced with having to offer both sets of special rates, how would you word or structure things?
Assuming I were faced with an insoluble problem, how would I go about solving it? Let me get back to you on that.
After checking with Bill Hall, the 1, 2 and 3 year new/returning member promotional memberships are now available through the TD/Affiliate Support Area.
Of course, this makes that pull-down list a little longer.