T Shirt & Sticker 'Profits'

[DelBoy]

Some time ago, the owners/administrators of the Club Arnage web site announced that they were going to re-vamp the site, and add various items of mechandise.  We are also very much aware that the server is or has been upgraded recently to counter the appalling response times being experienced.  All this costs someone a fair chunk of money.

I have had some talks with Chris Considine - he's somewhat easier to get hold of than Dave (Grand Fromage - the owner of the site).  One way of raising funds that was under consideration was to sell advertising space on the site.  This has been mentioned on here before, and the general consensus was that the site would be better off without such advertising.  Dave has, for the moment at least, dropped any thoughts about taking this route.

When they get their own merchandise together, the proceeds from this will go towards the ever increasing admin costs.  Our own T shirts that we have for the last 3 years, and for next year, could be classed as CA merchandise, and , especially in the future, could divert 'profits' that would normally go towards those costs.

I am aware of, and agreed with, the proposal that all 'profits' from this year's shirt and sticker sales would go to a charity organised by Doris.  What I would like people to consider now is that some of those profits be put towards the running of the site - a site that we all use at no cost to ourselves.

I am thinking of pricing this year's shirt at £11, which is only slightly higher that it has been for the last three years.  This would not provide massive 'profits', but would bring in a small sum that we could split (at an agreed percentage) between the charity and admin.

What say you??

Del

[Nordic]

Sounds like a good idea. It would be good to give something back to the site.

[Steve Pyro]

I agree.
God alone knows what this site costs in hosting and hardware.

[Werner]

definitely OK. Keeping the site up and running has top priority!

[Bob U]

I agree wholeheartidly with a payment towards admin. A collection at the Poo Bar to donate to Dave is an option that I would be happy to support

[garyfrogeye]

I agree that some funds should be redistributed back to the running of the site.

[Werner]

A suggestion to make money distribution between the charity and the CA-Maintenance easier:

1. All profit from the T-Shirt and car-sticker sale go to the CA-site for the server costs, a surcharge should be calculated to ensure, that a reasonable amount will be collected, e.g. 2 Euros per Shirt and 50 cents per sticker above costs

2. For Doris charity: A call for donations on the download-page of the guide as well as in the guide itself + a collection on site at the Poo bar.

(@Doris: Could you prepare a 1-pager for the guide giving some background information about the charity plus details for people willing to donate, e.g. Paypal, bank account number with info for international transfers - ICAN, BIC Swift and all that stuff?)

What do you think about it?

[il Cavallino]

You can also use paypal for transfers. Maybe you can arrange some charge free account with them since it's for charity.

[Perdu]

I agree that some funds should be redistributed back to the running of the site.

"I AGREE WITH HIM"

yes really, "it's good, it's free!"

doesnt really add up.

 

[Dirk3D_NL]

I don't mind paying a bit extra for the shirts to support this site, it is all peanuts if you compare with what you spend at La Sarthe anyways

and this site needs stability and an open character I think

[Martini...LB]

You can also use paypal for transfers. Maybe you can arrange some charge free account with them since it's for charity.

If this is possible it would be good because they normally deduct 3-4%. OK ebxxy is very hand but they do rip you.

>Martini...

[Jay (Team Cannonball)]

Can't you use the "just giving" website to setup payment for charitable donations. I don't have any details but I have seen ebay charity auctions where they offer paypal but request you use the just giving service as the proceeds go to cure cancer/save the whales/etc etc.

[Paddy_NL]

Just to say I will charge the minimum required for the stickers, "production costs" seem to be the correct words

[Christopher]

I agree.

Don't mind paying a bit extra to support the site and any nominated charity.

Considering the number of downloads the guide had last year, that would be a good place to advertise the charity of choice.

As suggested, setting up a just giving site might be the easiest for the charity.

Has it never been considered to make CA a subscription site? Or is that even more work and effort? (Please don't hit me for suggesting that.....I don't know the full history of the site).

[Papa Lazarou]

I agree with the general concensus here that a small sum added to the t-shirt/stickers sales and a whip-round at the poo bar/stella bar meets split between the site and the nominated charity is probably the way to go.

No membership fees to worry about means no financial nightmare of who's paid what, expiry dates, membership numbers, etc, which has to be a good thing.  The fact that Club Arnage is open to all, without a membership fee, is one of the great things about it.  It encourages people to come in, have alook around, see what's happening and leave as many or as few posts as they like on as regular or irregular basis as they like.  Just because I don't post all year round, doesn't mean I don't take an interest all year round.  The fact that this is a free-to-join club (or community even?) is one of it's greatest assets.

So there.   

Patrick.