Thread: Premium Memberships launched

The premium membership program has been launched. Right now this will get you a "verified account", a special featured items area, several increased permissions as well as access to beta tests of the new classifieds. Once the new classifieds launch many listing features will be added. I am currently working on some sort of marker or graphic for premium members so it's more obvious in the classifieds sections that you are verified. As a launch bonus you get 18 months for the price of 12 until the classifieds launch, then the normal 12 month cycle will begin. This is a new feature and is a work in progress, the 6 free months are intended to make up for any hiccups and/or missing features plus the lack of a new classifieds at this time.

You can access the subscription area through your User Control Panel by clicking the "Settings" link at the top of every page. You will then see the Paid Subscriptions link towards the bottom of the left menu. We've also added a link to the "Site Info" dropdown menu in the blue navbar at the top of every page. From there, you may choose your subscription details. Users must have a valid real name and address visible somewhere in the paypal transaction notice. This data will be archived and standard elightbars data release policies apply.

If you do not use paypal you may send a check or money order for $10 to an address I will provide you via e-mail. Send an email to payments@elightbars.org advising me that you wish to upgrade your account. I will provide an address for payment. Please include along with your payment; your full name, address, e-mail address, username and the date you sent the payment on a separate 8.5x11 sheet of paper. Please also print your user name in the comments section of the check or money order. This data will be archived and standard elightbars data release policies apply. All payments will be held until cleared and confirmed. Please allow up to 6 weeks for processing, data will be entered as often as possible. Payments that cannot be linked to a user ID or are incomplete will not be processed. Initially no handling fee will be charged even though this is a more time consuming process for staff. eLightbars reserves the right to change fee structure and add additional fees as deemed necessary in the future. Any suggestions on how to streamline the non-paypal process are welcome, this is the best I could come up with.


Notice- If you donated more than $10 within the last 60 days please PM me and I'll add 12 months per $10 you donated.


Regular accounts-

• Will See Ads (less than guests)
• Will have limited numbers of open classifieds (just like now)
• No increase in number of PMs
• No increase in attachment sizes attachments
• Still allowed to use classifieds
• Not part of beta tests

Premium Verified accounts

• No ads
• More or unlimited classifieds
• Listing perks like bold titles and featured items
• More thumbnails in listings
• Larger attachments
• Part of all beta tests
• Exclusive featured sales section
• More PM space
• Able to customize profile page colors and layout

How do I know if it worked?

• Community News & Support
• Site Updates/News
• Premium Memberships launched

1. You are part of a small group of members that has the ability to participate in testing our upcoming Classifieds system. Please see this thread for details.

you would see that !!!! plus it says it under your user name !!!

Originally Posted by RebelLiners

How do I know if it worked?

Sorry I see it now

that was easy as heck! thanks for a great site!

Paid! Happy to contribute.

Same here! Paid right away... been waiting for this for a while now!

Originally Posted by KAdams327

Paid! Happy to contribute.

I normally contribute more than $10 annually (I understand it is $10 for 18 months at the moment). I am unable to increase my contribution using the link provided in the new subscription via PayPal form.

How can I increase my contribution amount to the amount I wish to contribute?

Originally Posted by Retired1

I normally contribute more than $10 annually (I understand it is $10 for 18 months at the moment). I am unable to increase my contribution using the link provided in the new subscription via PayPal form.

How can I increase my contribution amount to the amount I wish to contribute?

You can send a regular paypal payment to payments@elightbars.org

Thanks

Wait I'm confused...we can pay $ to be "verfied premium membership that access the classifieds ??? So in the future we all will have to pay to use the classifieds ?

Originally Posted by ark_firefighter

Wait I'm confused...we can pay $ to be "verfied premium membership that access the classifieds ??? So in the future we all will have to pay to use the classifieds ?

No. Just as it says, premium verified will unlock perks in the classifieds. Everyone will continue to use the classifieds for free. The premium users will be beta testers again, so they will see it first. When it launches, it will be free.

Originally Posted by ark_firefighter

Wait I'm confused...we can pay $ to be "verfied premium membership that access the classifieds ??? So in the future we all will have to pay to use the classifieds ?

No, verified premium users get a chance to 'test' them before they go live for everybody. It'll be free once live.

Regular accounts-

• Will See Ads (less than guests)
• Will have limited numbers of open classifieds (just like now)
• No increase in number of PMs
• No increase in attachment sizes attachments
• Still allowed to use classifieds
• Not part of beta tests

Premium Verified accounts-

• No ads
• More or unlimited classifieds (coming soon with new system)
• Listing perks like bold titles and featured items (coming soon with new system)
• More thumbnails in listings (coming soon with new system)
• Larger attachments (coming soon with new system)
• Part of all beta tests
• Exclusive featured sales section (now live)
• More PM space (now upgraded)
• Able to customize profile page colors and layout

Done and Done.... Glad to contribute

What if I would like to be a Premium Subscriber but don't want that revealed on my profile?

It's kinda cool to see the Veteran guys on here. Kinda like to see that on here when I log in. I can see who has been here for a while and who are the newbies. I know you can look at the date, but ... kinda gives some guys that have been here for a while some sense of pride.

I think I'm asking for others here, not just myself ... so don't go beating on me too bad!! But I'm tough so I'll be the one to ask.

This could be a factor for someone becoming a Paid Subscriber or not.

Originally Posted by FireGuru

What if I would like to be a Premium Subscriber but don't want that revealed on my profile?

It's kinda cool to see the Veteran guys on here. Kinda like to see that on here when I log in. I can see who has been here for a while and who are the newbies. I know you can look at the date, but ... kinda gives some guys that have been here for a while some sense of pride.

I think I'm asking for others here, not just myself ... so don't go beating on me too bad!! But I'm tough so I'll be the one to ask.

This could be a factor for someone becoming a Paid Subscriber or not.

I have paid my subscriber money but I am right there with ya!! I too like to see you the veteran members are and so forth, kind of a respect thing. Just my rookie 2 cents worth

We can edit profiles to not reveal that you paid. The whole point of the verification is to show that elightbars has a valid address, name and payment method on file.... ie you are a human. I'm sure we could find a way to make people's experience based titles remain.....

I think it would be good for the site. It might be the deciding point of someone being a subscriber who would like to keep their "seniority" showing.

It's really is fun to see the "old guys" on here.

Originally Posted by FireGuru

I think it would be good for the site. It might be the deciding point of someone being a subscriber who would like to keep their "seniority" showing.

It's really is fun to see the "old guys" on here.

I'd don't see why that can't be done.....

Done!

Wow!! That was fast!!

Thanks for going ahead and changing mine. It really didn't matter to me, but I thought that it might be a factor for someone else who might like thier original tiltle.

Great work!!

Surely you had more important things, but great work anyhow.

Originally Posted by FireGuru

Wow!! That was fast!!

Thanks for going ahead and changing mine. It really didn't matter to me, but I thought that it might be a factor for someone else who might like thier original tiltle.

Great work!!

Surely you had more important things, but great work anyhow.

As it is now, I just removed the "Premium Verified Member" title which reverted everyone back to their seniority titles. Right now, the only way to tell that you are a supporting member is by the bold/black username. I'll work something else out soon.

Can we/will we be able to pay for multiple years up front?

Done

Thanks again guys, I for one like the idea of having my regular title with the black bold title to distinguish my premium verified membership. Also will the original Premium Verified Members have the 18 months or 12 and I would like to also know about paying a few years in advance.

Done! Glad to help out. I love being part of elb.

Mr. Marcson,

I found the link very easy to use.

Thank you for that.

I look at eLights as more than a simple web site, it seems to be more of a community and/or a 'club'.

Any other Club I have ever been in did have dues / fees to help maintain the 'club'.

It seems only fair that this eLights has token dues or a membership $ fee to keep it running.

Web sites are not free, and anyone that benifits from this one, should be able to contribute to it with more that words and photos to the best of their individual abilities.

Thank you again, for the effort you have put into this 'club'.
NCIC USA

( on the South Shore of the Lake called Erie )

Will this be a charge that is automatically drafted from my PayPal account whenever it comes up for renewal, or will I have to do it manually when my premium subscription runs out?
I don't like having the payment coming out automatically (many other “premium memberships” on other site do this). Automatic draft is OK if you are making a house payment, but for a payment for using a web site I prefer to have more control.

Glad to join the ranks of premium members !!!