JamesL Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I believe final "behind the scenes" stuff is being set up to get the store open soon. Hopefully later this week. Mike will be able to provide a better esitmate in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Mike, With respect to the sevices provided by ARC, would you consider purchasing a PAR meter and renting it out. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Paid for a membership, how long till it activates online? I see it takes 2-3 weeks to be shipped to me but is it the same 2-3 weeks till active online? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Paid for a membership, how long till it activates online? I see it takes 2-3 weeks to be shipped to me but is it the same 2-3 weeks till active online? Once the payment clears PayPal, your account will automatically be updated to Premium Member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Paid for a membership, how long till it activates online? I see it takes 2-3 weeks to be shipped to me but is it the same 2-3 weeks till active online? Once the payment clears PayPal, your account will automatically be updated to Premium Member. Alright I'll see if it works later. When I did the paypal payment it said it would have to manually be activated by staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard L Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Just signed up and it instantly changed my status to premium. Now I that I am part of the elite upper class, you may now refer to me as "Sir Funky Reefer". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Just signed up and it instantly changed my status to premium. Now I that I am part of the elite upper class, you may now refer to me as "Sir Funky Reefer". I'll make sure I bow this afternoon when I stop by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Paid for a membership, how long till it activates online? I see it takes 2-3 weeks to be shipped to me but is it the same 2-3 weeks till active online? Once the payment clears PayPal, your account will automatically be updated to Premium Member. Alright I'll see if it works later. When I did the paypal payment it said it would have to manually be activated by staff. Alerted Mike to look at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Paid for a membership, how long till it activates online? I see it takes 2-3 weeks to be shipped to me but is it the same 2-3 weeks till active online? Once the payment clears PayPal, your account will automatically be updated to Premium Member. Alright I'll see if it works later. When I did the paypal payment it said it would have to manually be activated by staff. Alerted Mike to look at it. Thanks man, we came to the conclusion that he has a new account setup and I was the first transaction. He has me in good hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theresa Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Thanks Andrew and Mike, it has been rewarding to have this club up and going. You are greatly appreciated and would love to see the chat room back as well. It has saved me many times and very enjoyable to relax with your friends just talking. I would also love to continue the yearly Frag Swap meeting at my house but not with a huge tank to hold all, sorry I think many folks wood be disappointed in more ways then one. As for you who would like to do it this way then let's have it at your place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Paid for a membership, how long till it activates online? I see it takes 2-3 weeks to be shipped to me but is it the same 2-3 weeks till active online? Mike, I was in charge of this. I used to get an email telling me when we had a new "paid" member. Can this be started again? Dave- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Ok, I have to say it. The idea has a major flaw. When someone (like me) is getting out of the hobby due to other commitments, it doesn't make sense to buy an annual membership. But to stay a basic member, you are denying your other members the chance to get a great deal on the equipment I have accumulated over years of reef keeping. I will end up throwing away HQI light fixtures, high-end skimmers, etc because there is no way for me to communicate to reefers that it is for sale. I agree with all of the other changes, but it sure seems unfair to the active members to deny them the opportunity to pick up equipment when people get out of the hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woods Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Eddie, I have to disagree with you. The cost of throwing away the equipment is far greater to you than renewing the membership and selling it here. And in most cases people will have already renewed their membership prior to deciding to leave the hobby. That is probably not the case right now with the recent store closure, but it is still more advantageous to you to have the membership to sell your live stock and equipment here rather than just the outside options. The cost for membership is not that great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 ^^^ What he said. $25 to sell hundreds of dollars of gear? I'd make that investment in a heartbeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Mike, I'm really glad to see your effort to keep this a hobbyist-centric site. I've been keeping saltwater for over 24 years, read as much as I can but talking with other hobbyists and seeing their systems I've meet through ARC has helped me be a better aquarist! Thank you Andrew for the work you've done and thank you Mike for the work you're doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Still seems unfair to make members miss deals, but it's your site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard L Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 +1 w/ Woods. I think that most people, while they are in the process of accumulating all that high-end equipment, would have already become members by the time they may want to sell any of it. Bigger picture, I think that for all the benefits we get from ARC, chipping in an amount equal to a frag or two is a no brainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 . . . I would not go for my frags being mixed with others simple because of all the bad stuff that can be transferred from one to ALL . . . I'm with Theresa, quarantining fish and corals cannot be over emphasized. IMO ARC should be very proactive about this especially at our frags swaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Folks, this thread is really meant to discuss the new member benefits. I am going to split the frag tank discussion into it's own thread. Ideas and civalized discussion about them are always welcome here at ARC. Edit: New thread is here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woods Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Eddie, I guess I don't view it as members missing out on a deal or opportunity as much as, if I am the seller, why wouldn't I pay the $25 to enter a market where my items would be of direct interest to that membership and they will understand the value of my items. Yes, you may be able to sell your items on Craigslist, etc, but will it take longer and will you get the same price... If your equipment is very old and not high end then maybe Craigslist is a better place, but if it is higher end then the club is well worth the exposure for the cost... besides giving the money to the club and benefitting the hobby is not a bad thing either... It is all a matter of perspective and desire. Best of luck in selling your items... Hopefully someday you re-enter the hobby and enjoy it again in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 Mike, With respect to the sevices provided by ARC, would you consider purchasing a PAR meter and renting it out. Patrick Sorry this got lost Patrick. Yes, I will consider that as well as other equipment. Likewise, the club will accept any donations of working equipment that you want to get rid of. Powerheads, lights, etc., anything that could be used in an emergency by our members. This could lead to needing a Quartermaster to manage the inventory though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 Still seems unfair to make members miss deals, but it's your site. Austin Reef Club is primarily a gathering place for reef enthusiasts to share knowledge and experience with others who enjoy the same hobby. The buying and selling, while important, comes in second behind the fellowship aspect. I understand that this may frustrate some people, but the club is really here for active members, not those who are just passing through. I receive many complaints from members about guests who use the forum as a dumping ground for items. Though members might get a deal, there is no accountability from the seller if the item isn't as advertised. I have yet to hear about or receive a complaint from members that feel they miss out on buying opportunities because of this policy. To follow up on what others have been saying, the Reef Club is not a cash cow. There are various expenses in running it and even more expense in trying to actively grow the club. Membership fees go primarily toward hosting the site, but also will serve as a means to pay professionals to come speak at our meetings. There are already numerous outlets such as CraigsList and Ebay that non-members can use to sell their items. Ebay is not free, and Craigslist has alternate ways of generating revenue to offset their costs. I don't want to plaster the whole site with advertising so the alternative is to have a membership fee. If you want to target reef enthusiasts for your sale I believe $30 annually is a small price to pay. Our sponsors and professional members pay much more for the ability to target this audience. Though you might not agree, I hope you understand my reasoning. Reefing is not an inexpensive hobby, and I believe that a membership fee close to the cost of a single frag is a bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+JoseZ Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 +1 w/ Woods. I think that most people, while they are in the process of accumulating all that high-end equipment, would have already become members by the time they may want to sell any of it. Bigger picture, I think that for all the benefits we get from ARC, chipping in an amount equal to a frag or two is a no brainer. +1 I think you pretty much nailed in on the head as far as my situation goes. I know I'm not as active as most members but I can honestly say that I have learned a ton from the discussions that go on. I've made several purchases through the forums so as stated purchasing the membership was a no brainer considering what ARC has provided for me advice and equipment alike. So thank you everyone for always supporting each other and thank you reef club team for allowing all of us to be here. I look forward to the year and the new things to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Still seems unfair to make members miss deals, but it's your site. Austin Reef Club is primarily a gathering place for reef enthusiasts to share knowledge and experience with others who enjoy the same hobby. The buying and selling, while important, comes in second behind the fellowship aspect. I understand that this may frustrate some people, but the club is really here for active members, not those who are just passing through. I receive many complaints from members about guests who use the forum as a dumping ground for items. Though members might get a deal, there is no accountability from the seller if the item isn't as advertised. I have yet to hear about or receive a complaint from members that feel they miss out on buying opportunities because of this policy. To follow up on what others have been saying, the Reef Club is not a cash cow. There are various expenses in running it and even more expense in trying to actively grow the club. Membership fees go primarily toward hosting the site, but also will serve as a means to pay professionals to come speak at our meetings. There are already numerous outlets such as CraigsList and Ebay that non-members can use to sell their items. Ebay is not free, and Craigslist has alternate ways of generating revenue to offset their costs. I don't want to plaster the whole site with advertising so the alternative is to have a membership fee. If you want to target reef enthusiasts for your sale I believe $30 annually is a small price to pay. Our sponsors and professional members pay much more for the ability to target this audience. Though you might not agree, I hope you understand my reasoning. Reefing is not an inexpensive hobby, and I believe that a membership fee close to the cost of a single frag is a bargain. Here, here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Thanks Mike for summing up my feelings and presenting them in a calm, coherent, and rationale manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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