Hi David Having had some correspondence with you in the past ..., I feel I should send you a note to let you know that I will not be subscribing to where2sing. I feel that the regular singers who travel around to these gigs are the supporters of the system and not the ones who should be charged. That should be the venues and/or karaoke operators. If this doesn't work, then such a service is simply not a commercial proposition. I can't think of any other situation in which I would be charged for a What's On information service where commercial operators are trying to attract punters. I also feel that $70 a year is too much. This is what I pay for my post box for a year, or a subscription to a top-class overseas magazine. As one who dips into where2sing from time to time for a very limited, specific purpose, I can't justify that amount, and know a lot of other regular singers who wouldn't even consider it. From this viewpoint, seeing all the xxxxxxxxxxxx's in my newsletters is only infuriating, effectively turning them into little more than marketing spam. All I want to know is what's on where, and I'm happy to check out the local gigs for myself. I still think you do an awesome job, deserving of an income, but that's my position. All the best.

REPLY from David
Many thanks for taking the time to make your points clearly, and they certainly do interest me. I would also, if asked to subscribe to W2S, consider it expensive and a bit of a cheek. And then I'd subscribe. My reasons are this: A US dollar a week is nothing. Just nothing. In fact, truth be known, I'd pay 3 or 4 US dollars a week if I had to - because where else am I going to get the same information? What do I pay at a night of karaoke? $10 minimum for three beers, generally I come home more like $30 poorer. I'd then also start to consider where else I'm paying the same as W2S. I wouldn't compare the PO Box as that's just a space in a wall provided by a company that's making money on the postage stamps to fill that hole; I would dismiss the glossy magazine because these are mainly funded by advertisers, the subscription/buy price being to fund the retail distribution. I'd end up asking myself this simple question? Do I get value in my karaoke from spending one US dollar a week on W2S? And as I read your emails, I believe you do get tremendous value. So, do tell me the answer to how you would subscribe? Would you like to pay $2 a week instead? Would you like to pay 10c per search, or 1c per gig shown in the results? And do you think any of this would end up cheaper than US$49.95 a year - I can easily implement a different type of charging system if you'd prefer. To tell me that you want the resource for free, or less than the current price, is to say that my time is valueless or of little value. And my response would be that if you don't see the value in W2S, then you are not alone - but you are wrong. I built W2S because I simply could not find places in which to sing. W2S has prospered because hosts have found it to be the easiest place in which to list their gigs, and by far the cheapest option. Singers use W2S because it is the only place that has up-to-date information. The subscription price is, if anything, far too cheap - but it's the price required to upkeep the site given the number of people currently visiting. It is as simple as that. You say 'All I want to know is what's on where, and I'm happy to check out the local gigs for myself'. Err, so what do you think W2S is used for?
Submitted by Steve of Camperdown on 22-10-2005

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