Premature Speculation: New "Plus" membership level

[Qie Niangao]

First, no, this isn't "Premium Plus" that's been around for a while, it's a new level between Basic and Premium, described at the Web User Group and summarized in Inara Pey's indispensable blog:

Quote

NEW “PLUS” SUBSCRIPTION LEVEL
[Video: 4:1-35-8:05]

• The new subscription option is to be called simply (if possibly confusingly) “Plus”.
• This is designed to sit between Basic and Premium.
• Its core intent is to unlock the ability to hold land on the Mainland, although it will have a modest stipend associated with it + a small bump in the number of allowed Groups.
• Pricing is subject to the formal announcement that Plus is available, which is anticipated as being by the end of November.
• It is hoped that once available and given time to determine how it performs / users respond to Plus, that further subscription levels – which may possibly include an “a-la carte” option – can be defined and added to the selection.

For many, I suspect, it will be a spreadsheet exercise to figure out whether the pricing for this option is offset by the decreased stipend and possibly lesser bonus tier (will it be 1024 m² just like Premium?).

There's not enough information to productively speculate, but I'm thinking any Premium membership coming up for renewal may want to put off a full-year subscription if indeed the Plus details will be known by the end of this month.

[Ceka Cianci]

Ya, they were talking about this in that last youtube I seen with Strawberry..

I might look into it because I'm starting to cut back on my time and spending in here..

ETA: I'm gonna take a guess and  say it's probably gonna be mainland kind of deal rather than free linden home if it's even free land at all.. it may just be the ability to own mainland. They probably want to get people back in those lots..

Edited November 3, 2022 by Ceka Cianci

[Gabriele Graves]

If this is a stepping stone on the way to a la carte then great because really that's the only logical end point in my opinion simply because everyone wants things sliced up differently.

If Plus is a way to own land at a lower price point then great too, anything that encourages land ownership is a good thing.

However, I can see there being a lot of interest in a level above Basic and below Premium with more group slots, premium-like priority access to events, free asset uploads, lower group/event fees, extra animesh slot but no land tier <= this last part simply because many people don't want land or have estate land.

[Qie Niangao]

2 minutes ago, Gabriele Graves said:

a level above Basic and below Premium with more group slots, […]

Yeah, I can see that too, and it might even be well-received by Estates, without much cannibalizing the existing Premium subscriber base. It's kind of an interesting pricing problem for Marketing, in that it's unconstrained by the land pricing tiers. (That's in contrast to Plus, which is all about land ownership and can only be viable when priced at or below some function of the offered bonus tier and stipend—a function that eludes me for now.)

[Claireschen Hesten]

Can't say I like the 'Plus' name I would have gone with something more like 'Premium Lite'. will be interesting to see what's offered and for how much. If Linden home ownership isn't allowed I'd be more interested in what/how much an al-a carte option would be 

[Ceka Cianci]

35 minutes ago, Gabriele Graves said:

If this is a stepping stone on the way to a la carte then great because really that's the only logical end point in my opinion simply because everyone wants things sliced up differently.

If Plus is a way to own land at a lower price point then great too, anything that encourages land ownership is a good thing.

However, I can see there being a lot of interest in a level above Basic and below Premium with more group slots, premium-like priority access to events, free asset uploads, lower group/event fees, extra animesh slot but no land tier <= this last part simply because many people don't want land or have estate land.

Now hold on there Sally, We don't want dem dare Ploos feelin like deh too speshul, like us reaaaal Premums and Premum Ploos..

Us hare Premums are startin tah feel like we gettin box in.. Don't make us feel like we gettin plotted on!! \o/   We really don't like feelin like we gettin plotted on. *Ebil Ebil grin*

[Sid Nagy]

They really seem to want to squeeze out every cent they can get. ☹️

Why not basic, basic+, bronze, bronze+ silver, silver+, gold, gold+, diamond, diamond+, platinum, FIC and unaffordable?
Starting at $9.95 and quadrupling in price every next step?

How about a log in fee, a log out fee, a teleport fee, a time online fee, a clothing changing fee, a hang around fee, a use an animation fee, a landmark fee, a forum post fee?
 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Sid Nagy

[Jaylinbridges]

13 minutes ago, Sid Nagy said:

How about a log in fee, a log out fee, a teleport fee, a time online fee, a clothing changing fee, a hang around fee, a use an animation fee, a landmark fee, a forum post fee?

Stop giving them Ideas!   And I want to be paid for my Forum posts. 

[Cali Souther]

I'm happy with my Premium account going on 12 years now @ $99 usd ...      thought about Premium Plus - but it didn't really sound like a good deal.

"Plus" or ... what is basically Basic Plus or Premium Lite wouldn't interest me - but .....    I know that in all things,  there are choices,  more choices, and endless choices - so it's sure to make someone happy.

I used to work in the beer industry.   We put the same beer in 6oz, 8 oz, 12oz, 16oz, 22oz & 32oz cans/bottles - then put those in 6 packs, 12pack, 18packs, 24 packs,  flat packs, twin stack packs,  loose packs.... and on and on.       I could never figure out why we needed to offer so many choices.....    

 

[Anna Salyx]

56 minutes ago, Sid Nagy said:

How about a log in fee, a log out fee, a teleport fee, a time online fee, a clothing changing fee, a hang around fee, a use an animation fee, a landmark fee, a forum post fee?

You forgot the fee fee. 

[Ceka Cianci]

I just went and got my Bellisseria boat house today, So I'll probably stay with premium,  plus have until next July to renew.. I finally decided to get rid of my 1/4 sim when time runs out on it..

So I doubt dropping down is gonna be something I'm interested in..

It'll be interesting to see what the whole package is, so ya just never really know till it gets here.

[Blaise Glendevon]

Couldn't pay me to live on Mainland. I'm good where I am.

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

I'd think it's a good idea to have a mid-tier if you only want to own land on the mainland. Maybe a bump to 50 or 55 groups and couple hundred Linden stipend.

Bellisseria never interested me and never bothered with that when I was a Premie eons ago.

[Qie Niangao]

3 minutes ago, Ceka Cianci said:

It'll be interesting to see what the whole package is, so ya just never really know till it gets here.

Yeah. And weren't they going to revamp the whole tier system, make it more granular? Or was that just wishful thinking?

Seems like this would be a good time to make that change, too… unless they want to first weigh Plus uptake before they decide what to do with tiers. That seems a little subtle, but it might be smart to wait. But if they wait it better be universally good, or Plus buyers cry "bait and switch"…

(What did I say about it being premature to speculate?)

@Kimmi Zehetbauer, stipends are tricky. They source more L$s into the economy—printing money, basically—so stipends are theoretically inflationary. But we have no idea what the current ratio of L$ "sinks" to "sources" might be.

We know so little about the current fundamentals of this currency, but we've been this uninformed for well over a decade. So everything will be fine, right? and now there are Real Finance guys running the company.

Uhh. Ohhh.

[Qie Niangao]

44 minutes ago, Blaise Glendevon said:

Couldn't pay me to live on Mainland. I'm good where I am.

A lot of folks feel that way, which is good for the Lab. I don't think any of these Land products are targeting Estate business—least of all loyal Estate buyers and renters. I think they're trying to hook more people on the Land habit any way they can.

Get 'em in the ground floor with Plus; pull them up by their Bellisseria bootstraps with Premium, Premium Plus.

All along the way, Linden and Estate land will appeal to different folks at different times, like Android vs iPhone, Linux vs Windows, water vs wine.

[shireena1]

4 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

 

I might look into it because I'm starting to cut back on my time and spending in here..

ETA: I'm gonna take a guess and  say it's probably gonna be mainland kind of deal rather than free linden home if it's even free land at all..

Thanks for the heads up on this.. I will be checking this basic premium out too, I hope it stays around for a bit, I only reinstated my premium account a few months ago.

[Ceka Cianci]

7 minutes ago, Qie Niangao said:

Yeah. And weren't they going to revamp the whole tier system, make it more granular? Or was that just wishful thinking?

Seems like this would be a good time to make that change, too… unless they want to first weigh Plus uptake before they decide what to do with tiers. That seems a little subtle, but it might be smart to wait. But if they wait it better be universally good, or Plus buyers cry "bait and switch"…

(What did I say about it being premature to speculate?)

 

@Kimmi Zehetbauer

 I was  just referring to myself in all that..

That was meant as, I should  just wait and see, rather than be so final about it.. hehehe

[Bree Giffen]

How about calling it  'sub-premium membership' ?

[Love Zhaoying]

6 hours ago, Anna Salyx said:

You forgot the fee fee. 

Fee, Fie! Foe Fun!

[Sid Nagy]

10 hours ago, Anna Salyx said:

You forgot the fee fee. 

The fee fee is called VAT or sales tax.

[HeathcliffMontague]

I just renew my premium on an annual level. Worry free, can always log back on my li'l mainland parcel even if I've been away for long. I trust LL  to actually notify me if anything changes in that respect. 

This actually seems like a decent enough idea to me should it ever come to fruition. He just sounds like a normal rep to me, does the job he's set to do. Kinda tough job. Pour a couple whiskeys in them at the Christmas party and they are just human. Well, mostly  

 

[Sid Nagy]

A bit more serious than my posts above:
There are so many different ways to use SL, it is a good thing in my book, that LL starts offering more different plans.
I think there would be demand for a specific for merchants tailored plan as well.
With other things included, like a few free enhancements on the marketplace for a new product for a week, some land in special business zones, unlimited upload of textures and meshes. No stipend needed I guess.

Edited November 4, 2022 by Sid Nagy

[Cinos Field]

12 hours ago, Sid Nagy said:

They really seem to want to squeeze out every cent they can get. ☹️

Why not basic, basic+, bronze, bronze+ silver, silver+, gold, gold+, diamond, diamond+, platinum, FIC and unaffordable?
Starting at $9.95 and quadrupling in price every next step?

How about a log in fee, a log out fee, a teleport fee, a time online fee, a clothing changing fee, a hang around fee, a use an animation fee, a landmark fee, a forum post fee?
 

It hurts my very soul to defend a corporation, but what's wrong with giving people more choices?

If there is a subscription that includes a homestead by itself, what's the problem? If there is one that lets you roleplay with Soft Linden an hour every week, sure. It's not like they make things worse for the previous tiers, it's just more stuff.

Sure if they started raising fees for the lower tiers it'd be a problem, but they're not actually doing that, you just get more if you pay more... which is a lot like every business has to work in our current social system, and LL is on the more benevolent end of that since you also get plenty for free.

[Sid Nagy]

19 minutes ago, Cinos Field said:

It hurts my very soul to defend a corporation, but what's wrong with giving people more choices?

If there is a subscription that includes a homestead by itself, what's the problem? If there is one that lets you roleplay with Soft Linden an hour every week, sure. It's not like they make things worse for the previous tiers, it's just more stuff.

Sure if they started raising fees for the lower tiers it'd be a problem, but they're not actually doing that, you just get more if you pay more... which is a lot like every business has to work in our current social system, and LL is on the more benevolent end of that since you also get plenty for free.

Did you see the number of laughing people under that post you are responding to?
That was just as my post was supposed to work out:  A funny remark.
My serious take on the matter, you can find right above your post.

Edited November 4, 2022 by Sid Nagy

[Cinos Field]

2 minutes ago, Sid Nagy said:

Did you see the number of laughing people under that post you are responding to?
That was just as my post was supposed to work out:  A funny remark.
My serious take on the matter, you can find right above your post.

Alas, Poe's Law strikes again.