Comment

Comment by JenSocial on April 15, 2010 at 3:13pm

Hi Everyone,
It's really difficult for me to even explain how this effects me, too. I do wish Ning had planned their business model, better. This is tough - - and I only run premium sites. Not only does my heart go out to people who have built their sites, who truly can't afford to pay the premium fees, I'm sure all the hard work in this site will be greatly affected. Common sense tells me, 75% of our members here, are free networks.

If Ning had done this 2 years ago, it would saved me a whole lot of anguish, money and time. Read on, and it'll make sense. It's a long story, to say the least. Basically, I had an up and coming pet site, with investors and a lot of time and money spent. We were only behind Dogster/Catster on Google searches. Even the founder of Dogster wrote about us. Ning changed the game plan and started what I call the "cross breeding", friends across all networks. To me, this was the beginning of the end of white label networks. My investors in the pet site got wind of this, and it all but ruined me, financially. Okay, so I decided to embrace Ning and not whine about the situation. But I gotta tell you, it was devastating. When I first bought into the idea of a Social Network powered by Ning, it was supposed to be white label. So believe me, it's been confusing. It's been a roller coaster, and 2 sides of the story. Now I can honestly say, I'm caught on both sides of the pendulum.

Now that I've embraced the name "Ning" and changed my business plan once again, helping fellow Network Creators and building this site, instead of focusing on "my" business, and "my" white label, I'm stuck again. I'm not sure where this will go from here. I don't know if I should change my plans once again and focus on my pet site, since Ning will now offer what they promised in "my beginning", maybe not yours - - and I understand the feelings being felt by both sides, believe me. Or maybe I should continue to focus on helping fellow Network Creators and migrate this site to Ning Tips by Jen. Honestly, I don't know yet.

For those of you who have started free networks, put your blood, sweat and tears into your sites - - my heart goes out to you. If you really love what you're doing, and think you can make a go of it, don't give up yet. Maybe the premium subscriptions will be affordable and worth it.

For those of you who are in my shoes when I focused on my premium site, you'll probably be in a better place, business-wise.

Regardless, I'm so sorry for all the confusion we've all received from Ning. I suppose in growing business, it can happen.

If you are a free network owner, and feel you've lost everything, don't. Please, take a deep breath, rethink your process, and know that there are some of us who care.

Best to you all,
Jen

Comment by Sharing in the Journey of the Hero on April 15, 2010 at 3:13pm

As a high school English teacher, I have created on-line websites for my classes, which have been extremely successful. Unfortunately, our district budget would certainly not pay for these services, and as I am being forced into a pay cut on top of that, I am now distressed to learn that I will no longer be able to use this wonderful tool for free. I have worked hard on these, and now my hard work is about to be obliterated, as well as the work of my students! How long before this obliteration takes place?

Susan Woodward

Comment by RoadHouse Rockers on April 15, 2010 at 3:12pm

letter to Jason Rosenthal




If all the social pages would leave because they cannot pay but still by their numbers Ning uses the sites and the members to sell ad space already in their demographics stats ....( in other words we got used to build ning up now we are asked to pay and stay or leave tha...n lets see Ning delete all the members that are inactive or that are not members anymore !if you feel that confident ) they wont because they need stats to sell ad or to promote themselves !!

you cannot change course halfway to the destination you will do like all the other nearwell wishers and doers of other great now defunct networks on the internet that went this way you are now aiming to go !

You already are charging for bandwidth for the pages that use it the most (if it ain't broke don't fix it)



Michel from http://www.petulli.com/


ps; i understand you corporate role dictate that you make money for the share holders but Please be Original and do something different like keep on the good side of people that made it so you do have a job to start with!
the chop chop concept is so passe you can't cut service and than charge more that is so unoriginal and showing lack of imagination not becoming of a young intelligent educated young man you seem to be wanting to project that you are!

Comment by Thomas Myers on April 15, 2010 at 3:00pm

Although in most of my networks I paid for a premium service, I see this as a sign that Ning is in SERIOUS trouble. The layoff of the workforce, the fact that the ads with Google on all free sites is not providing the proper income, and the fact that Ning has a serious Spam problem on Blogs, this is not good news. I have considered taking my sites, even the ones I pay for off of Ning and I believe this decision might be the one that will have me make the move. I do not want to put my faith in a company that makes such a drastic change in their business direction, show they are suffering and even have a huge problem with blogging.

Onward and upward, good luck to you in the future. I really liked what you did, but this is an extremely poor move.

Comment by Scarlett Moon on April 15, 2010 at 2:58pm

I am not happy. I will be looking for a new home. What bothers me most is the time and energy that was put into my site by me and its members. The content. I don't want to lose it..but guaranteed in the switch something will be lost.

Ning keeps changing things to new and improve..and the old saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it" certainly ring true. We've put up with so many glitches, with members being banned for spam, outages..yet the members have stayed and adjusted. This is one adjustment I don't see everyone accepting.

I think Ning should consider keeping those free networks that were already here and going forward "new" ones be made paying. Why punish the people who have built Ning and made it great? Because the bottom line that is most important is the almighty dollar..no one cares about the people. Thanks.

Comment by Motherchi on April 15, 2010 at 2:57pm

I think it's wrong. You don't give people something and then take it back so you can make a profit. I ban sites that use people to line their own pockets and with a network of over 9 million on .com, I doubt I'll be the only one.

Comment by Carla Carey Live on April 15, 2010 at 2:56pm

I don't like this at all... some people I know are on several nings myself included. Why did they let us build them then take them ? I'd have to have donations to make mine a paid one. Good by Ning!
Carla Carey

Comment by Healing Water Online on April 15, 2010 at 2:51pm

I will say I am happy that I have my own server and my own sites, I will develop more on my own sites in the future. I will not pay for a so called free service. It always happen like this, we help ning to develop and in the end we have to pay for the work we have done for free. Real business.

Love and light Torben

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