JenSocial: Social Web Directory and Ning Tips

Social Web Directory :: Social Network Directory :: Ning Tips and Ning Support

Ning Will Take a Percentage of Membership Fees - What Are Your Thoughts?

Ning Will Take a Percentage of future Membership Fees - What Are Your Thoughts?

I just found this out from the Ning Creator site. Ning will take a revenue share (percentage) for membership fees. These are fees you will be able to charge your members in the future, if you choose to charge for membership.

Question that was asked on Creators - Original Discussion:
When the new pricing goes into affect, and owners of websites began to charge members a fee, will we have to split the profits with Ning?

Eric's Answer - Original Post: (Eric is the Community Manager of Ning Creators)
Great question! We do plan to take a revenue share on membership fees, partly to cover the costs of processing the payment. We get charged fees by our credit card processor and PayPal. I don't have the final details to share, but I will when I can. Our intention is to provide NCs with as many money-making opportunities as possible, and some of those opportunities will include revenue sharing, which I think genuinely benefits both parties.

Jen's Thoughts:
I can understand Ning charging a percentage, no problem. Especially since they will incur a fee for processing the payments. I mean after all, anything I charge for my Website Design Services or anything else online, I end up paying someone a fee for processing, understandably. It's goodbye to the days of old fashioned Merchant Credit accounts, and "in with the easy-breezy - - umbrella accounts" - - works for me. I do have concerns about this setup, but not enough to matter.

Here's the way I look at this situation overall:
If I own a Social Community that utilizes the Ning platform, I would like to have easy built-in features to monetize my site. To add a membership feature that is not integrated would take a good deal of coding (if even possible), would likely get messy, and could break when the Ning platform implements updates. I would much rather have those features built-in, and share the profits with Ning - - within reason of course.

As a Network Creator, what are your thoughts? Join the Conversation.

0 members favorited this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by JenSocial on May 16, 2010 at 12:39pm

awww, love that sweet face. Thanks for sharing a pic of Jack, made my day! And yes, they would make a nice couple!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JenSocial on May 16, 2010 at 12:48pm

Hi Roberto,
I believe that the processing fee or revenue share isn't just about "getting a piece of the pie", but about costs incurred to fully integrate the payments. But, just thinking...

And maybe Ning will offer a true API, where the NC can select their own payment processor, set up their own payment method, via the API. This would take knowledge, but would cut out the middle man in the end.

Have a good day - - love Jack!
Jen

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JenSocial on May 16, 2010 at 3:33am

Well, it also assumes that the Network Creator would choose to charge for membership.
Thank you for your input. Have a great day.
Best Regards,
:-)
Jen

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Living On Love on May 16, 2010 at 4:00am

This would be highly suspect in that Ning would have to create a whole brand new module for the sole purpose of "taking" funds under the guise of revenue sharing. Why? Because no other membership module I've ever seen can or will do that.

If Ning is handling all the memberships thru their system then it's a Ning intrusion. Not that Ning is providing you with a way to offer memberships for a share and they will handle the processing as part of this package, and as a sub-set of Ning's offers. Yet, to go and offer us WhiteHat platforms [i.e.: the backbone and software at a cost] is not conducive to then intrude. Under the now/old Ning set up, maybe...but not under the new way.

Every merchant account system or Paypal, and all similar systems REQUIRE YOU to have an account thru them. Ning has no say in it. And YOU have to pay any processing fees, between you and such provider. You imput all your info into wherever in the module it requires one or multiple merchant accounts systems. IF Ning attempts to require we supply that info to them in any way it would be even more than suspect and potentially criminal, as only you have a right to that info and it's uses.

I may have lost a few o that description if you've never used any of the different merchant accounts or membership modules. If you need a good idea of how all that works go download the free Dolphin [Boonex] Platform and put on your own server....pretty much the same thing. It has the membership module where you have to inter any or all the merchant accounts you may use.

Again though, Ning could be handling the front end processing [to make sure they get theirs off your efforts, and charging you for the processing to boot] yet it smells very funny to do such a thing under the new system of having us pay for a WhiteHat. Kind of like 7-11 telling us they will no longer be 7-11, and we can be whatever we want to be using thier stores and merchandise [for a set rental fee], then turning around to tell us, by the way, we will charge you for opening the cash drawer, each time, and maybe each customer, that comes in, and goes out, and that wants to go in, but then decides not to. Ok, maybe that's taking it too far...opps, I bet that's another fee....I better be quiet..... that free right......

"I sold my soul to the devil but got tired of buying my own stuff".

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Venus over Pan on May 16, 2010 at 8:37am

"I sold my soul to the devil but got tired of buying my own stuff".

LOL....I love YOU!!!! lol

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JenSocial on May 16, 2010 at 12:25pm

Hi Living On Love,
I understand your feelings about this, completely. But, I really don't think Ning would take the risks of getting involved in anything "suspect and potentially criminal...".

Also, keep in mind, we do not know what will be charged, yet. I'm only reporting that fees will be charged for future paid membership accounts.

Have a nice day,
Jen

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Black Folk Hot Spots on May 16, 2010 at 12:48pm

Jen,

I know you love Ning- but open your eyes to what is being set in front of you- like I said previously- I suspect a company that is cash poor and is in financial trouble- THINK CIRCUIT CITY!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JenSocial on May 16, 2010 at 12:53pm

Hi Ryan,
No, I truly hear you. It's not a love for Ning - - believe me, if I told you all everything that's really happened to me, OMG. I could honestly write a best seller, "For the Love & Hate of Ning". But, this is true of any new business, new relationships, growing pains, etc...

I'm just trying to be fair and reasonable. Do keep in mind, I kind of have to play nice, so my "hopefully" good name, remains that way. ;-) Otherwise, what credibility would I have with anyone? Sometimes I have to bite my tongue, no - - often, LOL!

Have a great day,
Jen

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Solyomvary Patrice on May 16, 2010 at 4:07am

Now, ... We were still trying to make up our minds about going for the NING pro.
Thank you for posting this new message, we have now decided to leave with our 1900+ members.
A policy like this, in the end, will definitely end up in failure for the whole network involved since greed seems to be the major driving force behind all of this and we don't want to be part of that.
It will be a lot of work and good for us that we have our own sites as a back-up. It is so, that we are grateful for the opportunity we had in using NING, but to all the great Chiefs of NING, you are not showing gratitude towards those who made you grow to were you stand to-day. Blessings to the whole NING staff who feels different about this new policy. You guys have our greatest gratitude!
Solyomvary Patrice & EFTagi (from the network eftmagyar.ning.com phasing out in July)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JenSocial on May 16, 2010 at 12:19pm

Hi Solyomvary Patrice,
I wish you success in whatever decisions you make. I do want to make sure, you do know that the future membership fees are totally optional, right? Ning has definitely made that a public statement on the Creators site.

Keep us posted. Would love to hear about your new site.
Best Regards,
Jen

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Solyomvary Patrice on May 16, 2010 at 12:39pm

Dear Jen,
It's not about the option! It's about the greed that feeds the reasoning and as such will poise all the rest. Our new site is ready!

gr,
Patrice

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JenSocial on May 16, 2010 at 1:02pm

Great, have you listed it here on your profile page? Plus, drop a link here if you want.

I hear you. For me, I have to wait and see what it all really amounts to, before I decide how I feel about it, completely. Hope that makes sense.

Best,
Jen