Genealogy Chat

This whole problem was created by GR allowing such a great disparity in what they charged to different people. I paid 7.50 for the year last year while others paid 9.95 for 6 months. Absolutely ridiculous!

Now GR are trying to rectify their error by charging the same amount to all. Another foolish decision. I and many others like me will refuse to pay double what we have been paying so will leave the site.

Perhaps we wouldn´t be so angry if they managed to keep the site working for more than a couple of weeks at a time & made their subscription rates clear for everyone.

Well I still do not understand how some can pay £7.50 a year and others £9.95 a year.

If that is the case then I want some of my subs refunded.

Actually I'm fairly sure that I always paid 9.95 a year but last year for some reason they only charged me 7.50. I have no way of checking what I paid in the past because I can't find the old Visa bills.

I think maybe the £7.50 per year rate applies to those people who joined the site in its very early days (2002/2003) who have had continuous membership.

That's interesting I joined end of 2003 and receive note today it will be £15.96.

Am awaiting a reply from them. Also I joined 31 Dece but subs is due 6 Jan - take either day - neither are 28 days notice.

If a utility company charged customers different prices for the same purchase, customers would not be happy; GR has charged different prices illogically.

If a utility company increased charges, without notice, such as is being done by GR, customers would protest vehemently.

I had been paying, I think, £7.50. The year before last, I was given 20% discount, I was told, and was charged £6. At the last renewal, I asked if I would be given discount again and was told no, I would be charged £7.50. However, I was charged £6.

Having contacted GR about the renewal price next year, I was told that I would be charged £15.96. If, hypothetically speaking, a utility company increased its charges by two and a half times the original amount, without prior notification, no doubt protests would reach the national media.

I´ve been a member since Jan 2007 & as far as I can remember have always paid 9.95.
I have now cancelled my automatic renewal & probably won´t renew this time, which means that if I decide to renew at a later date I will have to pay a much higher price than previously.
Can´t understand how all the "wonderful new changes to the site" can possibly have been of any advantage to basic members, who can´t use them. The tree is free (apparently) whether you are a member or not.
I notice that Genes are keeping very quiet & not explaining the new pricing system, nor advising members of the increase until it comes time for them to renew.
As Joy says, utility companies wouldn´t get away with it.
What I would like to know is, why is there no price increase for full members who DO use the all singing , all dancing new innovations.
Surely they are the ones who are benefitting.
Come on Genes. Lets have a clear & fair pricing system which is clear to everyone.

Surely Genes is introducing a clear and fair pricing scheme for all.

A basic charge of £19.95 which reduces to £15.96 for prompt payment (a 20% reduction).

Special reductions for long term members have been withdrawn. Nice while they lasted but very hard to justify.

I presume that a major reason for having such reductions is the help long term members were able to give to newer members. Now there seems to be a much reduced demand for such help and many newer members are now able to help but were not getting special rates.

It will be interesting to see what happens over the coming year.

Genes may be introducing a clear & fair pricing policy, but they have not had the courtesy to inform the members involved that it is being introduced. Instead, they are waiting until the membership becomes due for renewal, then springing the "surprise". Anyone who has an automatic renewal is likely to be caught out & end up paying the new sub whether they want to or not, especially as it would seem that Genes are breaking their own T&Cs by not giving the required amount of notice.

How are you subsidizing the people on here Graham?? You are obviously using the records we are not.

Had you read the thread properly, you would have seen the word STANDARD mentioned not PLATINUM

If anyone is being subsidized it is you....free help and advice if you need it, from members who use their subs from other sites to do so

With respect, Graham, the original poster was kindly giving information for long-standing members.

Quote, 'I think maybe the £7.50 per year rate applies to those people who joined the site in its very early days (2002/2003) who have had continuous membership.'

Yes Pam, that is correct.

Quote,'I can not believe I just paid £50 to be on here for the next 6 months so I can read your complaints about spending a tenner to be on here all year. Why am I subsidizing you people?,

Graham, you are NOT subsidizing others and you have only been a member for a year!

Jax, very well said
:-)

I hope everyone is getting the 28 days notice of this increase as clearly stated in the Terms and Conditions

Graham, if you look at the number of posts people have you will see that they must be using their subs to help other people such as yourself rather than actually gaining personal benefit so I hardly think you are subsidising them.

eg Glitterbaby over 28,000 posts

Joy over 24,000 posts

Jax over 16,000

Margee over 18,00

and these are just a few of the many members who use their subs to this and other sites to help others

I don't use GR records

I don't use Keepsafe

I've added, at the most, 10 names to my tree this year.

In the last twelve months, I haven't had any good contacts.

I can't remember the last time I had a worthwhile HotMatch.

Like everyone else, I've had to put up with the site being unstable for a while.

Double my subscription? For what?????????????

No thanks.

:-P

I'm waiting for Genes to use the old 'but it's in the T & C' quote!
Interesting that this change wasn't highlighted to members as a previous change was some time ago.
Why would a long term member re read the T & C if changes are not highlighted to them?

Oh, I see Graham has left the conversation! ;-)

I joined what was then Genes Connected on 4th January 2003. In all that time I have only made contact with the daughter of a cousin...she put a request on a board asking for information about her father, unfortunately I had to tell her that her father had passed away but was able to give her information which enabled her to visit his final resting place.

I have asked for information on about 6 occasions, mainly for information relating to America and Canada so as I use my subs in order to help make Genes Reunited the success it has become by helping others I will not be renewing.

What I don´t understand is that people are posting on other threads to say that their basic membership has just been renewed for between 7 pounds & 10 pounds.
Are Gene´s going to let us into the secret of what date the new fees are being applied from & why people are paying different amounts?