Changes to Ning Plus and Pro Pricing

[Jason Rosenthal]

I wanted to update you about a change to our Ning Plus and Pro prices. We’re publishing this announcement in a number of places, including www.ning.com, your network Dashboard, and via email, but I know many of you get your news on Creators, so we are sharing it here.

Beginning on July 20, 2011, we’ll update the price for Ning Plus and Ning Pro subscriptions. You will be billed automatically so no action is required.  Your first invoice after July 20 (when your current monthly or annual subscription renews) will reflect this pricing.

The new pricing will be:

I know that pricing is top of mind for many Network Creators today. Last July we phased out our free service in order to focus 100% of the company on enhancing the features and services we offer our paying Ning Creators.  Since then, we’ve launched more than 30 powerful new features, including the Ning Design Studio, Social Sign-in, Leaderboards, Like Buttons and Ning Everywhere.  Just last week, we announced Paid Access, which will enable you to charge for membership, exclusive Groups or content.  We’ve made numerous enhancements to existing features, including the recent improvements to Groups and the Activity Feed.  We’ve made major investments in improved platform performance and, as a result, delivered 99.99% uptime in the last 6 months.  And we expanded customer support, adding billing phone support for all customers and dedicated phone support for Ning Pro customers.

We’ve made major investments over the past year, and as a result, your subscription is more valuable than it was a year ago.  You can deliver a richer experience for your members, you can drive even faster growth and member engagement, and starting next month, you can begin charging your members in a variety of ways.  And we’re already hard at work on adding more features and services with one goal in mind – helping Ning Creators to create thriving communities.  

I recognize that some of you will have concerns about this pricing change.  My hope is that you’ll recognize the same value we see in Ning every day, and that you’ll be as excited as we are about what we will accomplish going forward.

Of course, we’re always interested in hearing what you think, and one of the things I enjoy most about Creators is that you always let us know how you are feeling.  We’ve also set up a phone number for anyone who has questions about this upcoming change. I encourage you to give us a ring at 888-278-4386 if you are located in the U.S. or Canada, or 650-713-3158 if you are located outside of these countries. We’ll try to answer any questions you may have about this upcoming change. 

[Chris]

That would depend on what my members would be bad mouthing. If they were bad mouthing another member or personal attacks on me, perhaps.

However, if it was bad mouthing by that same percentage of negative posts on this thread, for something stupid that I did with my decission making (even if I didn't think it was stupid when I made the decission), I wouldn't delete them. I would take very seriously my members' grievences and rethink the decission I made.

That is one thing that I think NING is missing here (no offense) and its how I treat the members on my site. My members are > than me.

[Star-Dust]

Wonder if my comments were removed, l act so childish at things with little smileys.

 

[Teriann Shrum]

You can rant, rave, slam your fists, toss your PC/MAC, scream at the monitor....

A business is a business and it's run for income and profit. IF you are a serious business entrepreneur and wish to see your business grow YOU HAVE TO INVEST in that business! You cannot MAKE MONEY without SPENDING MONEY. At some point in his life, Steve Jobs was working 2 and 3 jobs to make ends meet because he had a dream. He invested time, money, sweat and now his health to make Apple what it is today. I'm sure he wanted to whine most days, but he kept MOVING. He wasn't STAGNANT and letting small bumps in the road throw off his plan for success.

I'm not sure what product you may be selling... from reviewing this forum discussion, the Pro Plan users are likely mixed Social Networking types AND Business Growth executives. The Pro Plan holds a general blend of worldwide individuals who are all on the same plan, but with different goals in mind for their paths. What may be cumbersome to some in additional price increases, are attainable for others. Justifying what NING has done with the platform or NOT done, by some of the comments is a hard task at best. If you have been here any length of time, you can attest to the many changes they have given you. You CANNOT in all truth state that they have NOT produced as promised for that in itself is a MISTRUTH.

Jump around to other platforms and see the pricing and what hoops you have to jump through to get near what you are receiving here at NING. Take a look at "SocialGo" -- nice platform -- EXPENSIVE to add all the features you need and receive here for this nominal price. Pricing at "SocialGo" can reach upwards of $500.00 monthly!

If you aren't in business for income/profit, why ARE you inside a Pro Plan? NING has options for those smaller venues that will better fit your budget. IF you are a Pro Plan user and have MORE THAN ONE NING platform, are you offering your customers anything that MAY inspire them to DONATE? For example, we give away door prizes, 2 per month, in subject content that fits our industry. Pricey prizes that bring in members WHO STAY and participate.  When asked to DONATE as we did last year for the big upgrade, they stepped right up to the plate and paid our bill for us.

Our customer interraction is HIGH and so is their satisfaction. BUT we are a business and THAT level of customer service and satisfaction is our goal. This might not fit the Pro Plan user who is using the platform for social gathering. At some point, you're going to have to charge for that service.... but can you fight against Facebook? NOT HARDLY.

Slamming NING for moving forward isn't the answer. Your "slamming" will fall on deaf ears as it should. They have a business to run and not a business that needs to STAND STILL.  There are MANY PRO PLAN USERS who run their NING platforms and don't grace the halls of the Creators Network. Because they are busy running their business.

Take a look at some of the other plans available here. If the Pro Plan isn't for you, or you cannot afford it, take a look at your business plan and adjust your goals. There is no shame in downgrading people! DO WHAT YOU CAN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

[liddy]

This is why Ning needs to separate those on their platform for business reasons, and those who are here for social networking, and price accordingly. I make no money from my site, mine is a social network, so why should I have to pay more?  Not a pro plan user.

[Donna Mac]

It really isn't the issue whether you make money or not....it's being here on NING and be willing to pay for it.  I also have a social network but I have to say that the alternatives are not all that great.

[Teriann Shrum]

They do have separate plans... and many of the lower plans are great for just social networking. What NING can offer you is growth. If you can afford to stay in the plan you currently use, hang around and watch what happens. If you cannot, downgrade to a plan you can afford. We had the same decision to make last year. Plus or Pro. Since my users view my tutorials as loaded on our video page, I needed that extra element and wasn't willing to accept my customers disappointment at not being able to view teaching lessons in my area of concentration. Therefore the Pro Plan was the answer. Lots of thinking about leaping to a plan that high for us. We haven't looked back since and we have no regrets.

[RF]

Amen to that Ron

[Star-Dust]

It is rough for the average working man, because they put in long hours and everyone is raising the prices on just about everything, which makes it even harder to make ends meet. Even for some enjoyment, there is a cost. I relax with my network and let the worry of the day be lost for a while. So l know where you are coming from. We need that enjoyment to forget about the day of disappointment from working for a living.

[Chris]

You hit the nail right on the head here, Ron.

[Lindy Asimus]

Business uses platforms for social networking too. Just the same.

[Star-Dust]

I think it would be great if with each new feature, then the creator should pay to have it. Just set a price on things one uses.

[Rev. O.M. Bastet]

I've always liked a la carte menus, myself, LOL!!