Firstly I must apologise for the length of this posting. It was difficult to say what I had to say without being a tad repetative; however I hope you will read through it nonetheless. It is probably the longest posting on the site so far :(

I would like to bring another side to this discussion and that is the fact that buying a membership may be complicated for some people; those who could afford it with some cutbacks but are nonetheless in difficult social situation.

There are many reasons I am putting this view forward and I realise there are a large number of members this doesn't apply to, but would just like rooks to have some comprehension of one of the reasons other people don't become paid members.

1. The SWREG page is complicated and quite daunting for someone who has never bought anything online and has no personal experience of this.

2. The implication is that payment has to be made by credit card even though that isn't apprently the case. Once you are on the SWREG page there is a PURCHASE button. I'm sure there are people who visit that page curious to know if they can pay by postal order or cheque yet worry that pressing the PURCHASE button commits them (via their membership number) when all they were doing was trying to find out the methods of payment to see if there is any possible way at all they can buy a membership (I'm talking about people without credit cards here). If they do press the button they are given 6 options...

a) CREDIT CARD online now (no processing fee except for Diners Club + 4%)
b) CREDIT CARD by FAX (+ $3.00 manual processing fee)
c) CREDIT CARD by PHONE (+ $3.00 manual processing fee)
d) PRO-FORMA INVOICE by CHECK or WIRE (+ $3.00 (check) or + $18.00 (wire) manual processing fee)
e) CHECK by US or UK checks or International Money Orders (+ $3.00 manual processing fee)
f) PAYPAL (+ $3.00 manual processing fee)

Well those options don't mean a thing to someone with no credit card or cheque account with a bank or to someone who has only ever dealt in cash and not through banks; also the SWREG page gets even scarier and asks for home details at the stage whereby some people have no comprehension of the various options and are reluctant to commit just yet!

Is 'check' the same thing as the british 'cheque'? If so, many people don't have a cheque book! And what is an 'international money order'? Is it the same thing as a postal order?

3. In reference again to point 2, the complexity of how to pay, I would make certain observations:

In the three + years I have been online, most of the British people I have known well online have been unemployed! These are the type of people very likely to be prepared to pay for a membership. They have so much time online and plenty of time for games. By 'unemployed' I don't mean through choice, so please don't advise that these people should simply 'get a job'. Some are disabled and off work due to illness, others have children or are at home in the role of 'carer' to someone elderly, yet still have substantial spare time for online activities and games sites.

In England it is very difficult to get a cheque account with a bank if you aren't working as your credit scoring is poor even if you have savings and no debts! It is also virtually impossible to get a credit card if you are unemployed and don't have a steady wage coming in, again because credit scoring is a factor. These are the people in my opinion who are most likely to be purchasing (or wanting to purchase) a membership, yet without a bank account or credit card, how easy is it to buy membership? It's not like these people can simply go to the local supermarket and buy a membership! So however good their intentions are, it may not be that easy if they have no access to finance in the way that working people do. I don't know if this applies predominantely to England or if there are other countries that are reluctant to give cheque book bank accounts to people on income support or the unemployed.

Many unemployed people in England do everything by cash, pay their bills by 'cash' in the post offices, buy weekly stamps from the post office for tv license, gas, electric, water rates etc etc and exist without a bank account! Is England behind the times or are banks just reluctant to risk giving credit to people who don't have a regular income?

I believe there are more people here who would become paid members if it were more simple to do so (unemployed people in particular, the people who benefit most from being able to play more games at a time).

I know there are people here who probably can't relate, but whilst it's easy for British people with no credit card or cheque account to pay general bills (including their ISP connection) at the post office, it isn't so easy to buy membership on a site like this when the general impression from the SWREG page is that you need credit card or cheque book bank account to become a member.

I agree with Dmitri that in most cases (though not all) there will always be something everyone can cut back on in order to afford a membership here. If someone is that desperate for a membership (and to some peope this site is a large part of their day to day routine and their only social life) they will find a way to pay even if it means putting by some money each week for a few weeks until the initial payment is saved. I also believe Dmitri is correct with his statement about cable tv and the other 5 points he mentioned (but only in the context of a single person whereby no decisions would impact on an entire family).

Maybe some people say they 'can't afford' to buy membership simply because it is complicated to buy membership without a credit card. How many people here with no access to credit card, cheque book or bank account would write in and ask if there is any other way to pay without feeling a little silly since they are probably in the minority. Most people would be too proud to admit they have no bank account, cheque book, or credit card. Unemployed people get criticised enough as it is. People are too quick to judge them for not working, and there could be so many reasons (illness, caring for children, caring for elderly parents etc etc) not just unwillingness to work.

I would ask you to read the above carefully so that there are no misunderstandings. I didn't post this to begin a flame war or to open an 'employed versus unemployed' debate! I am simply putting forward the 'paid versus non-paid' members debate from a different angle.

Though not realistically possible I am curious to know how many pawns without access to credit card or cheque book would buy a membership here if it was as simple as popping into a supermarket and buying it over the counter.

My point is that it isn't always about ability to pay as in financial means. Ability to pay can refer to methods of payment also.

I would challenge anyone with a sensible opinion on this to reply to this here, or perhaps move it over to the general chat board.



Solutions?

Fencer, is there a way you could create a page that says clearly and simply the different methods people can become paid members? Something much more simple and less daunting than the SWREG page perhaps but more detailed that the information on the How to Pay page? I appreciate option 3 is available for people who have no credit card or cheque account, but many people are unaware what a money order is. For example, would it be the equivalent of a british 'postal order' or does it refer to cash? I believe it would be helpful to have that information readily available in simple terms somewhere within the site (perhaps on the FAQ page where there is already some reference to payment) as some people may avoid writing to info@brainking.com for fear of appearing naive. I do however appreciate that this is more complicated due to the different countries people come from. The information will surely vary based upon where people are from, therefore needs to be fairly longwinded to cover all countries?

Again if there is a way that people with no bank account, cheque book, or credit card can buy a membership, please if at all possible, give reference to that, somewhere within the site! It would surely be helpful to make it possible for unemployed people or people from a lower social class (with no cheque book or credit card) to buy a membership if it is their wish to do so. Unemployed people, disabled people. carers of children or the elderly etc, are the people who DO have the time to play many games at once. In my opinion by appealing to these people and making it possible for them to buy a membership with ease, (ie making information simplified and readily available!) this site will gain many more paid members.

I really do feel strongly about this as statistics would perhaps show that it is the people who have MORE online time who would find it MORE DIFFICULT to pay (payment methods not just budget!).

People with credit cards are already paying. How about targeting the people without! :)

I think people are willing to pay and would like to do so if it were more clarified and easier to do so! Perhaps proof that this isn't about lack of finances is the fact that there are more rooks than knights. Once people have sorted out a payment method the issue becomes less about how much!

Blaze