Booooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!! GPA raises prices

[Mr. Zipper]

[i don't...have a television.

 

 

Sorry I am still hung up on this comment.

 

What's it like?

 

Chris

 

Don't miss it one bit. Haven't had one in 4 years since I split up. I don't know how I would make the time for it again.

 

R.

 

 

Seems like you just traded one screen for another.

 

[OldGuy]

How many of you guys buy an obsolete OSPG every year?

 

There you go, don't buy the OS guide and you'll make up the difference from the old GPA price to the new one. Problem solved!

 

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Hmmm....

 

I pay $160/month for a bundled cable tv, phone, and internet service. I probably use it less then 10% of the time its available to me.

 

I pay $80/month for service on two cell phones for my wife and myself. I always have 80% of my minutes left at the end of the month.

 

I pay GPA $10/month for a service where I can make back that money on one single purchase of a certified book. Not even an expensive book, mind you, say a 9.8 modern that I'd be willing to hit a $60 BIN on, only to realize that its been trending at $35-$40 over the last few months.

 

I'd say GPA is the ONLY monthly subscription I currently have that actually pays for itself, several times over in fact in many months.

 

Seriously, of all the whining and complaining on these Boards I've had the displeasure of reading in the five years I've been here, a $3 increase in GPA really stands out as the worst.

 

 

 

 

[OldGuy]

Anyone stating, or implying that George is being "greedy" for bumping up his price by three damned dollars a month is talking out of his .

 

 

 

 

Some perspective here, people.

 

 

This is the first price increase in what, six years, as Scott said earlier? Is the man not allowed to do an inflationary update? Do you really - REALLY - not understand that the extra features were probably put into place to help provide value for what would have likely been a price increase from the get-go?

 

 

Why comic book collectors think that everyone involved with the service/sales aspect of the hobby owes them something is beyond me. It's the same mindset that makes people person_without_enough_empathy about price of back issue stock, person_without_enough_empathy about the cost of going to a convention, person_without_enough_empathy about artists charging for sketches. It's annoying as hell. Things cost money. Deal with it.

 

Maybe GPA should just increase the price $.50 a year instead of $3.00 every six years..........

[VintageComics]

Anyone stating, or implying that George is being "greedy" for bumping up his price by three damned dollars a month is talking out of his .

 

 

 

 

Some perspective here, people.

 

 

This is the first price increase in what, six years, as Scott said earlier? Is the man not allowed to do an inflationary update? Do you really - REALLY - not understand that the extra features were probably put into place to help provide value for what would have likely been a price increase from the get-go?

 

 

Why comic book collectors think that everyone involved with the service/sales aspect of the hobby owes them something is beyond me. It's the same mindset that makes people person_without_enough_empathy about price of back issue stock, person_without_enough_empathy about the cost of going to a convention, person_without_enough_empathy about artists charging for sketches. It's annoying as hell. Things cost money. Deal with it.

 

Maybe GPA should just increase the price $.50 a year instead of $3.00 every six years..........

 

 

Dam that's funny!

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

People complain about price but always want more service.

 

Not in this case - they want the same service for the same price.

 

 

EXACTLY.

 

Stop forcing higher levels of service (and higher prices) on people that did not ask for a higher service level.

 

A 40% price increase is just ridiculous. It is as bad as the price increases at the grocery stores.

 

 

 

Another example of, frankly, greed.

There's no way oil prices have increased their expenses by 40%.

They provide service on the internet for cryiny out loud. No shipping expenses. No gas surcharge necessary.

Jump on the price increase wagon, like all business today.

 

Adding these "extras" costs them nothing.

It's B.S.

 

Welcome to Socialism 101.

Advanced Seperation from Reality 502 is that-a-way ------------------>

 

Are you kidding me? Inflation affects everyone and every business and filters down to the consumer on so many levels.

 

If you want to be angry, direct your frustration at your federal government which has deliberately debased this country's currency.

 

Its not that GPA costs more, its that your dollar is worth less.

 

Don't be surprised if in a few years, internationally-based companies like GPA start demanding payments in Euros.

 

 

 

[sterlingcomics]

Are you guys sure sharing an account is as out of control as this? Groups of 3 or more? I check GPA from both my home and work computers. If you check my account, you'll see logins from 2 different IPs. Would you draw the conclusion I am sharing an account from that

 

I'm curious about this as well...being that it is a web service and all...I use it where-ever I need it...that is the purpose of the Internets and all. I've used it from many a shared Marriott guest computer while on the road, my family computer...I have 2-3 computers as it is...

 

Not sure where Bruce and company is getting this info from.

[VintageComics]

People complain about price but always want more service.

 

Not in this case - they want the same service for the same price.

 

 

EXACTLY.

 

Stop forcing higher levels of service (and higher prices) on people that did not ask for a higher service level.

 

A 40% price increase is just ridiculous. It is as bad as the price increases at the grocery stores.

 

 

 

Another example of, frankly, greed.

There's no way oil prices have increased their expenses by 40%.

They provide service on the internet for cryiny out loud. No shipping expenses. No gas surcharge necessary.

Jump on the price increase wagon, like all business today.

 

Adding these "extras" costs them nothing.

It's B.S.

 

Welcome to Socialism 101.

Advanced Seperation from Reality 502 is that-a-way ------------------>

 

Are you kidding me? Inflation affects everyone and every business and filters down to the consumer on so many levels.

 

If you want to be angry, direct your frustration at your federal government which has deliberately debased this country's currency.

 

Its not that GPA costs more, its that your dollar is worth less.

 

Don't be surprised if in a few years, internationally-based companies like GPA start demanding payments in Euros.

 

 

 

On my first trip to the former Yugoslavia they would no longer accept their own denomination...I had to pay for everything in US dollars or German Marks!

 

I know exactly what you mean...many don't.

 

 

 

 

[sckao]

Are you guys sure sharing an account is as out of control as this? Groups of 3 or more? I check GPA from both my home and work computers. If you check my account, you'll see logins from 2 different IPs. Would you draw the conclusion I am sharing an account from that

 

I'm curious about this as well...being that it is a web service and all...I use it where-ever I need it...that is the purpose of the Internets and all. I've used it from many a shared Marriott guest computer while on the road, my family computer...I have 2-3 computers as it is...

 

Not sure where Bruce and company is getting this info from.

 

I believe some dealers told him they were sharing accounts...

 

 

[BronzeBruce13]

Are you guys sure sharing an account is as out of control as this? Groups of 3 or more? I check GPA from both my home and work computers. If you check my account, you'll see logins from 2 different IPs. Would you draw the conclusion I am sharing an account from that

 

I'm curious about this as well...being that it is a web service and all...I use it where-ever I need it...that is the purpose of the Internets and all. I've used it from many a shared Marriott guest computer while on the road, my family computer...I have 2-3 computers as it is...

 

Not sure where Bruce and company is getting this info from.

 

Keeping in mind that I'm not as technically knowledgeable as you... this is what I "understood" the situation to be when talking with George...

 

Aside from obvious Concurrent Logins (and attempts) from multiple IPs he can also make educated assumptions based on the gap in time (usually short) between logins and new IPs located farther apart than is feasible to travel, etc. He can generally determine a users home, work and/or laptop not with just an IP but with a computer ID too I believe. Anyway, I'm sure he can explain this much better than I... and I'm probably going to say something too "simplistically" that you'll want more technical answers on... so I'll let George comment further when he gets around to reviewing this thread.

 

It's no joke... account sharing is being abused and its not being confused with people with (usually) 2 different IPs (Home and Work). It goes much further than that.

[BronzeBruce13]

Are you guys sure sharing an account is as out of control as this? Groups of 3 or more? I check GPA from both my home and work computers. If you check my account, you'll see logins from 2 different IPs. Would you draw the conclusion I am sharing an account from that

 

I'm curious about this as well...being that it is a web service and all...I use it where-ever I need it...that is the purpose of the Internets and all. I've used it from many a shared Marriott guest computer while on the road, my family computer...I have 2-3 computers as it is...

 

Not sure where Bruce and company is getting this info from.

 

I believe some dealers told him they were sharing accounts...

 

 

... and there's that , but for the record, it was one dealer saying he and another dealer were sharing the account.

[Mr. Zipper]

Are you guys sure sharing an account is as out of control as this? Groups of 3 or more? I check GPA from both my home and work computers. If you check my account, you'll see logins from 2 different IPs. Would you draw the conclusion I am sharing an account from that

 

I'm curious about this as well...being that it is a web service and all...I use it where-ever I need it...that is the purpose of the Internets and all. I've used it from many a shared Marriott guest computer while on the road, my family computer...I have 2-3 computers as it is...

 

Not sure where Bruce and company is getting this info from.

 

I believe some dealers told him they were sharing accounts...

 

 

So people that actually profit from the service the most and can write it off as a business expense were sharing?

 

Good grief.

[ghengishahn]

I received an email yesterday from GPA as well about the new $9.95 rate. Personally, I'm content with GPA 1.0 and would like to have the option of staying with 1.0 so I can continue to keep my $6.95 rate. Either that or grandfather me in at $6.95 for GPA 2.0.

[topofthetotem]

As you are currently on a $99.95 per year subscription nothing changes until the end of your subscription (being 3/29/2009). After which you will need to renew your subscription to our new pricing plan of $9.95 per month to continue using GPA 2.0.

[awe4one]

Are you guys sure sharing an account is as out of control as this? Groups of 3 or more? I check GPA from both my home and work computers. If you check my account, you'll see logins from 2 different IPs. Would you draw the conclusion I am sharing an account from that

 

I'm curious about this as well...being that it is a web service and all...I use it where-ever I need it...that is the purpose of the Internets and all. I've used it from many a shared Marriott guest computer while on the road, my family computer...I have 2-3 computers as it is...

 

Not sure where Bruce and company is getting this info from.

 

Keeping in mind that I'm not as technically knowledgeable as you... this is what I "understood" the situation to be when talking with George...

 

Aside from obvious Concurrent Logins (and attempts) from multiple IPS he can also make educated assumptions based on the gap in time (usually short) between logins and new IPs located farther apart than is feasible to travel, etc. He can generally determine a users home, work and/or laptop not with just an IP but with a computer ID too I believe. Anyway, I'm sure he can explain this much better than I... and I'm probably going to say something too "simplistically" that you'll want more technical answers on... so I'll let George comment further when he gets around to reviewing this thread.

 

It's no joke... account sharing is being abused and its not being confused with people with (usually) 2 different IPS Home and Work. It goes much further than that.

 

It's theft pure and simple. My question is why hasn't George just forced password changes on those accounts that are obviously being abused. It's not hard to track an IP and see different people in different geographical areas are using the same account.

 

If GPA is not willing to police their site, and they could be, I don't know, then it's hard to have sympathy for them considering the ongoing abuse...

 

Jim

[BronzeBruce13]

Keep in mind Jim, I was referring to the entire period of time since GPA's inception.

They did start taking "some" measures awhile ago. I believe one measure prevents concurrent logins.

 

I believe the real crack down will be coming in the near future and I'm sure George has his reasons for waiting this long before acting. Hopefully he'll elaborate as to his thinking when he gets around to (wakes up) addressing certain valid questions raised in this thread.

 

I believe he's 14 hours ahead so give him some time.

 

 

[joe_collector]

Seriously, of all the whining and complaining on these Boards I've had the displeasure of reading in the five years I've been here, a $3 increase in GPA really stands out as the worst.

 

Different strokes buddy.

 

I pay $14.99 a month for the movie channel, and I get a ton of use out of it, watching movies, hitting On Demand and taping stuff on my PC.

 

Some people may feel that's an extravagant expense they don't need, and under stand their viewpoint, but they're not me.

 

Personally, I was mulling over the $6.95/month for GPA, but not at $10 for the amount I use it.

[DrWatson]

Seriously, of all the whining and complaining on these Boards I've had the displeasure of reading in the five years I've been here, a $3 increase in GPA really stands out as the worst.

 

Different strokes buddy.

 

I pay $14.99 a month for the movie channel, and I get a ton of use out of it, watching movies, hitting On Demand and taping stuff on my PC.

 

Some people may feel that's an extravagant expense they don't need, and under stand their viewpoint, but they're not me.

 

Personally, I was mulling over the $6.95/month for GPA, but not at $10 for the amount I use it.

Damn, we missed adding you to the collective by that <> much. If only George had waited another six years to raise prices.

[joe_collector]

It's no joke... account sharing is being abused and its not being confused with people with (usually) 2 different IPS Home and Work. It goes much further than that.

 

Then fix the problem, and stop blaming thieves for price increases.

 

It's pretty easy to do - you just follow bank and other online business rules, and treat a concurrent access as a hacking attempt, and close down the account for an hour or so, emailing the subscriber that an account hijack has been attempted, and he needs to change his password.

 

No threats, no intimidation, just play it by the book and these scammers will be forced to get two accounts.

[joe_collector]

Damn, we missed adding you to the collective by that <> much. If only George had waited another six years to raise prices.

 

But he didn't raise prices, he "increased the service level!".