I have a question for anyone (and everyone). My customer wants to start up a site for greeting cards and wants to have membership only for the site. Question:

Suggestions? Thanks for the help.

Question:
Would you use the site if it was membership only?

Or would you like to try it out, and then sign up for a membership?

Choices:
Yes membership
No membership
Yes trial
No trial

 

What do other greeting card sites do? If other sites require membership, then it is appropriate for your customer do do the same.

I try to avoid sites that require membership, so voted "No membership"

Bruce is absolutely correct.

Ask you customer this question.

Would he/she shop at the local supermarket if you had to join before you could even see what they had on the shelf, and at what price? Most probably not.

Nobody (at least not me or Bruce) would even visit a site that requires membership just to view it.

Normal procedure would be to advertise and optimize (for SEO) your site to attract potential customers. If they are satisfied that is what they want, then supply a membership area to process their needs.

I have lost count of the number or sites, I have clicked away from, when confronted with a sign-up page, simply to view the contents.

It would have to be something I was really interested in, and unavailable elsewhere, for me to hand over my details.

Most visitors want instant access, or they will soon turn to Google, for an alternative.

Maybe, a page with some 'come hither' content, would sway me.

I agree with all three gentelmen above for the same reasons.

quote:

Originally posted by WebLegacy:
I have a question for anyone (and everyone). My customer wants to start up a site for greeting cards and wants to have membership only for the site. Question:

Suggestions? Thanks for the help.

i will do it with out, for all the reasons explain by every 1 else,And you going to miss all the sales from all those that don't want 2 sing in.at less your stock is very limited and and you just want to sale 2 does that you would like and sale and not at risk.

Thank you for all your inputs. I'm coming up with suggestions for my customer so that she will understand that it is not just me. I want her to feel comfortable with my reason, without pushing her away. Again, thank you to all that have written in.