Why do companies do this? (forums)

[shinyhappypeople]

Why do companies restrict access to their user forums to "customers only." The two that I'm thinking of at the moment are singaporemath.com and Sonlight. I imagine there are others out there.

 

The singaporemath.com site is the official US publisher of the books. So, whether I buy through them or another distributor, they still get paid. I just.don't.get.it.

 

As for Sonlight, I've actually bought some books (but not an IG or full core) from them so technically I am a customer, just not quite "VIP" enough to be allowed to read discussions of the actual user boards.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I have trouble deciding if a curriculum will work for us without reading lots of discussions by people already using it. The curriculum choosing folder is of very limited help. I want to read discussions of people in the thick of it talking about what's working, what's not.

 

I just think it's all really lame and, at least in Sonlight's case, is gonna bite them in the rear, because as tempted as I am by some of their cores the whole forum thing *really* bugs me. I just don't feel comfortable taking the plunge (even with the money back guarantee, I *hate* dealing with shipping/returns hassle). I think they should be going out of their way to provide potential customers with this help. But, nope. Not gonna happen.

 

Lame, lame, lame.

 

Okay... rant over. Thanks for listening.

[Dana]

You'll get more information about Singapore on the curriculum boards here than you do on the boards there. And I'd think that when they say having bought "from us or one of our partners" that anywhere that sells the books is a "partner" :D

 

But I also don't like having to register for forums before surfing them for a while.

[Chris in VA]

I think it's a money maker for them. 'Nuff said.

[Dobela]

Some of them went private due to trolls and troublemaking members that were not necessarily using the curriculum.

 

If I want to learn about a curriculum I always do a yahoo group search. I learn more from those than I usually do forums, if I chose the right groups.

[Kennic]

I know that at the Singaporemath.com forums there is no check on whether you are a "customer" since anyone who has bought the books anywhere or never yet bought the books can join. Registering is just meant to limit the amount of spam, and people joining for general math help (the Math Help section provides specific solutions to problems). There is no cost to join, as with Sonlight. And you do not have to register to browse or post in the general information section. Most forum, such as this one, make you register to post at all. So you can ask questions there without even registering.

Edited December 22, 2009 by Kennic

[Whereneverever]

I really agree about the Sonlight forums- there's times I've wanted to use some of their stuff, but not being able to join before and really talk it over with other users has always dissuaded me.

[tdeveson]

I think it's a money maker for them. 'Nuff said.

 

Yup.

[Ruby]

When sonlight made the switch there was a charge to be on the boards. It may have changed but they used to charge 4.95 a month. That was a few years back though.

Ruby

[AngieW in Texas]

SL's boards used to be free and open to everyone. Several years back they started charging a fee for anybody who didn't buy enough directly from them. I've had free forum access so far, but I won't be buying any more Cores from them because I don't like their high school levels and already have all the lower levels. I think I have 1.5 years of free access left, but I'm not sure. I won't pay to stay on the boards. I spend a lot more time on the WTM boards than on the SL boards.

 

I usually try to find out about programs through yahoogroups. When I was trying to figure out what to use for high school (after I decided that SL wasn't working), I joined groups for Keystone and Oak Meadow. I dropped Keystone after several months, because it seemed that everybody was complaining about the program. Since most of what was posted was complaints, I figured it couldn't be that great. I mostly heard great things about Oak Meadow on their email loop.

[ConnieB]

As I recall part of the reason SL went "private" was also because there was a lot of discussion on their boards about OTHER programs.....I was there because of the discussions about TWTM which is used within SL. While I can understand that from a business point of view.....they are paying for the forums so why should they be promoting other products that they don't sell, BUT that action caused me to stop even considering SL for my family.

 

And then there is our own wonderful Susan who allows us to discuss other programs and even recommend things other than WTM....while it may have cost her a few sales, frankly, I find I love this board BECAUSE it's not heavily promoting one product as being THE answer. I enjoy, and perhaps even, NEED to hear about other products....and yet after all these years, I still come back to WTM. My first edition is very love-worn, and there isn't much room in the margins anymore.....and while I was confident that I knew what I wanted based on that edition, I bought the new edition anyway! And have bought her writing program as well.....all because of the recommendations of this board....and Susan herself answering my questions by PM.

 

There is a lot to be said about being confident enough in your product that you don't mind the mention of a competitor. Susan is wise enough to know that WTM won't work for everyone....but also wise enough to know that some may THINK it won't work for them, but eventually The Hive will bring them into the fold, lol.

 

I didn't realize that Singapore had gone private....back when I was making the switch to Singapore I found much better information on several other forums, including this board, than I did on Singapore's website. Perhaps it has improved now that they are paid and therefore can spend more time on it....but as I recall it took a couple of days to get answers from Jennifer (I think that was her name) and by then I already had the answers from here.

 

I wish these companies well, but I can't imagine paying to learn about a product.

 

All that said: THANK YOU SUSAN (and the rest at PHP) FOR MANY MANY YEARS OF GREAT INFORMATION, FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT HERE ON THESE BOARDS.

[Dana]

I didn't realize that Singapore had gone private....back when I was making the switch to Singapore I found much better information on several other forums, including this board, than I did on Singapore's website. Perhaps it has improved now that they are paid and therefore can spend more time on it....but as I recall it took a couple of days to get answers from Jennifer (I think that was her name) and by then I already had the answers from here.

 

 

Singapore requires you to register before posting or even reading posts on the boards for curriculum users. There is no fee for registering. You can read posts on the pre-purchase questions board, and then once you register (just like here) you can post.

 

I don't use Sonlight, but it amazes me that you have to pay to use discussion boards. Wow!

[Kennic]

With the Singaporemath.com forums, you can even post in the general information section without registering.

[Bee]

I don't know if I'll ever buy the 4 cores required to get lifetime access to the SL forums but I have, at a very few rare times, been more willing to reveal a little more about myself there because they are private and therefore (I think) a little less likely to be open to people with harmful intentions. To be honest, I don't spend anywhere near as much time there as here. Things are often more interesting here. I like the variety of people and topics.