Hello folks. We released a new feature last night called SuperCheer. After you cheer a goal, entry, comment or photo on 43 Things you now have the option of upgrading to a SuperCheer. Your first SuperCheer is free with future SuperCheers going for $1/each. Cheers remains the same. The mythical cheers algorithm (aka Cheer Goblin) keeps on keepin’ on. There’s no limit to how many SuperCheers you can give (and you even get your cheer back).
SuperCheers were created to allow 43T users a way of showing support for the site while showing support for a user. We’ve been considering a few ways to help users electively contribute to the bottom line while keeping 43T feeling friendly and supportive. We’ve got a few more ideas in mind and we’re working on tweaking the SuperCheer experience — so let us know what you think.
The Robot Co-op 
Hey, how about letting us PAY for the site on an annual basis? Or monthly or some damned thing.
I’d be more than happy to kick in some geld.
We just tightened up the SuperCheer bucket to make it less glam. UE – I like your willingness to pay. It’s not our goal to gouge, but a fee for certain features or subscription could be interesting. Nothing crazy will happen anytime soon so give the SuperCheer time to develop. Have a good weekend.
Is this the 43 version of the “new coke?”
It’s the 43 version of the NPR fundraiser mug … filled with New Coke.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea (I just gave my first one) and I certainly don’t mind supporting the site- but maybe give people a chance to opt out? At least after the first week or so, when most regulars are already aware of it.
I still like the idea of a membership “upgrade” that would give more cheers than the standard 5/day.
Do you still sell the T-shirts? How about mugs too? I think this is a great site and would love to support it by purchasing something of actual value. Or through an annual donation or subscription. Or I would be happy to pay for extra features like being able to list a “next step” for each goal and have it listed under the goal on the profile page. There are lots of ways I would be happy to support the site. But supercheers come off as gimmicky and cheap, and my first thought was “How stupid do they expect people to be?”. Wouldn’t bother me a bit of there was blatant t-shirt advertising down the side. But I really don’t like those super cheers.
With apologies to whoever came up with the idea and worked on it, because you know, I don’t want to dump all over the work someone did. For what it’s worth, it’s really my only complaint about this site, everything else is brilliant.
Thanks for the feedback. I like the paid subscription ideas for additional features.
I too would like to offer my gentle but firm thumbs down to the supercheer push. I think many, many people (myself included) would be more than happy to support the site with donations, a fee for extra features, or swag… (see? see the pink t-shirt? I love my 43t t-shirt) but if I see the megaphone again I’m going to shriek. Rubs the wrong way. Loudly.
(You could probably charge something for a magical cheer-goblin shield though…)
I would like to offer armloads of good old fashioned cheers for the site though. Love it. It’s changed my life. Thank you…
I appreciate the idea – there have been times when someone has completed a momentous goal that I really wanted to, well, supercheer. But the recurrence of the reminder that this option is now available has been annoying. I’m now within a couple hundred cheers of my goal of giving 3000 cheers on this site, and the thought that I’m going to see this thing over and over and over again in pursuit of that goal is a little distressing.
When we talk about paid subscriber benefits – I’d consider paying not to see it.
I’d prefer some exciting extra features of which I have no idea what they’d be, where we can pay for a lifetime or yearly subscription, for $10 or something, just like on Librarything.
I don’t really like the idea of a supercheer because all cheers should be freely given and I would feel really bad if someone gave me a supercheer but I was unable to give them back.
Great idea to find ways to fund this wonderful lovely site!
Finding it a little intrusive to be honest, but the little box is better! Any chance of moving it over to the sidebar?
Also have you considered a “like this site? click to contribute” message somewhere on the main page? That would allow those who have to pay for foreign transactions to pay in a lump maybe.
I kind of like the SuperCheers, but agree that the box was too big at first. I’m actually going to add some feedback/suggestions to ShouldDoThis to hopefully improve them more. I wonder what my credit card statement is going to look like with all these $1 charges…
Hi:
My first comment would be why are women charged the same price as men, when they only earn about $.78 to a man’s dollar? What is the actual value of a Super Cheer? Is it worth 1, 2 or 100 regualr cheers? Will you modify our website to record the amount fo Super Cheers we receive? What about refunds if I don’t like my Super given, can I get a refund back? Does Super Cheers have any money back guarantees? What happens when people start complaing to one another about, “I gave you 5 Super Cheers for your birthday, and all you gave me back was one Super Cheer, you cheapskate, we are no longer friends.” YOur dealing with extreme psychologial emotions and feelings of people here, depressed, manic depressed, suicidal, people who cut, are anoxeric, balemnic, and this is just something else for them to go over the edge. SOme people never leave their homes and 43 T is a outlet for them to communicate with others and ask for advice. I personally will not give or buy a Super Cheer, and if someone sends me one, can I get it removed?
Okay, here’s what I suggest and some of which may have been already mentioned, and I sent emails to Daniel and the Robots prior to all of this. If 43 T is dire need for financial burdens why didn’t they send an email or notice to everyone here and ask for suggestions on how to raise money, or funds to help pay for the website? Creat a survey of questions and ask the millions of 43 T’s for advice on which is the best avenue to go, would they accept or reject a small fee for joining the web site? or not? Do you need monthly fees or a one time fee, if everyone out of the 2,000,000 or so members gave $1.00 that’s 2 mill in revenue, if the amount was $10 annually that would be $20 million annually. How much ad space do you generate from the ads you sell? As I told the other Robots, the people here on 43 T are the real attraction here, the enterntainers, with our stories about our lives, our pictures of famalies, friends, clubs, groups and pets, if we didn’t come to this web site, you would not have any ad space to sell to your customers.
1. Why not ask the 43 T to get more advertisers on your website and generate more income, I am sure they must be 1,000 of 43 T’s who know people who would not mind placing ads on your website.
2. Sell more variety of products and many different colors of T-shirts, I know about 50 women who want to buy a 43 T women’s t-shirt and they don’t want pink, what do the T-shirts go for? That’s lost revenue, people!
3. You could market and sell 43 T mouse pads, cheer horns to place on your PC, or hae something like the “Staple’s” That was Easy” button, and evertime a person cheers someone, you can press down the 43 T horn sitting on your desk and it plays a “cheering crowd”
4. Sell your books, place your own ads with the others for your 43 T store, so we can visit easily and not have to search the web sites t find it. Sell calendars of chosen 43 T picture avators on wall calendar, and have different people for each month. WOuld you need to gain permission from this people, or have a campaign asking for volunteer pictures avator to be placed in a calendar.
5. Create a calendar of Robots with a new Robot, bio, etc. maybe part of their own goal page, web blog for each of the12 months.
6. Create a small booklet of tips for 43 thingers, on how to post multiple pictures, changing fonts, italics, and other things we have no idea what to do, or how to do on 43 T
7. Why not set up a donation to 43 T with part or most of the monies to go to a variety or mulit-selection of charities.
8. Sell 43 T pens, markers, paperweights, metal buttons, laptop bags, jackets, sweat shirts, ball caps, wallets, purse, messenger bags, create a 43 T ceral, or snack cake, a 43 T energy drink, with a portion to go to a variety of selection to people’s charities.
9. Create a “43 T’s for Dummies” basic book, add your won story, include people’s stories with permission or with out their name or personal information included.
10. Create and design childrens’ board game called “All around the world going through 43 Things” or an adult version of ONO called “43” with a deck of only 43 cards. It would include Cheer Cards, Cheer Goblin Cards, Cheer Fairy Cards and Robot Cards for Help, and Opps Mistake Cards.
11. Sell 43 candles in the shape of a “4” and a “3”
12. Create a 43 screen saver or have contests and give out prizes.
13. Pleaee, please install spell check whenver we write entries and comments, many other sites have it.
14. Memo pads, dry erase boards, toys, key chains, jewelry, we have many talented 43 Thingers who make their own jewelry here, and design T-shirts and clothes, offer a place for them to seel their products in your store, they pay a small fee for the use of your website store.
15. Glare Screen protectors with 43 on them, 43 style computer animals, 43 style collectorable cards, coloring books, 43 Style cell phone, i-pod, music, …
Come on guys the sky is the limit, you want more ideas, email me at gstamas@aol.com and please re-consder eliminating the “Super Cheers” it creates more harm than good. Thanks for listening. Peace.
(((((((((((((huggs))))))))
Love,
George 🙂
Geo58 from 43 things
Bad idea…
I can’t think of one benefit. Just imagine giving someone who has ‘get out of debt’ or ‘pay off my credit card’ as a goal one of these. The normal cheers work just fine, if you want to say something extra then just add a comment, that’s far more personalised and motivational.
It’s creating a two tier community too which is bad news.
It excludes people who would want to use it but who don’t have a credit card (or a charge for exchange transactions if they are not in US)
It is too in your face (though better today with the smaller banner than yesterday)
Well, I guess there is one benefit, it helps to support a brilliant website. But surely there are other, much more appropriate ways to do this. You already have some suggestions above which feel more honest about giving our support than this.
(Do you really need the money???)
I’m worried about the rest of your ideas now. I don’t think this one had a well formed outcome, it comes across as a way to cash in on the addictive nature of cheering. Is it your goal to experiment with alternative ways to fund the site?
I would be mortified if I got supercheered, it’s not the kind of support I would be comfortable with. It’s a bit like getting a really ugly present from someone you have to be nice and appreciative to for your birthday.
On a positive note though, I’m really happy about the way you made the (regular) cheers stick after someone deletes their account now.
i think i understand what you are all trying to do, but i know that if i was given a super cheer, i would feel really bad because i wouldn’t be able to give one back. There are lots of other people on this site not yet old enough for a credit card as well. I’m speaking for the youth of 43T, atleast the some i know. i don’t know how this is going to go… I think next time you try anything like this, you might want to ask us… if that makes sense. I’m not trying to be mean, or anything, just a good 43 Thinger, i also don’t appreciate the pop-up thing. we should atleast be able to decide whether or not we want it there. I appreciate what you Robots are doing. Keep it up… but please make some changes as to the super cheers. And as many people have said before me, we’re welcome to support 43T site, we just want to use our money towards something else. Thank you.
-Katie, ❤
I have really, really enjoyed my six months of “belonging” on 43T. Many’s the time I’ve used all my cheers then seen one shining comment or goal and wished there was a way to buy a new bucket o’ cheers. To me there is a little disconnect between the randomness of the popup to elect to upgrade to SuperCheer – and the idea that the Super Cheer is somehow more special than a regular cheer. I can’t intentionally SC someone- I just have to wait for the random option to do it? I’ve seen so many sweet, spontaneous outpourings: cheer bombing newcomers, cheerbombing absent friends, cheer bombing people having a bad week. What about being able to purchase a cheerbomb package – 25 cheers or something for a special occasion? If the site needs extra funding – I also like the ideas of (1) a ‘donate now’ button and (2) subscription or annual dues. If there are particular capital projects to fund you could state the funds needed and have a cool graphic showing how close you were to the goal and a ‘donate now’ button? Maybe a combination. Subscriptions, extra charges for special features , and some number of annual projects to be funded by direct appeal ?
You know, I am in such a good mood and thought about this more. DO I have the right to tell an organization how to make money? The same way the organization can’t tell me hjow to run my life. If someone wants to sell “pet rocks” or those “invisible dog leashes” who am I to say naa! So I am going to remove these tow goals on my web page and wish you well on your Super Cheer campaign, and as a consumer, if you ever come up with a product that I am interested in, I will purchase it, Maybe even a 2XL pink colored “43 things” T-shirt for my Code Pink Boston group, who knows.
I can admit if I made a mistake; so, I am apoligizing for voting against this money making campaign, and sell all the Super Cheers you want, I just won’t be buying them. BTW-I don’t want to see you guys shut down and go out of business, because this web site I considr to be the best thing since sliced bed and has really changed my life in more ways than I can ever imagine, you Robots Rock!
Have a Nice Day!
((((((((((((huggs))))))))))
Love,
George 🙂
An update. I still don’t like the supercheers for many reasons. But I do believe in this site and I do believe that the people who actually own this site are entitled to find a means of compensation. I tried to find other options to give financial support and couldn’t. I would have liked to buy a t-shirt, but looking at the sizing for girls shirts just made me feel fat, and I’m not.
So it came down to two options for me. Be a hippocrite by using supercheers after I said I wouldn’t; or be a hippocrite because I value this site but am unwilling to support it. So I am using supercheers as that is by far the lesser of two evils.
I do hope you continue to explore other options for getting financial support.
What about selling regular cheers? I would pay good money to acquire a stash of cheers I could count on holding onto. Maybe 4 for a dollar? Cheers that don’t go away, but are indistinguishable from the regular cheers, and keep the regular cheers.
I’ve rethought super cheers, i’m not as against them as i once was. I mean – i’m not a huge fan of them, but i guess they’re okay now. Everyone’s got over the first shock. I think we’ve learned to accept. AND we support the site, it’s actually a great idea. Like George, i think i’m okay with it now. 🙂
Love,
Katie. ❤
I like spend time in this website, I have made some good friends and I would like to helt too. I don’t like the “SuperCheer” but I am willing to donate some money ( I think it is not a big deal) I will voluntarily do it on behalf of this great website. Anyways, I wish you good luck on this but I insist, I think it will be better if users make a donation 😉
Happy Holidays Robots!
Love,
pajodama4.
Hey
The thing about the SuperCheers is that it’s wierd since there are already Cheers which work just fine. It feels a bit overkill to go with the SuperCheers (for myself).
I agree with suggestions:
1. Donate button (Wikipedia has it and I’ve donated there)
2. Monthly or annual fee
3. Products for sale (although I need to stress that they should all be FairTrade or I wouldn’t buy them anyway ;))
4. Paid for extra functions, such as sub-things or sub-steps (a function I would love btw!)
Love the site!
Hugs
As noted above, I would love an automatic donation, or the option of giving more than just a dollar here and there.
I have worked for NPOs for most of my life as either paid staff or as a volunteer. One overlooked problem with offering premiums, like the intangible Super Cheer, or the very tangible T-shirt is what is sometimes called “Premium Addiction.” People come to associate a premium with donating, and do not as tightly associate the service with the donations. The second problem is cost. Premiums cost. While a super cheers cost may be little (there was a coder involved) a T-shirt cost is great. The margins on such things don’t make sense as a way of generating sustainable revenue for an organization.
While I know that 43things is not a 503c (yet?) it would be nice to contribute to it. It has helped me stay focused.
I really like 43things. It seems to have the “do no evil” mentality. I like the way it is run. I would argue against extra features for donors or charging a subscription fee, but if you guys are strapped for cash, making a case for donations should be done.
In short:
Continue to do no evil.
If you need donations, ask.
Provide a way to donate more than a dollar at a time.
Don’t provide premiums as a way of sustaining this site.
Allow everybody, donor or not, the same access to all features.
Perhaps become a 503c.
Lastly- don’t stick beans up your nose.
Is there a way to deauthorize supercheering for an account and purge the credit card info?