Announcing The New Techdirt Insider Shop
from the rtb dept
A few years ago, in the pre-Kickstarter (but post-artists-crowdfunding) world, we decided that there was no reason why some of the basic experiments for funding that musicians were doing shouldn't apply to blogs as well. So we launched our own "tiered" "CwF+RtB" (Connect with Fans + Reasons to Buy) store entirely as an experiment. By the end of the year, we made over $50,000 with it, which exceeded any modest expectations we might have had. Since then, it's always been on the list of things to do to update the store in a big way, and a few months ago, we finally decided to focus in on it. While it took longer than we expected, we're proud to launch the new version:We also have some brand new features on the site for Insiders, including the new First Word/Last Word offering, which I'll have another post discussing in more detail a little later today. There's also the brand new Insider Chat which all of you should be able to see to your right. Certain Insider membership packages allow you to join in the chat. Without one of those... you can still view the chat, but you can't participate. Also, for those who sign up for longer term packages, we have a number of offerings, including special Insider Hangouts (using Google+'s Hangouts feature), which should be a lot of fun. Check out the store for a detailed explanation of all the new blog features that are available.
You want more gear? We've got more gear, including new t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, bottles and other assorted paraphernalia. We've got a brand new Seized t-shirt in honor of various domain seizures (more on that later!) and an updated DMCA takedown t-shirt. The original was our most popular seller, so don't miss out on the new, revamped version. We've also got a very special, limited edition Techdirt staff bundle -- of which only five are available to buy. These are special staff-only hoodies and an assortment of other goodies. If you don't want to splurge to that level (or if they all sell out before you get a chance) we've got some other hoodies to choose from.
Downloads? We've got downloads. You can "pay what you want" for the ebook version of my book Approaching Infinity (built off a collection of Techdirt posts) or our famed Sky is Rising report. Name your price and help support more such works in the future! Hell, if you don't want anything specific in return, you can also just donate some money.
There's plenty more as well, including getting lunch with me -- which we offered only as a one week special last time, but it was quite popular (and a lot of fun) -- as well as the indisputably Awesome Day with Techdirt (which a few folks did last time around, and it really was quite awesome). There are also various business services that tie back into how we normally make a living.
And, last and most certainly least, we still have options for those of you who hate Techdirt. Last time around, we offered to take a year off for merely $100-million, and surprisingly none of you took us up on it. We did have some requests for pro-rated offerings, so we'll now shut down for 24 hours for just $1 million (pocket change!). As for the big one? Well, we always hear the haters insist that price is equal to value, and no one appeared to value that $100-million offering enough... so the price is going up. You can shut us up for an entire year for the new, more luxurious price of $100,000,001. Hurry up. We may raise the prices again before you know it.
Either way, the store platform we've put together is a lot more robust, and we're hopeful that we can do a bunch of other things with it over the next few months and years, so shop away...
Please note that while we've been testing the new store & features extensively, when things go live, problems always pop up. If you spot any errors or bugs, please let us know and we'll get to them as quickly as possible...
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: crystal ball, cwf+rtb, gear, insider, shop, store, t-shirts, techdirt
Reader Comments
The First Word
“Rollovers
I love how when you roll over the Techdirt Water Bottle, it says "It also works for Kool-Aid."Subscribe: RSS
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oh wait.. my bad... those hearts are non-existant nowadays
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Just kidding good luck to you sir
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Ah, I see. You must be one of those people that look at those graphs of the music industry profits that consistently show record increases in profit, and goes like "See! Piracy is killing the music business!!!."
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Complaint
This could easily sell for $100/ea and work the fund to create new and future nude calendars....
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its actually the "Dark Helmet Taking Things Out of People" school of medicine.
it doesnt actually specify if they use sharp or dull instruments.
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Re: Complaint
I'm of the opinion that Dark Helmet should bare, AT MOST, his midriff. And only inadvertently.
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Re: Complaint
But I did manage to airbrush the nipples out.
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Re: Re: Complaint
sad...
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Re: Complaint
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For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
Noun:
(on a Web site) An arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.
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Re: For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
This isn't a paywall because the only things you're restricted from are physical goods outside the website's content or participation in the chat room.
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Re: Re: For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
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Re: Re: Re: For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
But kudos for helping to drive the point home....
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Re: Re: Re: Re: For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
A window release is where you release different formats of the same thing to everyone at once. For example, Avatar comes out in 3D in the theatres to the entire public. Then, 3 years later, it comes out in 3D on BluRay to the entire public. Window release.
This is a members only offering, where a temporary preview is available to insiders.
Look, to save us all some time, why don't you just make your next comment a list of terms you don't understand and I'll sort it out for you, yes?
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Re: Re: Re: For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
Please note that the rest of the community will flame you, with real flame throwers most likely, but DH would most likely stop his nude posing of 'the thinker' with glee and whilst jumping up and down yelling "see someone loves me" (and making everyone else giggle at his junk flopping...OMG the image.. get it out) probably pay for you.
o¿o
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Re: Re: For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
Maybe these could start appearing on the main page instead of only being visible if you go to the comments.
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I was hoping to get a TD crystal ball that, when shaken, rains down DMCA notices instead of snow.
Oh well. Maybe next time.
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Thank you for your participation.
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Bug/Typo
What's this?
Also, totally awesome. Will be getting a shirt, probably chat, and more.
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Re: Bug/Typo
Techdirt Insiders, who've purchased a package at the Techdirt Crystal Ball level or above, can specify a number of comments each month as either the "First Word" or "Last Word" on a particular post. Doing so pins and highlights the comment at the beginning or end of the comment thread.
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Re: Bug/Typo
There is a post explaining the new First Word/Last Word feature in more detail coming out in a few minutes, so stay tuned! You can also read about it here:
http://rtb.techdirt.com/features/
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Luckily, we usually have no shortage of worthy comments! :)
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IE8 on WinXP on a fairly well locked down network at work. I'll take a look when I get home, or try to get a screenshot.
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Re: Re: Re: Bug/Typo
If anyone else has this problem please let me know!
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Also, shouldn't the last word/first word thing be voted by the community and not just insiders? Probably based on the Insightful/Funny score?
Just my 2 cents. Still, good update. Good luck in your endeavours Techdirt.
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If I had to guess, that's probably due to limitations chat-side with regards to having multiple AC's posting, as well as a way to keep the usual trolls from just spamming it up and making it useless.
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Disappointed.
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Re: Disappointed.
Stay tuned... :) One new shirt at a time.
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....C'mon, where are the edit comment buttons? :-)
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Re: Re: Re: Disappointed.
Loooooooooots of burgers
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Rollovers
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Masnick has some bills to pay :)
please help masnick pay his electricity bill, I mean it would be REALLY terrible if Masnick went away forever....
oh wait...
what you are noting making millions by selling your balls ??
Please Masnick is desperate.. has no talent, and nothing to offer.. not capable of getting a REAL job.. or creating anything
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yes, it's a paywall allright
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I'll start:
"At Techdirt... the trolls feed you!"
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Five hours later, I've still not found it! So I guess you're not really want to sell stuff. :-)
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Re:
Five hours later, I've still not found it! So I guess you're not really want to sell stuff. :-)
At the bottom of each item page there's an "add to cart" button and then plenty of ways to get to the cart... We've had plenty of orders all day, so this doesn't appear to be a widespread issue. Do you not see the "add to cart" option?
I'm wondering if there's something specific to your setup that has hidden the button, but let us know the details (you can contact us via the form if you'd prefer to do it that way) and we'll see what we can do.
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I was curious and thought ok maybe its an extension under firefox, but turning them all off it still does not become visible.
So I then tried chrome with no luck (on any mode) and then bit the bullet and tried IE and still no luck.
I can see looking at the source where it is supposedly supposed to be but it's just not there.
Could it by chance be a geo-location problem in Foxyshop? Which would make sense. I'm at home at moment and have no way to easily trick the system to think I'm from another location, but I'd look at that first.
Email me Mike (or your web dev dude can) and I will send my generated source for all elements and html/CSS code that the user-side has generated here.
Strange.. though at least it's given me pause so I don't pay that million dollars to give you a much needed 24hrs of rest ;)
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That could be the culprit since just looked at other live sites using FoxyShop/FoxyCart and in USA and they all show "add to cart" button beside the prices etc.
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Cart button issue has been fixed. Very sorry about that! You can all shop to your hearts' content now :)
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What I can see is this screenshot on my website which doesn't seem to contain any option to actually purchase anything.
Maybe it's because I'm not in the USA?
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What I can see is this screenshot on my website which doesn't seem to contain any option to actually purchase anything.
Maybe it's because I'm not in the USA?
Yup, turns out we made a mistake last night and turned off the button (oops). It's back now.
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Also, I've noticed another problem. I wanted to order a t-shirt for a friend of mine which costs $29.00 but shipping costs to the Netherlands adds another $47.95 to the price. Wow! With such expensive shipping costs, you won't sell much merchandise outside the USA.
Cancelling that order again... Way too expensive! :-)
Please keep in mind that Techdirt has plenty of international visitors. Maybe you should find a way to cut those costs?
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The Last Word
“For those who continue to not understand what a paywall is..
pay·wallNoun:
(on a Web site) An arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.