Multiple memberships vs single sites

[gaybucks_chip]

OK, so I see a number of sites now doing the "join one site, get two others" model, and I don't mean bogus crappy sites... I'm tlaking about Pridebucks, or BoyAlley, who have several different standalone sites that you can join separately, but get you access to other good sites.

Do people think this is a growing trend, or a way to boost sagging sales, or what?

[Rimmates.com]

I think it makes sense when the site owners are the same, because you can sell a foot fetish site and give someone a muscle site as free access, but there's no way you'd be "losing" that sale because a foot fetish buyer wouldn't pay for a muscle site on his own.

I think it adds great value and in no way devalues the other sites.

[samebb]

I dont think as much it will help with signups, but definatly a plus for retaining members.

[Dzinerbear]

No, I think it's a growing trend. The Next Door family of sites does this, too. I think as programs grow with a bunch of legitimate but different (not just the we have 20 different niche sites) it's a way to get more exposure to all of their products. I don't think it's such a bad idea. It also gives affiliates another angle to promote sites.

Michael

[Lee]

My thoughts are that there is definately a place for multi-membership sites however, a lot of them that i have seen in the past 3-6 months whilst ive been researching them are doing so many things wrong its unreal.

For one, you shouldnt offer a 'multi-site' membership (IMHO) as a stand-alone product, at least not immediately, they are much better suited as upsells from within existing membership sites which can be used along the lines of 'like this site, signup here and get X others for $X including this one'. The reason i say that? Simple really, that 1 months membership to the initial site, just became a 2 month membership, and we havent even hit the end of month 1 yet.

The chance are, so long as the sites being offered are in alternate niches, not similar ones, the amount of bandwidth that member is actually going to burn through will be no larger (or smaller) than they would have done inside their initial paysite.

That being said, i can certainly understand why a lot of PPS sponsors do want to offer multi-site memberships at a discounted rate, afterall, most of their members areas are full of the same content feeds so it doesnt matter to them whether an affiliate they are paying $35 for send a member to the multi-site tour or the regular sites tour.

Regards,

Lee

[IntenseCash.com]

I think it is defintely a good idea and helps rentention as long as the extra sites are worthwhile. We do it with all our sites and I'm not sure if it helps with signups but it defintely helps with retention.

Mark