astromart-now need to pay to access

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

just tried to log in-been a member for years and got this message...

"Any user who has not paid for access or paid to support Astromart will now be required to pay the $12 access fee to continue using this great website. Not only will this help support Astromart and keep this great community together, it will also make the community more secure by ensuring that all our members are verified."


not happy Jan

[Terry B]

Oh Well.
Looks like I don't bother with astromart anymore. I only use it to get a feel of what second hand prices are like.

[spacezebra (Petra)]

[Octane (Humayun)]

Narayan,

I think this has been going on for a while, now. Just that members would gradually hit this issue upon logging in. There was a lot of spam about this issue on the digital_astro group.

Edit: I remember now, the issue peaked around the time of Border Stargaze last year. I was reading the emails on my iPhone in my tent before getting to sleep on those rainy nights!

H

[GrahamL]

My only reply to trying to buy quite a few items over time was
" I'm sorry I'm not willing to ship this item to Austria "

I know that dosn't mirror everyones experiance but when looking at all the goodies you can buy/sell here without the drama of shipping OS

no thanks

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

I have purchased through Astromart on a number of occasions and have also been a paid supporter...top valued site in my opinion and I am quite astounded at the number of people complaining about a minor $12. It does cost a bit to keep a website running and no doubt the guys at Astromart need to pass on the cost to users. I guess I am also disappointed that some Astromarters restrict their sales to CONUS only and that has been one of my reason for not continuing my financial support. If you already have registered with Astromart then you won't need to pay the $12 until you change e-mail address or if you are a new registered member they charge you the $12.

[pgc hunter]

bugger paying for astromart and all the hassles of overseas shipping, when you have the free local classifieds right here! No point paying money for it when sometimes the seller won't even post overseas. In most cases its possible to get what one wants using local classifieds.

[OzRob (Rob)]

IMO charging potential buyers is not a good move. They would be better charging a small fee for gear sold via the website or through advertising. I think a $12 charge will put an end to a lot of new registrations.

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

Originally Posted by Hans Tucker

If you already have registered with Astromart then you won't need to pay the $12 until you change e-mail address or if you are a new registered member they charge you the $12.

doesn't seem to be the case anymore, I am registered havent changed email address and was still asked for the $12-that was the point of my post

I have bought in the past from Astromart but have also had the problem with people not even responding to an expression of interest-but that's not Astromart's fault in anyway, its just people preferring to deal CONUS only

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Sorry Narayan I missed that bit about you being a previously registered Astromarter....don't know how it's the first line of your original post. That is interesting though because I visit Astromart daily and haven't received an e-mail requesting/demanding $12...I wonder if it's because I was a financial supporter a few years back...either way you are right this is an odd surprise. I know that Herb York did put out an e-mail stating that Astromart will no longer be financially supported by ATWB and that members would need to support Astromart if they wish it to remain open. Its amazing how many CONUS members trade in Astro gear(Ad's in the 100's) through Astromart and don't offer any financial support.

I did ask a few CONUS Astromarters why they wouldn't sell outside the US and one of the common complaints was that overseas buyers have asked the seller to lie (put a lower selling value) about the price on customs declaration documents so the buyer can save $$$'s. I find this sort of request disgusting and unacceptable and if correct I can understand why they only want to sell CONUS Only.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by Hans Tucker

I did ask a few CONUS Astromarters why they wouldn't sell outside the US and one of the common complaints was that overseas buyers have asked the seller to lie (put a lower selling value) about the price on customs declaration documents so the buyer can save $$$'s. I find this sort of request disgusting and unacceptable and if correct I can understand why they only want to sell CONUS Only.

That would only be an issue for larger items >$1000 value.
I believe the reluctance is more tied to fears of extra hassle if things go wrong with the post.

Ironically I have never had an item go missing that was purchased internationally, but have on a few occasions been let down by Australia Post.

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by seeker372011

doesn't seem to be the case anymore, I am registered havent changed email address and was still asked for the $12-that was the point of my post

I have bought in the past from Astromart but have also had the problem with people not even responding to an expression of interest-but that's not Astromart's fault in anyway, its just people preferring to deal CONUS only

I'll try and clarify (if possible and recognizing that I don't work for A-mart)...

Anyone who has not ever paid to join or support A-mart will now be asked to.

If you have signed up (or changed your e-mail address) in the last few years you have been asked to pay USD$12...consider this an Admin fee or change fee.

If you have supported at the purple level (or higher) at least one time you will not be asked to pay.

If you have never supported (voluntarily) or paid the Admin fee, you will be required to do so to log in...

Hope the explanation helps...

[Gama]

Anyone who has not ever paid to join or support A-mart will now be asked to.



If you have never supported (voluntarily) or paid the Admin fee, you will be required to do so to log in...

...

I only just read this thread now, and what utter disgust i have for that firm now. I also was a long time member (5 plus years).
Why should i now have to pay $12.00 USD ?, for what, Admin fee's
?, they make plenty of money through their advertising on Astromart.
Greed, sorry, nothing more !. It has nothing to do with the amount, but the "NO Choice" they give you.
They obviously didnt get enough money the "New member" payment, so again they up'ed it once more to include everyone. Nasty, ...
They are lucky they didnt have a email to send your complaints too.

Seems many many people have complained and of course they removed the threads from Cloudynight. Geez, talk about control, and when it affects them, they jump in head first to remove and stop any complaints.

They can go to you know where for all i care.

G R E E D.

Theo

[Dennis]

Aha – so that explains it!

I was a daily visitor and post contributor a couple of years before the fee was administered when recently, my log in would not work.

I e-mailed the point of contact to find out what had gone on and didn’t get a reply. After 2 or 3 e-mails with no reply, I got a bit paranoid and thought that someone may have “stolen” my account and so I e-mailed again, with words to that affect and lo and behold I received an instant reply!

I don’t mind paying the $12.00, it is their server, etc., but it would have been nice to have been advised that my account would be closed unless I paid the fee, rather than being left wondering what the heck has happened.

However, it’s their bat & ball so I guess they can play the game according to their rules?

Cheers

Dennis

[PeterM]

Typical nonsense in trying to revenue raise. Won't be going there no more.

PeterM.

[Gama]

How on earth can they provide better security, when nothing has changed, except out of pocket by $$$.
Verify what details, the ones the individual decides to place on the site..

Geez, reading back, i sound grumpy, oh well, must be cause im getting older and its a pre requisite to becoming an old man..

Theo.

[h0ughy (David)]

for some reason i havent used Astromart for a few years. I have been buying from it since 1994 LOL, but i will not give the logon fee - so i can guess that my logon will go away...

[Suzy]

I Went to their site yesterday to register, and when they said I needed to pay $12", my head shook rapidly with a "what the!" End result, i couldn't be bothered. I'm fairly new to this stuff, but I've seen a lot of classifieds, and none of which I've had to pay to register. Perhaps there's good reason, who knows.

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by Gama

How on earth can they provide better security, when nothing has changed, except out of pocket by $$$.
Verify what details, the ones the individual decides to place on the site..

Geez, reading back, i sound grumpy, oh well, must be cause im getting older and its a pre requisite to becoming an old man..

Theo.

Hi Leo

Not sure if your post was in response to mine, but if it was, then I may have misled you with what I wrote.

Basically I visited Astromart daily and suddenly, one day, I could not log on.

I tried to contact the admin via e-mail querying my new and surprising error message along the lines of “userid not recognised”. But I did not get a reply, even after 2 or 3 e-mails over a period of a couple of weeks.

My next e-mail, to the same point of contact, had in the subject line words to the effect “possible fraud on my account” and I received a reply with a few hours.

If instead, I had been informed that my account would be suspended until I paid a once off $12 admin fee within say, 2 weeks or so, it is likely that I would have done so. But to be cut off without any notification and then have my e-mails ignored until I included the emotive word “fraud” in the subject line, kind of put me off joining.

There’s nothing wrong with the occasional grump – usually, they are well founded!

Cheers

Dennis

[UniPol]

I have been using Astromart for many years just to browse the many and varied articles, equipment sales etc. and the opportunity to purchase goods without having to pay any users fee until recently. I was only too pleased to pay the requested amount as some of my purchases have been a very positive experience from a lot of genuine people across the equator. From a monetary point of view, my purchases have saved me a considerable amount on local prices not to mention items, particularly vintage ones, which aren't even available here in Australia.

I usually like to put things into perspective when receiving any service. A long time acquaintance of mine who often goes out to restaurants usually describes the cost and quality of the meal according to the "pie meter", i.e. how many pies could one have bought for the cost of the restaurant meal? The quality of the experience counts of course, maybe a pie or two at the weekend football game is fine but on occasions it is nice to indulge in a really nice meal at a fancy restaurant just to make one feel good. I think we all have to think of the money we have wasted on frivolous things including "spur of the moment" purchases.

Pay a users fee on IIS anybody? I'm sure the money would be most welcome to keep it running wouldn't it? Surely someone is paying to keep this site running?

Anyway, enough of the ramblings from a near 60 year old, think what you will.

Cheers everybody