Suggestions

GR, Please post openly for all to see what the cost of the basic subscription is. Both what it has been over the last few years and what it will be at renewal. There has been a vast difference in what people have been paying, from 7:00 per year to 19.95 per 6 months. It's time for you to be open and aboveboard and post exactly what the cost will be. I understand that you have just been waiting until a person's subscription is up for renewal and springing this price hike on them. Many of us will refuse to pay double what we are now paying and so will not be renewing, not so much because of the money but because of your underhanded methods.

Estelle has posted the cost on this thread:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1316016?page=1

No one has paid £19.95 for six months of standard membership. That was the yearly rate for those paying every six months. It is now the new rate with a discount being available if you renew before your subscription expires.

It would be helpful for there to be an actual announcement about the change in renewal cost, in my opinion, rather than members discovering it if their membership is renewed automatically.

The obvious place to show the costs would be under Terms and Conditions where they describe the different packages available to members.


Terms and Conditions
6. Membership Services and Fees

Where the Standard Membership fee is going to increase we will send you notice of renewal 28 days before such automatic renewal.

Been a problem for ages

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/suggestions/thread/1279906

I've been given a discount every year.

If the cost suddenly doubles, I won't be renewing.

The automatic renewal box is NOT ticked on My Account, and I check that regularly..... it has been known to tick itself :-0

A previous change to the T& C was highlighted so why wasn't this one?

Answer - because this one really ****** people off!

OK, Ken, I was mistaken in my first post. It wasn't 19.95 for 6 months. However, even at 9.95 for 6 months as opposed to 7.00 for the year is too much of a disparity. Can GR explain why they had such a wide range of what they charged different people?

Also, yes, I know that Estelle had posted the costs on a thread. But it was on someone else's thread where not everyone would see it. Surley a major change in pricing should be posted on the Announcemnts Board for all to see?

As I have said, for someone in my position it will be a more than 100% price increase.

Perhaps Genes would care to let us into the secret.
From what date do the new charges apply.
It can´t be the 1st January because people are already being asked to pay the new rate. On the other hand, several people have posted to say that they have renewed during December at the old rate.
So exactly when was the subscription rate for standard members increased? Or does it depend on who deals with the renewal.
Seems like a bit of a lottery to me in the absence of definite information.
Still no explanation as to why standard members are paying double for facilities which they can´t access while subs remain the same for other members who do use them.

From what Penny Eaves has posted on the other thread it looks like all those whose renewal was in December were at the old rate (whatever applied for that person).

Those who received advice about the new rate have subscriptions that are due in January. They were told in December because Genes tell you 14 days before your subscription is due.

Where Genes have slipped up is in not giving 28 days notice of an increase. In Penny's case they admitted the fault and extended her current subscription by 14 days so they could charge her at the new rate.

How kind. ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

I am just now finding out that my membership jumped from $14.49 per year to $27.16!! (I'm in the USA) That hike alone is scary enough but Genes Reunited has the nerve to charge me twice as I have two trees. One for my adopted family and one for my birth family. The only reason I have paid every year so far is because I didn't want to lose any information I had found, which compared to 99% of you on here is nothing. .I would love to know what the money is going on. Regardless, I can't pay $54.32 just to have the minute amount of information I have saved.
I don't remember reading about the impending price hike. I received the email telling me my renewal was coming up and that my credit card would be billed on January 6th. The confirmation email saying the billing had taken place told me how much it was which is why I came to the site to find out if this was the case for everyone or just some people. GR have done that in the past too. (And switched from yearly to 6months without permission or warning also). :-(

Paula, you shouldn't need to pay for the trees as they are avilable for free members.

It is the ability to see other people's trees, to send messages and to post on the boards that you pay the basic rate for.

Hmmm...... Then I'll just go to Basic then! I contacted GR a couple years ago asking if I needed two accounts or if I they could give me a price break. I was told no and that if I were to leave I'd lose all my information.
Thanks KenSE. :-)

I dont have my tree on here, but many have more than one if they are doing their side and their spouses side....but will pay as a standard member for one (so they can contact other member ect) and have a free account for the other.

If you still have the email thats says you will lose your infomation? I would take it up with them as you have been paying for an account you did not need...unless you wanted to share trees, contact other members or post on the boards

I have one account. My ancestors and OH's ancestors are on it.

I don't understand why anyone needs two (except in a case like Paula, with two family lines).

I've had a discount every year. My subs expire in August. I'll wait and see!

I won't be paying double!!

I didn't keep the email, jax, although I wish I had. I know I was never given the option of paying for one family and having the other tree only on a free basis. They definitely told me i'd have to pay for both. If I were to keep both which I definitely will not I'd be paying over 34 pounds. Now if they were going to do my research for me I'd consider it! ;-)

Yesterday I rejoined Genes after about a one year gap. What a con job it is since the last time I was a member. Nowhere did it mention this time it was only 50 credits for the 6 months membership. Just showed membership for 6 or 12 months and Platinum or standard. I wrongly assumed it was the same benefits as when I was a member last year. I consider this to be false advertising in not spelling out just what the product consists of especially in view of the changes.
No way will I rejoin unless I get a credit on the so called 6 months membership I paid for.50 credits is a joke. Jean Bell Queensland Australia.

Yesterday I rejoined Genes after about a one year gap. What a con job it is since the last time I was a member. Nowhere did it mention this time it was only 50 credits for the 6 months membership. Just showed membership for 6 or 12 months and Platinum or standard. I wrongly assumed it was the same benefits as when I was a member last year. I consider this to be false advertising in not spelling out just what the product consists of especially in view of the changes.
No way will I rejoin unless I get a credit on the so called 6 months membership I paid for.50 credits is a joke. Jean Bell Queensland Australia.

Jean


I have no idea what your level of membership was before, but ................


This time, you have obviously joined as a Standard member .............. which, in addition to building your tree, allows you to contact other members, and read and post on these Boards. You may also search the Records, but not see the details, unless you buy credits..


If you were a Gold member before .............. that level of membership has been done away with, unless you have a continuing Gold sub, then it will be renewed.

The only other level of membership is Platinum.


In addition .............. the fact that you have now used your new membership, by posting on this thread, means that GR will probably refuse to give you a refund. That is stated in their T&Cs.