hey cargo users! did you all get the email about the prices to use certain cargo features after the the beta period ends on jan 15?
what do you guys think of the prices? is it worth it? will you continue using the cargo platform?
heres a copy of the email!
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• Cargo platform to remain by-invite-only
• Basic service to be free of charge
• Fees for select features will apply
• 50% discount for all current members
• Members to receive pre-approved invites
Dear Cargo Beta testers!
With every online project we have embarked on in the past, the best time has always been the beta test period. Likewise, to develop Cargo for more than a year with those of you who joined us far ahead of everyone else and helped us shape the platform’s future has been a privilege in the best tradition of the internet.
While growing up with the web ever since it was still largely uncharted territory, almost every project we initiated was made available to the public for free. Whenever people asked us about our business plan we happily announced that we’d figure out the details when the time would arrive and this mentality has served us well.
As it happens, many of the content oriented sites we have created — from spacecollective.org to butdoesitfloat.com and the upcoming instantcinema.org — will always be available for free. But in the case of Cargo the only way we can sustain our ongoing efforts to create the best system to present your content, is to initiate the subscription model we first announced in February 2009.
In appreciation of your invaluable feedback while we were building Cargo we offer all current members a one-time 50% discount for a 1 Year subscription. You will also receive 2 pre-approved membership invites.
As we further develop Cargo, new features and upgrades will be added to the platform, i.e. new Cargo Designs, Community Contributed Designs, additional Video capabilities, expanded Slideshow features, and many others. First on the list will be additional community building functionalities such as custom networks and contextual discussion tools.
Some of the above mentioned future upgrades will be added to the menu as differently priced options.
Free basic service will include:
• Cloud Hosting & Storage
• 12 Projects
• 1GB storage
• 10 Cargo Designs
Starting January 15, 2010, the menu will look like this:
Premium Cargo Designs Select Designs will be available for a one-time fee (t.b.d.)
If you are part of our 1 Year program, refer to your Settings → Account Details for information about the expiration date. And as always, if you have feedback for us please feel free to visit our forum, where there is a thread dedicated to this subject.
See you around,
Folkert, Josh, Rene, Jon-Kyle, Richard
—
PS: If you don’t already, follow us on Twitter for tips, news and development updates.
10 Comments
Bear said 9 months ago
wow. I mean, i love cargo, but i remember almost everyone on there talking about how they would pay as much as like a flickr pro account and the mods there agreeing, 33 bucks to use a custom domain? seriously? i mean, the minimum you are going to pay for a custom site is $100. Which isn’t really that much, for a year, but still seems....I don’t know.
I have mixed feelings, and may pull out from Cargo. dang.
danielsontherun said 9 months ago
yeah man, im having mixed feelings too. and its an extra 33 bucks for an extra 12 projects. haha kyle crawford has like 700 on there. thats like +250
Kyle Crawford said 9 months ago
yea i emailed them , waiting to see whats up. I like it too much i’ll prob just pay anyway
Bear said 9 months ago
I feel the same Kyle, I went from a carbonmade to them, and I really can’t imagine going back. I mean, at a minimum its 100 bucks a year which isn’t terrible. I just feel like it’s steep.
But from seeing what’s going down in their threads, I have a feeling this could all change too.
Sam Kaufman said 9 months ago
indexhibit ftw!
Blake Fathom said 9 months ago
Good move - I’m sick of seeing every man and his dog using this CMS.
Jon Kruse said 9 months ago
totes
i came from nothing said 9 months ago
Mixed feelings too...
danielsontherun said 9 months ago
definitely let me know how that goes. i totally agree dude. its way too cool to just.. stop.. haha.
danielsontherun said 8 months ago
victory!
Revised Pricing Structure
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• Removed Project limits
• Reduced overall cost
• Bundled available upgrades
• Added CSS to basic accounts
Dear Cargo Beta testers,
As has been the case on so many other topics, your input has helped us come to some conclusions with regards to Cargo’s proposed pricing structure. We particularly appreciated the criticisms about the project caps, as well as the comments and emails in support of the proposed subscription prices.
Reviewing the situation one more time, we realized that since we started this project — which was initially planned as a personal publishing platform — Cargo has rapidly evolved into a lively network of creative people sharing their work with each other.
We’ve decided that it is in the best interest of the collective to eliminate the project restrictions for upgraded memberships. After all, the more work you make available, the more the network stands to benefit.
We have also bundled the currently available upgrades, while optional upgrades in the future may come at an additional cost for reasons we will clearly explain when the time comes. For now our first priority is to continue developing Cargo and add features that will allow for increased interaction between networks.
As mentioned in our previous letter, our main goal is to establish a financial model that will allow us to sustain our ongoing development — we couldn’t do that without people like yourselves and for this reason we’re applying a one-time 50% discount to your subscription fee.
Free basic service will include:
• Cloud hosting
• 12 Projects, 3 Pages (up to 100MB)
• 10 Cargo Designs
• Edit CSS
Upgraded membership
Annual: $66/year
($33 with 50% beta discount)
or Monthly: $9/month
Upgraded membership includes:
• Unlimited Projects and Pages (up to 6GB)
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Advanced Editing (Edit CSS and add HTML)
• Custom URL
• All Cargo Designs