Why TDP isn't and will never be totally free

[sarika2004]

After an overwhelming ammount of topics concerning this issue, I've decided to put up a nice little sticky.

TDP will never be totally free, it could most likely not exist. When you pay for your premium membership you are giving money to keep the site up and running, without the money you pay TDP would be running on donations and they can't normally keep a site as big as TDP supported. To sum it up...

NO MONEY=NO SITE

Any questions or comments feel free to post here ^_^.

[Silver_Wolf_Kitty]

Ah, thank you for this refreshing of our memories Sarika =)

To tack this on, there are a lot of features as standards that they give you without charge. They could just make this a "payment only" type of site, but it has been arranged so people can be standards and enjoy some features for free. It nice what standards have and they need to keep in mind that it might not be that way on other sites.

[JadeRocksHTML]

Why can't TDP make money any other way?

[sarika2004]

They do make money other ways ( http://www.thedollpalace.com/shopping/ ) but that could never make enough money to support a site large as TDP. With premium, people are paying for something that is required in some sections, the other things that are for sale are accessories. If you have any ideas, I'm sure we would all be eager to hear them.

[JadeRocksHTML]

TDP could charge more for commercializing..
They could actually sell more stuff..
Um, charge for doll requests?
ex. if somebody wants a doll base, they could get charged for one..
Um, um, if people have websites TDP could charge to advertise instead of having a free Doll Palace Ring..
Um..this idea is so far fetched that I don't think you'll wanna read it..
Here it is:
They can team up with my dad's company, Nokia.

Nokia and The Doll Palace could like, make cellphones with dolls printed on them or Dolls with realistic cellphones.
People could buy them online.
And they could sell them in stores, Nokia gets part money TDP could get part money.
Yeah I know that idea is soooooo far fetched but if it actually worked there would be no need for premi.
If anybody else has a not far fetched idea, please present it!!
Nokia stocks are going down maybe my idea could prevent that..
Um, that's my far fetched idea.

[sarika2004]

They are good ideas, but how many cellphones can someone have? With premi, every year TDP collects instead of a one time shot with a cell phone.

[JadeRocksHTML]

um, we can have crappy cellphones so they break and they need new ones..?

[bakaneko93]

Thank you very much for making so many of the features on this site free. I would not be having so much fun if you had made it a "Payment only" site.

[Princess_Angel_Cutie_]

If money keeps TDP up,and premium members have to pay,then do standard members have to pay??

[cheetahja94]

Standards do not have to pay.

Only premiums.

And you know, Jade's idea would work, but we would still need premium.

And if the sales went well, we could lower the premium price to 1.50 a month or something...but wouldn't the cell phones have to be large to fit a shuni or a prep doll on it, or would you only use smaller ones?

Another way TDP could make money is a way neopets makes money. Toys and accessories for kids.

Bumper stickers: "Doller for life" with a doll by the side.

Create-A-Scene: Several dolls, a scene, and some things to go in the scene, and littler kids could have fun putting on and taking off those little things and making new scenes. I mean, I enjoy those sometimes.

Puzzles: A puzzle of say, Natalie, or another doll, with a background that fits their personality and appearance, and kids could put together puzzles of their favourite dolls.

I can't think of any other ideas, but even if they started making more items and selling them in stores rather than online, we would still need the premium because there is no guarantee that they will sell enough to completely delete premium.

Like Sarika said, no premium, no site. And seeing how much money they make via premium, and Jessica knows for a fact that she will get the money from the premium, I doubt she would be open enough to go into something that could collapse at any time and stop TDP's income.