What would you use? Need your help.

7 replies
Hey guys, I've been reading for ages on here and have so many questions about my membership site! I would REALLY appreciate your opinions on what you would use in my situation. I truly need help, and can't find the answers via the search function.

I am setting up a membership site - this site is basically a Fitness based continuity program. I will charge $4.95 a month, recurring, and will eventually sell a book ($19.95) as a front end and have Online Personal Training ($299 a month) as a back end product. I am using Optimize Press and Wishlist Member on this site.

The site is closed at the moment and I am trying to integrate payment options and autoresponders before launch. Right now I am integrated with a paypal business account and Mail Chimp for an autoresponder.

Here are my questions:

1. Mail Chimp is free for up to 2,000 subscribers, but I have read horror stories on here about lists being blocked etc because of violation of their terms. I am in the fitness business (weekly workouts and recipes etc) and I don't know if I would be in serious danger of this. Also it has "vitamins and supplements" listed as things that aren't allowed to be sold with Mail Chimp - eventually I would probably want to sell these things and maybe have affiliates which also is a no no with them. Should I switch to Aweber before I start to build a list?

2. Paypal seems fine for my purposes, but when I launch my book I will want a one click upsell for my membership along with the sale. Paypal seems to be a long and complicated process for upsells, yet sites like 1shoppingcart etc are expensive and have flaws as well. If I stick with paypal, then decide to switch to another cart with an upsell option later - will those clients paying with paypal be able to continue paying with paypal(recurring), and I can just have clients from the point of the switch onward pay with the new cart? (Remember I have wishlist member, would switching carts in their system effect the customers already signed with paypal?) I would like to start with paypal, but not if I lose all my members up to the point of the switch. Main Question: For my type of site, should I use a payment option besides paypal from the getgo?

I know this is a long post, but I truly need help or I wouldn't ask, any help is appreciated and you will be helping a guy out who has been researching and worrying for weeks.

Look forward to your responses, and thanks in advance.

Jay
  • Profile picture of the author GetCarved
    Hey guys, if anyone can give me an answer, even to just part of these questions I would really appreciate it.

    Jay
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  • Profile picture of the author Kecia
    1. If you know you will probably be violating Mail Chimp's terms of use, you should probably go ahead and use Aweber or something that will be okay with what you sell. I have had no problems with Aweber, but can't vouch for other list building companies.

    I don't have the answer to #2, sorry.
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    • Profile picture of the author GetCarved
      Originally Posted by Kecia08 View Post

      1. If you know you will probably be violating Mail Chimp's terms of use, you should probably go ahead and use Aweber or something that will be okay with what you sell. I have had no problems with Aweber, but can't vouch for other list building companies.

      I don't have the answer to #2, sorry.

      Thanks so much Kecia, yeah I agree. I don't plan on violating them initially, but there is a chance that I would in the future. I will switch to Aweber before launch I think.

      If anyone has any insight on #2 I'd really appreciate it - may be the same thing - start with something you can use forever instead of something you might have to switch later. Let me know your thoughts.
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  • Profile picture of the author GetCarved
    Thanks guys Aweber it is.

    What I'm really wondering is if I use Paypal as my payment option for recurring billing on wishlist member (members) then switch to 1shoppingcart or another merchant with one click upsells in about a month or so, will I lose the paypal members? I've been told they will keep getting billed by paypal and the new subscribers will be billed by 1shoppingcart. I just don't want to lose the members I get before i switch payment methods.
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    • Profile picture of the author Niky Ray
      I would definitely go for AWeber. You want to play safe here!
      Sorry, but i don't have a clue on switching payment processors.
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