Horse and Hound website - VIP section

Do you subscribe to the VIP section on the H+H website?


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numptynoelle

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I'm going to try to add a poll to this, bear with! :eek3:

Does anyone subscribe to the VIP section of the Horse and Hound website - http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/exclusive/ :confused3:

Is it worth the £30 per year? I know there's a free trial, but I have yet to meet anyone who has actually taken it up! :wink3:

Anyone got any views about it?

*wonders if this will get moved somewhere else* :tongue3:
 

numptynoelle

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You can only read the articles in that section if you've paid to do so... :rolleyes3: (but I've noticed some of them become available to the mere mortals after a few days).

Seemed a bit of a pointless venture to me, just wondered if anyone else had any experience of it :smile3:
 

Dizzy socks

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Well...I might have, ahem, been able to read them fine without subscribing. Not that I do. But, knowing that I can kinda takes away any thought of paying for it.
 

MyDogIsAnIdiot

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Well...I might have, ahem, been able to read them fine without subscribing. Not that I do. But, knowing that I can kinda takes away any thought of paying for it.

This, basically. The bit designed to cover the article only ever covers the top picture(s) so if you scroll down it's easy to read the article ;).

I only ever read Hovis really so would think that H&H VIP would be a waste of money.
 

Capriole

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No, had seen the VIP heading when I was clicking on the co-buy link (dead end page) but hadn't taken any notice of it and didn't know what it was. I did find a products page somewhere while I was clicking, that was interesting...looks like its been there years and I'd never found it before.

If its just articles I shall carry on as I was before and forget it is there, lol.
 

numptynoelle

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A ha, there would appear to be a difference in what content is blocked, depending on the browser you use. I've just tested it with IE, Firefox and Chrome, with mixed results. I'd originally viewed it through Firefox. Interesting!

Thanks for your views folks, and thank you to those six kind people congratulating me on my massive achievement :wink3:

IE just blocked the top, Firefox blocked the whole page for me and Chrome just crashed :redface3:
 

Queenbee

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No, however, I did once click on an article that came up in google search, it opened then you get chucked out... if you are quick you can screenshot the article ;) not that I ever would ;) ;)
 

TGM

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I've not subscribed but noticed some of the info available to VIPs only can be found free from other sources after a quick google!
 

numptynoelle

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Thanks all - we're at 89.2% No (n=37), which I think is really interesting. You might suppose that the users on here (technologically adept, horsey, houndy etc) would be a prime audience for this sort of targeted website approach, but obviously is not the case! It may have something to do with the money aspect, but it just makes me wonder if they ran any sort of market research before launching it? I think LJR has a point that if it were truly unique material that could not be got from other sources (or a sneaky google :wink3:) then there may be a case for charging, but I'd be really interested to see if this venture is even slightly profitable, and on what basis they considered there was sufficient demand. Have to admit, I have no marketing experience, just a humble scientist :tongue3: but it seems a bit counterproductive to me.

Just a random Sunday pondering from me :smile3:

(oh and my grandmother always told me "Self praise is nae praise at all" - so that's why I need you lot to make me feel special :wink3:)
 

TGM

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? I think LJR has a point that if it were truly unique material that could not be got from other sources (or a sneaky google :wink3:) then there may be a case for charging, but I'd be really interested to see if this venture is even slightly profitable

I think this is a key point, if published material is truly unique then some people will pay for it (I have subscribed to a couple of sites on that basis) but regurgitating material from other free sources is not a way to attract and retain paying subscribers!
 

Capriole

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I don't know, NN, but I'm clearly not the only forum user that hadn't heard of it.

Just looking at the headings on this page you wouldn't know it's there, like that other section I mentioned, and others. I just had a read of some of the articles and I'm not tempted to spend money on it.


I know this website/forum is going from bad to worse in the falling-apart stakes, but if it's not made more obvious that it's there and what it is, only people clicking about the forum who will find it. And those who have seen whatever adverts there might have been that some of us seem to have missed.
 

numptynoelle

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Oooh, just read my previous post back to myself, apologies for all the clunky grammar in there - fingers were typing faster than my brain was thinking! Still, I think you all got my meaning!

No need to apologise tankgirl1, you're just adding to my argument! Capriole too, I think we can definitely agree you're not alone!

Maybe there's a sticky somewhere about it on here that I missed, but I don't think I've seen any real advertising for it (hence it piqued my interest when I came across the VIP section.) I also wondered what happened to the co-buy deals, I guess they weren't financially viable to run in the long-term? It's a bit odd that the link to the co-buys is just dead though!

I will admit I am not a huge fan of the H+H website layout in general - it seems very clunky and the ads/links at the top of the page take up most of the space on my iPad screen (currently on my desktop so no real issues), so I can see how things may get lost. The tendency for the articles to appear like Buzzfeed-esque clickbait is also rather lazy journalism (in my opinion) especially when you compare the information offered on other sites, such as the e-venting site (I have no affiliation, just really like the site) for free and isn't run by professional journalists.

I guess it's just rather frustrating! Is it wrong, or at least misguided/naive of me to think this way?
 
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hcm88

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I can also view the articles without having to subscribe, it only blocks the top image! (I'm on Safari on a mac) I wouldn't pay for it anyway but certainly no point now...
 

numptynoelle

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You know, I am almost tempted to send this thread to the H+H staff - it's a small sample size, but I think they might be interested in the lack of awareness and positivity on here about it all. Probably tell me to booger off and mind my own business, but I'm a big girl, I can take it :wink3:
 

dianchi

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I have a paper subscription and its all in there anyway,

When I last pointed out the VIP comes free after a few days on fb, H&H went mental saying I was a liar and that it never ever happens!
 

ester

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If I have been really been interested when they put a link of fb (not that often!) I haven't had an issue reading it without paying :p.
 
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