Online and Mail Order, Annual Card Sales and Renewals

[RandyC]

Here is an idea.

Online membership renewal and sales

Step 1. The region gets a paypal address. Simple to do, many businesses offer paypal as an option. That allows the membership to pay via paypal, or use their own credit cards, without having to deal with the standard merchant account hassles. Transfer of funds from the paypal account to the region's bank account is a simple click on the paypal site and has no cost to the region to do. Cost to the region is around 3% for fees for money received.

Step 2. Let people handle the cards online. A simple web page that shows which numbers are available still, which ones are up for renewal, which ones are paid for and not available. Basically show 999 numbers, or even more if needed, with a status assigned to each one... and a link to renew the number if presently being used, or a link to purchase the number if it is not being used. Payment would be by paypal.

Step 3. Allow mail in checks for cards. Like we do now for renewals. Allow people to mail in the checks for new cards also, with the understanding that card numbers may get taken. They should fill out a form and select a secondary number if the first one is gone. The website would be updated to reflect these numbers as they get assigned.

Notes:
New card sales will always be the same amount, no SCCA discount because there is no way to verify this. Everyone would pay $30 for a new card. Renewals are always the same amount, everyone would be $10 for a renewal.

Impact:
The fees could be calculated, but it should be around a couple hundred dollars in total annual paypal fees if everyone did this. What is not known is how many people would use paypal, vs a check sent in the postal mail, or directly in person at an event. Since a good number of people will not use the online paypal method, the actual fees could be a lot less.

What is also not known, is how much more revenue might be generated because it would be easy for people to send in payment for a number. There could be some people that otherwise might not register for events.

The other area of impact is on labor, but it is really not new labor, as much as spreading the work from one place to another. There is a little difference in how accounting is done...with perhaps some savings in time because there will be less cash sales and face to face sales. Paypal is easy for accounting because it spits out all the reports automatically.

There would be a little more work for the web site guy, but I am willing to do that in order to move us as a region into the 1980s. :p I would volunteer to keep up the website side of the numbers...or could have someone else handle it pretty easily.

There would be a lot less work at the event registration if less people were trying to get and renew card numbers which will make life easier for the clubs.

Thoughts?

[frosty]

I like the idea in concept.

How I'd really use it:
I don't have paypal. Since I've never needed it, I've never gotten it. If all I can do is renew my card, it'll be just as easy to write a check and mail it.

If I could register for events (as in, practice events), or there was special circumstances (like registering a friend so he can pre-register for a practice event), then I would get the paypal account and use it (and probably use it from there on).

[freshspecbluegt]

....in order to move us as a region into the 1980s. :p


Off Topic but whatever happened to online registration for events and/or the nifty barcode reader to speed up registration, get rid of filling out cards every event etc?

As for online card sales, I think it might help first timers and people from other regions who take advantage of it. One less thing to do at registration.

As for renewals I'm in favor of anything that eliminates writing checks.

[George Schilling]

Thumbs up Randy. I think it will also encourage greater participation from new people as well as being easier for old farts like myself. The current system discourages newcomers which is short sighted at best. Being more user friendly is a good thing. This would be a step in the right direction.

[RandyC]

I don't have paypal. Since I've never needed it, I've never gotten it. If all I can do is renew my card, it'll be just as easy to write a check and mail it.

I think that you can use paypal without being a paypal member, if you just choose to buy something with a credit card. Paypal then only serves as the merchant, taking your card and charging it, and transferring the funds (less fees) to the person you bought services from.

[RandyC]

Thumbs up Randy. I think it will also encourage greater participation from new people as well as being easier for old farts like myself. The current system discourages newcomers which is short sighted at best. Being more user friendly is a good thing. This would be a step in the right direction.

Yep. Old business rule, don't make it hard for your customers to pay you. :)

[RandyC]

Off Topic but whatever happened to online registration for events and/or the nifty barcode reader to speed up registration, get rid of filling out cards every event etc?

Good question. I think those ideas were put on the back burner while we were struggling to get the computer system working, as in laptops talking to each other, people trained on entering the data, etc. Did not make sense to make it more complicated. From an event management point of view, everyone filling out cards is not more work for the registration people. :)


I would like to think we can soon revisit these ideas. The software is capable of reading barcodes and we should be able to start doing online registration.

[barkingspyder]

A few regions have been using this (http://www.dlbracing.com/services/) for online registration and seem to like it.

[vantage]

MotorsportReg.com (http://www.motorsportreg.com/) is another such service. I do not know how much it costs.

I do like the idea of being able to buy cards/memberships by mail. It might make things a little less hectic in the mornings of events and more cards might be sold. Though only the volunteers really know what would make it easier for them.

As an aside, the LA region definitely needs online registration so we don't have to FedEx our entry forms for practice days.

- Justin

[RandyC]

One complication in terms of using an outside service, is that we have 5 clubs that all operate on their own. Separate money. Separate ideas about how things should work. Not everyone will buy into a service, if the service costs anything.

Selling annual membership cards is an easier proposal to float because it affects the region's money and if it makes the club's work easier, I would think most people would be in favor of it.

So I think the focus for online registration, has to be baby steps. Can we just get the people registered and have the database transfer into our software?

If it was solely up to me, I would be happy to pay $50 to have someone else administer this.

[MX5bob]

MotorsportReg.com (http://www.motorsportreg.com/) is another such service. I do not know how much it costs.

I do like the idea of being able to buy cards/memberships by mail. It might make things a little less hectic in the mornings of events and more cards might be sold. Though only the volunteers really know what would make it easier for them.

As an aside, the LA region definitely needs online registration so we don't have to FedEx our entry forms for practice days.

- Justin

We have online registration for championships. The reason it isn't used for practices is to allow those who don't have regular computer access a shot at entry.

The reason you have to Fedex your practice entry is because our practices are oversubscribed. We could increase the number of practice days by 50% and we'd probably still turn people away. Even the Friday after Thanksgiving was a sell out.

[froggy47]

We have online registration for championships. The reason it isn't used for practices is to allow those who don't have regular computer access a shot at entry.

The reason you have to Fedex your practice entry is because our practices are oversubscribed. We could increase the number of practice days by 50% and we'd probably still turn people away. Even the Friday after Thanksgiving was a sell out.


Of the 60 lucky souls who get in, how many are fedex vs. usps (on the avg)?

[vantage]

The reason you have to Fedex your practice entry is because our practices are oversubscribed. We could increase the number of practice days by 50% and we'd probably still turn people away. Even the Friday after Thanksgiving was a sell out.

Definitely a good problem to have! I understand that in either case, people will be turned away. Increasing the practice days by 50%...is this for arguments sake or a possibility? In the end, I realize it's impossible to please everyone, so I emphathize with organizers of any event.

- Justin

[RandyC]

Of the 60 lucky souls who get in, how many are fedex vs. usps (on the avg)?

Or the people that just drive over and drop off the registration and a check. :)

[Bimota Guy]

Or the people that just drive over and drop off the registration and a check. :)
What a sneaky thing to do... :eek: :p ;)

[MX5bob]

Definitely a good problem to have! I understand that in either case, people will be turned away. Increasing the practice days by 50%...is this for arguments sake or a possibility? In the end, I realize it's impossible to please everyone, so I emphathize with organizers of any event.

- Justin

Probably not quite 50%, which would be 6 or 7 more, but there should be more practice days this year. A couple of clubs picked up 2-day practices at tonight's committee meeting.

[CNaylor]

We have online registration for championships. The reason it isn't used for practices is to allow those who don't have regular computer access a shot at entry.

The only problem with this answer is its contradictory to itself. A person without "regular computer access" wont be checking every hour to see if a practice will be posted to be the first one in the mail, fedex, drive to reciepients home.

[frosty]

The only problem with this answer is its contradictory to itself. A person without "regular computer access" wont be checking every hour to see if a practice will be posted to be the first one in the mail, fedex, drive to reciepients home.

It isn't contradictory if people recieve them in the mail before the flyer is posted online.

[RandyC]

Correct. In the case of the SCAT flyer, Steve posted he had mailed out the flyers in snail mail... and did not send the electronic flyer to me until 3 days later. I know.. I was waiting impatiently. :)

P.S. Nothing will ever be 100% fair. Not everyone checks the computer even each day. Some people might log on once a week. Your postal service might vary. But at some point, I think the region should recognize that 98% of the user base does have online access. Even the old farts. And if not now, at some point, that number will increase. Do we still insist on waiting until 1 or 2 people have the snail mail.

[frosty]

I bet those without access will get access if they want to do practices enough and were unable through snail mail.

I'm glad our club isn't so oversized that we have to be driving to the SCAT member's home to drop off the checks the day the flyer goes up. Granted, this is my opinion (and I have yet to volunteer for something, so my voice on work-load related things carries less weight).

[MX5bob]

The only problem with this answer is its contradictory to itself. A person without "regular computer access" wont be checking every hour to see if a practice will be posted to be the first one in the mail, fedex, drive to reciepients home.

I didn't say it was a good reason, just the one generally given.

Can't talk about stuff that's mailed in Cal Club because I opted out of receiving anything by mail.

[SoJim]

But at some point, I think the region should recognize that 98% of the user base does have online access. Even the old farts. And if not now, at some point, that number will increase. Do we still insist on waiting until 1 or 2 people have the snail mail.

Define old farts!:confused:

[frosty]

Anyone old enough to remember when Datsuns were hip. :D

[RandyC]

Define old farts!:confused:It would cover three people that have posted in this thread.

The old official Old Fartzdefinition was done by Bob Tunnell I believe, you had to be a minimum 45 years old and had been autocrossing for at least 10 years. Or something like that.

[barkingspyder]

Define old farts!:confused:

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/woodsmithstore/wall-mirror-plan-80077b.jpg
;)

[frosty]

I don't get it. Maybe I'm just that far from being an Old Fart.

I'm one of those Young Whipper Snappers. :D

[woodrufj]

If you're offended by the term "Old Fart", you're probably an old fart.

Jay W
505/287 Dakota

[woodrufj]

Regarding LA Practices

This is a little old, but I was chair and entry reciever for the T-Day practice. First, there was 80 spots up for grabs, about 70 after we reserved worker spots. I opened the reg on a Thurs night, friday was a mail holiday (veteran's day), so the entrys started pooring in on Monday. About half way through Tuesday the slot were full. Most of Tuesday's mail entrants eventually moved up the waiting list and into the practice. I got 5 fedexed entrys, only 1 of them helped a procrastinator get into the practice. The other 4 would have gotten in with a $.37 stamp.

Now, I wrote all that boring stuff to make a few points. Almost anyone who sent thier entries Fri, Sat, Sun or Monday USPS first class got in the practice. From San Diego, maybe lop one day off.

It is competitive, but not nearly as much as people think. I noticed that the people who complain about never making it into the practice are the ones who wait several days to send their entries. I never show favortism, but the same people always get in my practices, and that's because the same people know they have to send their entries on the first day or two, and a $.39 stamp will do fine.

I've made it into any practice I've ever wanted to get into, and I've never been given a special 'spot'.

Jay W
505/287 Dakota

Of the 60 lucky souls who get in, how many are fedex vs. usps (on the avg)?

The reason you have to Fedex your [LA] practice entry is because our practices are oversubscribed. We could increase the number of practice days by 50% and we'd probably still turn people away. Even the Friday after Thanksgiving was a sell out.

[frosty]

I sat on my butt for a couple of days and didn't send mine out until Monday. Tuesday night I got a call saying that my 1st choice group was taken, but was my 2nd choice ok (I'm pretty high up on the list in my 2nd choice group).

Anyone interested had the entire weekend to write a check and stick it in an envelope and drop it in a big blue box.

[froggy47]

Regarding LA Practices

This is a little old, but I was chair and entry reciever for the T-Day practice. First, there was 80 spots up for grabs, about 70 after we reserved worker spots. I opened the reg on a Thurs night, friday was a mail holiday (veteran's day), so the entrys started pooring in on Monday. About half way through Tuesday the slot were full. Most of Tuesday's mail entrants eventually moved up the waiting list and into the practice. I got 5 fedexed entrys, only 1 of them helped a procrastinator get into the practice. The other 4 would have gotten in with a $.37 stamp.

Now, I wrote all that boring stuff to make a few points. Almost anyone who sent thier entries Fri, Sat, Sun or Monday USPS first class got in the practice. From San Diego, maybe lop one day off.

It is competitive, but not nearly as much as people think. I noticed that the people who complain about never making it into the practice are the ones who wait several days to send their entries. I never show favortism, but the same people always get in my practices, and that's because the same people know they have to send their entries on the first day or two, and a $.39 stamp will do fine.

I've made it into any practice I've ever wanted to get into, and I've never been given a special 'spot'.

Jay W
505/287 Dakota

From the cscc forum re: the January practice:

"there were over 60 entries received on the first day. Therefore not even everyone that mailed their check the first day got in. Sorry."

Now it could be that, by chance, I picked the most popular cscc practices to try to get into, that being as it may, I have to conclude, at least from my personal experience, you have 2 or 3 days (or more) to get into an SDR practice and you have (maybe) one day to try to get into a cscc practice.

This is not to argue with my buddy J W for whom I have the highest regard :),

Just posting so that others know how things work between the two regions (and I like both for many different reasons).

I guess I'll try to get into another LA practice and if I do I'll be a man and change my tune. I do ck the two forums daily & have been known to run after the mailman (or drive to the PO) to drop the letter asap. If it comes to overnighting via Fedex or whatever I guess I'll pass.

Say what happens to all those checks that the wait list people send in & don't get into the event? Hope everybody uses a shredder:)

:D