I mean individual star sites that have the star's name in the domain name. I guess this question could extend to all pay sites.
Aside from all the usual questions, like is the star actually "involved" with the site, I also wonder, Who joins these sites at the rates they charge?
They all seem to want at least 25 dollars/month. If I have five or ten favorite stars with their own sites, that adds up to a hefty monthly price tag. I can't choose just one star, so I end up joining none! It's not 1992 anymore -- there are many more performers now.
I noticed that some star pay sites don't last long -- I'm guessing they couldn't attract enough customers. Maybe if the monthly price went down, thousands, even tens of thousands, of paying customers would step up.
If they all lowered their charge to a modest fee -- like a few dollars or less -- wouldn't they get more business? And then more fans could afford to join, maybe even multiple sites.
I haven't join any sites of pornstars myself. I like general sites better with various pornstars. Also because I haven't seen pornstar sites with a lot of exclusive material. Most of the videos they have are from DVD's they were in, not shot exclusive for their site. Also because of their schedule most of them don't have a lot of updates.
After long cogitation I just did! I paid 40 USD for 3 months non-rebilling membership of Dita von Teese's site. She has lots of stuff shot only for her members, and, most importantly, I'm now in a queue for a pair of her used knickers [:P)]. These come (cum?) with a smudge of her lipstick applied..[:P)]..or so they say.
I was a member of a site that included TeenTopanga, April, Trixie, Summer, Chloe and those unctous twins. Only the twins did hardcore, the others were totally nude and included masturbation and girl/girl. The quality and imagination of the videos were awful, and there was a sameness to the galleries, most of which you can find for free around and about the Internet if you have time and patience. Great looking girls, though.
I find many of the non-nude internet models far more of a turn-on than hardcore porn. NextDoor Nikki with her huge natural tits is a teasing superstar. Megan QT is also awesome. You really don't have to join their sites, as free stuff abounds. I think I once saw a topless shot of Nikki, but I didn't download it and can't find it anymore, if it ever existed. A nonnude model going first time topless, is kind of like first time anal in hardcore.
If I had to choose between a XXX Jessica Simpson site for $39.95 or a Jenna Jameson or Janine Lindemulder site for $19.95 I think I'd go with the Jessica Simpson site. I'd even choose a XXX Suzanne Somers site over the Jenna and Janine sites.
[Link]
The Dude Deactivated User
In the Sex Palace 228 Posts 2/06
Posted - Mar 5 2006 : 5:25PM
Im not personally into pay site, i mean if i want to pay i usually buy a DVD, and even there i rarely pay the full price, it try to get them used at 15$ or buy the compilation that turn around 10$. When it come to internet i search free clips. I don`t want to give my credit card number for a website, because lets face it for a website when you join its cool there lot of hot stuff but in your month there you can see about all the stuff...and if new stuff come only at the rate of 1 scene per week...that don`t make a lot of new stuff so bottom line you usually join for only a month but they want you to keep your membership so they renew membership at the end of the month, so you have to manually cancel it and all , well really a lot of probleme. I will never join a website personally, exept maybe if he propose some very special stuff but not usual pornstar action.
If i want a specific movie i buy it, if i want random sex action i can rent at the video store 2 movie for 4$ so...
BUT sure if Jessica Simpson or any actress that look hot would go hardcore for 1 scene exclusif and sell it on internet, damn i would buy it its sure. But i won`t pay for a pornstar i can see in a bunch of movies etc
Edited by - The Dude on 3/5/2006 5:26:25 PM
Mod:
Let's keep the P2P discussion out of it, ok? I removed that bit for you.
I joined a site that has lots of series to choose from. Instead of $34.95 month I chose a flat 1 year for $99.95-that's less than a 3 month charge. (No underwear included.)
Oddly, some aren't even in sheer clothing. Some really push the definition of 'Non Nude' as they are in very sheer clothing, fishnet tops, etc. And they just do a bunch of poses. A lot of money to be made there.
I don't join sites but I'll read their journals if they have one. I've read some real hilarious ones. With all respect to Tabitha Stevens who I love she had an entry where she consoled her brother over the loss of his dog. In the next entry she thanked Howard Stern for being so cool. In the next entry she told everyone she was going to blow Ron Jeremy. She was all over the place.
As a cheap guy, no, I don't join _anything_ not even $4.99 trial memberships though once upon a time I was pretty close to joining DavidLynch.com to see Naomi Watts in a rabbit costume*.
*for those intrigued, no you don't see her face, it was a full-body enclosed-head Disneyworld type of costume, meaning it could've been anybody standing in there with Naomi Watts doing the voice-over in post, which I think was part of the point Lynch was trying to make.
I've occasionally joined single-girl sites in the past:
1. Tawnee Stone - shame she only did a few b/g scenes. 2. Christine Young - she only did a few dvds and I like her relaxed attitude as she does her own stuff. 3. Decibelle - I have a thing for French brunettes and she had an Alizee-impersonation angle that I liked (Alizee is a Corsican-French singer).
I'd have joined Maya Hills' site if she hadn't retired so soon. I like twins so I might join the Milton Twins.
It mostly depends on originality or exclusivity. I wouldn't join to get clips from old movies.
What I really don't get is when hardcore stars have a website and don't do any hardcore on it! Like Kimmie Cream... great girl but I'd never join just to see her do posing and toys after I've seen her gagging on a bunch of cocks and getting fucked on DVD. Same with French-Canadian cutie Sherry/Cherry/Cheri(etc.) Potter, I first saw her getting gangbanged on HerFirstGangbang, then she appeared on DVD doing one-on-one scenes and then she started her own website mainly posing and masturbating. That's the reverse order!
I'm a cheap guy too but I would be willing to join sites as long as they were affordable enough that I could join several.
I think stars being able to bring in the bucks for themselves is a good thing. But my point is that it seems the typical membership rate is unrealistic when you have so many sites. I think a whole new market of customers would step up if the average monthly fee dropped to a couple of dollars.
I try to put as much free stuff as I can and info on my site so people who don't want to pay can get enough to keep them happy. The ones who do pay of course get all the real hardcore action. www.jeweldenyle.net
I've joined a few pornstar websites in the past, but most of them are pretty lame. As an amateur fan, I enjoy seeing the more homemade type of content rather than the glammed up stuff some of the models do but when all is said and done, I get bored pretty easily just seeing the same girl.
What I hate most is joining a site of a model and all she has in her member's area are various photos from the companies she's worked for. That's incredibly lame.
Anyway, I'll join a site here and there if one catches my eye. As a webmaster myself I also like to see what the others are doing to make sure my sites are keeping up with the jones'
I prefer sites that update OBSESSIVELY ... and offer content that can't be made easily available in regular porn videos. Lately, I've been checking out sexandsubmission, and I was all psyched for the sexbox site but there were too many technical problems so it was a total waste of my $35.
I agree with Porn Addict that you want to see something a little different, whether it's a raw, amateur edge (lower tech quality but hotter reality) or whatever sick twisted fetish you require to achieve sexual fulfillment because you're so jaded and dead inside ... just kidding.
I actually have been most loyal to sites like Burning Angel, which generally are not penetrative sex just girly stuff, but it's hotter after watching a million gang bang scenes.
I freaking love punk type chicks! There's a few girls on Suicide Girls that definitely turn me on, too! I'd love to do a site based around those types of girls but a little more raw/hardcore.
For a change of pace, I've found Inthecrack.com to be a nice option. You don't have to necessarily subscribe to the site, unless you want access to the stills gallery (which it "does" appear to have some rather well taken images) but if your mainly interested in videos, you simply register, then browse the the selection of clips (available in complete DVD format as well), each one, ranging from a couple minutes, up to possibly 12-13 mins, and priced accordingly. Each is carefully described of what the content involves, with a small selection of preview stills of the overall movie, and theres a new girl, every couple weeks. It specializes in sharp crisp imagery, zooming to tremendously close macro shots of either ass or vag. Never with dick however. Its more of a POV oriented, you and the model affair, and no dialog. The plus? Extraordinary women, and superb imagery, if you happen to appreciate this type of camera work.
I'm somewhat selective in which ones I choose, because you do pay a premium in price, but the close up shots are the closest thing to being there, short of being there.
Jewel, Your website is a very good example how a website should be done. Every new starlet who wants to put up a website should first take a look at yours.
I have only one suggestion. Write some personal thoughts on your favourite films. Your filmography is really long and it would be great if we could click the titles of your favourite films to get an idea of what you think of it.
[Link]
Eric381 Deactivated User
What are you looking at? It 2452 Posts 3/05
Posted - Mar 12 2006 : 12:38AM
Yes, but just like any business venture - not a "fan" site - they are in it to make money. When I pay $300/month to maintain something (ie - website), I'd like to make at least $600/month to soak up the costs. That means that I have to sell twenty-four $25/month subscriptions.
If I decide to lower that rate to a "modest fee of a few dollars" (which is what, $15/month for the sake of math?)...I know have to sell 40 subscriptions each month.
Granted, my numbers are just being used as an example. Just so you understand that if the numbers aren't being met for $25/month...what makes you think they are going to be met taking a few $$ off the monthly sub price? You also have to deal with the piracy issues of today, which devalues ANY sites worth & it's content. So, IMHO, it's mosre cost effective to have 24 subs sold then having 40 people trying to "give away" your content on KaZaa or other file-sharing sites for free.
Croy, I got into the topless/non-nude genre quite often, where subs most often hovered around the $20/month (or 3 months for $45). I agree with Ramsey however, I'll subscribe to sites like ALS Scan, FTV Girls, and Glamour Models Gone Bad simply because of the variety.
What if you could sell 4 thousand subscriptions? Actually, I really do mean "a few" dollars, like two or three bucks. I'm mainly talking about single-performer sites devoted to that performer. I don't advocate lowballing people who are in business to make money -- adult performers should be able to go straight to their fans to reap a profit. I'm just wondering if prices went down, would customers increase in number?
Assuming a reasonably well known star (not even a real big one) has thousands of fans, then wouldn't a price reduction be offset by the exponential increase in clients? Is that too optimistic a picture?
Speaking for myself, I just can't justify spending twenty five bucks a month for one star's site -- but I could justify spending a few bucks per site for-- who knows? --as many as ten sites.... Maybe there are others who never join performers' sites who feel the same way, a vast untapped revenue pool.
I have on the rare occasion joined a couple paysites. For example I have joined the Savanna Samson site, (before she hooked up with Vivid), and the Kira Reed site. Savanna was to see her in hardcore action that you couldn't find anywhere else at the time and Kira for the same reason which remains that way till this day for her. So, in this case it really was beneficial. I mean what's the difference in me paying 20 bucks seeing them do hardcore on their website or paying 20 bucks to buy their hardcore movie? If that's the only way to see it then so be it. If Beverly Lynne decides to go hardcore but only on her website yea, I'd pony up the bucks to see it.
Kimi Lixx,Julie Night,Tina Tyler and then everyone else.
I saw numbers like that a while ago, but recently poked around out of curiousity. I thought it was funny that some of the more successful non-nude models charge more than hardcore sites. I think Next Door Nikki is $35 to start and $30 each month after. Or that there are some successful NN webmasters with many popular babes, though each has a different rate. I assume that has to do with popularity. The more popular one probably takes a larger cut or they go off on their own.
Because you obviously are obsessive about a person, and not your current girlfriend but someone you've probably only seen in pictures. Doesn't sound too healthy to me that's all, sort of like Eminem's 'Stan'. If all the free stuff out there isn't enough, then it's gotten quite far.
Actually most of the so-called "free stuff" is illegal product.
I don't think giving away membership for cheap is the right way. Because that would imply the content is cheap.
I think the right biz model is a free site with lots of information for people who wouldn't join a site anyway because they prefer to buy DVDs and an exclusive pay site for people who prefer to buy contents online.
Most girls see the free area of their site only as a sneak peek for potential members. I think that's the wrong way. Putting up a real free site like Jewel did pays of in the long run, because it helps to increase DVD sells.
[Link]
Eric381 Deactivated User
What are you looking at? It 2452 Posts 3/05
Posted - Mar 12 2006 : 1:54PM
Because, quite simple...you're not going to get that volume (in comparative numbers) when people can go to askjolene.com, freeones.com, etc. for photos...or various other file-sharing networks for video content.
When it's discovered that subscribers can outsource the way they get content,...the 4,000 members shrinks to half that (2,000)...then a quarter (1,000), until it's not worth putting out new content, b/c some creep is reaping your work & sharing it with the world. You're "exponential increase" is unfortunately offset these days by internet piracy. Again, I don't have exact figures, but just the sheer number of fans SHARING ripped DVD content on the star's Yahoogroups would make me consider charging $20/month (or more) as well. Keep in mind, those sites most worthy of $20/month subs will often have ample amounts of content to keep woody happy.
And again, since my numbers were just meant for example, not an actual figure...take into consideration that the larger the site gets, the more bandwidth you'll need & more capacity to store your videos/photos, etc.
Sure, just like anything...when the price of goods goes down, the demand increases. When the demand runs out, what do you then? Now you're depending on the fact that the same 4,000 subscribers are going to support the site at $3/month (which is an absolutely ridiculous figure considering the time & effort gone into building such a web home). Do you raise the price, and if so...by how much?
Just get over it...the pay sites charge what they do for a reason. Either support them, or find other outlets for your money. But to whine about something like this that is out of your control is pathetic. Perhaps you should take on the task of finding a girl who is open to such web work, and see how much money you both make when you charge only $3/month for subscriptions.
The only other suggestion I'd give is purchase ONE star's subscription for 3-months at a time, as others have suggested as well. You'll still be paying on average about $15/month, but I've found it's a much easier way to determine if the site is ever worth returning to. If you're trying to subscribe to 3,4...or 10 star's sites each month alone? Well...you have a little too much time on your hands.
Speaking as someone who used to support at least one pay site each month (or every 3 months) for about 2-3 years...
~E
Edited by - eric381 on 3/12/2006 2:58:16 PM
[Link]
Eric381 Deactivated User
What are you looking at? It 2452 Posts 3/05
Posted - Mar 12 2006 : 2:07PM
Yes Croy, it seems this lil' hunnie has gotten her share of "demand" even when she was still cheap. Seeing that her videos are relatively short in nature, and non-hardcore, that didn't interest me. Her photosets are the big draw here, AFAIC, b/c it's all tease displaying her huge mams & edible tushie.
The problem with such a site is she's part of the Phil Flash Cash program. As likely his most popular model, I wouldn't be surprised to see her take a bit of the pie home. However, he & other webbies in this genre have been known to take advantage of their "models". That said, in order for her to get what she wants out of the site...and Phil to get what he wants, they probably had to increase the subscription price.
I remember paying $25/20 month, or $50 for 3 months (or thereabouts) "back in the day" for NextDoorNikki.com. Take notice, she doesn't have a multi-month pass. The multi-month deals also seem to trigger the end of such a website (see below). Another Phil Flash cutie, MeganQT.com, also demands $35/30 month now. The problem herein lies that most of the photography belongs to Phil Flash, and that if the girls go off on their own, they will have to start anew. This was a recent blowout with the TaylorTwins.com website ~ whereas apparently the girls & Phil couldn't meet midway on their next contract. From what I can tell, "Mr. Flash" lives a rather elaborate lifestyle based on his web skills & "cash" programs. He's got a gift there, I'll give him that.
FWIW, unless you're looking for archived content in the NN genre, stay away from Puredee.com ~ the site has taken a downhill turn completely, no 4 updates/week or anything these days. It used to be, but me thinks the webmaster is working off the last of what content he has stored...and then will shut the site down.
Gunzo & Juha...sometimes the "free stuff" is actually cash programs at work, but I'm no expert on that. I will say that many times the "free stuff" is very limited, esp. if there is a particular set I wish to see in it's entirety. Does that make a stalker? I sure hope not...considering my thigh-high fetish, which was the reason I frequented many of the NN sites.
Collecting is cute when it's about stamps, but when it's about people I find it sick, people decorating their entire home with Elvis and such... it sends chills down my spine and people like that probably do have some kind of stalker gene
Well if they can get it, they have earned it. If the models can't read a contract or think ahead, they aren't ready for buisness. Those are the breaks, though I sympathize. I assume by taking advantage, you mean buisness-wise.
Yeah, I see the draw of any NN site as being the photosets. I haven't heard of really high quality video. It surprises me how many models I don't find that attractive though.
Eric381, is this true of the other Spunky Productions sites? I don't check out Pure Dee, but I fly by the Kate's Playground website to look at the Previews. The updates have been less frequent.
Since you were a member of the Next Door Nikki website, how large are the video files? I've thought of joining.
I haven´t paid for any pornstar-sites, i have won membership on a couple of sites (Terri Summers & Crissy Moran) but it´s nothing i would pay for since most of these sites mainly contains images and very few or low quality videos.
Incidentally, I'm single, anyway. But I take it that you do watch porn. And you're telling us that when you make choices about what to buy or rent, who is in the movies makes no difference to you? Because I see no big moral difference between joining a paysite of one of your favorite porn girls and watching a movie because one of your favorite girls is in the movie. Sure, people can take take it too far. But the other extreme, and viewing all the performers as completely replaceable and not caring one iota when girls leave the business just seems cold to me. In consuming porn, I like to have a few girls that I have some idea who they are instead of watching a constantly changing parade of pretty faces.
I have never been a member of an LA-based girl's own paysite, anyway. The ones that I have looked at just seemed like they were too expensive for what you'd actually get, so I haven't ever joined. I have joined Sweet Amylee's site before, but you also get access to a bunch of other Montreal based girls' sites and some of Peter North's and Lex's old scenes as well. So basically I had gotten a membership to the whole network, and the fact that I was officially a member of Amylee's site was just a technicality. I've been a member of ClubSandy before, but that's more than a star's personal paysite. Sandy may be in more updates on that site than any other girl, but she is still in less than a third of that site's updates. It has only been in the last few months that I have joined a site where one girl is in half or more of the site's total sets, and that's Mya Diamond's site.
I'm single too, and the girls in movies does make a diffirence, but I never obsess about one girl... I enjoy some girls more then others but I don't 'hunt down' titles featuring those girls. I buy based on distributor and director mostly... and the male cast is often more important than the female because I want the girls to be treated 'right'.
I do not join sites because they make it way way way too difficult to cancel. My buddy went through hell and back to cancel from a very popular site (I want to but I won't name) I also do not believe in the term non-recurring because they screw you and I can not believe that any site updates enough to make it worth it month after month. Honestly how long does it take to go through one site's entire content? I would love to know...a week maybe? Then what are you left with? A shakedown webmaster with a pimp-like attitude for your money.
A long time ago I was a member of Danni Ashe's site and Rodney Moore's site. Both got emptied during summer breaks from college. And they are both very heavy sites.
I loved it! But I took them for all they were worth. No sane person would've spent that much time downloading.
But at that time, I didn't download movies cuz I had dialup. Now if I joined, I'd have all these movies to download. They'd have me for more than a month, I can tell you that.
But then...DVD's are higher quality than downloads. So it's better and cheaper to just rent. Or to download all the free clips and play them all in a row to get one hot movie.
ultimate surrender is the only site next to belladonna and Keeani Lei's sites that i have joined.... i liked that i could join and 6 months and then i wont be charged again i hate all these we will countiue to charge you forever... sites to me should give more pay options .... as for star sites i feel some just dont have enough content to keep fans happy its nice to join a site that has more girls i was thinking of joining juliland.com it has tons of girls and videos and stuff lots fo content and i like its more than one girl ......
Lisa Sparxxx has a pretty nice site BUT all her videos are clips from her movies on DVD. They're not shot exclusive for her website and that's the one thing I'm looking for when I join a site. I mean I'm not gonna watch a clip on my small monitor when I can watch it at higher quality on my big screen tv.
Same for pics, I don't care much for shots taken from movies, I want to see exclusive sets taken for the website only and even then a lot of girls take very low res pics like 80 hex 600 or sometimes even smaller. With all the great cameras out there these days I want to see pics at the highest quality and big pics like 160 hex 1200 or something. And of course various sets with different themes like people who have a foot-fetish, butt-fetish etc.
I've never had any trouble cancelling. I mean, you cancel through the billing company such as CCBill.com anyway, not through the website itself. I've more recently had the problem of having bought a membership non-recurring and then I forgot that it was non-recurring, so it was a surprise when one day I tried to get on and couldn't. I'll buy another membership eventually, but not just yet. I have more expereience with European websites that update daily, and if the site has existed for two years before you join it takes some time to look at and save what you want from 730 updates, while they keep adding another update every day. Of course, I'll grant you that these are not single girl sites, and they will have a lot of solo masturbation and girl/girl photos and videos, as well as the boy/girl, anal, and dp stuff, so if you're bored with solo and girl/girl stuff you'd not be interested in half the updates. And oh yeah, some of those best scenes do end up on DVD, but they were posted on the paysite first, and downloads are DRM free. I have been wary of single girl sites myself, because I to am not sure if they are really updated enough to be worth it. But some single girl sites will be part of a network, so even if one site updates only occasionally, there will always be something new on the other sites. I was a member of the Brain Pass network that way once. And the website that expired on me because I forgot that my membership was non-recurring has the feature girl in half of the updates, and other girls in about the other half.