Patreon new fee

DaScoot

Member
Game Developer
Jul 8, 2017
238
252
As a patreon dev, I've been thinking of maybe adding a bulk payment option to cut down on fees - ie, sub $6 and I'll email you $1 tier rewards for 6 months, $12 and I'll send you the $2 rewards, etc. That way the number of fees someone would pay would be cut down by 5/6. It's a bigger pain in the ass for me though since it means I'd have to track everyone's emails and payment dates in a spreadsheet or something (and god help me if I mess up that file). Is that something people here would consider doing for their pledges?
 

Mwanted

Well-Known Member
Oct 1, 2017
1,219
1,402
As a patreon dev, I've been thinking of maybe adding a bulk payment option to cut down on fees - ie, sub $6 and I'll email you $1 tier rewards for 6 months, $12 and I'll send you the $2 rewards, etc. That way the number of fees someone would pay would be cut down by 5/6. It's a bigger pain in the ass for me though since it means I'd have to track everyone's emails and payment dates in a spreadsheet or something (and god help me if I mess up that file). Is that something people here would consider doing for their pledges?
I appreciate the idea but it won't work: people don't like to pay in advance and won't do it, and creators don't want to to lose their time managing that.
The best solution here is Patreon canceling this bs.
 
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T51bwinterized

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Game Developer
Oct 17, 2017
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There's a good chance Patreon will at least partially walk it back. The vitriol they've been getting online is staggering.
 
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Mwanted

Well-Known Member
Oct 1, 2017
1,219
1,402
Did it. Deleted all my 30€\month worth of pledges leaving the same reason as feedback: new fees + new rules on adult content. That's the only message those idiots will understand.
 
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T51bwinterized

Well-Known Member
Game Developer
Oct 17, 2017
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The foremost problem here is the communication fuckups. They pitched this as a benefit to creators, when it clearly wasn't. When they got called out on it, they walked it back and called a fee processing issue. But, they've lost tons of credibility.

Worse still was that they fucked off over the weekend to basically let this boil, with basically no communication from them whatsoever. They should fire their entire PR department. Every last member.
 

jande21

I AM THE LAW
Respected User
Former Staff
Oct 19, 2016
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Worse still was that they fucked off over the weekend to basically let this boil, with basically no communication from them whatsoever. They should fire their entire PR department. Every last member.
They did the same thing when they started put pages under review. Who the fuck does it on a Friday?
 

xןʞ

I trolled so N7 could soar.
Staff member
Moderator
Donor
Jul 19, 2017
3,052
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The fact that apparently an internet based company has no customer support or IT department outside of 9-5 on Mon-Fri kind of shows how fucking poorly run and rinky dink the entire company actually is.

What the hell are they gonna do if some massive breach happens overnight or on a weekend.
 

GroPin

Newbie
Jun 27, 2017
73
83
Well I consolidated my 16 patreons to 2. It's really time to find another platform.
 

Vespak

Member
Respected User
Donor
Mar 22, 2017
371
2,648
hmm, maybe cancel all my 18 pledges (240$\month) for next month :test2:
 
U

User_215882

Guest
Guest
Honestly what the fuck. The idiots who are in change right now need to be fired or demoted because they have been making some shit choices. I cant really find too much information on why they are doing this, but it seems like they plan on selling the company or they just want to not make a profit.
 

T51bwinterized

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Game Developer
Oct 17, 2017
1,455
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They did the same thing when they started put pages under review. Who the fuck does it on a Friday?
They still do that. They put GDS and Sex Curse under review on Friday before fucking off for the weekend.

hmm, maybe cancel all my 18 pledges (240$\month) for next month :test2:
At least for the moment, if you can I'd advise against it. Lots of fellow devs are my friends, and we're watching our incomes collapsing and basically crying in a corner. Obviously with 18 pledges, the fees are going to be bad. But, if you like a dev and you're concerned about the fees, my advice is reach out to devs and ask them if there is any other funding mechanisms available you can lose.
 

T51bwinterized

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Game Developer
Oct 17, 2017
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Jim Sterling, The Questionable Content Guy, and every other major creator of note is threatening to leave the platform without some kind of action from Patreon, if we don't live in topsy turvy land that should be enough. Hell, if Chapo Trap House and their absurd million dollar Patreon account protesting doesn't make Patreon investors duck for cover, I don't know what will.

It's important for Patreon to get the memo, and many creators in the H-scene are doing their part to ensure the volume remains as high as possible on this. If patrons want to do their part in warning off Patreon, at least in the short, term my suggestion is filling out their feedback survey. They don't care about one or two of those things. But, how many threats of patreon dollar withdrawals does it take to help nudge the company to action? Of course, if you still think temporary withdrawals are the best action, I can't stop you or even blame you.

Still, my concern is that the effect of a temporary withdrawal would be to freak out Patreon creators as opposed to the company. And it's not like us devs need to be nudged to action. The current mood among devs is currently somewhere between flailing panic and white hot anger. If the end of the month comes and the charges are on their way, by all means, remove funding. No one, least of all me, is suggesting that you actually bite the fees. Still, in situations like this the best thing I can suggest is that you reach out to your favorite creators and encourage them to offer alternative payment options. I've been advising devs to at least set up page on Kofi and other platforms for the duration of the crisis. The Patreon boom has allowed lots of talent and resources to go into WEGs, and we're all just trying to find a way, as fans and creators, to keep this medium we love growing strong. If there was ever a time to expand the lines of communication it would be now.

Also, I swear to fucking god, someone needs to find wherever that hipster beardo Jack Conte is hiding and have him fix this mess.
 
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Delmach

Member
Oct 3, 2017
410
392
Heh that Kofi site, from what I read its kinda an easier way for people to get Donations through Paypal, basically they dont have to make their own website. Still wondering what the sum for a coffee would be, I guess its in the 1-3 dollar/euro range?

Always thought you can keep projects alive even without Patreon, basically the only upside nowadays is the monthly automatic system, everything else seems to go downhill. Best example the recent "automatic" ban of that Chloe18 game where apparently just someone anonymous reported it and they take down the page, also just before the weekend.

Was a good idea on the 18th October to branch out, now even more so it seems.
 

T51bwinterized

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Game Developer
Oct 17, 2017
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A lot of people here can't use Paypal. They still ban us, last time I checked. And a whole bunch of devs are blocked from making accounts.
 

Bruni Multimedia

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Donor
Game Developer
May 24, 2017
1,456
2,109
Did it. Deleted all my 30€\month worth of pledges leaving the same reason as feedback: new fees + new rules on adult content. That's the only message those idiots will understand.
I see your point, I really do. Still, please beware that while "hurting" Patreon you're (by "you" I mean pledgers in general) also hurting creators, especially smaller ones. Whilst Patreon can come out of this with minor losses, most creators will be ruined for good. If you check my website you'll see other ways to support me and you'll get more in time, but I won't ever leave Patreon for good. Having a monthly "wage" is what allows us to transform this activity from an hobby to a real job, especially those like me who also have a newborn to take care of.

I think some of us deserve a little more consideration both from Patreon and from pledgers. Acting this way and deleting pledges makes you not a lot different from Patreon deciding the new fees. It hurts creators, especially smaller ones.
 

Benn Swagger

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2016
1,477
2,048
This is not just happening on the lower reputation creator. This also affecting the bigger & high Reputation creators.
The logic pretty simple, there's a music performance on the street and I want to give them $5. When I try to put it on the money box, a stranger take my money, cut some 5% on it then put it on the money box. Sorry to say, people don't like this kinda of system. Even it design better for creator income, consumer hate this practice, a change without consent of their users. It's legal, but it's fraud tactics.

So if creator became victim after many backers pull out their support, you can't blame consumer for it as the one who make changes are Patreon. So blame Patreon and good luck with it. It's 2017, where there's a lot of fraud companies.