The email I got today previewed some of the coming changes/additions and then said this: “Our suggested prices remain the same and your current subscription runs through August 1, 2024.”
I am not sure how to interpret this in light of what has been assumed in this thread: that the site will now require a paid membership. “Suggested prices,” to me, indicates a pay-what-you-feel-is-fair model, as it always has been. But the wording also leaves the possibility that what were suggested prices may not be so after my status comes up for renewal.
I am sure that any ambiguity will be resolved in the near future.
Am glad my renewal just came up and paid last week. Should allow me another year to figure out going forward…
Have not responded yet to this posting, but have been paying for several years and really do feel quite a benefit from the site. Honestly, soo many area’s have been useful that it would take more time to cover than have (while at work) for right now.
I use bar codes and scanning them with the phone is amazing for taking wines out of inventory. It’s probably the single best feature (for me) outside of the basic cellar inventory.
You know, that feature sounds amazing, and perfect for the marginally competent and mostly meticulous, neither of which has ever been used to describe me. Google for a picture of any town after a mudslide, and that is a close approximation of my “cellar.”
This would be a killer app. I don’t necessarily want all of the reviews from each writer each year, but getting a portion for marginal revenue seems like it could be a benefit for some of the reviewers, and it they made it available through CT it would be awesome. Maybe associate it with what’s in your cellar (I know you could fake what you have, but I doubt that many people would go to that much effort to do so).
It’s as if they want people to get all worked-up and engage in speculation. Sometimes, saying nothing is better than saying something but in a murky manner. The email Neal quoted is just plain weird. Why put those two things in the same sentence unless you want/intend to imply an upcoming change to the cost structure? And to make this implication, or to make this announcement, without clear details is practically begging for the speculation seen in this and other threads.
Just to be clear, I was not really complaining about the email, though it could have been clearer. Eric offers a great product. He’ll soon enough make the terms crystal clear and we can all make our individual decisions
I got a similar email today. Horrible communication, the email does nothing to clarify and only increases ambiguity.
Also the list of features that will make the existing subscription “more valuable” is a list of current capabilities except for drinkability alerts, which are “coming soon”…
Starting April 10, a subscription will provide access to these features:
Wine prices (market, auction, community)
Drinking windows
Restaurant style wine list
Add bottles via receipt
Custom barcode printing
Cellar valuation
Ready to Drink report
My Charts
Drinkability alerts (coming soon)
So the free version will lose some current features. The restaurant style list is fun but not crucial, but I do like the ready to drink report. Not sure it’s worth hundreds of dollars per year though…but would they really remove community drinking windows?!
It appears that if you have been making voluntary payments as I have they will honor your subscription through the anniversary of your last payment. I’ll be curious to see what sort of improvements come between now and July 8th to the paid version.
A few. See list above
Looks like a subscription includes these currently free features:
Restaurant Style Wine List
Ready to drink report
Drinking windows
If you go to renew, it defaults to the suggested payment based on the size of the cellar, but there is a slider at the top so that you can lower it based on the expected size of your cellar. I’m not sure whether it enforces a particular subscription based on a particular bottle cellar size.
