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Jimbola

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  1. 1. Would you pay £50/€60 per month to access to a premium forum for quicker answers.

    • Yes
      4
    • No
      13


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Hi all,

 

Every now and then I post a question on the forum and very rarely do I get a response on the same day, sometimes a few days may pass and sometimes I never get an answer. Whilst I really appreciate the help that the PS team and everyone else puts in (A++++), sometimes it's not enough, and though there are a few support options, or people you can hire, all to often it's guess work or very expensive even for some e-mail support.

 

So can I suggest a seperate Premium forum, one where you pay £50/€60 a month that is run by some of the PS team and some of the Pro users. Your money gets you say 5 solved posts a month or 10 for £100/€120. If a problem can not be solved or is too complex, then as long as 3 of the admin have looked at it it's marked as Can't be solved, and the person retains their post credit.

 

This is just an extemsion of the current forum, but means those that need an answer/help quicker than the usual forum can pay a premium for that privledge.

 

Any thoughts? Good idea, bad idea?

Edited by Jimbola (see edit history)
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Hi Jimbola,

The PrestaShop forums always have been and always will be 100% free. We have members of the PrestaShop team committed to providing assistance on here, but this is, at its heart, a community resource for more than 350,000 users around the world, one for which we will never charge our users. PrestaShop does already offer technical support plans that provide the services you mention above, and you can find more information about that here.

 

-Mike

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Hi Mike,

 

I'm not suggesting that you charge for the normal forum, I am suggesting that as part of your premium support you offer a premium forum. I have seen the support that prestashop offers, but for the small e-commerce store, it's way too expensive, especially given that you will not know how much you will need it. Stumping up $399+ in one go is a lot. If it was offered as a subscription it would be more affordable.

Edited by Jimbola (see edit history)
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Hi Mike,

 

I'm not suggesting that you charge for the normal forum, I am suggesting that as part of your premium support you offer a premium forum. I have seen the support that prestashop offers, but for the small e-commerce store, it's way too expensive, especially given that you will not know how much you will need it. Stumping up $399+ in one go is a lot. If it was offered as a subscription it would be more affordable.

 

Those support plans actually do include a dedicated page for submitting your issues and getting them resolved personally, so if that's what you're looking for, we do offer that already. In fact, we just deployed a brand new version of the support page to ensure that we can provide answers even more quickly and completely than we were capable of in the past. At the moment, it is only offered on an annual basis, but if there is enough demand it could potentially be changed in the future.

 

-Mike

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Those support plans actually do include a dedicated page for submitting your issues and getting them resolved personally, so if that's what you're looking for, we do offer that already. In fact, we just deployed a brand new version of the support page to ensure that we can provide answers even more quickly and completely than we were capable of in the past. At the moment, it is only offered on an annual basis, but if there is enough demand it could potentially be changed in the future.

 

-Mike

 

I'd sign up for the subscription service....where do I sign? :)

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How will you know if there is demand for a monthly service, has the question been asked?

 

That's why I'm here, to have a constant pulse on the wants and needs of the community B).

 

You're also welcome to call our team at 888 947 6543 for more information or to request it there as well.

 

-Mike

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...one where you pay £50/€60 a month that is run by some of the PS team and some of the Pro users. Your money gets you say 5 solved posts a month

I just voted Yes in your poll, because if I would be crazy not to pay that.

 

If can find someone who knows PrestaShop very well and is ready to answer questions/solve problems as and when needed, and willing to work for about £5/€6/hour (5 problems x 2 hours each to read/solve/reply), I will hire him/her without a second thoght, though labour laws may prohibit such abuse. Consider that your expectations are too high, rewards too small.

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I just voted Yes in your poll, because if I would be crazy not to pay that.

 

If can find someone who knows PrestaShop very well and is ready to answer questions/solve problems as and when needed, and willing to work for about £5/€6/hour (5 problems x 2 hours each to read/solve/reply), I will hire him/her without a second thoght, though labour laws may prohibit such abuse. Consider that your expectations are too high, rewards too small.

 

I can't imagine a post taking 2hrs to respond to. I would say it takes 1hr at most, that would make 5hrs a month at £50 per month that would be £10 per hour. Consider that the basic package that Mike mentioned starts at $399/£255 the equivalent of £21 a month for upto 2 hours, £21/2 = £10.50ph and you realise its the same. If it takes more than 1hrs I did suggest it can be closed for being to complex as long as 3 admin agree.

 

I don't understand what labour laws have to do with it, as you are buying a service not hiring an indivdual at a specific hourly rate.

 

But there are other advantages to a premium forum, for example you may pay £50pm and never make a post, a premium forum that is incentivised will mean a higher number of posts will be resolved meaning people may get an answer without posting.

 

One of the biggest disadvatages of opensource software like PrestShop is that it is free which is great, but the moment you get stuck, especially which you have a live store, you are left at the mercy of some kind individual on the forum to help you, or have to pay some high charges to a freelancer. Which sooner or later may make you wonder if the Free software really is cheaper in the long run. It gets really frustrating when you have a problem and can't get a solution, I'm sure we have all been there.

 

All I'm asking for is a middle road, not something cheaper, but something affordable and managable. As I have already indicated I would be happy to take a plan if it was a monthly subscription, even if it was a little more expensive.

Edited by Jimbola (see edit history)
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I can't imagine a post taking 2hrs to respond to.

You think so? Not all problems I agree but, even assuming that the person asking the question is familiar with programming it may take several hours to talk someone through a fix, after diagnosing the problem, and testing on a suitable installation that the fix works.

 

that would make 5hrs a month at £50 per month that would be £10 per hour.

Still too low for a qualified programmer. What you are basically looking for is someone on-call for £50 a month. You will have hard time finding it. It is easy to test this. Next time you have a problem, instead of posting to this forum, make a post in the paid services forum and offer £10 for the fix.

 

Consider that the basic package that Mike mentioned starts at $399/£255 the equivalent of £21 a month for upto 2 hours, £21/2= £10.50ph

You are misreading the offer. The offer is limited to 10 hours a year AND 2 hours a month. The correct calculation is $399/£255 / 10 = $40/£25/hour. That is still at the low end and thus a very good deal.

 

In addition if you are prepared to pay £50 a month, why don't you just go with that package? You will be getting the best service from the people who created the software. Are you saying that you are a business owner who cannot afford to pay £255 annually for maintenance? If so, maybe a venue like eBay or Amazon is more suitable for your business.

 

I don't understand what labour laws have to do with it, as you are buying a service not hiring an indivdual at a specific hourly rate.

Sorry, that was intended as a light hearted comment.

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You think so? Not all problems I agree but, even assuming that the person asking the question is familiar with programming it may take several hours to talk someone through a fix, after diagnosing the problem, and testing on a suitable installation that the fix works.

 

 

Still too low for a qualified programmer. What you are basically looking for is someone on-call for £50 a month. You will have hard time finding it. It is easy to test this. Next time you have a problem, instead of posting to this forum, make a post in the paid services forum and offer £10 for the fix.

 

 

You are misreading the offer. The offer is limited to 10 hours a year AND 2 hours a month. The correct calculation is $399/£255 / 10 = $40/£25/hour. That is still at the low end and thus a very good deal.

 

In addition if you are prepared to pay £50 a month, why don't you just go with that package? You will be getting the best service from the people who created the software. Are you saying that you are a business owner who cannot afford to pay £255 annually for maintenance? If so, maybe a venue like eBay or Amazon is more suitable for your business.

 

 

Sorry, that was intended as a light hearted comment.

 

I think you have misunderstood my post.

It's not about an hourly rate, or trying to have someone on-call as you are suggesting, the hourly rate for the PrestaShop plan could be anywhere between what I calculated and what you calculated, after all I'm not asking for a rapid 4 hour response time or phone support, a response to a post could take 10min or 1hr, people may not even post for a month or more. But it's irrelevant.

 

The hourly rate and the service can be exactly the same as the plan, it's about creating a more afforable way of purchasing a plan or getting support.

 

As for your point about a business not being able to afford £255pa in one go, if it's so crazy why do phone companies, broadband suppliers, hosting companies, insurance providers, electric or gas maintenance, all provide monthly payment plans? Do you pay all your bills in one go at the start of the year? Does that make good business sense?

Is asking for a montly plan that crazy and require me to run to Amazon or eBay, and how is that a solution, have you missed the point of the purported advantages of opensource software?

 

A premium forum as I suggested would be mid-way between the already free forum and say the Essential Plan.

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The forum now works fine like this. (I see no need, make it private)

 

I totally agree with phrasespot

 

 

Sorry for my English

 

I am not saying the current forum should be made private or premium, I was suggesting a seperate premium forum or the ability to get support at a more manageable rate.

 

The forum may work fine for some people. Roughly 90% of the questions that I have posted go unanaswered, everytime I do a search, i come up with a result of someone asking the same question and it too is unanswered, How is that fine?

(note:don't get me wrong the forum still rocks! but can get frustrating some times.)

 

PrestaShop has never had the best support, I have seen support pages come and go like leaves in the wind.

 

You can agree with Phrasespot, but he's just plain wrong.

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prestashop support is actually 150€ per hour, recently someone had a proposal for adding correctly 2 lines for analytics goals tracking , amount requested was 2hours of support so : 300€, that is the price of prestashop support !

 

Wild world isn't it ?

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Hi,

 

sorry but i've no time to help other community i work on french one ;-)

 

After your demand is very strange because i prupose a service to have a support by email (only in french but i can change it) and i've never sold ... very strange, either i give a free active participation on french forum i think people don't want to pay if it's free here.

 

All users of Prestashop are professionals and can completely take advice and services from hundreds of recipients using Prestashop.

 

But if you want i can create a specific forum to have all answered of your question with a pay system.

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Hi,

 

sorry but i've no time to help other community i work on french one ;-)

 

After your demand is very strange because i prupose a service to have a support by email (only in french but i can change it) and i've never sold ... very strange, either i give a free active participation on french forum i think people don't want to pay if it's free here.

 

All users of Prestashop are professionals and can completely take advice and services from hundreds of recipients using Prestashop.

 

But if you want i can create a specific forum to have all answered of your question with a pay system.

 

There may be several reasons why you have not sold. For example, I don't even understand what the service is that you are offering? is it 30 minutes spent on the problem or 30 minutes response time? Have you been advertising it? Do people know about it? How is it different from this that you offer.

 

I don't thnk a paid forum with me alone would work ;-) to gain the most it would have to be an official premium forum.

 

But can I test you, how long and much would it cost for you to solve this

Edited by Jimbola (see edit history)
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Hi,

 

i change my translation i think you more understand now.

 

Have you been advertising it ... i don't really know, just for my ticket it's in my bestseller but for email assitance it's like a support system to help all people to have a great shop ;-)

 

i answered on the next topic

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Hi,

 

i change my translation i think you more understand now.

 

Have you been advertising it ... i don't really know, just for my ticket it's in my bestseller but for email assitance it's like a support system to help all people to have a great shop ;-)

 

i answered on the next topic

 

Thanks....I didn't mean for you to answer.

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I am not saying the current forum should be made private or premium, I was suggesting a seperate premium forum or the ability to get support at a more manageable rate.

 

The forum may work fine for some people. Roughly 90% of the questions that I have posted go unanaswered, everytime I do a search, i come up with a result of someone asking the same question and it too is unanswered, How is that fine?

(note:don't get me wrong the forum still rocks! but can get frustrating some times.)

 

PrestaShop has never had the best support, I have seen support pages come and go like leaves in the wind.

 

You can agree with Phrasespot, but he's just plain wrong.

 

 

I can not express very well because my English is not good. : D (I'll try to explain as best as possible)

 

If you have a very specific and complex problem, it is best to contact an agency, freelance.

 

Prestashop forum is very complete reference to the resolutions of doubts, but all is not possible to solve, because there are questions that are more complex, and Require a specific job. (Developers need to be more valued.)

 

 

Sorry for my English

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Roughly 90% of the questions that I have posted go unanaswered,

Of the [searchInKey]=&search_app_filters[forums][sortKey]=date&search_app_filters[forums][sortDir]=&st=0"]22 posts where you asked something 14 has been answered/self solved/awaiting further info. So more like 35% of your posts (some of them are repeats) went unanswered.

 

everytime I do a search, i come up with a result of someone asking the same question and it too is unanswered, How is that fine?

There a lot of people putting time and effort to answering questions/solving problems for no apparent reason other than altruism. There are also a lot of people putting time and effort answering questions/solving problems to further their brand/business/agency. If a post goes un-answered, especially repeatedly, for an extended period it may be the case that:

 

a) There is no known/reasonable way to do it. E.g. requires too much modification to the core files; some problems are simply not feasible to work on. It may be the case that PrestaShop is the wrong solution for that use case.

B) It is too complex/requires access as server/shop owner to the system the PrestaShop is running on. It will be time consuming to diagnose/fix/test.

c) There is already an answer that can be found in the forums/tracker/Google etc.

d) It is a repeat of an earlier unanswered question

e) It is not a good question, there are language barriers etc.

 

You can agree with Phrasespot, but he's just plain wrong.

I usually am

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Of the 22 posts where you asked something 14 has been answered/self solved/awaiting further info. So more like 35% of your posts (some of them are repeats) went unanswered.

 

 

There a lot of people putting time and effort to answering questions/solving problems for no apparent reason other than altruism. There are also a lot of people putting time and effort answering questions/solving problems to further their brand/business/agency. If a post goes un-answered, especially repeatedly, for an extended period it may be the case that:

 

a) There is no known/reasonable way to do it. E.g. requires too much modification to the core files; some problems are simply not feasible to work on. It may be the case that PrestaShop is the wrong solution for that use case.

B) It is too complex/requires access as server/shop owner to the system the PrestaShop is running on. It will be time consuming to diagnose/fix/test.

c) There is already an answer that can be found in the forums/tracker/Google etc.

d) It is a repeat of an earlier unanswered question

e) It is not a good question, there are language barriers etc.

 

 

I usually am

 

I didn't know I was going to be examined otherwise I would have been more thorough!! But I calculate that 12/17 70% of my posts were unresolved (I didn't mean unanswered), not including duplicates. I've even listed them below. But I would be well within my rights to call 126900 unresolved based on horrible horrible puns from Mike ;-)

 

178688 17/07/2012 U

141504 12/11/2011 U

178852 18/07/2012 U

142663 20/11/2011 A

169012 13/05/2012 A

164369 14/04/2012 A

164527 13/04/2012 U

148581 30/12/2012 U

144737 02/12/2012 U (late)

144823 03/12/2012 U

144073 28/11/2011 U

139682 31/10/2012 U

138808 26/10/2011 U

123334 08/08/2012 U

131524 22/09/2011 A

126900 28/08/2011 A

127135 29/08/2011 U

 

I don't deny there are lots of helpful people (i'd give you all a slice of cake).

But an outstanding question was answered on a paid basis in under 30 minutes that had previously been unaswered, from the good gentleman a few posts above. That is my point in case. Sometimes there is no reason for a post to go unanswered, and that the the point where it should be incentivised.

Edited by Jimbola (see edit history)
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