A Big Thank You From PaulMcCartney.com
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Dustbin Lid:
There should be a level playing field when it comes to opportunities to see Paul in concert and to access his website. The idea of paying a premium for either of these things is a repugnant idea and alienates the young, the unemployed, the sick and anybody on a low income. I don't feel sorry for anyone who feels as if they have lost out on this, as far as I'm concerned, it's what you get for buying into such a horrible scheme in the first place. Peace and love.
So given that thinking, you feel that anyone who getts ripped off deserves it, if you think it was a "horrible scheme"? How judgmental are you! I am glad we have people around like you who decide what is fair. <eye roll> People made a purchase. They entered into an agreement that content would be delivered. It wasn't. That is dishonest at worst and poor consumer policy at best. But you call us greedy and delight that we got ripped off because you judged this to be a horrible scheme. Get off your high horse. If I entered into a contract to buy a car, and I paid for it but did not get it, in your eyes, I would "get what is coming to me" because other people can't afford to buy a new car. You have a right to your opinion, but obviously you dont care about stepping on others to express it. Hope you feel better after being so rude.
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apu:
Dear me, Dustbin Lid. What a warped view of people you seem to have. I'm sure that most signed up for the Premium content because they wanted to support what seemed like an interesting and innovative site. Anyone who feels that spending 10 pence per day on something confers some massive social advantage is a lunatic. The Premium content wasn't that expensive. If you decide you don't want to pay, that's one thing. I don't go to the cinema much because it is genuinely expensive for someone like me who is on a low wage. But I don't stand at the entrance jeering at people who do go, either. All this is beside the point, and if you don't agree, then I sincerely hope that the next time you spend your money on something non-essential, say, for example, a DVD, that it doesn't work properly and that the people who sold it to you then take it back with no explanation, and don't give you a refund etc.etc.etc. And then I hope someone else starts calling you an idiot and saying you deserve it for choosing to buy a DVD when there are people who might not be able to afford a DVD. Not really.
Excellent post.
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walliebaby:
I think even a week's notice (more would be nice, but I'm a dreamer) would have been appreciated and respectful, instead of the "Hey, you like the Jukebox and Rude Studio, do you? Well kiss them goodbye! " e-mail we received. It's their right to pull features, but not to take money from new premium members and then yank the premium site. I doubt the team decided it in an afternoon--it's something they've been contemplating for a bit, I'm sure.
I think they had read many complains about pre-sales tickets, and many free members claim to heaven every time they uploaded photos or videos "only" for premium members. Seems to me that this was one powerful reason, and the time for renew the membership it was near, so they decided to pull of all the pay part, and now is the time for re-building...so I want the Jukebox back, or at last the radio...
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I am trying to redeem the card that came with my RAM deluxe edition, and whenever I go to paulmccartney.com/redeem , it says: This page does not exist. "Click the link above to see something real." Rodrigo
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maccascruff:
Paulie H:
I have a question that I'd like an official or, at least, semi-official response to: I'm fairly sure there was a message posted from the webmaster that confirmed that the membership period for each member would be reset when the site exited its beta testing phase. That means that our membership hasn't actually started. So, if the package has been pulled, we should get refunds, surely, because the membership never actually started. If anyone from the website is actually taking note of these comments, could I please make the following plea regarding the proposed package of goodies: I don't think a download of Live Kisses is a nice gesture. By definition, Premium Members are gonna be hardcore McCartney fans, many of whom have to own everything. That's why they paid for Premium Membership in the first place. Consequently, I think most will want to own the DVD/BR of Live Kisses if only to keep their collections complete. I'd be hoping for/expecting something genuinely exclusive. Isn't that the point of PREMIUM membership???
I do not want a Kisses download. I don't even like Kisses so why would I want a download. I'd much prefer my $60--if anybody is even listening, which I don't think they are.
A total refund would be the honerable thing to do, otherwise, yeh .. Paul fleeced us, the site never got out of BETA mode, paid members were told our subscriptions would begin from that date. Didn't happen, service not provided. Full refund please MPL.
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Can you please ask Paul if will re-release Rockshow in DVD format. Rockshow was one of the high points of Paul (&Wings) career. It deserves to be re-release. Many thanks Lloyd
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gswan:
A total refund would be the honerable thing to do, otherwise, yeh .. Paul fleeced us, the site never got out of BETA mode, paid members were told our subscriptions would begin from that date. Didn't happen, service not provided. Full refund please MPL.
Sorry but I don't see how most pioneers/premium folks here were in any way fleeced. Most people bought premium memberships a year ago. And if you did, you got nearly 12 months of benefit out of the site, beta or not. Pretending you didn't -- especially when so many people are in the midst of complaining about all the premium features they want restored -- makes no sense. "I want my money back! And please bring back the Jukebox -- after you've refunded my money." The only people who deserve a refund are those who signed up in the past few months. The rest of us bought a year-long membership. After nearly a year, it got discontinued. So it lasted as long as you thought it was going to last when you signed up.
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Guys, it seems to be a nice job! I am just starting to take a ride through the new page.. I ask you to confirm if the users name and passcode will remain the same, I have noticed the login button is different, is everything ok? I suscribed all over again just in case.. See you..!
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I'm just a little disappointed that premium/pioneer members no longer have that status - not sure if the previous incarnation ever made it out of beta, which was a condition of membership length. I'm another fan of the jukebox...but will freely admit my membership payment was in hopes of getting the best possible fanclub tickets. Unfortunately, there wasn't a concert within 1k miles. OK, that's just bad luck. I would have happily renewed, hoping for the best next year, but it's not to be. C'est la vie. While the previous PM website never quite got everything together, the current incarnation seems a step back. Regardless, I'll remain a fan - the powers that be might want to look at the Sting/Clapton websites, they do take pretty good care of their fan club at a nominal fee, especially when it comes to ticket sales. But there is NOTHING like a PM concert.
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When I paid $60 to become a premium member of paulmccartney.com, I received a message saying that I would get access as a premium member for one year, starting from the day in which the website stops being "beta version". As far as I am concerned, the website never left its "beta" condition. So, this means I have paid $60 for a service I have not and will not receive. Consequently, I think it would be fair if we get a total refund. Rodrigo
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Or Paul can give us a private concert as payment...
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Going to miss the premium content. Bummer.
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Michelley:
gswan:
A total refund would be the honerable thing to do, otherwise, yeh .. Paul fleeced us, the site never got out of BETA mode, paid members were told our subscriptions would begin from that date. Didn't happen, service not provided. Full refund please MPL.
Sorry but I don't see how most pioneers/premium folks here were in any way fleeced. Most people bought premium memberships a year ago. And if you did, you got nearly 12 months of benefit out of the site, beta or not. Pretending you didn't -- especially when so many people are in the midst of complaining about all the premium features they want restored -- makes no sense. "I want my money back! And please bring back the Jukebox -- after you've refunded my money." The only people who deserve a refund are those who signed up in the past few months. The rest of us bought a year-long membership. After nearly a year, it got discontinued. So it lasted as long as you thought it was going to last when you signed up.
Sorry, you're wrong. The admin's of the site made it known that because of teething problems, our memberships/subscriptions would not actually start until the site was moved out of BETA mode, and delivering fully whatever it was supposed to. That never happened. All who paid deserve a full refund.
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audi:
So -- speaking as a consumer -- I paid $50 + shipping for a download of McCartney II, a poster and a -t-shirt.
Don't forget the buttons, guitar pick and membership card ANYWAY I am a Pioneer member and I wasn't planning on renewing my subscription (husband was out of work for several months, need to save $). But also the site was very clunky, even after it came out of Beta mode initially (though supposedly, it was always in Beta mode). ISSUES: -You always had to re-log in -The jukebox would usually drop out while you were listening (at least it would for me). It would have been nice if that was a more mobile feature too (i.e.: you could listen to it on your smartphone as you do with Pandora) -These forums were never fully integrated into the new site (no, just having a link from the site to the forums doesn't count). I had to ask Martin how to get here after the new site launched. -Everything was very spread out (I'd compare it to the way Myspace used to be, if that make sense) It would be nice if everything was all in one spot when you logged in like other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. While I got most of my year of membership, I still came up short by about 20 days. But the people who only signed up a month ago were truly hosed. I agree w/Michelley that MPL doesn't HAVE to consult the fans. This is their business. If they want to pull down the site, that's their business. But what it is is crappy customer service. Yes, we folks who signed up for Premium Memberships are not just fans but customers. So as customers who shelled out that money, the right thing to do from a customer service standpoint would be to get our feedback. (I guess they're trying to make it right by asking now, but it's kind of after the fact). I'm wondering how hands on Paul actually has been with this whole process. Methinks not a lot because I don't think he would be cool with what has transpired. AND IN CLOSING For my "bonus gift," I would rather have a free copy of the studio album or next re-release (which ever comes first) than 'Live Kisses.' OR I would like a free copy of "Thrillington" b/c there was no option to buy Ram + bonus disc + Thrillington, so I only bought Ram + bonus disc.
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Thinking about an enhanced music player I wonder if MPL might take the same type of route with this as they have with the social media aspect - using a third party provider in Disqus. I've already had a play with Spotify after the announcement that Paul had shared six albums through that service for streaming. You can set up playlists - as many as you care to create unlike the old site player. You can stream that playlist as a "Radio stream" It then has the marketing potential in that you can then buy any tracks you like as permanent downloads al a iTunes etc If they could embed that service into the new site in the same manner as Disqus - pre-loaded with Paul's playlists - we could be onto a winner... As it stands Spotify is useful - again takes learning to use - and Paul hasn't shared all his material that way yet... It's down-side as it stands is that it's another off-site service currently requiring a download of the service - just like iTunes - that needs to be launched separately to the main site. Martin
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Michelley:
gswan:
A total refund would be the honerable thing to do, otherwise, yeh .. Paul fleeced us, the site never got out of BETA mode, paid members were told our subscriptions would begin from that date. Didn't happen, service not provided. Full refund please MPL.
Sorry but I don't see how most pioneers/premium folks here were in any way fleeced. Most people bought premium memberships a year ago. And if you did, you got nearly 12 months of benefit out of the site, beta or not. Pretending you didn't -- especially when so many people are in the midst of complaining about all the premium features they want restored -- makes no sense. "I want my money back! And please bring back the Jukebox -- after you've refunded my money." The only people who deserve a refund are those who signed up in the past few months. The rest of us bought a year-long membership. After nearly a year, it got discontinued. So it lasted as long as you thought it was going to last when you signed up.
This just isn't factually correct. MPL offered us membership which THEY THEMSELVES said would start FROM THE MOMENT THE SITE CAME OUT OF BETA. Consequently, my membership hasn't yet started. The stuff we've had so far has, to my understanding, been provided free. Thus, so far, I HAVEN'T received what I paid for: that is, a year's membership. The ONLY moral and legal response I can see to this is for MPL to either offer me an alternative product equal in value to the cost of the now-cancelled membership or a refund. And I get to choose which. I hope that the webmaster addresses this issue directly because, frankly, if it isn't, I'll be talking to Trading Standards.
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Paulie H:
MPL offered us membership which THEY THEMSELVES said would start FROM THE MOMENT THE SITE CAME OUT OF BETA. Consequently, my membership hasn't yet started. The stuff we've had so far has, to my understanding, been provided free. Thus, so far, I HAVEN'T received what I paid for: that is, a year's membership. The ONLY moral and legal response I can see to this is for MPL to either offer me an alternative product equal in value to the cost of the now-cancelled membership or a refund. And I get to choose which. I hope that the webmaster addresses this issue directly because, frankly, if it isn't, I'll be talking to Trading Standards.
Regardless of what MPL said on the BETA phase membership if you've had 11 months of access to the site you've not really been fleeced too much, it's the fans who've subscribed for a short time who've been screwed. I must admit though that the whole thing as been badly mishandled by all concerned running the website. I think the most annoying thing for me is the fact they're asking for our opinion after the fact, that's what pisses me off a little.
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BOYCIE:
Paulie H:
MPL offered us membership which THEY THEMSELVES said would start FROM THE MOMENT THE SITE CAME OUT OF BETA. Consequently, my membership hasn't yet started. The stuff we've had so far has, to my understanding, been provided free. Thus, so far, I HAVEN'T received what I paid for: that is, a year's membership. The ONLY moral and legal response I can see to this is for MPL to either offer me an alternative product equal in value to the cost of the now-cancelled membership or a refund. And I get to choose which. I hope that the webmaster addresses this issue directly because, frankly, if it isn't, I'll be talking to Trading Standards.
Regardless of what MPL said on the BETA phase membership if you've had 11 months of access to the site you've not really been fleeced too much, it's the fans who've subscribed for a short time who've been screwed. I must admit though that the whole thing as been badly mishandled by all concerned running the website. I think the most annoying thing for me is the fact they're asking for our opinion after the fact, that's what pisses me off a little.
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Guess, I'm away for a few days and the place goes to hell. No more premium membership?! Okay, I guess that means I can lose the stigma of being number 666 (hey, my head no longer spins around...what's up with that?!). I can also take this Davy Crockett Pioneer Hat off, it was beginning to itch. Okay, now you want constructive criticism: 1. The Login. What a pain. I have a long email address, and had to type it out in full each time I entered, and many times just changing screens. It was cumbersome and annoying. 2. The premium content, wasn't much. Most of the new stuff was posted in the News for everyone to access, not just premium members. There wasn't alot in the premium member content screen, some cool photos and a few videos, but nothing that made me go "WOW!" 3. The profile pages we were given. Total rubbish. It was a pain to post a photo, login thru facebook or whatever. Post only thru one site, a pain. Then when you post, I found others taking my photo and reposting with their username, what's up with that? Also, I wanted to see fan's photos from shows and fan photos of Paul and Paul events. I don't want to go thru pictures of fans, even if they are holding guitars and acting like Paul. There should have been different catagories to post pictures to. The timeline was a good idea, but limit it or screen it for Paul content, and make sure the photos are around the date on the timeline. I was actually hoping when I first saw the profile page set up, that we were being given a place in "THE CLOUD" which would be our (each fans) home, where we could post stuff. What we got was limited, and a waste of time to use. I found myself just ignoring it completely after a while. 4. I like the news page. Keep that up-to-date, and current. Let us know what's goiing on at the time. What ever happened to Paul getting the award from the "American Society of Arts and Science in Cambridge in the Fall?" I saw nothing anywhere. It was a honor (given to people like ML King) but no mention anywhere about Paul getting it. Post a photo of the award, or Paul holding it. Let us know he was honored! Like I said keep the news current and up-to-date. 5. The Radio. Never used it. I think I tried it once to see that it worked. It worked fine on my home computer, at work their security setting didn't let it work. That is really the only time I would find it useful, and I couldn't use it. I have all of Paul's albums and more loaded on my home computer, if I want to listen to music I use Media Player and set up my own playlist on my home computer. 6. The Rude Studio,where you can mix the music was interesting. I liked it, but it was too limited. I want to add my own vocal and singalong, or add my own zither or kazoo or other instrument. Being able to turn the sound up and down on four channels is cool to hear things we couldn't hear on the record, but the tracks we can make were limited. 7. The sale of tickets to premium members didn't work out. Lousy tickets came up, shouldn't we have been able to get great tickets as premium members? There needs to be some work done to get loyal fans the best tickets available, rather than letting resalers get them. You need to work on that. I think that's about it for me. I hope that lets you know what I think needs to we worked on. BTW I don't like all this social media stuff. It is getting too out of hand on the net. I am more inclinded to get rid of Facebook completely than to let out personal info all over the place. My purchases don't need to be broadcast to my friends, and I really don't care about my friends purchases or on-line games they are playing. Tying more into social media I don't see as being a good thing. On the plus note, I think the Forum is great. I don't really care what you do too much with the officail website, but please keep the forum going. It is the real fan community. Oh yeah, the Digital version of "Kisses" you can keep. I already have the PBS broadcast put onto DVD. I never downloaded the digital content on the Reissues I bought either. Why use up space on my harddrive for things I have on disk? Now, if you want to give us an exclusive recording that only premium members will get, that I want! Songs left off Kisses would be great! I want to hear the Fred Astaire song! Podgie (trying to be constructive, but also thinking WTF happened?) Monkey
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Interesting personal assessment. Thanks Podgie. I would imagine that MPL had a hit counter for every section set up and they have a much greater picture of the relative success of each feature. That might well have influenced the current situation... Martin