MAYNARD, Mass., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ iGrOOps LLC, which began offering paid membership / social networking online groups in February 2007, has introduced a free version of its software, and enhanced its paid groups.
"After several months of offering our single $99 per year solution, we've come to the conclusion that our customers love the software, but we haven't reached enough people yet. After studying the marketplace, we believe the free groups will help generate the exposure needed to grow our customer base," says Robert Bennett, the company's founder and CEO. The company offers the free option for non-commercial groups of any kind, although Bennett readily admits they will continue to uphold a "no porn" policy for all groups, both free and professional.
The iGrOOps software is designed to make starting and customizing an online group site a simple process, even for those without any programming knowledge. Users include both "offline" groups desiring a way to connect online, such as families, congregations, and civic groups, as well as purely online groups, united by a shared interest, anywhere from serious to social. The iGrOOps platform offers group members the opportunity to share information, ideas, and media, as well as get to know one another personally.
The new free groups include all the applications as the professional option, such as blogs, calendar, discussion boards, file sharing, galleries for photos, videos and mp3s, web video chat, and more. However, iGrOOps LLC manages advertising on the free groups, which currently is limited to encouraging members to start new groups of their own. The company relinquishes control of advertising on the professional groups, allowing the customer to maintain an ad-free environment, run their own ads, or sell advertising space. Customers who start free groups may not charge their members a fee to join, although they may display a "Donate Now" button to encourage voluntary contributions from members. Free groups have a 100 member limit, although Bennett states that exceptions may be made for certain non-profit organizations.
The professional iGrOOps, which provide the company's primary revenue stream, have undergone enhancements, and the initial $99 per year price tag has risen to $29 per month. "Since our launch in February, several customers have requested a custom-branded 'white label' version of the product. Previously, preserving the iGrOOps logo on each site was integral to our branding. With the advent of free iGrOOps, we can now meet the needs of customers seeking a custom-branded solution." The company charges $29/month for a professional group, which includes 100 membership accounts that customers may give away or sell to new members at their discretion. Once the group exceeds 100 members, iGrOOps LLC charges the customer an additional twenty-five cents per month for every member over 100. "Customers choose the professional option for the image enhancement afforded by the custom branding, as well as the profit incentive of running a membership site," says Bennett.
Formerly, the company was collecting fees when a new member joined a group, and splitting them with the group's owner, keeping a minimum of twenty- five percent. Now that the company allows the integration of PayPal and Authorize.net merchant accounts, the group owner keeps 100% of the membership revenue, less the nominal fees charged by their credit card merchant processor. "We've widened the profit margin tremendously for group owners, making it a more lucrative venture for them, and an overall better experience for individual group members" says Bennett.
