Comments on: Groupon and Discounting Membership

By: Collette Parks

Collette Parks — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:02:46 +0000

Hi there! I’m curious to know how many of the new members acquired renewed for a second year once their discounted membership expired.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:48:21 +0000

Thank you, Will. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your thoughtful consideration of the issue of discounted memberships in general, and I especially appreciate the fact that I will benefit from it! I’m happy to continue to support the museum.

By: Will Cary

Will Cary — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:40:54 +0000

Hi Tracy,
I agree completely re: undercutting generous dues-paying Members like yourself. I wanted to mention that in the blog post so readers understand just how seriously we consider new initiatives like these. Having the blog here means being able to openly talk about why we do the things we do, so I hope you can appreciate our effort to be honest.

I know I responded to you on the Groupon page, but I wanted to relate that message again here for any other Members who might be reading these comments. If you are a current Member you can purchase this Groupon and use it to renew your Membership for one year ON TOP of your current expiration date.

That means if you’re an Individual Member currently, you will be a Family and Friends Member for one year beginning the day after your Individual Membership expires. When you call or stop by to redeem your Groupon, just mention that you’re a current Member and they’ll use your Groupon to renew you for an additional year.

All the best,
Will

By: Tracy

Tracy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:52:31 +0000

I have no objection to the groupon deal, except… it penalizes those of us, like myself, who are members of the museum and on a limited budget. I winced at having to write my renewal check this past August and seriously considered not renewing for financial reasons. To find out that I would have been rewarded had I waited is frustrating, to say the least.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:02:59 +0000

I see how this can be a conflicting issue for you. However the limited time offer of this promotion window mitigates the view that you’re diluting the experience for those who pay the full amount. In the end it is an opportunity for marketing, awareness and allowing to people, who otherwise are hesitant, to dip their toe in the water.

In my case I alternate annual memberships between the BMA and the neighboring Botanical Garden – and this has now been a welcome opportunity to have both.

Fingers crossed that the Botanical Gardens try Groupon next year…