Opt out of hardcopy Vacation Magic for credit???

[RAD]

What do you think about eliminating the hardcopy of the Vacation Magic for a credit on your dues? Here's the idea, DVC would post Vacation Magic on the members only site at the same time as they started mailing them, and they e-mail you a notification that it's now available for viewing. In return for not having to print and mail the hardcopy version they give you a credit on your annual dues of a couple of dollars. This would save a few trees, get VM out there for all to view earlier, and save us a couple of dollars. What do you think???

[Denine]

I never look at the online version. I have every vacation magic I have received since we joined in 1995. We like to look at them every now and then.

[Credit Man]

I enjoy the hard copy.

[TnRobin]

I read the hard copy. I never look at it online. I think the savings would only be a few cents (if that) on the dues per point. Plus remember, there are probably many DVC member who do not have access to the internet.

[KNWVIKING]

.... I don't have a computor in my bathroom,(yet).

[Peter Johnson]

The online copy is handy, but the picture resolution is very poor. Until they can put it online at the same resolution as the printed copy, I'll keep my hard copy.

Besides, it's fun looking through the old issues between trips :cool:

[PamOKW]

I agree with TNRobin that any savings would be more in the pennies category than in the dollars. They still have to put the issue together and would just save printing and mailing costs. If putting in a slide at OKW was to only cost a few cents per member I would think this savings might be even less. (I'm not even 100% sure we do pay for it.)

[sumessefui]

I do not think that the savings would be very much, and they also use it to send out point listings and other information.

[dianeschlicht]

I look forward to the hard copy even when I know the information is old. I keep them all together in my DVC bag with the membership ring binder. Love the pictures!

[prncssjas]

Just a small comment for KNWVIKING...you crack me up! LOL!!!! :D :D

[normr]

You can now set up wireless Interner access in your home very easily with a base station and putting a wireless card in your laptop, then you can go anywhere in your home up to 150 feet from the base and have access for around $400, EVEN IN THE BATHROOM!

[KNWVIKING]

I've already been to COMPUSA and started pricing the hardware...... Now if I only had room for a fridge.........

[normr]

I don't think your bathroom even with the refrigerator and the interent will compare to your DVC, although I have been in a home in an area called Windmill Ranches (near where Richyams and Dan Marino lives) that had a master bathroom that had to be as big as my whole house, (and my house is 2500 sq ft).

We're just poor shelps to them.

[akasleepingbeauty]

We have the wireless base and card system for our 2 laptops. It is just great and now I can't imagine going back to all those blue wires everywhere. Kind of like the idea of going from DSL to a dial-up connection - oh the horror - lol!!

As to the original question, I think it would be an interesting option to offer DVC members. I may take the option as it seems like the paper in my house multiplies overnight but then again maybe not. I guess I'll have to wait and receive my very first copy of Vacation Magic before I can decide!!

[Joeblack]

Sorry to disagree RAD, but many DVCers who live outside the US don't even have the option of a good cable modem, let alone wireless internet or things like that, and with a 33.6 modem, it would take quite a while to download the magazine. Also, I am sure that there is a vast majority of DVCers who are not still in the internet and look forward to getting the hard copy.

Finally. How much would we save for not getting it? Maybe three bucks a year?

[KNWVIKING]

How many DVCer's are connected to the internet:

__ YES, I am.

or

__ NO, I not.

[RAD]

Yea know, I thought about fitting this in somewhere but then it dawned on me, if they didn't have an internet connection they they wouldn't be reading this in the first place.

[akasleepingbeauty]

I understood RAD's post to mean there would be an OPTION for each member to choose either an internet version or a hardcopy version. I certainly did not get the idea that RAD meant to REPLACE the hardcopy with the internet version. Of course many members don't have internet access but the users on this forum are obviously connected.

I think it is an interesting question and it certainly is the kind of thing I expect many companies to offer in the future as an option.

Thanks for sharing your question RAD!!

[Joeblack]

Of course we must have an internet connection to log on to the DIS. My point is that with a modem internet connection which is still the only one available in many countries where DVC members live (my case), the DVC magazine, which is a heavy Acrobat Reader document would take quite a while to download.

I think it is great that they have it online, but I don't see it as a replacement of the hard copy.

[PamOKW]

Considering that it's been a week since I got my hard copy (and others had it at least a week prior) and that it's still not up on the member web site.....I'd like to stick with the hard copy. The "news" tends to be out of date anyway, waiting for them to find someone to upload the info to the site seems to just create a greater delay.

[RAD]

Originally posted by akasleepingbeauty
I understood RAD's post to mean there would be an OPTION for each member to choose either an internet version or a hardcopy version.

Sorry if I wasn't clear on the poll question, yes that was my intention. No way was I thinking that DVC should eliminate the hardcopy completly, just make it an option for folks that have internet connectivity and would be willing to give up the hardcopy for a small credit on the annual dues. Of course this would mean that someone at DVC would have to create the PDF in a more timely fashion so it's available at the same time that the first mailings go out.

Having it online (or maybe even earlier since the issue is most likely all ready to go a number of weeks before actual mailing start since someone has to get all these printed, put in enveolpes and addresses) would solve the problem with some people having o wait weeks for their copy after others have already received their. Side benefit was DVD would save some money, not much but a buck is a buck. Look at all the little things DVC has eliminated all in the name of saving money to prevent dues from increasing.

[PamOKW]

or maybe even earlier

It's odd that this is the first time that it's been on-line so long after it started to arrive in people's mailboxes. (Maybe it is due to the cutbacks.)

I don't think that they would give a credit for individuals who decline to not receive a hard copy. That would create more work on the bookkeeping end that would probably negate any savings. Print runs are done in such large numbers and the mailings done in bulk that anything short of a very large number of members declining wouldn't have much impact. Just like they don't give credits for members who don't use the bus or don't use the children's activities, this would not matter much to the whole pot.

[KNWVIKING]

.... that my "internet poll" was a joke. Sort of like "All those not here raise your hand". Got the impression some people thought I was serious.