From: ztainment@aol.com Mailing-List: list ZENtertainment@yahoogroups.com; contact ZENtertainment-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list ZENtertainment@yahoogroups.com List-Unsubscribe: Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 23:21:08 -0000 Reply-To: ZENtertainment-owner@yahoogroups.com Subject: ZENtertainment Announcement Regarding Your Subscription *** SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM ZENTERTAINMENT *** After careful consideration, ZENtertainment has decided to become a paid subscription service effective immediately. The truth is simply that the expenses that keep the whole thing together are just becoming too much, and while ZEN is reaching more readers than ever before, ad-buying is suffering throughout most of the entertainment industry. It's basically come to the point where I needed to decide whether to throw the whole thing away and commit to a full-time day job, or find some way of getting the support I've always hoped would be right around the corner. So, as mentioned in my editorial a few issues back, ZEN is now charging an encouraged subscription fee of fifty cents a month. I say encouraged because the subscription fee is entirely voluntary, but I'm hoping you'll agree it's worth it. This will be charged in yearly payments via a number of possible ways. Why voluntary? Wouldn't I stand to make much more if I charged everybody? In the 1000s of letters of feedback I received on the issue, about 80% said they'd pay, and another 10% were mixed. But I don't want to lose any of you. I want people of all economic standing to have equal access to the info listed in ZEN. What if you don't pay? The only difference you'll see is that about twice a month you will receive a letter like this one, though likely shorter, encouraging you to pay for your subscription to ZEN. Paid subscribers will not receive this message in the year they are subscribed for. Additionally, I'm still finalizing details but there will be 1 prize drawing every month or two in which one paid subscriber will walk away with some nice goodies. How can you sign up? There are currently 3 ways of safely subscribing to ZEN; PayPal, Amazon, or through a check or money order sent via postal mail. These methods are explained as follows: PAYPAL: To pay with a credit card through this handy site which eBay users are surely familiar with, click on the URL below, sign up for an account, and send your subscription fee to SeanJordan@aol.com. Any new users to PayPal will also receive a $5 sign-up bonus, and ZEN receives a $5 referral fee. https://www.paypal.com/refer/pal=SeanJordan%40aol.com AMAZON HONOR SYSTEM: Amazon now allows shoppers to donate $ to websites and online services as easily as picking up a new DVD. Follow the URL below and it'll let you pay for your subscription fee through your AMAZON account with any other purchases you may or may not be getting. http://www.amazon.com/paypage/P1XZ2D0MXESUHV CHECK/MONEY ORDER: Made out to Sean Jordan, 18910 Wells Dr., Tarzana, CA. 91356 How much is it again? Since it's a voluntary fee, you're welcome to send in whatever you'd like, but I've basically settled on fifty cents a month, which equals $6 a year. A number of you commented that you'd gladly pay more, but I just don't want to alienate any readers with a fee you'd have to think twice about. Heck, if you've subscribed to ZEN for the last six years you won't hear me complaining if you want to pay for past issues. The PayPal & Amazon methods both provide receipts perfect for business write-offs, and ZEN can provide a receipt via e-mail for check & money order payments if requested. Can you subscribe for more than a year at a time? Unfortunately, I'm not able to do that with the software currently sending out ZEN, so anything received will be considered as being towards a one-year subscription. Anyone subscribing now will have such standing through August of 2002. Can you still forward ZEN to your friends and family whether or not you're a subscribe? Of course, in fact, you're encouraged to. Will there still be ads in ZEN? Yes, the ads aid in me keeping the subscription fee a voluntary one, and besides, I think I have some of the coolest ads out there and I often hear from readers who've benefited from the information they've provided, be it getting an autographed book or subscribing to a comics strip or reading an excerpt from an upcoming novel. Is there anything else I'd like to say? With all this talk about e- mail, I'd like to ensure you that ZEN keeps all subscriber information under the strictest confidence, and would never sell or give your address to anyone. Also, please try to include the e-mail address which is subscribed to ZEN with your payment. Thank you for your time, and thanks in advance for any support you're able to lend. Sean Jordan --- ZENtertainment Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/