Donations

[ABEditor22]

Here's how much we've raised this month:


Want to donate? Use the form below

WARNING:

Our **Recommended** Payment Processor is DonorBox (using the above form). Please note that you should always exercise Due Diligence when making any payment online and The AnswerBank is no different. We will continually monitor this page and the Donations coming in, but we would ask Members to not make any payment to any other payment method that is not shown on this Question, regardless of how convincing it may seem. Please be safe online.

Alternative Payment Methods
PayPal Donations

Bank Transfer
Please exercise caution when sending any money via Bank transfer. If you would like to verify the bank details on this page please email The Editor using the email address below.
Bank: Natwest Bank
Name: ANSWERBANK LTD
Sort-Code: 54-21-22
Account Number: 24150533

Cheques
Please email for details: theeditor AT theanswerbank DOT co DOT uk
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Historic Monthly Donation Sums:
August 2022: £127
September 2022: £91.45
October 2022: £29.23
November 2022: £8
December 2022: £10
January 2023: £33
February 2023: £31
March 2023: £482.58
April 2023: £50.60
May 2023: £303.38
June 2023: £192.01
July 2023: £88
August 2023: £192.96
September 2023: £110.36
October 2023: £103.58
November 2023: £70.26
December 2023: £54.12
January 2024: £56.14
February 2024: £81.98
March 2024: £81.98

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Dear AnswerBank Community,

I wanted to write to you all to explain a new feature that we have rolled out across The AnswerBank, and, most importantly, to why we have chosen to do so. I am of course talking about the new Donations feature, which you may have noticed recently.

As you know, The AnswerBank is free, and always has been, for our users to access. We have never charged any fees, and, historically, maintenance and upkeep of the website has always been funded by advertising alone. Sadly, over the years, our advertising revenue has declined, in part due to a gradual decrease in traffic volumes, but also due to the rise in the use of Ad Blockers and similar technology.

Whilst we do understand that there are users of The AnswerBank that would prefer to see less advertising on the website, it has always seemed the fairest way to continue to raise funds to cover our costs whilst keeping it free and accessible for all users. However, unfortunately, it is no longer sufficient to continually develop and maintain the platform based on advertising revenue alone.

That’s why we need your help; to raise funds, via voluntary donations. Through your donations, we would like to not only continue to support, maintain and provide the service that The AnswerBank offers; we would like to make it even better. We want to implement new features, as requested by the community, and as part of this, we would like to engage you with our plans to invest the funds raised into the platform.

The new Donations feature is of course entirely optional, but we are hopeful that the community can support this as a way of not only sustaining the platform, but to help it flourish and improve into the future. You can give as much or as little as you would like (although there is a £2 minimum enforced by our donations partner to cover card processing fee’s). You can donate as a one-off, or you can opt to donate regularly on a weekly or monthly basis; whatever suits you best.

We plan to be transparent as we move forwards with regards to the funds we are raising and the impact this is having on the continued success and development of The AnswerBank, so it is out intention to provide updates regularly.

All the best.
M.

[choux]

"We plan to be transparent as we move forwards..."

May I say putting the cart before the horse is not a good start.

[JimF]

"We want to implement new features"

Your "techies" [sic] aren't even capable of filtering out the most glaringly obvious spam posts...

[Redhelen72]

Hmmmmm perhaps if you sorted out some of the basic admin things might run smoother

[Zacs-Master]

Here’s a deal
Get rid of the incompetent moderators and I’ll donate.

[JimF]

^^ +1

[jno]

JimF, I suggested some weeks ago that all posts containing words like keto and gummies could simply be blocked.

But someone pointed out that these are legitimate merchandise these days, even though there's so much spam on the subject.

I don't know if there's some simple way of blacking the spam without banning the subject matter?

[FatticusInch]

Never understood the ‘card processing fees’ thing when it’s all automated?
Am equally perplexed with the additional ‘booking fees’ via Ticketmaster etc.
I’m sure someone will enlighten me.

[JimF]

"keto and gummies"

The "techies" could start here - this is how the rest of the world does it:
https://www.google.com/search?q=website+blog+detect+spam&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB977GB977&oq=website+blog+detect+spam&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i160l2.8027j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[jno]

thanks, JimF. I have no idea how well theee might work in the context of AB, where for instance a typical user will post a single question about a crossword puzzle, read any answers then sign out again. That might seem to fall under the heading of pages per session or bounce rate and yet be standard procedure for genuine users.

[Barmaid]

I do not see a problem with seeking donations. It is similar to sites such as Wiki and others who seek a donation for running costs.

I wonder whether in sections other than CB and New where people are really seeking answers to problems as well as a "Best Answer" tab, there also ought to be a tab that says "If you have found this answer useful, please consider donating....." and importantly a message that says "now you have an answer, please consider staying and contributing your knowledge because everyone has something to offer". (I came here to ask for advice on my new kitten in 2006, and I like to think I have helped a few people over the years.)

I think there is a difference between the regular community who use it as a chat platform and those people who are seeking advice in particular areas.

I do, however, think that the message is clear - it is donations that are being sought and not any sort of contractual arrangement. I have subscriptions to various sites that are contractual and if there is a problem I can call their helpline. This is entirely different. Donations are simply that - and what one gets in return is the continuance of the site.

I suppose the Ed could consider "tiers" of membership. Although whether the techies could sort that out is anyone's guess.

[anneasquith]

How much in donations would assist you to improve the site ?

[THECORBYLOON]

Can you clarify the "enforced" minimum donation of £2?

From what I can see on the donations website (donorbox), they charge 1.5% and the payment processor, Stripe, charge 1.4% of the transaction plus 20p for European cards and 2.8% plus 20p on non-european cards.

It does also say that PayPal can be used but couldn't see what those fees were.

By my calculation, that would leave 77.1p from a £1 donation on a European card, which would be the case, typically.

Also, looking at their instructional videos on YouTube, there is also the option for AB to ask that the fees be added to the donation to leave the nett amount as the intended donation.

[MissTerious]

I would donate if there were changes. AB is tired and badly managed. We need to know more about new ideas and changes before helping out.

[JimF]

AB is tired and badly managed"

And hopelessly out of date in terms of technology. The very fact that the URL of the page that I'm currently writing this answer in ends in ".html#postananswer" just beggars belief.

[FatticusInch]

The Moderation on here is diabolically haphazard and at times unfathomable, even biased so I doubt I’ll make a contribution unless there’s major improvement.

[JimF]

It totally is. An answer was removed from a thread today which simply said something like "Ooh, interesting!"

[Toorak]

Jim - that was a poster who posted on numerous threads (including the usual link) before being zapped

I have more concern about the bullying on here by certain members

[gness]

I didn't see that one, Jim but very often when a new person joins to ask a question two of our members have a habit of coming straight in with a juvenile or sarcastic comment instead of a useful answer.

Had that happened to me when I asked my first question I'd have immediately left and found somewhere more helpful.

[MissTerious]

Who is M? Where does 007 fit into AB?

[JimF]

Oh, right, apologies.

The bullying point is well made though, so I'm led to believe, not quite as bad as it used to be, with the various covens and cabals that proliferated.

As I understand it, the vast majority of that ended with the death of a long-time AB member...