Groupsite.com is making changes to the standard features in free Groupsites. These changes will occur on or about June 27, 2011.
The upcoming, new version of our free Groupsites will still let your
group communicate, share and network as they always have! They'll also
include some new limitations, such as the number of managers,
visibility, or number of members allowed. All free Groupsites will be
impacted by these changes. See our blog announcement here.
No one will lose current, in-use service, but
you may not be able to continue to grow in your free Groupsite without
upgrading your plan.
Groupsite.com is rolling out new premium plans.
We'll be eliminating most add-on features and Groupsite Pro plans sold
under that name. Customers currently subscribed to add-on features,
Premium Bundle, or Groupsite Pro plans will be grandfathered with these
services. "Grandfathered" means you can continue to use and renew your
monthly or annual subscriptions to these services, but they will no
longer be available for purchase if you decide you want to upgrade or
downgrade your service. Grandfathered features also cannot be
re-instated if your subscription to them lapses due to non-payment.
Will my username and password be the same for both grandfathered and non-grandfathered Groupsites?
Yes.
Your log-in credentials will not change. All of your Groupsites will
remain in your Groupsite.com network and will be accessible once you
log-in to the system.
What features will be included in free Groupsites?
25 Members (maximum)
2 Managers
2 Subgroups
2 Additional Pages (formerly called "More" Pages)
250 MB Storage
Standard Features
Standard
Features include our Discussion Forums, Email Blast, Group Blog, File
Cabinet, Photo Galleries, Member Profiles, and Kudos/Endorsements that
allow your group to communicate, share and network. Free Groupsites will
also have fewer customization options than are currently permitted, and they will remain ad-supported (i.e., contain third-party
advertisements).
What will change in my free Groupsites?
For free Groupsites created prior to June 27th: These
Groupsites will continue to operate with their current features in use.
You will not lose any of your in-use features even if they currently exceed the
new limitations. However, future
changes as you continue to use your Groupsite will need to comply with the new standard of
free Groupsites.
Read an example.
For free Groupsites created after June 27th: These
Groupsites will automatically be subject to the new standards and
limits of Free Groupsites. This means that if you have free Groupsites,
one created before and another created after June 27th, the available
features may not appear consistent between your free Groupsites. We felt
this was the best alternative instead of removing features in older Groupsites.
How will I know if a change exceeds a plan limit?
System messages will alert managers to changes that exceed a plan's limitations: for example, if you try to add more than two additional pages to a free Groupsite, or if a 26th member requests to join a 25-person Groupsite. In cases where a pending or current member initiates activity that exceeds a plan limit, the member will receive a notice to contact the Groupsite Manager. In the case of membership requests, Groupsite Managers will also receive notice that someone tried to join.
How will I know my Groupsite's membership limit?
You will be able to view your Groupsite's membership count and new plan limits from the MANAGER > Upgrade Groupsite page.
What other changes should I know about?
After June 27, you'll find some design changes to the Manager > Group Settings page. In particular, Content Customization features will be located under a new section called "Webmaster Tools." The Manager > Upgrade Groupsite page will also be updated. We encourage you to visit these areas to check out what's new.
What will my new plan choices look like?
- All
plans include these standard features: Discussion Forums, Email Blast,
Group Blog, File Cabinet, Photo Galleries, Private Messaging, Member
Profiles and more -- that allow your group to communicate, share and
network. - Collaboration
Community is sold in Units, with a three unit minimum. Add extra units
as your Groupsite grows. One Unit = 100 Members, 3 Subgroups, 1 Manager
and 5 GB storage. - Enterprise
Platform is sold in Units, with a three unit minimum. Add extra units
as your Platform grows. One Unit = 10 Groupsites, 1000 Members,
Unlimited Subgroups, Unlimited Managers, 40 GB Storage, Unlimited Additional Pages. - Social Community and Free plans are ad-supported (contain third-party ads).
- Branded Groupsite Creation - ability to automatically create multiple Groupsites with identical custom branding; available with the Enterprise Platform.
- Annual payment options are also available and provide a 10% discount.
I'm subscribed to an add-on service, Premium Bundle or Groupsite Pro plan. What should I expect will happen?
If
you already subscribe to add-on features, a Premium Bundle or Groupsite Pro plan, these changes will not affect you.
These changes are only in effect for new subscriptions or plan changes,
including if your current subscription lapses. If your service lapses
due to non-payment, you will not be able to re-subscribe (restore)
service under a grandfathered plan.
Where can I get up-to-date information about the system?
Important updates and alerts are posted to our system status page at http://groupsite.offsitestatus.com/.
You can even sign up for alerts there so that you and your members know
what's happening. Many of our customers also enjoy discussions and
blog updates at http://champions.groupsite.com.
Where can I learn more about the new plans?
After the new plans launch, you'll be able to view our service options by logging into your Groupsite and going to Manager > Upgrade Groupsite. You can also view plan comparisons and pricing on our company website at www.groupsite.com/pricing.
Who can I contact with questions about this?
It's always our privilege to hear from Groupsite users. Reach us at any time with questions, feedback or concerns at support@groupsite.com. We also encourage members, and especially Groupsite managers, to join our Champions community discussions at www.champions.groupsite.com.