Astromart charges

Hi all

I see that Astromart in the US are now charging a one off joining fee of $12. I have read complaints about Astronomy Ireland charging fees and yet this goes unnoticed.

Is this yet another example of squeezing another buck from people?

Let me know what you think.

Paul

I am a little enraged about it too Paul. I tried re-logging in to my Astromart account over the past 6 months, and each time, I come up as non-existant, yet I have bought and sold over it. To (re)join will cost me €12. I'm not on for it really.

It is definitely an example of a website, which became profitable, trying to squeeze another buck off people.

The AEye thing is different, don't forget - it is charging subscriptions for events, acts like a club/society etc (like most clubs here). How and what they charge for is up to them. Astromart is just a website.

Seanie.

Seanie - how long is it since you did any business on the site? (either buy, sell or post up a wanted item)?

My account is still live and I set it up a oouple of years back. Sure you have your username/password correct?

Cheers
Dave

Gentlemen,

The $12 charge is something that came into effect in mid-December/2006 and it is a means to (indirectly) confirm a person's address and, therefore, the validity of the account.

With the old system, each new applicant had to be processed and confirmed manually. The new system in effect is a means to ease the load surrounding new accounts.

As for Seanie's problem, I am also puzzled.

Seanie - how long is it since you did any business on the site? (either buy, sell or post up a wanted item)?

My account is still live and I set it up a oouple of years back. Sure you have your username/password correct?

Dave,
I always browsed Astromart intermittently over the past 3-odd years. If it was expired due to inactivity, then I guess about 4 months of having not logged in (at most) is a bad way of conducting their administration. As regards to the retrieval of my username/password, no e-mail address I enter gets me a response (yet I KNOW the one it was tied to).

Seanie.

Hi all

I see that Astromart in the US are now charging a one off joining fee of $12. I have read complaints about Astronomy Ireland charging fees and yet this goes unnoticed.

Is this yet another example of squeezing another buck from people?

Let me know what you think.

Paul

Astromart is a business, AI is supposed to be a not-for-proffit club. Absolutely no comparison.

I think it's a really stupid move by Astromart and I hope it bites them on the ass financially and the reverse the policy.

Bart.