Membership fees!

[Kidjal]

Re: Membership fees!

wrong wrong wrong.. It seems to be pretty common amongst some sites for this to happen, and new players that dont know any different are taken in. Annoys me that sites are wringing another charge out of people for something which costs them nothing. (they dont even have to provide a card with your number if they dont want to right?...no cost there)

At our site we complete the form ourselves, get it stamped with our code when we bring the ID on the day, and send it off ourselves. Cost of an envelope and a stamp.

[Longshot]

Re: Membership fees!

they dont even have to provide a card with your number if they dont want to right?

Yes, but arguably they don't have to provide you a 'number' either.

[Kidjal]

Re: Membership fees!

So why is that chargeable?

Is that a commodity that a site can sell, or just verification that someone does indeed turn up more than three times. Just because they "can" charge for something doesn't make it right, or the system as intended.

[ruexup]

Re: Membership fees!

thanks for the info, i will repost in the section mentioned by longshot so you may see the question again. Cheers guys.

[Andy8746]

Re: Membership fees!

The benefit of a membership is you don't have to pay the none membership fee every time you turn up at the site there using the ukara registration as a carrot and stick approach to get you fork out 45 quid when ukare membership is free..

[ruexup]

2nd membership fee!

Hi again people just a quick question hope someone can help?
I am in the process of getting my 3 visits completed to obtain my UKARA membership and after the 3rd visit the site in question wants a fee of £45 pounds to become a member, which they state includes free registration for UKARA.
I thought UKARA was free anyway, is that right?
The reason I am asking is I don't think it's fair as I won't be doing airsoft that often (once a month, 15 times a year at most) and I would like to try different sites often as there are a few locally.
Can they make my become a paying member or do I have the right to just request my 3 stamps and deal with UKARA directly?

Really sorry about the questions I want to be a regular air softer but not at the same site and I don't want to be forced into paying for a membership I don't think is fit for purpose.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

(Already asked in a different area but advised to repost here)

[bill1310]

Re: 2nd membership fee!

zeroone only charge a tenner

[Kagedwolf]

Re: 2nd membership fee!

It happens, quite a lot of sites do ask for a membership fee. Even if you go around, you'll probably find another site that'll ask for a fee for membership fee, although £45 is extortionate.

Even if you print off and fill in your own UKARA form, you'll still need their stamp and authorisation, so it looks like you've gotta pay or find a site that's either cheaper on the fee front.

I mean I was lucky with Delta Team Three, they send off form to UKARA and have membership for free. You might get lucky if you look around and are willing to travel a little bit further.

[TB-Stalker]

Re: Membership fees!

If you fill in your form and then scan it in to your PC there is a UK retailer who supports fire and if you email them they will register your UKARA and it will be done in minutes for free.

Yh GZ only charge £10 and you get a card plus cheaper entrance fee so it's pretty good.

[No1_sonuk]

Re: Membership fees!

My local site charge £2 extra on your first day's fee for the site membership admin.

UKARA "membership" is only open to retailers, and does cost.
Players must be a full member of a UKARA-affiliated site before they can "register" on the UKARA database. Last I heard, that registration can only be done by a retailer, not a site, though a site CAN renew your registration if you're still a member when the time comes.
Retailers normally do that for free - especially if you're buying from them at the same time.

[Longshot]

Re: Membership fees!

So why is that chargeable?

Is that a commodity that a site can sell, or just verification that someone does indeed turn up more than three times. Just because they "can" charge for something doesn't make it right, or the system as intended.

Of course the site membership number is a commodity they can sell, since it is proof of membership to their site, which you have to buy.

Whether the 'system' intended it this way or not, UKARA registration currently clearly requires not only the 'three games in no less than two months' but also site membership (since you have to provide them with a site membership number, which then becomes your UKARA number).

As mentioned you don't need to have UKARA to buy RIFs, you could simply provide the details of the site you have played your three games at and have the person selling you the RIF check this. However the site itself is under no obligation to go and find those details for you. In fact going back through their records will take up someone's time, and since 'time is money' that process in itself is a commodity - which is exactly why some places will charge an 'admin fee' to do it, and are well within their rights to do so. Generally if you're a member of the site they'll do this admin for 'free' for you, but it's not really free, it's covered in your membership fee.

The long and short of it is that the easiest way to buy a RIF is to be a member of the UKARA scheme, and the easiest way to become a member of the UKARA scheme is by having site membership.

The problem for the OP is that he has played his games at a site who seem to be all too aware of this and are very restrictive in their membership fees as a result, which arguably is quite unfair. First and Only (who I'm with) have a very good three tier system of bronze, silver and gold memberhips that cater to different needs, but all (I believe) give you a membership number and get your UKARA 'admin' done for 'free' as part of the price.

[rmkillerman]

Re: Membership fees!

tbh guys our site cant hold a venue for more than a month i've only played once so will i lose that game on my way to ukara/membership at a potential differant site? we are in plymouth and pos travel to bournemouth to play, which in fairness works out cheaper in the long run, but as the op states we want to play at other local sites and find out which is best for us.

in sort i dont want to brown nose a site just to buy a rif or that the lovely green off my toys!!!!