Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

[Patrick H.]

Some of you may be following one of the infamous Driveline threads below where we debate how many NCRS members actually have internet access or the possibility of being able to access the Driveline online.
See here: https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...69901&uid=8718

So, I thought I would pull some random numbers for thought.

In a 10 page section of "Parts for Sale" pulled from the current online Driveline there are 67 member ads, and 27 list an e-mail contact, for 40%.

In a 10 page section of "Cars for Sale" pulled from the current online Driveline there are 38 member ads, and 16 list an e-mail contact, for 42%.

For last year's Motor City Regional we had 301 family registrations, and 263 listed an e-mail contact, for 87.37%.

In the March member list of the MI Chapter we had 230 families listed, and 220 have e-mail contact for 95.65%.

If there is anyone who truly believes that "only" 15% of the NCRS has e-mail access and/or internet access I would suggest that you re-think your numbers.


Patrick

[Gary C.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

Patrick, good info. Appreciate you taking the time to pull it together. Currently, 27% of NCRS Members are registered for on-line access. The 2006 U.S. Census Bureau report said that over 90% of U.S. residents have more than one computer in their household and over 80% have broadband connection. Gary....

[Henry S.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

Some of you may be following one of the infamous Driveline threads below where we debate how many NCRS members actually have internet access or the possibility of being able to access the Driveline online.
See here: https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...69901&uid=8718

So, I thought I would pull some random numbers for thought.

In a 10 page section of "Parts for Sale" pulled from the current online Driveline there are 67 member ads, and 27 list an e-mail contact, for 40%.

In a 10 page section of "Cars for Sale" pulled from the current online Driveline there are 38 member ads, and 16 list an e-mail contact, for 42%.

For last year's Motor City Regional we had 301 family registrations, and 263 listed an e-mail contact, for 87.37%.

In the March member list of the MI Chapter we had 230 families listed, and 220 have e-mail contact for 95.65%.

If there is anyone who truly believes that "only" 15% of the NCRS has e-mail access and/or internet access I would suggest that you re-think your numbers.


Patrick

Patrick,
You are probably right with that more than 15% of our members have internet access. I think (and hopefully Gary will correct me if I'm wrong) that the 15% Gary came up with is the % of members that either access the NCRS site or access the Driveline Online when it is posted. If the number comes from the Driveline Online one reason could be that the only members accessing it are the ones that don't have their copy in hand. Either way I would think the chances of members having or getting internet access would be greater than chances of them dropping it or not getting it. Granted we probably have some members that will never get internet access or cell phones for that matter but I would think as you do that number would be in the minority.

[Henry S.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

Patrick, good info. Appreciate you taking the time to pull it together. Currently, 27% of NCRS Members are registered for on-line access. The 2006 U.S. Census Bureau report said that over 90% of U.S. residents have more than one computer in their household and over 80% have broadband connection. Gary....

Thanks for posting Gary, I didn't see it until after I did. Shooter

[Terry M.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

Patrick your numbers prove that 40% of the parts SELLERS in a sampling (let's assume random) of the most recent issue of The Driveline have Internet access.

Similarly 42% of the car SELLERS have Internet access.

Please note those numbers say NOTHING about BUYERS.

It also shows that 87.37% of the people who attended your Regional have Internet access. What does this say about the other 15,000 members who didn't attend your event? I submit that it says NOTHING. I am sure you would like to extrapolate that 87.37% to the whole membership -- but I submit there is no basis for that extension. Arguments based on faulty logic will ultimately be faulty.

Did you ask any of those people if they want to receive The Driveline on-line?

I know the Michigan Chapter has made a concerted effort, as have some other Chapters, to establish email communications with their membership. The high percentage of your members with a listed Internet address shows you have been effective. Someone has to maintain that list. I know from maintaining the contacts page of The Restorer that people change Internet providers, and thus Internet addresses, like they change clothes. Maintaining a list of 30 names, as I did, or 300, as someone is for the Michigan Chapter, is one thing. Doing that for 15,000 families is quite another matter.

[Edward M.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

We can debate this issue until paper copies of anything become illegal in the name of conservation of poor defenseless trees. That is not going to solve the problem.

Run a test for three consecutive issues of The Driveline and gauge the results. Put The Driveline online on the NCRS website as soon as it gets mailed out for three consecutive issues. See what the results are. See how many people use it, and see how many people complain about it.

If people use it, and few people complain about it, the issue is solved. If you get lots of complaints about how unfair it is to people who don't use computers, then you still have the same issue.

Right now we are all guessing that the majority of people will object to this. Let's stop guessing and find out what the situation is.

[Gary C.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

Here's data on number of Driveline on-line views since the latest issue was posted. The number of views are very representative of the amount of times any Driveline on-line issue has been accessed since it started last year. FWIW, Gary....

[Henry S.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

I know the Michigan Chapter has made a concerted effort, as have some other Chapters, to establish email communications with their membership. The high percentage of your members with a listed Internet address shows you have been effective. Someone has to maintain that list. I know from maintaining the contacts page of The Restorer that people change Internet providers, and thus Internet addresses, like they change clothes. Maintaining a list of 30 names, as I did, or 300, as someone is for the Michigan Chapter, is one thing. Doing that for 15,000 families is quite another matter.

Terry, I'm just asking here because I don't know the answer: What happens now with the list of our 15,000 members? Doesn't someone have to update or keep track of them anyway? Is there a "space" on the registration/membership form now for e-mail? How much administration is there now to keep user name/member number/password inline? Or is it something that is automatic once the member enters it? Is anyone familiar with other forums or how they handle membership? Just asking.

[Henry S.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

We can debate this issue until paper copies of anything become illegal in the name of conservation of poor defenseless trees. That is not going to solve the problem.

Run a three month test and gauge the results. Put The Driveline online on the NCRS website as soon as it gets mailed out for three consecutive months. See what the results are. See how many people use it, and see how many people complain about it.

If people use it, and few people complain about it, the issue is solved. If you get lots of complaints about how unfair it is to people who don't use computers, then you still have the same issue.

Right now we are all guessing that the majority of people will object to this. Let's stop guessing and find out what the situation is.

I'll second that.


By the way, I called about three parts the day I received my Driveline on the 20th and all 3 parts had been sold. If it was posted online the day it was mailed at least I would have had a fair shot. As it is that money is still burning a hole in my pocket. Maybe I can spend it at BG next month.

[Terry M.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

Terry, I'm just asking here because I don't know the answer: What happens now with the list of our 15,000 members? Doesn't someone have to update or keep track of them anyway? Is there a "space" on the registration/membership form now for e-mail? How much administration is there now to keep user name/member number/password inline? Or is it something that is automatic once the member enters it? Is anyone familiar with other forums or how they handle membership? Just asking.

Yes, the membership database is maintained by the membership office in Cincinnati -- Gary & Eric Mortimer. I don't know if there is a field in the database for email addresses, but the last membership form I saw did not include a blank space for that information. I know there is no field for a phone number (at least last time I asked some years ago) so I doubt there is one for email. There is not even space to list the Corvette(s) one owns, and it has been suggested/debated that should be done. THAT is, however, a whole different discussion.

I would submit to you that people move (change mailing address) less frequently than they change email providers. Perhaps I was Editor when there was a shakeout in email providers, but I found changing email addresses was my most frequent chore in maintaining the contacts page of the Restorer. I also found that people (those people being the officers and Team Leaders of this organization) tend not to think of NCRS when the change email providers. I suspect the general membership would be less diligent in notifying us than those more involved.

The handful of other car clubs that I belong to don't have a discussion form, so there is none of these kinds of discussion. They mail the club publications, and that is it. They all have a web site, but there is no dialog taking place, that I am aware of.

I do kind of like Ed's test idea, and I suggest he make his case to his Regional Director.

[Terry M.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

By the way, I called about three parts the day I received my Driveline on the 20th and all 3 parts had been sold. If it was posted online the day it was mailed at least I would have had a fair shot. As it is that money is still burning a hole in my pocket. Maybe I can spend it at BG next month.

Did you ask when the parts sold?

The Driveline is a bi-monthly publication (so Ed might want to amend his time suggestion for his proposed test) and I suspect many of the "sold" parts are gone before The Driveline is printed. I have no data on this, and thus it is pure speculation on my part, but Ed's experiment could produce some.

[Dale S.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

I did not read the internet Driveline as I read the printed copy the week before. Dale

[Henry S.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

Terry, One of the items, either the ralleys or the radiator cap sold the day before I called which was the 20th, so I just missed it. On 2 of the items they were still waiting for a check so I assume they hadn't been sold that too long. Both the guys took my number in case the sale fell through, so there still is a slimmer chance of hope I guess.

Thanks for the information about the database. I think you are probably correct about people changing their e-mail addresses. In fact ours is getting ready to change hopefully next week as we're going from satelite to DSL.

[Mark P.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

Patrick - thanks for providing these numbers. I am hopeful some day we will have a real time and searchable place to buy and sell parts/cars. This will drive new members to the NCRS and will drive NCRS members to the on-line resources like the discussion board.

I would much rather deal with fellow NCRS members than anonymous sellers on EBAY. I have had fellow NCRS members send me parts before I even sent the check or even sent me the part for free. NCRS members also don't seem to be worried about a personal check clearing and the parts are usually exactly what I thought I would get.

Mark

[Steven B.]

Re: Random Statistics on NCRS / E-mail usage

If we use the 15,000 number as our membership, or population, and we want a confidence interval of +/- 5%, and a confidence level of 95% we need to sample 375 members.

The number of households who have internet access is 90%+ per telco and ISP calculations. 'Amazing in such a short time.