Lotusflow3r subscribers

Below contains an email I sent to Lotusflow3r support, which I have previously submitted on prince.org.

Both members and moderators of the org. thought the content of the below letter more-or-less expressed the general consensus of the org. and Prince's wider community. A consensus of a general dissatisfaction towards Prince's latest online venture - Lotusflow3r.com

Granted we were not promised anything in particular, but much was hinted or inferred in interviews. This led to many (including myself) signing up to website - and 4 months later nothing substantial has appeared. I personally believe this was a strategic marketing strategy from the Prince camp – who’s ultimate goal was to lure fans into paying a membership (which was never truely going to be delivered).

Equally, the very idea of a membership implies regular updates, regardless of what updates these may be. The website is clearly not delivering on this front either.

Adding additional salt to fans wounds - subscribers still have not received their t-shirts. Many people have moved to focus all their attention towards these t-shirts (as they seem to be the only sizeable thing we will receive). The fact that after 4months, subscribers still have not received these - is simply unacceptable.


If you share these, or similar sentiments or have further comments to add, please sign this petition: http://www.gopetition.com...flow3r.com


It is my opinion (and one shared by others) if we rally ourselves together in a mature and pro-active way - the outcome will be beneficial to all of us!


We all know the potential of this website and what it means to us fans. With collective action I believe the website can become what we want and know it can be.


Please, if you did not sign up to lotusflow3r don't litter this thread with negative comments or flame wars. Equally, if you do not agree, and are satisfied with the site please again do not undermine other people’s opinions of dissatisfaction.

My previous thread was shut for this very issue, and I think it would be more helpful to the fan community if we kept this thread to those that want to voice their opinions in the form of a petition to the Lotusflow3r team.



Please sign the petition
Thank you, JM

http://www.gopetition.com...flow3r.coM


Original email:

"To whom it may concern,

I want to let you know that my intent in writing this email is not to assign blame to the support team. I know that you probably have little control over the content of Lotusflow3r. Nevertheless, I just wanted to convey that nobody (and I do not think this is an exaggeration). Nobody is happy with Prince's website.

I love the design and the concept. As a vessel, for all that is Prince; it has so much potential. However, there was so much promised (infered) in interviews with the creators. No retraction was ever made from Prince to say that these reports were false. Therefore, fans believed they were true.

Basically the Fans of Prince, paid money to get something that I am unsure we’ll ever get. I personally have just finished my degree, I have very little money and I actually went short for a week so I could sign up to this site.

I really want to know if the site is still intended to be something along the lines of that which was conveyed in interviews. Will it be updated regularly? And for a membership site, regularly is every month. I mean my monthly subscription to new scientist gives me five magazines and costs the same a year. It was fortunate that I got said subscription for a present - a luxury that was not afforded with Lotusflow3r.

Recently you uploaded Undertaker, it was good to see that again. But I already own it as it is legally available (see here http://www.amazon.co.uk/U...00004R6P5, as do most of Prince's core fan-base. And ultimately these are the types of fans that signed up to this site.

I am also wondering how much of a direct contact the people that deal with Lotusflow3r have with Prince. Does he actually understand how annoyed and cheated some of his fans feel? If this was a simple disgruntled fan thing I would not bother you.

The fact is I - as have many others - paid for a service; a service which I (we) feel is not being delivered. A service that fans were lead to believe (with media hype) was going to be far more than what was actually delivered, (refer to this article, it is one of many examples http://www.newsweek.com/id/189242.

I mean this site was for the Lotusflow3r albums, and the cd’s are amazing - but the site isn't. The thing is; it could be! It just seems there was so much hype and it has been forgotten about. And that you will trickle updates out when enough people moan. Updates that are frankly not worth $77. Updates like Prince’s live footage (which you can’t buy) is what fans were expecting. A subscription site that has things that people can buy already just does not seem fair. For examples, Prince video’s are already available on DVDs. It just gives the impression that media was hyped to con people out of their money. And that isn’t fair.

If the delays have anything to do with Prince being ill at the moment - that is totally understandable. And my thoughts and love go out to him if that’s the case. But I would be grateful if you would let fans know what is happening.

Thank you in advance,

JM"



Update: 186 sigs so far

Forgot to add - please pass this on to any other fan community or people you know. Thanks

MJ R.I.P; your music has and will continue to inspire generations
[Edited 7/29/09 7:29am]

signed!

I signed it too.

Thank you for initiating this! I have signed the petition as well!

Thankyou for this-i signed. I'm glad too-I have sent my own complaints though they always seem to be viewed as aggressive which is not great or my intention. This is an infuriating situation though-so good that action is finally being taken

Signed.....and thanks.

thanks, I signed too

i just realised i wasted my 'comment'. Mabey we should put how long we have been listening. supporting and helping spread the purple word....And the thanks we get is.....

I signed too

Good letter my friend!

I haven't signed up yet, but would do gladly if content is added.

Loyal Prince fan since 83

Dean

Nice job again.

signed

Desire2006 said:

thanks for rubbing it in

It might offer value by the time 12 months have passed but it certainly doesn't offer anything like value now. Therefore... Signed.

signed

signed

serpan99 said:

no.

i don't want to give the impression that this is endorsed by the .org, because that's not the case. that's ben's call to make, and until he makes that call, i'd like the site's position to remain neutral. if someone wants to create a petition saying they think lotusflow3r.com is the ginchiest thing since bubblegum and lemonade, then they should feel like they can post their petition here as well.

Anxiety said:

Sure I understand your position. I didn't mean to give the impression that this was the orgs. Idea

Anxiety said:

"ginchiest".

signed..

close to 50 so far...

signed!

..
[Edited 6/25/09 4:46am]

I signed, I was #51. Thanks, JM, for starting this petition. Let's hope Prince sees it, and does something about it.
[Edited 6/25/09 8:39am]

signed

Signature #55

signed

signed

so i guess this is kinda dead now the tee's are arriving . That seems a shame-cuz personally-a cheap looking tee shirt for me-it the least of my concerns-though obviously I concede i'm WAY in the minority.....

Signed. No 75

polkadotbliss said:

I hope this issue is not dead, because some of us still are waiting to receive our T-shirts (myself included).