(07-10-2009, 01:38 AM)Tokio Wrote: I think the fanclub may be opened one day, but you have to remember that it won't be easy for them. They'll have to change around their whole site to allow overseas registrations.

Also, even if the website content is in Japanese they'll still need to provide support to members in English/Spanish/Whatever. What if they bill you twice? What if the goods you bought are damaged? What if you never received registration stuff? Someone will have to offer support for overseas fans.

And of course, there needs to be a huge enough demand. I'm sure they don't want to change around their website and hire English support and only have 100 people join.

Also, it all takes time. Once they agree to open the fanclub they'll need time to rework things and hire support, while still writing/recording albums, planning tours, working with their other bands, doing promotion, managing the fanclubs and websites, so on. I'm sure opening the fanclub would be a lower priority.

I don't think pay-to-join fanclubs are as popular these days here in America. I think pretty much every band website I visit has a free open community. You don't get all the perks of a paid-club but a lot fans these days don't want to pay for anything. So it might be hard to convince many overseas fans to shell out $50+ for a website.

(Especially when some perks - like fanclub only concerts - don't apply to us because we're not in Japan)

Only really hardcore fans will pay, but there might not be enough to warrant spending the time (and money) to open the fanclub. I'm sure if enough people are willing to pay, then they'll consider it.

Points well taken. But what if they don't change a thing? Just open them up to the hard-cores. EMS shipping covers damage, they don't need to have the site in English -keep it just like it is.
$50 is nothing. It's the middle-man's fees that kill you. I need to join L'arc next year because, if God willing, I make it to the 20th anniversary, I need tickets. The cost of doing this is staggering...but I have no other option.
VAMPS would not have to change a thing. Do they think that I can read Monthly VAMPS? Yet I own all 12 issues and plan to get number 13. Can I read all of the tour programs that I own? Or the magazines? I would rather put the money directly into their pockets than pay the fees that I have to pay to get what I want. They would have more money from me because I would not have to pay the fees and could buy more. (Say....that could be deadly....) I personally don't want them to change a thing about the way they operate. I just want them to open the door and say please come in. Yeah, I know....the Rolling Stones said it best....you can't always get what you want.