| URL | http://www.classmates.com |
|---|---|
| Commercial? | mixed |
| Type of site | Social network service |
| Owner | United Online |
| Created by | Randy Conrads |
Classmates.com is a social network service created in 1995[1] by Randy Conrads who founded Classmates Online, Inc.[2] The social media website helps members find, connect and keep in touch with friends and acquaintances from throughout their lives — including kindergarten, primary school, high school, college, work and the United States military. Classmates.com has more than 40 million[3] active members in the United States and Canada. Nielsen Online ranks Classmates as number three in unique monthly visitors (U.S. home, work) among social networking sites.[4]
Contents |
Business model
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The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (August 2009) |
Classmates Media Corporation's business model is based on user-generated content and revenue from paid subscriptions and advertising sales.[5] Classmates Media had more than 50 million members, including more than 3.8 million pay subscribers, as of June 30, 2008.[6]
Classmates Media pay accounts grew 41 percent in Q2 2008, June 30, 2008 versus June 30, 2007, and increased a net 288,000 during Q2 2008 to more than 3.8 million pay accounts.[7] In Q1 2008 net growth of paid accounts was a record 322,000.[8]
Classmates Media revenues for Q2 of 2008 were $57.0 million, an increase of 19% compared to the year ago quarter.[9] In Q1 of 2008, Classmates Media revenues grew 22% to $51.9 million, compared to the year ago quarter.[6]
The Online Publishers Association Paid Content U.S. Market Spending Report, Classmates.com was Number 4 among the Top 25 Web Destinations Ranked by Consumer Content Revenue in both 2002 and 2003[10] (the last years that individual site rankings were broken out).
Privacy
Classmates.com members use real names, not screen names (although some members use a "fake name"). Member privacy is protected through a double-blind email system, so email addresses and contact information are never revealed unless self-disclosed by members one-on-one.
Registering and networking
It is free for people to register as a Basic member of Classmates.com. Basic members can create profiles and search the entire social network service for friends. Basic members may also post to and read community message boards and view information about upcoming reunions, but they may not email anyone or view other members' profiles. They can write emails and send them, but the recipient cannot read them unless the sender becomes a paid member. This doesn't become apparent until an email is already composed and sent. Basic members who try to send emails or view profiles are funneled to a page where they can upgrade to Gold member status for a fee. Gold members, who pay a fee, may view other members' profiles, photos, biographies, timelines, interests, announcements and send email to and receive email from any member, view notes posted on their profile bulletin board, see the names of others who have visited their profile and signed their guest book, access and use tools for planning reunions and create their own private groups.
Ownership
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The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (August 2009) |
United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq: UNTD) acquired Classmates Online in 2004[11] and continues to own and operate the company as part of its Classmates Media Corporation subsidiary.
Classmates Media operates leading online social networking and loyalty marketing services under the Classmates.com[12] and MyPoints[13] brands. Classmates.com connects millions of members throughout the U.S. and Canada with friends and acquaintances from school (K-12), college, work and the military. Classmates Media also operates the number one site in Germany for reconnecting with school friends, StayFriends.de.[14][15] as well as StayFriends.se[16] the largest site in Sweden for reconnecting with school friends.[17] Classmates Media's leading social networking sites also include StayFriends.at[18] in Austria and Trombi.com[19] in France.
Controversial business practices
It is standard practice for Classmates.com to auto-renew memberships at the end of each billing period. In December 2006, when PC World magazine field tested several companies to determine how easy or difficult it was to cancel their service, Classmates.com was one of the companies that received their worst rating.[20]
Classmates.com also routinely sends spam e-mails indicating that one of the recipient's classmates is looking for him/her. Allegedly, this is frequently untrue, and Classmates.com currently faces a lawsuit for this practice (which, if the allegation is true, constitutes fraud).[21] In addition, Classmates.com does not allow members to provide each other with private e-mail addresses, since this would allow the members to communicate with one another outside of the site and therefore not pay for communications.
United Online, the parent company of Classmates.com, earned $70 million from marketing practices under investigation in 2009 by the Senate Commerce Committee involving piggybacking a second credit card transaction with membership to Classmates.com involving a loyalty program.[22]
See also
- Names Database owned by Classmates.com.
References
- ^ CBS News, August 30, 2003. In Search of the Past.
- ^ Classmates, 2006. About Classmates Online, Inc.
- ^ The View, February 1, 2006. Take a Second Chance with that First Love.
- ^ Nielsen Online, February, 2008. Neilsen Online Unique Monthly Visitors Ranking for Classmates.com.
- ^ No. 2 Internet service provider buying Classmates Online.
- ^ a b http://investor.untd.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=328744
- ^ MarketWatch, August 5, 2008 http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/united-online-reports-second-quarter-results/story.aspx?guid=%7BC3260A55-47D1-4354-8C77-731413DEE5BF%7D&dist=hppr
- ^ Seattle Times, May 6, 2008 http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/archives/138289.asp
- ^ Seeking Alpha, August 18, 2008 http://seekingalpha.com/article/91464-united-online-inc-q2-2008-earnings-call-transcript
- ^ Online Publishers Association, May 2004. Paid Content U.S. Market Spending Report (PDF file).
- ^ Seattle Times, October 26, 2004. No. 2 Internet service provider buying Classmates Online.
- ^ http://www.classmates.com
- ^ http://www.mypoints.com
- ^ http://www.stayfriends.de
- ^ Hamburg News, April 10, 2006. Klassentreffen: Auf Zeitreise mit alten Schulfreunden!, (German)
- ^ http://www.stayfriends.se
- ^ StayFriends.se, 2006. Press Coverage and Membership Counter, (Swedish)
- ^ http://www.stayfriends.at
- ^ http://www.trombi.com
- ^ "Just Cancel the @#%$* Account! Big Hassles," PC World Magazine, December 22, 2006. Accessed May 30, 2007.
- ^ http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2008/11/classmates
- ^ Greg Sandoval (November 23, 2009). "E-tailers snagged in marketing 'scam' blame customers". Cnet.com. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10403286-83.html. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
External links
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