Going from grey to buying tokens

[Smoothie]

Just curious: Members/users, how long were you a grey username before you started buying tokens and tipping?

If it took a while for you to start buying tokens, did you have any concerns aside from just convincing yourself to spend money?

I started thinking about this earlier while visiting a (relatively) new model who appeared to be banning all grey members from her room on sight. I certainly can appreciate the sentiment behind that. Nobody likes freeloaders. But what’s a reasonable amount of time to give a grey member who might be talking himself into buying tokens?

For me, I was a grey for maybe 2-3 weeks before I first bought tokens. In that time, I found a model I enjoyed enough that the idea of tipping her for a show became the motivation that turned me into a regular token-buyer/tipper in a lot of rooms, over the course of years. That model allowing me to hang out as a grey for a few days was the main catalyst.

I did have a little trouble convincing myself to put my payment info (and later my ID verification) into a cam site, more out of caution about fraud and identity protection than for any financial reason. I often wonder if some greys have that same concern that I had in the beginning.

 

[cbhours]

If I made a cam site, I would make grey names and text go lighter and lighter each week that passes until eventually they cant be seen or heard from

Lets say 8 weeks until completely invisible?

Edit: oh right i got distracted, i was grey for like 1-2 days if I recall correctly.

 

[NotYou]

It took me a couple of weeks I think. If I could see the date I created my account on CB (maybe I can somewhere in the export data option?) then I could tell you.

There were a few reasons I didn't at first.
At that time I could easily afford tokens BUT I found Chaturbate by searching for free porn on Google, and at first, I didn't "believe" it - it seemed too good to be true, I thought it was pre-recorded shows and a gimmick, basically. So as I was getting used to this whole new world and experience.

Secondly, it was kind of scary and overwhelming. Despite being confident with the internet and computers, because I had never used a site like this and didn't know "what is what",. I was constantly paranoid if I buy money, it's going to charge more than it should, or it will give me some extra bill etc. The whole unfamiliarity of it and not wanting my money to get spent.


The funny thing is, it was really this one specific model who "convinced" me to buy tokens the first time. Not from her asking, telling or threatening me. She was always nice to everyone, regardless of colour on the site. She would ignore the rude/demanding guys (again, regardless of colour). So this really made me want to tip her after a couple of weeks of seeing her (I am pretty sure I registered BECAUSE of her, I saw a couple of different models as a guest and she was one I really enjoyed and stuck with watching for a few years afterwards.

 

[KingMarti]

If I made a cam site, I would make grey names and text go lighter and lighter each week that passes until eventually they cant be seen or heard from

Lets say 8 weeks until completely invisible?

Not sure if you are serious but I actually like this idea, but I would extend it to all users, so if they didnt buy and tip tokens over the course of the 8 weeks (so they cant just buy the minimum package and never use them to prevent it happening) they would start turning invisible.

 

[Deleted member 57737]

2 weeks

 

[inertvolcano]

I wish I could tell you for sure. I know the date I first bought tokens exactly, but I can't find my CB signup email or anything that would tell me my sign up date for sure. I know I signed up out of curiosity, found a model I really liked, and lurked in her room for a little while one night. Then the next time she broadcast and I got the notification, I bought tokens and started tipping. It might have been a day or two or it might have been a week, but I loved her energy and wanted to support her.

I didn't have the caution you did but I had already subscribed to some OnlyFans, bought videos on Manyvids, etc. so I was token site adjacent at that point and already spending.

 

[Lilly_____]

This is very valuable info from a model's point of view, so thanks!

 

[NotYou]

I wish I could tell you for sure. I know the date I first bought tokens exactly, but I can't find my CB signup email or anything that would tell me my sign up date for sure. I know I signed up out of curiosity, found a model I really liked, and lurked in her room for a little while one night. Then the next time she broadcast and I got the notification, I bought tokens and started tipping. It might have been a day or two or it might have been a week, but I loved her energy and wanted to support her.

I didn't have the caution you did but I had already subscribed to some OnlyFans, bought videos on Manyvids, etc. so I was token site adjacent at that point and already spending.

I was very curious so I just looked in the CB export data section and if you Export your PROFILE information, open it up (I used google sheets) and on ROW 10 it shows "Date Joined".
I registered months before I thought I did, but I am unsure how active I was then, so this all seems a blur I think to me

Mine says my registration date was 1st June 2016, but I know I didn't start spending until about September or October, so that's a big difference from how I originally thought it was.

In this same document, on ROW 36 it has "Total Money Spent" - if you guys dare to look at that row haha
It doesn't say what currency, but since CB charges in USD when buying tokens, I would assume it displays that?


Profile > Settings and Privacy > View the Security Center > Privacy Center > Data Export > Untick everything but make sure "Profile Information" is selected > Create Export
https://chaturbate.com/security/privacy/
https://chaturbate.com/security/privacy/data_export/


Edit:
This also has a "referring URL" in the data too, so this is good to see which model you may have signed up to help, or if you as a model want to ask a member if he has signed up on your link, it will show here for him - ROW 17)

 

[inertvolcano]

Thanks @NotYou, I can now confirm that I bought tokens the same day I signed up. I could have sworn I lurked in her room for at least one show but I guess not.

In this same document, on ROW 36 it has "Total Money Spent" - if you guys dare to look at that row haha

Jesus christ aaauuuggghhh

 

[Smoothie]

I was very curious so I just looked in the CB export data section and if you Export your PROFILE information, open it up (I used google sheets) and on ROW 10 it shows "Date Joined".
I registered months before I thought I did, but I am unsure how active I was then, so this all seems a blur I think to me

Mine says my registration date was 1st June 2016, but I know I didn't start spending until about September or October, so that's a big difference from how I originally thought it was.

In this same document, on ROW 36 it has "Total Money Spent" - if you guys dare to look at that row haha
It doesn't say what currency, but since CB charges in USD when buying tokens, I would assume it displays that?


Profile > Settings and Privacy > View the Security Center > Privacy Center > Data Export > Untick everything but make sure "Profile Information" is selected > Create Export
https://chaturbate.com/security/privacy/
https://chaturbate.com/security/privacy/data_export/


Edit:
This also has a "referring URL" in the data too, so this is good to see which model you may have signed up to help, or if you as a model want to ask a member if he has signed up on your link, it will show here for him - ROW 17)

This is helpful… and maybe also a little terrifying!

I downloaded that file a couple years ago but I haven’t checked it recently. I didn’t realize it included join date.

 

[Vixxen81]

Wild. Was just having a conversation about the first time a specific user tipped me, he mentioned "our anniversary" was coming up. I suggested he go through his token history to figure out and then saw this thread after he left.

 

[Highlander884]

Tbh I can't remember. I was going through worst time of my life and cb was my escape from reality. Its all a blur. I know I didn't buy tokens when I first signed up.

Can't remember if it convinced me to buy tokens or to join fanclub but girl explained how much she would make for showing something and I realised she was basically only making 1 euro per boob flash and I felt she deserved more for doing that and while I couldn't afford to tip that king of money I should at least contribute.

So yeah like I said can't remember if that was the reason why I started buying tokens or for joining fanclubs. It was probably more likely so that I could chat or tip for lush to begin with.

 

[Ozzie_]

I did have a little trouble convincing myself to put my payment info (and later my ID verification) into a cam site, more out of caution about fraud and identity protection than for any financial reason. I often wonder if some greys have that same concern that I had in the beginning.

This was certainly a concern I had to overcome.

by searching for free porn on Google, and at first, I didn't "believe" it - it seemed too good to be true,

I found Stripchat through a link / advertisement on Xvideos I think it was. And yes it seemed too good to be true indeed.

So as I was getting used to this whole new world and experience.

Secondly, it was kind of scary and overwhelming. Despite being confident with the internet and computers, because I had never used a site like this and didn't know "what is what",. I was constantly paranoid if I buy money, it's going to charge more than it should, or it will give me some extra bill etc. The whole unfamiliarity of it and not wanting my money to get spent.

My only concern once I realised it was all "real" and not some con was around fraud and security my credit card details etc.

But I must have been particularly taken with the models I first saw, or VERY horny that month , because I am sure it was only about 3 weeks before I started tipping. Although it was probably a couple of months more before I decided that the site was legitimate enough to trust with my credit card details.

 

[Finchomatic]

On CB? About 2 months in 2012
On MFC, about 1 week before I bought tokens.
Stripchat, a few days.
Cam4. About a week before I bought tokens.
Bongacams. A few hours. A model I followed on CB told me about the other 'things' she did on Bonga that was against CB TOS.
Camsoda, about a month before I bought tokens.

Cams.com, Livejasmin, Streamate. Like maybe 4 months on average before I decided to register and not just be an anon with timed out free public viewing.

 

[Ich Bin]

This is very valuable info from a model's point of vi

This is very valuable info from a model's point of view, so thanks!

Just curious: Members/users, how long were you a grey username before you started buying tokens and tipping?

If it took a while for you to start buying tokens, did you have any concerns aside from just convincing yourself to spend money?

I started thinking about this earlier while visiting a (relatively) new model who appeared to be banning all grey members from her room on sight. I certainly can appreciate the sentiment behind that. Nobody likes freeloaders. But what’s a reasonable amount of time to give a grey member who might be talking himself into buying tokens?

For me, I was a grey for maybe 2-3 weeks before I first bought tokens. In that time, I found a model I enjoyed enough that the idea of tipping her for a show became the motivation that turned me into a regular token-buyer/tipper in a lot of rooms, over the course of years. That model allowing me to hang out as a grey for a few days was the main catalyst.

I did have a little trouble convincing myself to put my payment info (and later my ID verification) into a cam site, more out of caution about fraud and identity protection than for any financial reason. I often wonder if some greys have that same concern that I had in the beginning.

I am only familiar with StripChat. Discovered it through internet search. Watched one day. Registered & immediately bought tokens. For me, there was nothing to think about. I knew models were not doing volunteer community service. They were working & I was in their workplace. If you're going to be a registered member, then I think you need to pay dues. You tip. Allowing someone to be Grey indefinitely is definitely not fair to models.
Just my opinion.

 

[rockin_rod]

I bought tokens the same day I joined, after registration was complete.
But I had spent an hour or so browsing the site as an unregistered user before registering, because I really knew nothing about how cam sites worked and wanted to find my way and work things out first.
I visited the site in the first place after seeing a post on twitter or some other SM about a particular model who I found incredibly appealing, so I guess she was the reason I got involved in the first instance.
While I soon moved on from that particular room, after a few false starts I discovered a room that just felt so right for me that I'm still a regular after all these years - it's my go-to happy place.

 

[vivo]

If I made a cam site, I would make grey names and text go lighter and lighter each week that passes until eventually they cant be seen or heard from

ahaha, I like it!

I would also add a bot that immediately bans a gray the instant they post a message containing any of the following phrases:

PM me bb
I can get you thousands of new followers!
do you [insert sexual fetish here] in pvt?

 

[Makko]

Same day. The reason was me being a cheapskate really. I bought a couple of her video's on MV. I saw in her profile that she cammed so took a look. She offered her video's way cheaper on the camsite so I bought tokens to buy a few vids.
It was the first time I was on a camsite and didn't know all the etiquette, but I was pleasantly surprised; She was really sweet and explained a few things. I ended up visiting her for several years until she quit about a year ago.

 

[cbhours]

Same day. The reason was me being a cheapskate really. I bought a couple of her video's on MV. I saw in her profile that she cammed so took a look. She offered her video's way cheaper on the camsite so I bought tokens to buy a few vids.
It was the first time I was on a camsite and didn't know all the etiquette, but I was pleasantly surprised; She was really sweet and explained a few things. I ended up visiting her for several years until she quit about a year ago.

How did you discover MV? social media? link on a video site? I mean I know they advertise a little bit but I figure not enough to where you discovered MV through an advertisement.

 

[inertvolcano]

A model linking to her manyvids on social media is how I found it.

 

[Maxi]

I found StripChat via xHamsterLive via an ad on xHamster porn site.

Oh, and as soon as I signed up I bought tokens. I think I probably viewed as an unregistered ‘guest’ for about 3 days.

 

[Nienna]

I was very curious so I just looked in the CB export data section and if you Export your PROFILE information, open it up (I used google sheets) and on ROW 10 it shows "Date Joined".
I registered months before I thought I did, but I am unsure how active I was then, so this all seems a blur I think to me

Mine says my registration date was 1st June 2016, but I know I didn't start spending until about September or October, so that's a big difference from how I originally thought it was.

In this same document, on ROW 36 it has "Total Money Spent" - if you guys dare to look at that row haha
It doesn't say what currency, but since CB charges in USD when buying tokens, I would assume it displays that?


Profile > Settings and Privacy > View the Security Center > Privacy Center > Data Export > Untick everything but make sure "Profile Information" is selected > Create Export
https://chaturbate.com/security/privacy/
https://chaturbate.com/security/privacy/data_export/


Edit:
This also has a "referring URL" in the data too, so this is good to see which model you may have signed up to help, or if you as a model want to ask a member if he has signed up on your link, it will show here for him - ROW 17)

Thank you so much! I did not know this existed. I found my entire PM history with my friend before I switched to Stripchat. Also found out how much I have spent. I don't regret a thing, but ... yikes! Very, very useful information.

 

[Nienna]

I bought tokens on CB almost immediately, as the model I was looking at would not respond to greys. I switched to Stripchat a few months later at a model's request.

 

[inertvolcano]

From this thread, it seems like you could infer the longer someone goes without buying tokens, the less likely they are to do so. Most people buy them right away. Though it may be skewed in that if I was a grey for years before buying tokens I don't think I'd admit it in this forum.

 

[Maxi]

From this thread, it seems like you could infer the longer someone goes without buying tokens, the less likely they are to do so. Most people buy them right away. Though it may be skewed in that if I was a grey for years before buying tokens I don't think I'd admit it in this forum.

Agreed, although I think it’s down to personal circumstance in many respects. I’m always (SC) tapping on other member’s usernames to see how long they’ve been members for just out of curiosity.

I’ve seen lvl 14’s who’ve been members for 6 years and lvl 95’s who’ve been members for 2 weeks. And they’re not one-offs.

 

[Smoothie]

From this thread, it seems like you could infer the longer someone goes without buying tokens, the less likely they are to do so. Most people buy them right away. Though it may be skewed in that if I was a grey for years before buying tokens I don't think I'd admit it in this forum.

Yeah, that makes sense.

I think the answers here also reinforce that aside from financial situations, the thing that ultimately converts many greys into token-buyers is a model. If a member has the money to buy tokens but still has not done so, stumbling upon a room they really like is all it takes to motivate them to buy.

Going back to the original reason I started thinking about this, it’s gotta be hard to strike that balance from a performer’s perspective. There’s certainly a lot of lifetime freeloaders in the grey ranks, and it’s impossible to separate them from the greys on the verge of buying (and just need a little nudge).

Engaging with the former group could be a frustrating waste of time. But for the models that enticed an on-the-fence member into being a regular tipper, from my perspective, that’s a way to unlock new money. And also, money that hasn’t been spoken for yet, as opposed to a purple username that might have plenty of cash, but also already has 10 “regular” rooms where he spends it.

 

[Maxi]

…the thing that ultimately converts many greys into token-buyers is a model.

From my own experience - this 100%.

I never expected to still be on the website now after only joining on a whim, and that’s all down to my fav model being brilliant.

 

[Omne35]

I was on Streamate in 2014 or 2015. They didn't really have tokens but I put in a credit card right away.

 

[Makko]

How did you discover MV? social media? link on a video site? I mean I know they advertise a little bit but I figure not enough to where you discovered MV through an advertisement.

I was using Clips4Sale for a few years and wondered if there were other clipsites. So I simply googled for that. First I found AP Clips, but didn't find it too interesting. I found MV a little later.

 

[WickedTouch]

I originally found an ad for on the sidebar of a tech page I was scrolling down through back in 2010. I hovered.... as one does and then checked the link out. I spent a little time looking over the site as a guest, then made an account and bought my first $20 worth of tokens. So, from guest to premium member all within an hour of discovering the site.