Unmarried Partners

Dear Laura,

Over the next few weeks, we will be closing some ParentsPlace boards and Unmarried Partners will be one of the boards that is slated to be closed.    We know that change is always difficult, but would like to explain why we feel that this is in the best interest of our entire community.

Since we launched the new boards over a year and a half ago, we've seen a change in the way members use the boards all across iVillage (not just ParentsPlace). Because the new boards are easier to bookmark, people tend to go back to their favorites. They don't visit Message Board Central pages as often and so they are less likely to browse through the boards list and drop into new boards. If someone drops into a lively board, they are more likely to add it to their bookmarks, so the strong boards get stronger.

Right now, ParentsPlace has many boards that have very little activity. We want to trim back the list of boards to make it easier for users to find boards where they can interact with others and where they will be sure to get replies to their messages. In some cases, we will combine current boards on ParentsPlace, and in other cases, we will redirect members to boards elsewhere on iVillage. The boards to be closed were based on the number of messages posted and community leader activity.

We appreciate all that you have done to make this board a warm and vibrant community and we thank you for the time and dedication you've shown.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.