Classifieds

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The classifieds can be effective. Although the number of "views" continues to drop as time goes on----which is an interesting development.

Does this mean the ads are not very good?
Members are hoping for discounts and not seeing them?
Or the members just don't really respond to ads, they will visit their favorite vendor when it is time to purchase and they don't want to be "prodded".

I have followed results of ads for several years (yes, even BEFORE there was an ad program on IAP). A few members complained that advertising "pervaded" IAP and the ads have been relegated to their own forum. Members can "opt out" of seeing that forum. I believe a growing number have done just that.

If you enjoyed reading the "ads", it would be worthwhile to say so. I have often argued that the "vocal minority" who objected to ads drowned out the comments of (what I perceive to be) the majority.

No matter how you cut and slice it, the ads are worth far more than the IAP charges. But, it would be nice to have them seen as "an important sponsor" who helps keep the IAP afloat.

So, if you like to read the ads, don't be afraid to SAY SO!!!

Ed
 
One thing I think would help is a block on the front page under recent posts. If you are not logged into the site you see it, but if you are logged in, it disappears. Sounds stupid but when I'm logged in I don't go to the classifieds that often, but when I'm not logged in, I always browse the recent classified posts on the front page.
 
Have you checked your edit options on your user control panel. Down at the bottom you can select which forums show up. You may have the classified selected
 
Fewer

There are a lot fewer ads now for a couple of reasons. 1) the advertiser must now pay for the ad so a lot of folks who are not vendors opt for the free "trades wants and deals" forum. 2) only some things seem to generate much response in the classifieds - unless - things are priced pretty low. 3) Vendors can and do update things in their catalog rather than run an ad.

In general, I agree with vendors paying for ads but I think some of the other restrictions (given the low volume of ads) don't make sense and ought to be changed. The administrators are aware of this.
 
Well.. I read the classifieds every day. And I sometimes miss the really *good* stuff if I don't get in there early! But it's fun to see what's available, and I have some wonderful blanks from the members here. I've also contacted many members here through these sales. Made new friends, gotten great stuff, and learned a lot. Good for everyone.

I'd like to see more from the vendors when they have a sale, etc- sometimes I miss them, I think.
 
Vendors are welcome to post ads in the classifieds, and they do. Summer is a lot busier, I think, when everyone's shops warm up. Winter's always been slower for classifieds than Spring/Summer...

The ads help pay for the site to help supplement the donations that members make during the Donation Drawing and the rest of the year.

They also help pay for many of the prizes that Jeff buys for the members during the Birthday Bash to supplement donor donations (the drill doctor being the first one posted).
 
I have purchased but never sold. There seems to be 3 forums where buying and selling takes place -- premium classified, classifieds , deals and trades. Do they all have a charge for using? I check all three several times a day...
 
gallianp said:
I have purchased but never sold. There seems to be 3 forums where buying and selling takes place -- premium classified, classifieds , deals and trades. Do they all have a charge for using? I check all three several times a day...
Click to expand...
deals and trades is free --- vendors are very limited as to what they can sell there.
 
I say we leave well enough alone. The staff and members have worked hard to get things to the point where it satisfys most of the members. This place used to be nothing but one big sales flyer. Every forum you went to was someone selling something. If people are looking to buy something they will seek and find you. There is a proper place now for these things and it has cleaned up for the most part the other forums. There are enough catagories there for people to sell their wares and for members to shop for them. Deal with it.
 
I always check the ads at least twice a day. I used to buy a lot more than I do these days. There seem to be fewer things I find exciting in the classifieds these days. That's probably a combination of now having more stuff, having "go to" sources for things I buy regularly, and changes made by the administrators. It may be a good thing too - I'm starting to run out of space!
 
Well it's now the big boys that are there mostly. The little guy that did the quick, low price, small lots just above cost got pushed out. They just can't absorb the cost, you have to do a fair amount of volume. You can't do the quick, cheap, just above cost anymore. (unless in deals & steels and then it is very restrictive)

just a thought
.
 
bruce119 said:
Well it's now the big boys that are there mostly. The little guy that did the quick, low price, small lots just above cost got pushed out. They just can't absorb the cost, you have to do a fair amount of volume. You can't do the quick, cheap, just above cost anymore. (unless in deals & steels and then it is very restrictive)

just a thought
.
Click to expand...
I probably use the classifieds as much as anyone--I guess I just didn't realize that I was a "big boy" as a seller....:rolleyes::smile::wink:
 
Smitty37 said:
bruce119 said:
Well it's now the big boys that are there mostly. The little guy that did the quick, low price, small lots just above cost got pushed out. They just can't absorb the cost, you have to do a fair amount of volume. You can't do the quick, cheap, just above cost anymore. (unless in deals & steels and then it is very restrictive)

just a thought
.
Click to expand...
I probably use the classifieds as much as anyone--I guess I just didn't realize that I was a "big boy" as a seller....:rolleyes::smile::wink:
Click to expand...

The only time I think of myself as a "Big Boy" is when I stand up and look down to see my shoes, seems there is a bulge in the way:biggrin::wink::rolleyes:
 
IT did eliminate the sellers that were using the forum just for free advertising. There were a couple sellers that had no posts that were not ads or replies to questions in their ads. One had 87 classified posts just that way. When the classifieds changed they went away. Good riddance.
 
jttheclockman said:
I say we leave well enough alone. The staff and members have worked hard to get things to the point where it satisfys most of the members. This place used to be nothing but one big sales flyer. Every forum you went to was someone selling something. If people are looking to buy something they will seek and find you. There is a proper place now for these things and it has cleaned up for the most part the other forums. There are enough catagories there for people to sell their wares and for members to shop for them. Deal with it.
Click to expand...

Not all agree with you, judging by the fact that this discussion is taking
place (again)
I don't really read the classifieds anymore. Too many rules/regs. I don't
come here to work, but to relax. And long before I'm through reading
the rules for what can be posted, who can speak, who can't .. I lose
interest. I give up and go somewhere else. The classifieds might be
all PC now, but they've regulated all the personality right out of it.

The classifieds used to have a flavor to them.. sort of a carnival barker
atmosphere at times, but there were spontaneous discussions going
on that gave you a lot more info than an ad does. All these little pockets
of commerce going on, and all these little groups talking about their
techniques, supplies, warnings etc.. an organic flow of information.

Now, it is more like a sterile hallway and each vendor has a door into
their own room. You walk down the hall, open the door and peer in.
There is the vendor, up on stage in an empty room talking to no one.

Perhaps it was time to organize the classifieds. I don't know. But I feel
the loss. I saw products I couldn't comment on (good or bad) because
of new rules. And I'd have to wonder what associations I have with
certain people before I could say anything. So much for spontaneity.
So I just stopped looking.

Jeff has compared it to a party at his home, and people crashing the
party.
Maybe it's more like a dog getting into the party and peeing on the
furniture. Instead of smacking the dog on the nose or taking him outside,
the party got moved to a new room.. complete with plastic
covered furniture and a mat for you to remove your shoes before coming
in. And the dogs have been genetically modified and selectively bred not
to urinate anymore.
Yes, it solved some problems.. but in the process it took away all the
things that made the classifieds what they were.
 
Guess I'm new enough that I don't know about the "olden" days of the classifieds... what we have now works for me. But is there some kind of happy medium we could find?

What about a "Pen turner's Carnival" forum where this selling & discussion could take place? Just my $0.02 worth, and I've already stated that I don't know what I'm talking about :>
 
OKLAHOMAN said:
Smitty37 said:
bruce119 said:
Well it's now the big boys that are there mostly. The little guy that did the quick, low price, small lots just above cost got pushed out. They just can't absorb the cost, you have to do a fair amount of volume. You can't do the quick, cheap, just above cost anymore. (unless in deals & steels and then it is very restrictive)

just a thought
.
Click to expand...
I probably use the classifieds as much as anyone--I guess I just didn't realize that I was a "big boy" as a seller....:rolleyes::smile::wink:
Click to expand...

The only time I think of myself as a "Big Boy" is when I stand up and look down to see my shoes, seems there is a bulge in the way:biggrin::wink::rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I know what you mean but since I've
lost close to 100 pounds in the last couple of years, I realize that I do still have feet down there.:smile:
 
Charlie

You are right. Not many people ever agree with anything I say but I say it any way.

I just hated it and it was one of the main reasons I left this place for some time. Every place you went someone was selling something. There is a place to do it now. I don't know about big boys and their toys or not but if you have something worthwhile to sell then take the time to sell it where it belongs. It seems that for every new caster there is a myriad of new blanks people want to sell. I don't know about you but after awhile one blank looks just like the next but who am I. I don't need a carnival atmosphere to enjoy pen making.

Just my thoughts:smile::smile::smile::smile:
 
jttheclockman said:
Every place you went someone was selling something. There is a place to do it now. I don't know about big boys and their toys or not but if you have something worthwhile to sell then take the time to sell it where it belongs.
Click to expand...

I never had a problem with keeping the sales in the classifieds. My point
is that while reiterating the rules in the classifieds, other changes came
into play that took all the 'flavor' out of them. The area seems more
'sterile' now, lacking the back-and-forth and give-and-take that gave them
a sort of personality. So now when I have a few browsing minutes to
myself, I have to decide if I'd like to look at the classifieds, or would I
rather go sift through the sawdust pile looking for dropped nails.

I have a whole coffee can full, now
 
I do agree with Charlie on a few things.What drove me away was the fees,I was not against a fee but the $5/$10 made my ads not worth running.I would post in the "olden days" but it would be a small post as I often after work when I didn't have much time.So to run a really good ad selling wood(and actually selling much of what you post) pen blanks is difficult,between getting good photos/limited numbers of photos per ad,and my limited time it no longer payed me a high enough rate per hour.I look at everything I do on what I can generate an hour.I still look at the ads all the time though,but I don't buy blanks I look for tools/kits and other things like that.That is my two cents Thanks for reading.Victor
 
I liked the abundance of choices, but it seemed that people would have 7 ads with 2 blanks each or something like that. I think that was what they were trying to get away from.
 
edicehouse said:
I liked the abundance of choices, but it seemed that people would have 7 ads with 2 blanks each or something like that. I think that was what they were trying to get away from.
Click to expand...

Yes that was a problem long adds lots of bumping. BUT you had LOTS of variety, dirt cheap products and a discussion to go with it!!!

Could have just tweaked the rules a bit. Maybe 2 post per person & close it when it's done, closer moderation, maybe an affordable yearly subscription??

I don't know....it seems more comercial....then community now.

We will work with what we got :beer:
:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
bruce119 said:
edicehouse said:
I liked the abundance of choices, but it seemed that people would have 7 ads with 2 blanks each or something like that. I think that was what they were trying to get away from.
Click to expand...

Yes that was a problem long adds lots of bumping. BUT you had LOTS of variety, dirt cheap products and a discussion to go with it!!!

Could have just tweaked the rules a bit. Maybe 2 post per person & close it when it's done, closer moderation, maybe an affordable yearly subscription??

I don't know....it seems more comercial....then community now.

We will work with what we got :beer:
:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
Click to expand...
That was the idea behind the changes....create a market place and no marketing in the community forums. For better or for worse, depending on your own opinion(s), the change has had an effect.

There are 10 classified/premium classified ads as I write this 50% of them from two vendors.

There are 9 Vendor catalogs.

Total 17 advertisements - 7 from just 2 vendors. My observation is that there is seldom a time when there are more than 30 and a lot of time when there are less than 20...

One very positive note, is that there is no one now spending a lot of time and effort trying to beat the rules - bumps really aren't needed and no one is setting up so you can only order by posting a reply giving them a free bump.
 
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