Possible Changes to Contribuitor Level account?

Originally Posted by hhmoore

That's weird, I just checked that the other day on my dummy account (registered member), and I was able to edit my posts. I wonder if that had anything to do with the forum I posted to...guess I'll go off and check. *edit* Apparently, I shouldn't have tested the edit feature in the Testing Area, because it works there. I stand corrected - thank you, Kevin.*edit*

No problem.... I knew that in some places on the site... you stood by your words and you couldnt change them no matter what... but I figured in here you would be able to edit.. thats why I posted that. Im an Admin on another site so I understand how it goes with normally being about to do stuff others cant.

Looking at the numbers, I can easily see why you wouldn't want to go with the $100 membership...but I don't see why you can't justify spending a quarter of the money for half the hits. Again, it's a numbers thing. I, too, get more responses to ads at KS; and generate more hits when I advertise there (that reminds me, I guess I'd better do some more work on my website - I tore most of it down, and never went back to finish). Another factor to consider is the time spent dealing with those inquiries...especially with regard to the number of sales you make. Speaking for myself, I might get 2-3 times the number of responses/inquiries, but most of those go nowhere.
There are a couple of options for how long ads run there - the time goes by, the ad disappears...here, the ad stays until the seller removes it. (It's pretty obvious that the search engines pick up the old ads, too). If you select daily, you have to renew your ad or its gone. It keeps it on top, but there is a price - - and a limit to the number of ads you can post...3 per section per day. The number of photos per ad is also more limited there, and the preview/thumbnail photo requires the enhanced account.
Yes, without the highlight/bump feature, re posting ads here to keep them on top is tedious...but there is always the bump post (another reason I pay for that option - I don't want to be that guy, lol).

Banners in signature - I do think that would be a good option for the Contributing membership. Yours, Kevin, is tasteful - both in size and design - but, as a rule, I don't like having them there. When you factor in the people with BIG banners, those just posting images, and those advertising for other sites, it becomes an annoying distraction.

Once again... .your correct. I do spend time fielding inquiries but I also have to look at each and every contact as a potential sale... and its up to me to try and make that sale happen. Sure... some of the time it doesnt happen, but I will treat every contact as a 10 snake deal till they prove to me otherwise.

I actually have mine set for every two days... this way I have one set that is ready for relist when I log in and I dont have to wait for the time limit (24hrs) to roll around. It also allows me to modify my text if I want. I will admit I wish there was not the limit to the number of ads per section.... This is one of the things I am grateful for here at Fauna. I may be wrong here... but on the photos... your only limited if you use their system. If you write the HTML and hotlink... is there still a restriction on the number? I've only put a max of 2 images per ad so far.

As to the enhanced version... its not worth it for me. A thumbnail photo and a color change is not worth over DOUBLE what the standard account costs.

And like you I don't want to be that guy, I'll take the tedious route.


Now before we get tooooooooo far off track....the whole reason I approaced Rich with this and then posted here per his request is this.

Currently it takes me roughly 10mins to re post my ads here... which is not really alot of time... but next year when I have over double the babies for sale... that time will add up to quite a bit more. IF we were able to bump each ad once per day then not only do we stand a better chance of getting our ads seen but better chances of making that sale. With the number of ads that I have right now.... IF I could go to the control panel and click "bump" on each one of them... it would probably only take me 3 minutes with my connection speed vs the current 10mins or so to re post. They say time is money... well that 7 minutes I save each day adds up over the course of a week and almost gives me another hour each week to devote towards other aspects of the business... whether its advertising somewhere else or cleaning cages.

Or just think... thats 49 minutes a week I could put towards answering inquiries that arent gonna go anywhere

I know this would help me out in the long run and save alot of time on keeping my ads fresh and towards the top... or at least on the first 3 pages... each day. And if it will help me... then I know it will help others as well.

Originally Posted by Southern Wolf

I knew that in some places on the site... you stood by your words and you couldnt change them no matter what... but I figured in here you would be able to edit

Actually, under this account, I have the ability edit my posts (or anyone else's) sitewide...but, I adhere to the policy of not doing so on the BOI. The whole reason I created the other account was to check various functions, because I had been a Benefactor, and then Endowment, level member before before I got involved with any of the moderator programs - between that, and some of the changes that have been made, I had no idea what registered members could/could not do. Apparently, registered members can edit in the Testing forum , and that is where I have done most of my feature tests.

I don't disagree that increasing the number of "bumps" available to Contributing members would be of benefit...but it just seems to be an extension of the same old problem - people wanting something for nothing, or more for less. The BOI has to be free, advertising has to be free, 10 bumps isn't enough for my $25 - I'd like ____. This really isn't anything against you, you just happen to be the one raising the subject. Say you find yourself getting better results from your advertising here, and you start considering the Benefactor level...what increase in perks would you be looking for to justify that? Obviously 50 bumps wouldn't be enough, especially if you were already getting at least 30 (enough to bump one ad daily, or two ads every other day) - of course, people currently at the $100 membership might decide that the increase in the Contributor level perks makes that a better option for their money...so Rich would have to hope that there would be enough Contributors to make up for the loss of Benefactors. Or, he could just revise the whole thing now and get it over with...after all, he's practically retired, he's got time on his hands

Since what has been free doesn't seem to be appreciated, how about if there was no signature area allowed for noncontributing members and say a limited number of classifieds per week without any bumping.

The expense of memberships/advertising fees might well be a deductible expense, making them even more affordable for those who run businesses.

Originally Posted by Southern Wolf

Ya got me on that one boss.... I wouldnt even begin to know where to start that calculation. I know that its cheaper for here... because currently Im not paying to advertise. If you could tell me the formula... Id greatly appreciate it. Im sure it would help me and other out in the future.

Actually this is quite simple to figure out. I don't know the cost of advertising on the other site, so let's just use a round figure to work with.

Suppose it costs you $10 per month and you got 125 visits in that one month. Each of those visits costs you 8 cents.

Now for this site, the cost of advertising is $0 per month, so those 53 visits in that month costs you nothing at all. Zip. Nada. You get those visits free just for the minimal effort of placing a free ad on this site. The Contributing membership is not a requirement for being able to post ads here, so it doesn't even fit into the equation.

As for the general suggestion of allowing more bumps of those ads, or making it much easier to do those bumps, I dunno, but I think in the long run it would actually be hurtful to the classifieds sections. If someone could bump any of their ads once per day and they were to post 25 classified ads in any one section, then each day they would completely flood that section by bumping their own ads to push all the rest of them out of the first page. So we would eventually just have a bumping war among everyone posting ads. And what would likely happen is that viewing would drop off rapidly as people just got tired of seeing the same old ads repeatedly showing up on the first page every single day here. Not to mention that I would get inundated with gripe-o-grams complaining about this very practice.

So while on the surface and from your perspective having the ability to bump more of your ads might be a labor saving device, I really have to look beyond that a bit to consider what would actually be best for this site. And in my opinion, allowing the classifieds to become old hat to viewers because of the same stale ads being bumped every single day just doesn't seem like it would be in everyone's best interests.

So relisting ads takes time and work? Well, I'm sorry, but no one said that trying to sell your products was going to be easy. If the ad you placed did not get the results you wanted then perhaps a new ad trying to offer them a different light might be better then just thinking that by shoving them in front of everyone constantly will get the results you want.

Offhand, I think the number of bumps per member level I have instituted is a fair compromise between what most people want and what I think is healthy for the classifieds. Personally, I WANT variety and new ads placed in the classifieds, because I think that is what will attract potential buyers here. And the more potential buyers, the more value advertisers may see in offering their products here. And so on, and so on, in a positive feedback loop that will build up traffic coming to the classifieds. Overuse of bumping, in my opinion, will actually be destructive to this goal in the long run, and as such, I would prefer to not make that easier to take place.

Wow Im sorry is this all basically a member that will shell out 100.00 dollars in loyalty money to kingsnake but is undecided on a stinkin 25.00 fauna true membership fee? you said you will maybe shell out 25.00,I say quit bitching about a basket full of fun that you get for free right now dude!

Originally Posted by tinmantribe5

Wow Im sorry is this all basically a member that will shell out 100.00 dollars in loyalty money to kingsnake but is undecided on a stinkin 25.00 fauna true membership fee? you said you will maybe shell out 25.00,I say quit bitching about a basket full of fun that you get for free right now dude!

Loyalty money? No, you have to pay to post classifieds on kingsnake, which is why people pay the fee.

Originally Posted by DAND

Since what has been free doesn't seem to be appreciated, how about if there was no signature area allowed for noncontributing members and say a limited number of classifieds per week without any bumping.

If you want to get into a pissing match... we can take it to hell. I had an idea... and ran it by Rich via PM... he asked me to post it here.

I dont know how you can come off and say anything is NOT appreciated. In business you try and come up with new ideas on how to do stuff that MIGHT....just might set you apart from everyone else.

And since apparently you dont like to read ideas that MIGHT be contrary to your own... here's an idea. UTILIZE THE IGNORE BUTTON in your control panel.

Rich... thanks for the math lesson.

I see where your coming from and I can respect that. It does make alot of sense. Apparently thinking outside of the box is frowned upon by a few members here because they got their panties all up in a bunch.... mainly over doing what you asked me to do. So maybe I will just fall in line like a bunch of sheep.


NAAAAAA.... that aint ever gonna happen

Thanks again for the consideration.

Originally Posted by tinmantribe5

Wow Im sorry is this all basically a member that will shell out 100.00 dollars in loyalty money to kingsnake but is undecided on a stinkin 25.00 fauna true membership fee? you said you will maybe shell out 25.00,I say quit bitching about a basket full of fun that you get for free right now dude!

Loyalty Money????

Loyalty how..... because I pay to advertise elsewhere. Aside from the classifieds section... I dont post ANYWHERE on KS. How is that loyalty? I actually do contribute over here.

Lets talk about loyalty.

You've been a member here since Nov 06 and only have 163 posts.
I've been a member here since Sep 08 with 614 posts.

Who's more loyal to Fauna.... I can tell you this much... you may have dropped a little coin... but I have put in more time here and contributed more.

Still want to talk about loyalty?