• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Accepting Credit Cards

B

Bar None Reptiles

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I am looking into the possibility of accepting credit cards at shows. But there is just so much out there and all of it is confusing. Does anyone else accept credit cards at shows? How did you go about deciding who to use? What type of machine to purchase, if any? Do you find it increases your sales by enough to make it worthwhile? Any and every type of input welcome.
 
I am contemplating this also. I did a little research and they are expensive and cant really justify the cost until I produce more animals or get into higher end morphs. This would definitely be a must have when dealing with high end morphs. WHo carries around $5000 at a show?????
 
I have been looking into it too. I HATE paypal, so that wasn't an option for me.
What I did find was http://2checkout.com/
You pay an upfront cost of like $50, then 5% of all sales I believe...I paid the amount, I am just having a hard time figuring out how to place it on my website.

Oh, you were asking about shows not websites hmm... I did find http://cardservicesales.com/, they seem to be cheap and their customer service is awesome. I actually applied and was accepted and they called me, but I haven't called them back yet, I'm waiting to figure out 2checkout, and just use them as a backup incase I give up.
 
I accept major credit cards through a merchant account with Costco called Nova Systems. I did not purchase any equipment, but did buy their software. When someone makes a credit card purchase at a show, there is an 800 number I can call to get approval and 'force' the amount of the sale. This will hold that amount in their account for 72 hours for me until I get home or use my laptop to enter the information, and I just use the old-school method of swiping their card.
 
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WOW!! Thanks for all the input so fast! I checked out cardservices.com and gave them a call. They were alot better than the other companies I have been talking to. Reasonable rates and fees and even pricing on the machines. I have yet to decide still but so far it's looking good. Thanks again everyone.
 
cool! I have yet to call them back.
I always dread going to shows because I know I will find a high end animal that I want, but I cannot carry the cash with me, and my debit card has a limit of $300 per day. I HIGHLY doubt anyone would take a personal check. I need to get a credit card!
 
My debit card only has a limit of $200. That's annoying. I have taken personal checks, very few, but I am extremely picky who I take them from and they must have a drivers license number and phone number to go along with it. So far so good, keeping my fingers crossed because I just dropped some in the bank today. But I just don't like the risk. I am definitely going to get a credit card machine going. It would just make things so much easier. I lost some good sales this weekend because I didn't have one and the ATM at the location was broken. With any luck it will have paid for itself within a few transactions. cardservices.com so far is looking really good.
 
Hmmm... I use Card Payment Systems which was just bought out by National Payment Systems (division of Wells Fargo Bank). I purchased a ground unit like they have at any store (don't remember how much $) and received a free old-school, carbon copy swipe thing too - which we can use at a show. I feel their % for phone orders is fair at 0.025700.
We typically do not accept credit cards at shows. If we do, Rob makes that decision according to the situation. He'll call me and Ill run it from home. We don't use the swipe thinger - I got burnt once and the phone # and drivers license # did no good.

V.
 
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