• 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.

First time buyer advice

M

mcambec

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Hey guys,

I am looking to purchase my first snake from the site, but am hesitant about doing so as I do not want to get taken for a ride. I messaged a seller about a snake and offered an amount and she agreed; however, she just asked me to paypal her the money. She said nothing about the shipping fee, and I just don't know what to make of it. Does she send an invoice prior to my paypal pmnt? What is right to request from her? Any comments for a first time buyer would be appreciated.
 
Unfortunately, your content does not allow for accurately responding to some of the questions.
As a buyer, you should always consider shipping in price discussions. Some sellers post a shipped price, some do not. If the ad does not specify whether shipping is included, or an additional cost - ask.
Pay attention to name and location. Make a habit of getting a name and address before sending any form of payment; and, if the information does not match what shown in the seller's profile, consider that a big warning sign. (You should also report such discrepancies to the moderation team.)
Also, if you communicate via email, pay attention to the name on the account.
If the PayPal account is in another name, be extremely cautious.
Never send payment via Western Union.
Check the BOI for information on the seller. Create an inquiry, if you don't find anything.
Review the seller's Trader Ratings.
 
Payments

Also do not do the friends and family option. Pay the extra percentage. If something happens that covers you and a better chance of getting your money back if someone tries to take you for a ride.
 
JonLSmith80 said:
Also do not do the friends and family option. Pay the extra percentage. If something happens that covers you and a better chance of getting your money back if someone tries to take you for a ride.
Click to expand...
You're only half correct. The "extra percentage" is a sellers fee - the buyer doesn't cover that. It's a cost of "doing business". It is also a violation of the User Agreement for a seller to charge a fee for using PayPal.
(When calculating a price, a seller should consider all costs. How would you feel about a seller that posted something you wanted at say $200, shipped... and added the stipulation that you, the buyer, had to pay an additional $7 to help cover his internet service?)
 
Isn't true though that PayPal won't back you up if there is an issue with the animal? I heard they don't cover animal sales. Is this true?

HM
 
While true, they will protect the buyer if the seller fails to ship anything.

Also if you use your credit card to back up your PP transaction, you can dispute the charge with your CC company if there is a problem with the animal. That said, a lot of scammers know this and will fraudulently dispute charges even when the seller shipped and the product was fine.
 
True....if the seller doesn't ship. But if you are scamming you can ship a dying animal and unless the buyer used a CC, he/she will not have the backing of PayPal
 
PayPal is less than consistent in how they address animal sales. I, and others, have received the blanket "Live animal purchases are not covered" response; while some people actually get help and compensation.
Once upon a time, I was told (by PayPal) that a "not as described" complaint was only valid for ebay transactions; and could not be used for anything else. That was before the split, of course. That would be the most applicable option for most reptile complaints, IMO; as it would cover unhealthy animal, incorrect gender, incorrect species, significantly different size, etc.
 
I understand. Just putting it out there bc many people thing there is an automatic blanket of coverage when using PayPal.
Bottom line is be careful of whom you buy from and I would only make large purchases from established dealers and breeders with a good track record.


HM
 
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