• 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.

SHIPPING: What you need to know!

Just a friendly reminder about properly labeling packages

Or you may get a call like I did this morning from the department of agriculture. The package I was waiting for was quarantined at the FedEx hub. Luckily it doesn't sound like the shipper is going to get in any trouble but they are sending both him and myself 'notice of marking violations letters'. The box was a standard 'live harmless reptile' box but no common or scientific name was listed. The inspector's dog barked at the package which alerted them. Package was released to me after inspection, but I wanted to put this out as another warning for people shipping, please make sure to follow proper labeling!
Rory3_2011tag.jpg
 
Yea, I always attach a packing slip in a clear plastic sleeve to the outside of the box. I write on the packing slip exactly what is inside. This way they don't have to open my box and I don't have to write what is inside all over the box as advertisement for any unreliable package handlers.
 
I think California has some hot to trot laws in regards to anything live crossing state lines. This isn't the first time I've heard Cali stopping a package. When my Mum moved out there she wasn't even allowed to bring her house plants into the state without a thorough inspection!
 
Where do you guys buy the plastic envelopes for the outside of the packages? Or will the post office just have them when I go to ship?
 
FedEx and UPS have them free, you can order them online. You also really should not be shipping out of a post office. Shipping snakes is expressly prohibited; assuming your shipping a non-snake, they don't guarantee overnight and their tracking system is atrocious.
 
Sorry, I use post office as a generic term for ups, usps, and fedex. I normally use ups, but I've only shipped inverts before. Thanks for the reply.
 
TripleMoonsExotic said:
FedEx and UPS have them free, you can order them online. You also really should not be shipping out of a post office. Shipping snakes is expressly prohibited; assuming your shipping a non-snake, they don't guarantee overnight and their tracking system is atrocious.
Click to expand...

I agree with this, but there are some dissenting opinions. I actually brought this up previously in a different thread and it was mentioned that USPS is guaranteed overnight now.

I have had previous bad experiences with USPS and insect orders taking 3 days on an overnight package.

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225302
 
scaledverts said:
I agree with this, but there are some dissenting opinions. I actually brought this up previously in a different thread and it was mentioned that USPS is guaranteed overnight now.

I have had previous bad experiences with USPS and insect orders taking 3 days on an overnight package.
Click to expand...

There's a big sign at my PO that says that do not guarantee next day delivery to all locations. :shrug01: I'm sure if I ship a few states out they'd arrive next day no problem, but out to California for example, that would not arrive next day. I've been in the same boat as you though, items shipped next day and they don't arrive until several days later. :ack2:
 
I have never shipped a snake before and have been reading this information here. What service would I use in order to ship an animal without having to do all this paperwork and taking a few weeks. Is there a service I could use that I just do the packaging, pay for shipping and they send it?
 
radjess331 said:
also from what i see the standard is 50 dollars for shipping. but when i go to get an estimate using fedex website it is way more expensive...like 90
Click to expand...

Yes, but having your own account (or even using shipyourreptiles' service) will save you substantially on shipping usually. Most of the quotes I have been getting lately have been between $55 and $80 for relatively small packages. Obviously, the heavier the snake/larger the box the more expensive the shipping total. There is a good thread in here somewhere describing the way shipping costs are determined in relationship to box dimensions vs weight.

Also, keep in mind that some breeders will absorb the extra cost above $50 as an incentive to finalize the sale.
 
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