JANUARY SD PRIZE WINNERS

[sikamalc]

January's prize winners of the Site Supporters are as follows.

Potshotpat £100 to spend with Spud reloading.
Tommy2bucks £100 to spend with Spud reloading.
243 Lee wins a set of Limulus's famous stalking sticks.

With all these new members joining its a shame more people don't support this site, it helps us maintain the site, whilst also helping to support a number of members through their DSC 1 course. This is free, and will be advertised later in the early spring.
Whilst the classified section of this site is FREE to use, I am now seriously considering making a charge for its use. The amount of people using it and giving little or nothing back to this site has grown to such an extent that it has become more time consuming for us owners. It may also stop some of the less honest people advertising their wares.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Link "Supporter" membership with the ability to use the Classifieds.

K

 

[ColinBr]

Whilst the classified section of this site is FREE to use, I am now seriously considering making a charge for its use. The amount of people using it and giving little or nothing back to this site has grown to such an extent that it has become more time consuming for us owners. It may also stop some of the less honest people advertising their wares.

I think this needs to have it's own thread to see how that would go down

 

[potshotpat]

Nice surprise, many thanks.

 

[sikamalc]

Link "Supporter" membership with the ability to use the Classifieds.

K

We have considered this, along with other options. I am still considering it, and also need Alex on board before we make a firm decision.

 

[HonestJohn]

I think this needs to have it's own thread to see how that would go down

What will go down is the number of active users. And another stalking type website offering free classifieds will pop up and steal members, 100% guaranteed

But, that’s a good thing IMHO, because you then are left with the genuine people

 

[sikamalc]

What will go down is the number of active users. And another stalking type website offering free classifieds will pop up and steal members, 100% guaranteed

But, that’s a good thing IMHO, because you then are left with the genuine people

That is something we are also aware of. But frankly we are seeing more people just using the site to sell goods, plus a few more dishonest individuals who are not describing the goods as they should.
If there are other stalking sites offering free advertising in classifieds, I am not aware of them. But then I don't really look for them. I'm too busy at the best of times to bother.
However, we will see where we go in the future, with this.

 

[Len the dog]

If access to classifieds was only available to supporters then I think you would need to lower the cost to encourage more people to support the site.
The downside to this of course is to further decrease the odds of me winning.

 

[kenbro]

I seem to sell a fair amount in Classifieds.
Usually stuff I’ve bought, tried and then have no further use for.
I think my asked prices are always attractive potential buyers, but I get a limit put on the number of Advertisements I can place!
Every time I make a sale on SD I haemorrhage money.
Ken.
Ps. Up until recently I’ve been a supporter but not at the moment. But that’s a different issue I have.
PPs. I’ve also won top prize in the Supporters draw.

 

[Klenchblaize]

As an aside, if you are over 65 and/or have more than 19000 SD posts (irrespective of quality & value!), you may wish to consider halving the Supporter fee.

K

 

[biffo]

The supporter fee is tiny, don’t even notice it going out the account, but the value I get from the site is well worth it.
A newspaper subscription is a few hundred quid a year, and I tap into the SD site on a similar daily basis to see what’s new.

I’d have no problem with only allowing supporters to sell for free and charging non supporters a significant premium to advertise.

 

[sikamalc]

If access to classifieds was only available to supporters then I think you would need to lower the cost to encourage more people to support the site.
The downside to this of course is to further decrease the odds of me winning.

Any lower it would be free!!!
It's not even £25 a year. Plus the prizes are over £200 a month.
Trade membership is £10 a month, with over 34,000 members, and unlimited access to the site worldwide.
Cheap as chips in my opinion.

 

[Len the dog]

Any lower it would be free!!!
It's not even £25 a year. Plus the prizes are over £200 a month.
Trade membership is £10 a month, with over 34,000 members, and unlimited access to the site worldwide.
Cheap as chips in my opinion.

I’m not complaining, been a supporter for a few years now, but I do realise that some people still object to a mere £24 pa.
Taking away access to classifieds from people that are already unwilling to fork out £2 a month is in my opinion, unlikely to increase the number of subscribers.

 

[ColinBr]

This really needs its own thread @sikamalc

 

[sikamalc]

I’m not complaining, been a supporter for a few years now, but I do realise that some people still object to a mere £24 pa.
Taking away access to classifieds from people that are already unwilling to fork out £2 a month is in my opinion, unlikely to increase the number of subscribers.

It was not to increase supporters. It was to make sure only genuine people were using the classifieds section. We have had one or two individuals who have used the classifieds and not been honest with folk. My thought was to charge them without conflicting with Trade members.

 

[ColinBr]

It was not to increase supporters. It was to make sure only genuine people were using the classifieds section. We have had one or two individuals who have used the classifieds and not been honest with folk. My thought was to charge them without conflicting with Trade members.

But then you are charging good honest folks for the absolute minority.

As we know the very vast majority on here are good lads.

 

[sikamalc]

But then you are charging good honest folks for the absolute minority.

As we know the very vast majority on here are good lads.

Agreed, nothing is or has been finalised. But you would not believe some of the issues we have had thrown at us of late, due to one or two individuals being idiots.

 

[ColinBr]

Agreed, nothing is or has been finalised. But you would not believe some of the issues we have had thrown at us of late, due to one or two individuals being idiots.

Yes I've seen a few of the scams of late.

 

[VSS]

Agreed, nothing is or has been finalised. But you would not believe some of the issues we have had thrown at us of late, due to one or two individuals being idiots.

Just to throw an alternative suggestion out there, how about making it a requirement that anyone who wants to advertise any item valued at over, let's say, £50, or maybe £100, has to have the recommendation of a long-standing member (eg, someone with over 5,000 posts)?

 

[Pete6.5]

Just to throw an alternative suggestion out there, how about making it a requirement that anyone who wants to advertise any item valued at over, let's say, £50, or maybe £100, has to have the recommendation of a long-standing member (eg, someone with over 5,000 posts)?

People that post/contribute regularly should get something like access to free sales section because without those type of people a forum is pointless. Adding content like text/pictures/video has a value. I'm not saying the owners shouldn't make money from their hard work managing the site.