traceyg
|
posted on September 19, 2001 03:24:55 PM new
So, if I was the financial advisor to AW, I'd definately have the boards on the chopping block. >>
Well, it is good that you aren't their manager. Getting rid of the messages center would be about the dumbest move they can make. A lot of the traffic that uses the other parts of the site comes from the message center and it brings a lot of newbies in. This is clear just to the general user. The message boards may be the one thing that could keep them a float if done correctly.
Never mind the few business degrees I have because we all know college degrees don't mean crap. Common sense though would say charge a subscription fee for the message boards. There are a number of people that would pay for that if it is kept within a reasonable range. There are also those that won't but the message boards could pay for themselves and more.
For new people coming in give them a 30-45 day free try out, get them hooked. There is lots of valuable info here and the set up is better then ebays.
I would pay to use the boards on a monthly basis. It could very well be the cash cows they need if do correctly. That is the downfall of many of the internet businesses they don't have a cash cow to sustain them.
|
eauctionmgnt
|
posted on September 19, 2001 03:31:02 PM new
traceyg,
I agree with your thoughts! In fact, I'd even say that Auctionwatch could write off the expenses involved in the discussion boards as advertising expenses. What better way to draw in clients then by providing free support for them!?! I think the boards should stay!
|
CoolTom-07
|
posted on September 19, 2001 03:37:12 PM new
All right folks... Cough it up...
A penny a smilie...
Gifs are a nickel...
Insert coins at the top of the screen where it says "Message Center"...
Ellipses of course will continue at no charge...
...
...
...
|
AWrocks
|
posted on September 19, 2001 03:54:02 PM new
They could start by chopping the "Feedback" forum. That's a joke, hidden deep within the AuctionWatch Services forum.
But I suppose that won't give them much savings, as they don't have many staff posting there.
|
jeanyu
|
posted on September 19, 2001 04:02:49 PM new
tracyg says:
"Common sense though would say charge a subscription fee for the message boards. There are a number of people that would pay for that if it is kept within a reasonable range. There are also those that won't but the message boards could pay for themselves and more."
Spewing wine on monitor!
eauctionmgnt--one of these days face the consequences and post other sites--presumably the day before AW starts charging for our opinion.
|
eauctionmgnt
|
posted on September 19, 2001 04:28:23 PM new
jeanyu,
Actually... I did originally post the site for another discussion board list. My post was deleted and a courteous e-mail from the moderator was sent to me asking me to rephrase the post. It is not wrong for auctionwatch to ask users not to advertise for other competitors. Try seeing how a small mom & pop store reacts if you go into their store and tell their customers waiting in line that they can get their goods cheaper at Walmart. I assure you behavior like that would not be acceptable... and it is not appropriate here either.
|
Microbes
|
posted on September 19, 2001 04:37:16 PM new
I would hope that if AW does come to the conclusion that they want to shut down the forums, that they will give us a few days notice so we can all (or most) of us "pick" a place to move to.
Edited to add: This is a great group of people here, even if we don't always get along, and I would really miss this place.
[ edited by Microbes on Sep 19, 2001 04:39 PM ]
|
eSeller004
|
posted on September 19, 2001 05:59:48 PM new
Why would they can the message boards? If worse comes to worse they could move to an unmoderated board and save the expenses associated with paying moderators. I don't think I've seen more than a handful of boards with paid moderators. Seems of little value to me. For example all Yahoo message boards are unmoderated and if those clowns can go unmoderated why not the much classier folks that frequent this board? 
If Auctionwatch did get rid of the boards and news updates, there really wouldn't be much to entice people to visit this site. Traffic would die and in turn Ad revenue. Maybe most might visit this site once in a long while and only the auction management subscribers would be regulars.
|
petertdavis
|
posted on September 19, 2001 06:30:17 PM new
First, I wasn't the one who started the rumor that these message boards will be eliminated. In fact, I'd be very happy to see them stay, obviously I use them.
However, I did state the simple fact that the message boards add very little to nothing to AW's bottom line. To say that the message boards could pay for themselves is a joke. Where's the revenue? Banner ads! LOL! And writing it off as an advertising expense only works if there's an actual profit to write it off against. Is AW profitible? I don't know, but if they're not we shouldn't expect it to last much longer.
|
theredcircle
|
posted on September 19, 2001 07:06:38 PM new
I noticed the layoffs made the daily list over at f*ckedcompany.com...of course, I was one of the probably many folks who let 'em know, too.
I can't see how the Message Forums will be missed at all...let's face it, the stringent C.G.'s have made most discussion pretty one-sided. I get much more even-handed information from Usenet nowadays.
Hope Mark & Rodrigo manage to pay off their MBAs before the whole thing goes belly-up.
----
TRC
|
icyu
|
posted on September 19, 2001 07:16:34 PM new
Wondered when soemone would mention that site.
An endless source of laughs reading the whines of a bunch of privileged Gen X and D'ers getting their balloons busted.
|
quickdraw29
|
posted on September 19, 2001 07:36:03 PM new
I came on board for the news articles, months later found the message boards, then the pic hosting a year later. If AW was just offering these seller tools I may have never came to AW. I think they're kiling the goose that's lays the golden egg.
|
justtohelp
|
posted on September 19, 2001 07:53:56 PM new
Who is laid off?
From Support, it appears:
Christopher
Anna
Callie
Chris Barker
Is that true? If you look at message center posts, their past postings are no longer "Customer Care Blue."
|
gr8ful2bhere
|
posted on September 19, 2001 07:55:54 PM new
I certainly hope the boards stay - they are pretty lively ... in spite of the tone-down a few months back.
|
tomwiii
|
posted on September 20, 2001 05:56:54 AM new
I guess this means...
No more catered sushi lunches??
|
NightRules
|
posted on October 6, 2001 08:10:14 PM new
Noooooooooo
|
