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advertising on the site, your thoughts

Hi Everyone,

We all know the running ads are how iKC helps pay the bills. These are dealers and manufactures with good reputations that we trust to do right by you and not interfere with discussions. Help me refine the rules, this is OUR community, not mine.

Right now it is pretty simple. Ads are available within groups and on the front page. Advertisement is limited to the ad space and most of our advertisers are people you know as friends within the community, they come on and talk with us about their companies, future plans and knives. What I ask of them is not to interfere with discussions by talking sale. This seems to have worked very well. It has given us all the opportunity to get to know these folks, keep up with their companies and know what is coming...I love this interchange!

Our custom makers put their knives up for us to see and they have a link on their page if anyone wants to contact them about one. I also love this idea. It allows us all to get to know makers, their style and in most cases the types of materials they use. Again, a good many of them have become our fellow knife nuts in the community.

Any sale from either of these types are taken off site and handled directly between the buyer and seller

What I need help with refining is the folks that join just to ask us if we want to buy their knives.

So share with me your pet advertising peeve and let me see if I can refine the grey area and keep you from feeling like your favorite site is allowing advertisers to "bug" you

Thanks for the help!

Jan

Tags: advertising

6 members like this

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ron Cooper on October 29, 2013 at 19:09

I'll say it again...

Give 'em their own sandbox to go play in. And, if they stray from it and start hawking their wares in the general forum, then, give 'em the boot.

Period!

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on October 29, 2013 at 19:10

I agree, Steve. I have never said anything but, they are using us. Before, someone can ask for research or great knife sells, they should be a active member.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on October 29, 2013 at 19:13

OK Folks, I think I have our answer on the advertising piece and I will share it with you in the next couple of days. I think it will make us and our makers very happy!

I would like, while we are all here to help with the point Steve Hanner makes in his statement:

Here is the main thing that bothers me and I am actively looking for a solution. Individuals who come in to iKC, take part in absolutely no discussion, like no other pictures, fail to participate in our community at all, make no friends, don't convey any knowledge...nada. Strictly a For Sale Ad and that's it.

I would love to know what to do with these folks. Ban them, delete them, charge them for advertising before the post...I mean who is going to buy anything from someone you don't know without some kind of buyer protection. (None of which we offer) Most are unfriendly and some don't even respond when a question is actually asked causing that person to believe its dead.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on October 29, 2013 at 19:17

Steve - you said that very well and I agree.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on October 29, 2013 at 19:48

Thank you Ken always bothers me! Jan and I work so hard to make it a good experience for folks and it just bothers me they come in take up space and do nothing...Not very satisfying of an experience if you ask me.

Ken Spielvogel said:

Steve - you said that very well and I agree.

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Permalink Reply by Brian Martin on October 29, 2013 at 21:00

ya I like what steve said. I will add I would rather buy knifes from here than anywhere. I like the sandbox idea if you don't wanna play you don't have to and it is all in one location. I would have strict rules about bumping your item multiple times. Maybe a very set group of options to post in say by brand or style? Just my opinion!

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on October 29, 2013 at 22:30

The thing is is that most times we never know what the intentions of new members are. Apart from weeding out overt spammers we are, for the most part, relying on the good intentions of new members.

Jan Carter said:

OK Folks, I think I have our answer on the advertising piece and I will share it with you in the next couple of days. I think it will make us and our makers very happy!

I would like, while we are all here to help with the point Steve Hanner makes in his statement:

Here is the main thing that bothers me and I am actively looking for a solution. Individuals who come in to iKC, take part in absolutely no discussion, like no other pictures, fail to participate in our community at all, make no friends, don't convey any knowledge...nada. Strictly a For Sale Ad and that's it.

I would love to know what to do with these folks. Ban them, delete them, charge them for advertising before the post...I mean who is going to buy anything from someone you don't know without some kind of buyer protection. (None of which we offer) Most are unfriendly and some don't even respond when a question is actually asked causing that person to believe its dead.

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on October 30, 2013 at 2:23

Many forums catch these people by the simple fact that they need an X amount of posts before they can sell.

That way they HAVE to contribute to the forum before they can make $$$ off it.

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Permalink Reply by John McDowell on October 30, 2013 at 9:41

i agree with manx and hog,this is a good thing we have going here!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on October 30, 2013 at 10:06

I like that Alexander... not sure how we could implement that but I like the idea. Paying to Post for sale is another consideration. Some amount, payable monthly until the item is sold. No different than newspaper or other publication!

Alexander Noot said:

Many forums catch these people by the simple fact that they need an X amount of posts before they can sell.

That way they HAVE to contribute to the forum before they can make $$$ off it.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on October 30, 2013 at 10:14

Here is another What used to be Knife Q& A Now called Ask Steve Koontz. That can also be a pay to post so that the effort to research is rewarded. Another actual Forum, not a Community have implemented that some time ago.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Scheuerman (Manx) on October 30, 2013 at 11:41

Not sure I like that at all, Steve. A lot of folks enjoy researching things for other members and get pleasure from helping people. How would you split that up between those who assisted in the research? I also think we'd find few folks asking for help if they had to pay each time they had a question. Sorry, but I wouldn't. I'm all for taking a small slice on sales from dealers...the buck-a-sale doesn't strike me as a bad idea...but other than that, it would be commercialising our community, which I thought was something we were trying to avoid. It would be nice if this site could run for free and stick to a true non-commercial format, but the site needs a few bucks to operate. Paid ads and possibly a small cut from sales or a sales posting fee makes sense, and folks would most likely accept that as a small price to maintain what we have now, but if we start charging for this that and everything, I think we step on a slippery slope, and our member base will end up reflecting the folly of that practice.

In my opinion, we're all here to encourage knife collecting and knowledge, family involvement , community and camaraderie, not opening wallets. I think we should keep money out of the equation as much as we can. If we start charging for services, advice, research or just joining, we're no different than the "other" sites, and in my eyes, that would be a crying shame.

And to be perfectly honest and frank, if we did end up going down that road, I think I'd either find somewhere else to spend my time, or try to recreate what we *had* myself. I love what we have and what we are, and I think in this instance, change would NOT be good. Again, my opinion, and sorry for the rant. That suggestion just scared me some.