For purposes of constructive feedback to both Pinnacle and CU, do those of you who dislike the ad have a problem with the concept of the ad, itself, or the fact that it "moves"?
Rather than "move", I think it would be ok if the banner simply "changed"; similar to Russ's icon.
Static would be best, similar the one that was on the BST-Sports Forum.
That banner ad is a terrible addition to this forum !!!! What a surprisingly bad idea from a company like Pinnacle that prides itself on selling beautiful coins. Pinnacle would do better to replace that banner ad with a quietly tasteful ad that doesn't have distracting movement. It doesn't stay still !!! It's got delirium tremens, or St. Vitas' dance, or convulsive Parkinson's !!! Dreadful !!!
PCGS and Pinnacle, please come up with something less obtrusive, or get rid of it.
Sunnywood, you used up a year's worth of exclamation points in your post!
I can't say the ad bothers me. Perhaps a bit less animated would be good. I think when you have an audience like this one, where everyone is already known to be interested in the advertiser's product, you don't need to try to be attention-getting. And with only one ad displayed, no need to be more eye-catching than the others. Just my opinion.
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
Never seen the ads...I guess I must have something set up right on this computer
As for pay vs. free sites...I don't have any idea what it costs to run a site like this. Whatever it is, I wouldn't pay a cent for this forum. It's advertising and promotion for PCGS, pure and simple. It's a very nice form of advertising, helpful and educational, but advertising nonetheless.
Don't get me wrong...I'm sure PCGS and the rest of the coin market was was doing just fine before the widespread use of the internet. But I don't believe for a second that the kind of forum here, with its active real-time discussion of coins...slabbed coins, eBay auction after eBay auction of slabbed coins, eBay auctions of raw coins(Who would be stupid enough to buy that coin raw on eBay), guess the grades, submission results, registry fever, other general competitiveness...has done anything but promote the establishment of professional certification, and PCGS specifically, as a market standard; and in so doing, has and will continue to pay for itself many-fold. I also think that the forum has encouraged a lot of non-professionals to submit coins, people who probably wouldn't have done so in the past, were they not able to immerse themselves in this kind of "coin culture" with such ease. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the forum is the key to PCGS's success, but I certainly don't think the forum is not paying for itself and then some.
Could someone venture an educated guess what it costs for them to run a site like this? I'd be curious to know.
To start things off, it looks like the Fusetalk software costs $3-5K, depending on which version they're using.
PS: And I think they're perfectly justified in putting advertising on their site if that's what they want to do (as long as I don't have to see it). If people are that turned off to it, they'll leave the forum, and voila...no ads on a site with no users!
For purposes of constructive feedback to both Pinnacle and CU, do those of you who dislike the ad have a problem with the concept of the ad, itself, or the fact that it "moves"?
I don't like the ad - period.
I also don't like some of the pictures, ads, etc. in some of the members sig lines. Heck, I don't like some of the members!
But I do like checking in to this forum, and I will continue to do so, ads or not.
<< <i> I wouldn't go so far as to say that the forum is the key to PCGS's success, but I certainly don't think the forum is not paying for itself and then some. >>
There is no doubt that there is at least some marketing payoff due to the forum's existence. The problem, though, is that it is impossible to quantify the return, while it is easy to quantify the costs. Sometimes the cost gets so high, that management must make financial decisions that they believe necessary.
I seriously doubt the forum is "paying for itself". I don't know what the costs are here, but at the forum I mentioned earlier in the thread, the bandwidth cost alone was approaching $15,000 per month.
That's not true. I have a paid links section on two of my wifes websites and they get quite a bit of traffic.Not as much as the home page but that's the way it goes.
I read the post 4 times; went to the Pinnacle web site didn't see much going on. Finally I saw what many of you are complaining about. I guess I didn't pay much attention. Nevertheless, the message is clear it annoyed many of the forum users. the question is whether the debate is bad or good marketing. Certainly the advert became newsworthy.
"As for pay vs. free sites...I don't have any idea what it costs to run a site like this. Whatever it is, I wouldn't pay a cent for this forum. It's advertising and promotion for PCGS, pure and simple. It's a very nice form of advertising, helpful and educational, but advertising nonetheless."
Exactly, dump the banner ad!!!
"It's far easier to fight for principles, than to live up to them." Adlai Stevenson
The idea of an ad doesn't bother me much. Pinnacles is a little annoying and 75kbytes seems a little excessive in size for a singe ad but maybe that is in the standard in these days of broadband. I agree with the person who said it isn't any more annoying than a lot of sig file pictures that I see.
And, don't worry. With all the ad blocking software that is out there, I am sure we will have something much more intrusive eventually.
Time sure flies when you don't know what you are doing...
<< <i>Okay, flashing adds are no problem with many of you. How would you feel about having to close pop-up adds every time you click on a post? That's the next logical step --- would you tolerate that? >>
I'd rather have pop-ups, since the Google toolbar blocks them, but not the banner ad. And I wouldn't mind that if it didn't move! It does kinda cheapen the look of the forum though...Any suggestions for banner ad blockers?
Comments
For purposes of constructive feedback to both Pinnacle and CU, do those of you who dislike the ad have a problem with the concept of the ad, itself, or the fact that it "moves"?
Rather than "move", I think it would be ok if the banner simply "changed"; similar to Russ's icon.
Static would be best, similar the one that was on the BST-Sports Forum.
PCGS and Pinnacle, please come up with something less obtrusive, or get rid of it.
Sunnywood
Sunnywood's Rainbow-Toned Morgans (Retired)
Sunnywood's Barber Quarters (Retired)
I can't say the ad bothers me. Perhaps a bit less animated would be good. I think when you have an audience like this one, where everyone is already known to be interested in the advertiser's product, you don't need to try to be attention-getting. And with only one ad displayed, no need to be more eye-catching than the others. Just my opinion.
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
As for pay vs. free sites...I don't have any idea what it costs to run a site like this. Whatever it is, I wouldn't pay a cent for this forum. It's advertising and promotion for PCGS, pure and simple. It's a very nice form of advertising, helpful and educational, but advertising nonetheless.
Don't get me wrong...I'm sure PCGS and the rest of the coin market was was doing just fine before the widespread use of the internet. But I don't believe for a second that the kind of forum here, with its active real-time discussion of coins...slabbed coins, eBay auction after eBay auction of slabbed coins, eBay auctions of raw coins(Who would be stupid enough to buy that coin raw on eBay
Could someone venture an educated guess what it costs for them to run a site like this? I'd be curious to know.
To start things off, it looks like the Fusetalk software costs $3-5K, depending on which version they're using.
PS: And I think they're perfectly justified in putting advertising on their site if that's what they want to do (as long as I don't have to see it
A more simple, or calm banner would be ok.
Pop-ups would end it for me. I don't go to Espn.com simply because of pop-ups. They drive me nuts!
Kind of like fingerprints.
LSCC#1864
Ebay Stuff
It isn't that bad; heck once you start reading posts it scrolls up and away.
If it helps keep the forum healthy, it is a good thing.
For purposes of constructive feedback to both Pinnacle and CU, do those of you who dislike the ad have a problem with the concept of the ad, itself, or the fact that it "moves"?
I don't like the ad - period.
I also don't like some of the pictures, ads, etc. in some of the members sig lines. Heck, I don't like some of the members!
But I do like checking in to this forum, and I will continue to do so, ads or not.
Tom
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
<< <i> I wouldn't go so far as to say that the forum is the key to PCGS's success, but I certainly don't think the forum is not paying for itself and then some. >>
There is no doubt that there is at least some marketing payoff due to the forum's existence. The problem, though, is that it is impossible to quantify the return, while it is easy to quantify the costs. Sometimes the cost gets so high, that management must make financial decisions that they believe necessary.
I seriously doubt the forum is "paying for itself". I don't know what the costs are here, but at the forum I mentioned earlier in the thread, the bandwidth cost alone was approaching $15,000 per month.
Russ, NCNE
<< <i>A paid links page would be a better idea.
Tom
But no one would go...
<< <i>
<< <i>A paid links page would be a better idea.
Tom
But no one would go... >>
That's not true. I have a paid links section on two of my wifes websites and they get quite a bit of traffic.Not as much as the home page but that's the way it goes.
Tom
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
<< <i>Capitalism is good -- find something significant to complain about.... >>
So you dont mind all the Telemarketers?
the message is clear it annoyed many of the forum users. the question is whether the debate is bad or good marketing. Certainly the advert became newsworthy.
Exactly, dump the banner ad!!!
Gone already:
09/07/2006
And, don't worry. With all the ad blocking software that is out there, I am sure we will have something much more intrusive eventually.
CoinPeople.com || CoinWiki.com || NumisLinks.com
I get turned off from forced banners and tend to look down on the advertising company.
bye bye pinnacle; not that I done b'niss w/them before.
<< <i>Okay, flashing adds are no problem with many of you. How would you feel about having to close pop-up adds every time you click on a post? That's the next logical step --- would you tolerate that? >>
I'd rather have pop-ups, since the Google toolbar blocks them, but not the banner ad. And I wouldn't mind that if it didn't move! It does kinda cheapen the look of the forum though...Any suggestions for banner ad blockers?
<< <i>That banner is much too busy for my tastes.
A more simple, or calm banner would be ok.
Agreed.
We'll use our hands and hearts and if we must we'll use our heads.