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Post by simosg on Jan 13, 2014 10:55:41 GMT -8
I'm wondering about the declining number of ads in the classifieds. Last year at Christmas there were around 500 ads in the category Lepidoptera, Deadstock. Now there were just around 200. I don't see a link to the classifieds here on this site, could this be a reason? I think no, if the people can't find the classifieds they would ask here. Or are the old ads just getting deleted faster and due to this the number of ads seems to be smaller? Or is it the number of active users, which is declining?
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Post by admin on Jan 13, 2014 14:51:52 GMT -8
Yes, I have noticed this. One reason is that I have added the option to post ads for one week only and a lot of auction people are now doing that to save them the hassle of having to go back and delete their ads after their auctions close. Before, the minimum ad duration was 30 days, so obsolete ads tended to accumulate. Also, there is a seasonal variation in the number of Classified ads. Winter is the slowest. The peak is usually late Fall, after everyone gets back from their collecting trips.
But I also have noticed traffic to InsectNet is down in general from the previous year. This could be due to the rise of Facebook. There are now tons insect groups and specimen trading going on there. The shift is leaning to social media for just about everything.
I used to have an InsectNet menu bar at the top of the Forum, including the link to the Classifieds, but the new version of Proboards was not compatible with that. So now I placed a banner for the Classified in the banner rotation area. That helps but I think I should figure out a better way to get all the main links of InsectNet to show in the Forum. I'll work on it.
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Post by wingedwishes on Jan 13, 2014 18:25:53 GMT -8
I get selling on Ebay but not FaceBook. Is this common? I often need common stuff and I see that declining on EBay.
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Post by admin on Jan 14, 2014 0:27:23 GMT -8
I get selling on Ebay but not FaceBook. Is this common? I often need common stuff and I see that declining on EBay. really? Tell us more. I myself don't trade insects on eBay so I haven't been following the scene there. |
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Post by wingedwishes on Jan 14, 2014 16:35:30 GMT -8
Ebay generally has high end stuff. I most often need common A- things. For me, the best bet is buying from the advertisers here in the forum when I need Atlas moths, Urania ripheus, or Eupatorus gracilicornis. BUT - sometimes even they are out and I have to look around. For example - tarantulas, Danaus plexippus or Actias luna are sometimes hard to get. Ebay will have them for much more than I am willing to pay but they are already mounted or the shipping for a small number is too high. There are a couple of people on Ebay who I buy from when I cannot get what I want here. Is Facebook better for that?
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 15, 2014 0:32:42 GMT -8
Running www.collector-secret.com, I have noticed 2 interesting trends on ebay last year : - more rarities offered in 2013 than in previous years, - less butterflies offered, - stable in number of coleoptera Facebook weight in my visitor traffic is growing but Insectnet still weighs more. |
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Post by boghaunter1 on Jan 15, 2014 9:46:30 GMT -8
Ever notice how, on many occasions, when rare spp. of leps/coleops/misc. are first brought up & discussed in the forums that within a few days (sometimes hrs... scammers!) these very same spp. appear for sale on the ads here or on Ebay auctions/BIN? One must still be vigilant to weed out the scammers, of course, but it is really amazing at the variety of rare spp. being legitimately offered.... & all Thanks to a few mentions in the ads or in the forums of this website! The number of "visitors" to this website very often outnumbers registered members(on a daily basis) by a large margin... obviously many, many more unregistered collectors regularily/daily cruise this website... be nice to see more sign up. It seems one can obtain almost any rare spp. they like these days... provided your pockets are deep... haha. A lot of the "regular" offerings on ebay are such common species (+ awful key chains, insect jewelry, etc.)that all serious/older/veteran collectors already have them & are not interested... Just a few thoughts..
John K.
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Post by admin on Jan 15, 2014 10:36:55 GMT -8
The above responses to insect eBay selling are very interesting. I mentioned all the activity going on in Facebook, but I can only guess that it is just interpersonal trading and networking is going on. I mean, FB does not have a program like The Insect Classifieds. (But I figure they are headed that way. I sometimes think FB's goal is to make traditional web sites obsolete.) The Insect Classifieds is quite unique. It allows users almost complete control over their ads and it is categorized much better than the insect sections on eBay. Not to mention the Classifieds is totally free.
As for this Forum, well, as you know I had to shut down self-registration in June 2013 because of malicious people using shill accounts. Since then I have received dozens and dozens of requests to sign up, but only a handful turned out to be serious. I no longer accept anonymous people in here, that is, people who are not willing to provide me with proof of their identity. This is a problem with many forums on the web now - so they too have clamped down on registrations. So we are suffering from lack of new members, yes. As a result this forum has evolved into an exclusive club, as it were. The questions is: can I maintain enough traffic to satisfy our advertisers so that they will continue to underwrite the web site? So far, so good. You gotta love these advertisers. They are very loyal.
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Post by wingedwishes on Jan 15, 2014 11:50:43 GMT -8
There are 4 front page banner advertisers I have purchased from many times and they have all been great. One, Miguel Serrano, has taken the time to help teach me with no strings attached. I would have never found them without Insectnet.
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Post by admin on Jan 15, 2014 18:22:49 GMT -8
There are 4 front page banner advertisers I have purchased from many times and they have all been great. One, Miguel Serrano, has taken the time to help teach me with no strings attached. I would have never found them without Insectnet. Oh hey! That is a good endorsement Thank you.  |
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