advertisers

Dave, have you ever tried selling ads to folks who sell gardening stuff, like Scott's or MG? I know you don't make any money of this website and it is a LOT of work. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you don't lose money. If the ads were small, not pop-ups and off to one side so they didn't cover other text, it wouldn't be intrusive. Just a thought......

woodspirit1, I actually do exactly that! And the ads do definitely help with covering all the costs of DG!

But, I only show the ads to non-subscribers. So you and all the other subscribers don't see them, but everyone else surely does!

dave

Dave, thanks for sparing us.
I appreciate it very much.

The way I figure it, the non-subscribers can at least help us pay bills by looking at a few ads. Those who already support this site have already done all I could ask.

dave

Dave,

Are the only ads, the google ones, or is there something else?

We do google, but if there's something more targeted, we'd love to have a look.

Changed the tag on our link on our site as well. Thought you might like it.

http://www.buried-treasure.net/useful_info.htm

You're killing me -- that's great!!

Dave, I think it would be great if you could get a deal with some big name companys like Parks and Bluestone, so that they could advertise when they're having sales and stuff. I would love that and I think others would too. Just another thought.... :)

Looks great Chris. I personally wouldn't mind seeing a box on the side panel advertising specials by gardening companies.

Chris... love the Disney part. lol

Donna

I second the suggestion to place useful adds for the members at Dave's discretion (No House of Welsey, Ty Ty, Spring Hill, etc. as on the "other" website). This would actually be a great service to the subscribers - let proven great businesses advertise their sales to the subscribers here at DG as well. I bet Dave remembers me suggesting this exact same thing a while back. It had merit then, and has merit now.

Sorry, didn't mean to disparage Spring Hill as they have an averall positive rating.

This message was edited Apr 28, 2004 3:14 PM

But wasn't it just recently that people have complained that everything is getting too long to read? By adding those adds to the side, you'd have to scroll even further. I appreciate the way Dave does it now. Maybe a special forum with advertising for those that want to see sales would be more appropriate?

This message was edited Apr 28, 2004 1:13 PM

Probably better ways to implement it, but it really would be helpful to have them somewhere. I missed a number of very useful sales this year.

What you are asking for wouldd make this site like so many others I choose not to visit. The way Dave has it set up now the google ads can be seen by simply not logging in. When I log in I am not subjected to them and can concentrate on all the helpful information here without interference from ads.

We all agree that the site is great and that Dave deserves to make a profit and not a loss from it but unless I am mistaken, he is doing so now. As time goes by and the membership soars this increases. "Don't fix it if it ain't broke"

Except I get very unobtrusuve google adds at the top of the messages on this forum right now. Plus, I am not talking about google ads at all. I am talking about a forum or whatever that provides us with information about when a great sale is going on.

For example, when Wayside is offering $40 plants for $8, I really would like to know about it. Ditto for a number of other sales by reputable mail order firms. I don't look upon this as advertising. More providing great, useful information to gardeners, which is what Dave's Garden is all about. Enough said. I won't beat this horse any more.

Karrie20x is probably right that putting it on a forum or somewhere else that you don't have to look at it would be better as it's obvious that some people don't like the idea of having it right on the homepage. Maybe you could just give a small link of some sort that reads something like "Plant Sales" and you only see the advertisements if you click it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anyone would abject to something like that.

Things like that are posted quite often in the Dirt Cheap forum.

I like Paulwhwest's idea of a "link" to click that will direct you to a sales page. That way if you WANT to look at them, you can, but won't be bothered with ads, if you are not interested at the time. And perhaps it might boost Dave's income by being able to offer that to advertisers.

This message was edited Apr 28, 2004 2:44 PM

If people who know about a sale, post about it in the dirt cheap forum they are able to provide a link in their post. I think it is just a matter of 1. people in the know letting everyone else know, and 2. knowing about the dirt cheap forum (which now I do!) and going there to look for the sales information. I have posted (and seen posts for) sales in the different forums I follow, but if people use this it would be more centralized and more useful for everyone.

I really like Dave's the way it is, sans ads. Oh, well, just my two cents worth.

;~D

LimeyLisa Kay

BUT.....with it how it is right now, you dont have to see the ads unless you click the little box in your member preferences saying that you want to see ads, i dont see how it could be a bad thing to have ads for places that are having sales ..or really good deals on stuff
if you dont want to see it, just dont click the box...
i, personally, have ads enabled because sometimes they've got interesting stuff on 'em..
and would loooove to have an extra ad on the page for something like a buy 1 get one free deal at this place.. or a 50% off sale over here.. or whatever