Sticky Thread Auctions

[n0tzach]

The problem is this:

The sticked threads for the builds forum and design forum are taken 90% of the time, this causes a huge problem for newer shops or people who want a chance to get a sticky thread. My idea is to add a auction type system to one of them, so maybe where it tells you to make this a sticky thread change that to a auctioned thread.

You can bid on the thread and if you win you get it for a week, Simple as that. To prevent abuse a minimal price can be put in place. If you place a bid your required to pay otherwise the bidder before has the option to purchase the thread and so on.

Bidding format:
Bidding would start a 1-7 days before the thread needed to be sticked, People can place bids at this time. Bidding would end and then the user would have 3 days to pay, If he didn't pay it would move down the list of bidders.

 

[Zeiyon]

I would much rather have this system over the current system.
Maybe have it so that the auction only happens when all the ads are taken? Because I wouldn't want to wait 10 days to get my sticky thread in the forum with no other sticky threads.
I don't see how this could be a bad idea, plus its extra money for Mick.

 

[pace]

Sometimes people are impatient they won't wait nor want to spend more money just to make their thread sticky maybe adding more slots?

 

[Justis]

I've always wanted something like this, and feel that the engagement it provides to more than just the person attempting to extend their ad would welcome and introduce more people into the advertisements we offer, increasing the potential for a larger portion of our community to get involved in what is truly our only source of reoccurring revenue.
If we made our current prices the minimum required, then at worst, we'd see no changes to income, and at best, we'd see an increase.

The ads system is a very large and very important one, and would likely require an entire block of time dedicated specifically to its development. We do have more pressing issues to attend to when it comes to large development projects, but I am interested in looking into this in the future.

As always, this is merely my opinion, and I speak only for myself.

 

[Zeiyon]

I've always wanted something like this, and feel that the engagement it provides to more than just the person attempting to extend their ad would welcome and introduce more people into the advertisements we offer, increasing the potential for a larger portion of our community to get involved in what is truly our only source of reoccurring revenue.
If we made our current prices the minimum required, then at worst, we'd see no changes to income, and at best, we'd see an increase.

The ads system is a very large and very important one, and would likely require an entire block of time dedicated specifically to its development. We do have more pressing issues to attend to when it comes to large development projects, but I am interested in looking into this in the future.

As always, this is merely my opinion, and I speak only for myself.

And since there are no ad-sense ads anymore, ads are the only other source of income for MCM, besides ranks.

 

[n0tzach]

Sometimes people are impatient they won't wait nor want to spend more money just to make their thread sticky maybe adding more slots?

This could avoid the issue of adding more slots since even adding 3 more would make bumping your thread nearly useless.

 

[pace]

This could avoid the issue of adding more slots since even adding 3 more would make bumping your thread nearly useless.

this will def accepted because it is a matter of money which can get him easily $$ u know who i am speaking about it is greedy Mick!

 

[Zeiyon]

Sometimes people are impatient they won't wait nor want to spend more money just to make their thread sticky maybe adding more slots?

Adding more slots wouldn't help since everything would seem a lot less enticing. And as I said in my post, maybe having it so the auction only happens to ads that are in high demand. If people don't want to spend more, that's not something that can be solved, since, in the current system, you won't even get a slot.

 

[pace]

Adding more slots wouldn't help since everything would seem a lot less enticing. And as I said in my post, maybe having it so the auction only happens to ads that are in high demand. If people don't want to spend more, that's not something that can be solved, since, in the current system, you won't even get a slot.

I already understood the point as Zaiyon explained it.

 

[MTG]

agreed but then changed my mind and un-agreed just for a simple reason, wouldnt this make the bigger shops still get it? since its with bidding, bigger shops [ i assume] have much more money so you would have no chance
i see this just a way for mick to make more money not help but i would suggest that their is a maximum amount of time u can buy a sticky for that would be more fair

 

[n0tzach]

agreed but then changed my mind and un-agreed just for a simple reason, wouldnt this make the bigger shops still get it? since its with bidding, bigger shops [ i assume] have much more money so you would have no chance

Possibly, but at the same time it at least allows a chance for smaller shops to get it.[DOUBLEPOST=1524260559][/DOUBLEPOST]A cooldown could also possibly be put in place.

 

[Ivain]

Warning: Long-ass story incoming.

I personally prefer my own version on this, where instead of having to re-purchase every single damn time, you simply only get to purchase for one stretch of time, and after that you end up in the back of the queue. If the max time stretch is set to, say, half a year, it's still possible to buy a sticky for a period of time that means you don't have to constantly worry about fighting over the sticky thread, but there's still a rotation of people.

I don't know about you guys, but the reason I bought a year's worth of sticky thread is so I wouldn't have to constantly worry about it, and can focus on other things like actually adding more content to my shop and improving the shopfront.
If I have to enter a bidding war every week, or even every month, that means I'm constantly in danger of having my main source of views and purchases for my shop taken away, preventing me from making any investments in it, whether time or money.

Not to mention that those with the most money at their disposal will win almost every time, meaning that, in the case of premade builds, it will most likely still be AspireBuilds and Oddyseybuilds etc that dominate the threads, simply because they turn the most profit and can therefore afford to outbid any competitors.

Note: I just realized you're talking about only one slot. That MIGHT be plausible, but will still have the same problem of whoever has the most money already still just monopolizing that slot.

If instead several of the slots are done by queue, it will allow anyone to get a shot at establishing themselves regardless of their budget each week. Of course, in such rotating slots, the discounts for buying more time at once would need to be lessened or removed.
My original suggestion to have ALL slots on a rotating queue thing might be a problem for some of the shops because it would make their business too sporadic. However, if the rotating queue is implemented on that one slot instead of the auction, it would mean everyone could get a chance to get their products in there.

Here's how I'd envision that going. There's a queue of people who have signed up for the "newcomer" slot by paying for 1 week to 3 months. However, if the shop of someone who only had 1 week does pretty well, they'll be able to gather the money to purchase 2-3 weeks' worth next time around, and so on.

If someone purchases 3 month's worth, but their shop doesn't do well enough to justify it, they'll stop purchasing for a while, and IMPROVE THEIR SHOP for the next time around, knowing that they have a guaranteed chance to get back in the newcomer slot eventually.

This is my current main worry, and the reason I monopolize my slot just like the rest, even though I was barely making a profit before I purchased a year's worth at 50% off. I worried that if I didnt monopolize my slot, I might lose it forever and be stuck in the same situation all the newcomers are right now.

Perhaps we can do both. Have a "newcomer" slot and an "auction" slot. That way, there'd be a chance for EVERYONE to establish themselves in the 'newcomer' slot, and the more successful of those can go for the auction slot.

The main problem with that I see in the short term would be where those slots would go, since all of them are taken already in the sections that sparked this problem in the first place.
Id theoretically be willing to offer up my slot in "premade builds" for the 'newcomer' slot, except that's still paid for till december and wouldnt solve anything for the other sections anyway.


TLDR: Making a single auction slot is more plausible and less of a problem than all slots, but I still feel like it might not solve the problem of being monopolized. The cooldown is a useful option, but I still feel like 2-3 shops would completely dominate it, leaving half a dozen or more smaller shops in the same situation as before.
As such I would consider having a 'rotating queue' slot, as it being only a single slot takes away most of the concerns caused by ALL slots being rotary.
Possibly, we could also do both. However, the problem with that would be space. It would require there to be 6-7 slots instead of 5. The 6th can be resolved by replacing the sticky advertiser slot with an actual thread slot, but the 7th would be a problem, and might require replacing an existing slot somehow.

 

[Zeiyon]

Warning: Long-ass story incoming.

I personally prefer my own version on this, where instead of having to re-purchase every single damn time, you simply only get to purchase for one stretch of time, and after that you end up in the back of the queue. If the max time stretch is set to, say, half a year, it's still possible to buy a sticky for a period of time that means you don't have to constantly worry about fighting over the sticky thread, but there's still a rotation of people.

I don't know about you guys, but the reason I bought a year's worth of sticky thread is so I wouldn't have to constantly worry about it, and can focus on other things like actually adding more content to my shop and improving the shopfront.
If I have to enter a bidding war every week, or even every month, that means I'm constantly in danger of having my main source of views and purchases for my shop taken away, preventing me from making any investments in it, whether time or money.

Not to mention that those with the most money at their disposal will win almost every time, meaning that, in the case of premade builds, it will most likely still be AspireBuilds and Oddyseybuilds etc that dominate the threads, simply because they turn the most profit and can therefore afford to outbid any competitors.

Note: I just realized you're talking about only one slot. That MIGHT be plausible, but will still have the same problem of whoever has the most money already still just monopolizing that slot.

If instead several of the slots are done by queue, it will allow anyone to get a shot at establishing themselves regardless of their budget each week. Of course, in such rotating slots, the discounts for buying more time at once would need to be lessened or removed.
My original suggestion to have ALL slots on a rotating queue thing might be a problem for some of the shops because it would make their business too sporadic. However, if the rotating queue is implemented on that one slot instead of the auction, it would mean everyone could get a chance to get their products in there.

Here's how I'd envision that going. There's a queue of people who have signed up for the "newcomer" slot by paying for 1 week to 3 months. However, if the shop of someone who only had 1 week does pretty well, they'll be able to gather the money to purchase 2-3 weeks' worth next time around, and so on.

If someone purchases 3 month's worth, but their shop doesn't do well enough to justify it, they'll stop purchasing for a while, and IMPROVE THEIR SHOP for the next time around, knowing that they have a guaranteed chance to get back in the newcomer slot eventually.

This is my current main worry, and the reason I monopolize my slot just like the rest, even though I was barely making a profit before I purchased a year's worth at 50% off. I worried that if I didnt monopolize my slot, I might lose it forever and be stuck in the same situation all the newcomers are right now.

Perhaps we can do both. Have a "newcomer" slot and an "auction" slot. That way, there'd be a chance for EVERYONE to establish themselves in the 'newcomer' slot, and the more successful of those can go for the auction slot.

The main problem with that I see in the short term would be where those slots would go, since all of them are taken already in the sections that sparked this problem in the first place.
Id theoretically be willing to offer up my slot in "premade builds" for the 'newcomer' slot, except that's still paid for till december and wouldnt solve anything for the other sections anyway.


TLDR: Making a single auction slot is more plausible and less of a problem than all slots, but I still feel like it might not solve the problem of being monopolized. The cooldown is a useful option, but I still feel like 2-3 shops would completely dominate it, leaving half a dozen or more smaller shops in the same situation as before.
As such I would consider having a 'rotating queue' slot, as it being only a single slot takes away most of the concerns caused by ALL slots being rotary.
Possibly, we could also do both. However, the problem with that would be space. It would require there to be 6-7 slots instead of 5. The 6th can be resolved by replacing the sticky advertiser slot with an actual thread slot, but the 7th would be a problem, and might require replacing an existing slot somehow.

I do agree with you, but the chances are much higher of this being accepted over your suggestion.
Personally, I would rather have your suggestion be accepted, but this is also a good alternative.

 

[BOOP]

I've always wanted something like this, and feel that the engagement it provides to more than just the person attempting to extend their ad would welcome and introduce more people into the advertisements we offer, increasing the potential for a larger portion of our community to get involved in what is truly our only source of reoccurring revenue.
If we made our current prices the minimum required, then at worst, we'd see no changes to income, and at best, we'd see an increase.

The ads system is a very large and very important one, and would likely require an entire block of time dedicated specifically to its development. We do have more pressing issues to attend to when it comes to large development projects, but I am interested in looking into this in the future.

As always, this is merely my opinion, and I speak only for myself.

Totally unrelated to this suggestion, but, what is currently being worked on now? Development wise, of course.

 

[Mick]

I do not believe that the 'monopolisation of sticky threads' is an issue that needs to be fixed, it is naturally just what's going to happen. I tried to create an analogy comparing sticky thread spots to retail space in big cities but I think by the end of it, it sort of got away from me and lost the point I was trying to make.

The most fair choice for advertisements to make is to give them to the people who are going to pay the most because they're likely to be the most successful people providing the best service to their clients. I would like to implement this idea to all 5 advertisement slots in the most popular three forums to begin with and see how it goes. It doesn't make sense to do an auction for forums with no demand for stickies.

Thanks, I'll move this to pending.