Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2017 16:10:47 -0500
Reply-To: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Ideas about funding Vanagon.com
In-Reply-To: <AEFB2C0F-A0C7-4FB8-83C6-D375B0C152ED@sympatico.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Paul, I’m not suggesting to bombard anyone with adds. You may be confusing Vanagon.com and the Vanagon Mailing List. I don’t think Ken has ever suggested to put adds on the Mailing List. Vanagon.com would be an info centre, especially suited to new comers to Vanagon ownership and thereby a place where those in the business of suppling parts SHOULD be advertising. A simple banner add stating what the company has to offer for the Vanagon owner and a link to their website would be all that’s needed. If you look at the following websites below, where I and others in the business advertise with banner adds, you will see what I mean. No one there has ever complained about being bombarded with adds and the expenses of the website are met with the paid advertising. As a businessman in the business of supplying Vanagon Parts & Service, I get bombarded with questions from new Vanagon owners that could easily be answered by sending that inquiry to Vanagon.com instead of explaining the whole long story of all the links and information they should know about.
Quebec Westfalia Club <http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/fr/accueil.html>
LiMBO Club <http://www.limbobus.org/forum/index.php>
Samba <https://www.thesamba.com/vw/>
Frank
> On Mar 31, 2017, at 2:42 PM, paul gordon <paul_gordon@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> I for one am not interested in seeing any advertising on the site or anything that could be perceived as shameless self promotion by any vendors. Being a subscriber for many years and enjoying all of the input, I believe that the Amazon program would be a good choice. I think that we would all agree that this site does not need become one that constantly bombards us with advertising.
>
>> I for one as a Vanagon based business would be ready to pay for my add on Vanagon.com <http://vanagon.com/> So would my new Associates: www.Eurotek.ca <http://www.eurotek.ca/>
>>
>>
>>> On Mar 31, 2017, at 9:57 AM, Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <mailto:LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>> wrote:
>>>
>>> So for many, many, many years, Vanagon.com <http://vanagon.com/> <http://vanagon.com/ <http://vanagon.com/>> has gotten a free ride due to
>>> the kindness and benevolence of Vanagon owners and fans. It costs money to
>>> host a website, and it also costs money (time) to update it on a regular
>>> basis so that it stays up to date, isn't hacked, no porn (except naked
>>> Vanagons), etc.
>>>
>>> I want to set up a way to fund that site that doesn't rely on donations, as
>>> they can be hit and miss (mostly miss). I was looking into an Amazon
>>> affiliate program that looks promising but I wanted to know what you folks
>>> think. Basically I would set up a woocommerce store on the site, and then
>>> put in the store all of the things that you can buy through Amazon that
>>> would be related to the Vanagon. When you go to the store, and find
>>> something you like (say a special tool you need), you click on the link and
>>> it takes you to Amazon where you buy the tool and Vanagon.com <http://vanagon.com/> <http://vanagon.com/ <http://vanagon.com/>> would get a
>>> 10%-25% commission on that sale. Not only that, but if you click on the
>>> link and then decide to buy a bunch of other stuff for your home or office,
>>> Vanagon.com <http://vanagon.com/> <http://vanagon.com/ <http://vanagon.com/>> would get a commission off of those other items as well! The
>>> prices you would pay would be the same that you would normally pay on
>>> Amazon so you aren't spending any more money. Instead you are just buying
>>> your normal Amazon stuff through the Vanagon.com <http://vanagon.com/> <http://vanagon.com/ <http://vanagon.com/>> affiliate link, and it is
>>> helping to fund Vanagon.com <http://vanagon.com/> <http://vanagon.com/ <http://vanagon.com/>>!
>>>
>>> I don't really see a down side. Please let me know what you think. If
>>> enough money is generated to support the site, and there is extra then it
>>> is going to go into a fund that we can use for other things. I am thinking
>>> about maybe a Pay it Forward fund to help van owners emergency need, or
>>> someone in the community that has a sudden death, etc. We could expand the
>>> advertising of the site by supplying prizes for VW shows, etc.
>>>
>>> I just want to make Vanagon.com <http://vanagon.com/> <http://vanagon.com/ <http://vanagon.com/>> so much more awesome than it ever has
>>> been. But that takes time which is money. Someone has to spend time
>>> updating things. The more money we have to go to making the site better,
>>> the better it will be.
>>
>> Please note that I will be away from my business travelling from December 01 until April 30, 2017. Parts orders will be processed although not as quickly as usual. I will always be available for contact by E-mail. If you phone your call will be addressed by Steven and he will either call you back or advise you to contact me directly by E-mail.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Frank Condelli
>> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
>> '87 VW Westy, '00 Kawasaki 250 Sherpa, "98 Ducati 750 Monster & Lionel Trains (Collection for sale <http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm <http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm>>)
>> Frank Condelli & Associates <http://www.frankcondelli.com/ <http://www.frankcondelli.com/>> - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
>> BusFusion <http://www.busfusion.com/ <http://www.busfusion.com/>> a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 08 ~ 11, 2017
>
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