Re: Ad questions

Alan Richmond (WDVL_at_Stars.com)
Tue, 25 Jun 1996 16:43:10 -0400

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Archive Home Page
• Search
• Next message: Eric J. DePrano: "Re: The Commonwealth Network"
• Previous message: Paul J. Nelson: "Sister City"
• Maybe in reply to: Woody Williams: "Ad questions"
• Next in thread: Russian On-Line Literary Society: "Re: Ad questions"

Hal Amens wrote:
[...]
> How about a little truth in advertising. PG rated with titles like

An earlier poster advertised something that was almost certainly
their own site with the words "I found this interesting.." as if it came
from a 3rd party. I've noticed people posting to usenet about products
or services as if they had 'discovered' them and were just passing the
info along - and I knew, independently, that the product was their own
(e.g. 'I just came across this incredible camera for only $199' - from
an advertiser on my own site).

Why are people resorting to lies to sell their stuff?

I work full-time operating the Web Developer's Virtual Library,
a long established and highly respected reference source for serious web
developers. It started as a hobby and grew into an obsession, and it is
funded solely by online advertising.

I've used the Internet for many years, as a software developer
for scientific research institutes. When I started using it as a means
of business, it surprised and delighted me that I could do business with
people remote from me, and be paid for it. But I'm not sure anymore if
that's the case..

My first advertiser paid us on time, at first, and then got
later and later. Eventually I pulled their ad, and their last payment to
us was about $400 short for the amount of time it had been up. Most of
our advertisers since have been reasonably timely, but now we are
waiting on a cheque from an agency, for $2,860. It's 3 months late.
We've called them many times, and each time there was an excuse like
"our client hasn't paid us yet", "we're being audited and can't cut any
cheques at the moment", "they cut the wrong cheque", "the person who
signs the cheques is away", or "our New York office's computers have a
virus", etc. We're getting the run-around. As a mom & pop operation,
this amount of money is critical - our mortgage payment is overdue, we
can't afford various living expenses, our children can't have any new
toys or clothes, etc. [I meant checks, of course.. :*]

I've left actual names out of this story. I would have preferred
not to, but I'm not sure if that would have created problems. Would it?

What are the experiences of others on this list? Is there a
general decline in honesty and integrity? What can you do about
late/non-payers?

--
    Alan Richmond (Technical) & Lucy Richmond (Business)  1 301 552 0272
        http://WWW.Stars.com/   The Web Developer's Virtual Library
    PC Mag's Top 100, Starting Point Choice, Point's Top 5%, Magellan,..

--------------------------------------------------------------------
      This week's Online Advertising Discussion List sponsor:
The Internet Developers Association, http://www.association.org/
The professional trade association for Internet content developers.
Join through June 30, 1996 and the annual membership fee is waived.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

• Archive Home Page
• Search
• Next message: Eric J. DePrano: "Re: The Commonwealth Network"
• Previous message: Paul J. Nelson: "Sister City"
• Maybe in reply to: Woody Williams: "Ad questions"
• Next in thread: Russian On-Line Literary Society: "Re: Ad questions"

With an archive of more than 14,000 postings, since 1996 the Online Advertising Discussion List has been the Internet's leading forum focused on professional discussion of online advertising and online media buying and selling strategies, results, studies, tools, and media coverage. If you wish to join the discussion list, please use this link to sign up on the home page of the Online Advertising Discussion List.