i really wish that their was a mod for phplinkbid to accept Google checkout. I use Google checkout on my shop. It is free until the end of the year. I used to get hit with $50 charges all the time when i used Paypal. I had to pay for products out of my own pocket. $1 bids is a good start for new bidding directories though.
I don't understand the problem with $1 bids. In bidding directories you get what you pay for. If you only pay $1 which gets you on page 3 of your category how is this a problem for the directory owner unless you are a QBC. Sooner or later the higher bids will come.
wow! thanks everyone! I love hearing all the thoughts on this. I personally ignore the PR and am looking for quality sites that aren't "spammy" and have owners that available, put work into the site and look at their directory as a business. I agree that bids will come around over time. It is just that it seems most people don't have the patience to wait that long and continue to build while they wait. Do people that start directories really think that Chris and all his successful sites were built over night? I doubt it. And when I look at the submissions on those he doesn't rely on other directory owners for financial support (although we all buy there). It is because of the professionalism and commitment. I understand that directories need to start with lower prices to build up. I just don't think that it should be expected because they are new or they don't have the PR. There are lots of other factors (for me anyway) when deciding where to invest in my directory! Thanks again everyone. Great stuff here. Lance
There's nothing like having productive and open discussion. It's obvious that people are looking for quality directories. I personally wouldn't bid in any directory that allows Adult, Hatred, Hacking or any other non-friendly directories. I guess PR does matter eventually, but high PR at a link farm will hurt you in the long run. I think it's quality, webmaster dedication and availability and then PR. just my 2cents
more problems with $1 bids mean that casino, MFA and pill and other spammy sites manage to add their links. This gives a bad image to hard working bid directory owners...
Hmmmm.... to me it means it is more likely that the owner doesn't check every submission to make sure those sites don't get added. I am not suggesting that owners should have to constantly check to make sure someone doesn't change the content of their site that has been submitted, but I think it is the directory owners obligation to manually look at every site that has been submitted to insure the integrity and quality of the directory. But I do agree... Lance
That's what I meant about "webmaster dedication and availability". I received 2 very hight bids this week from the same person for sex directories. I immediately refund their money. I'm sure that no-one can be at their computer 24 hours a day, but if you own a responsibel directory, it should become part of your weekly or if not daily activity.
I agree, I have seen high bids from casinos on many sites. I think it has to be the decision of the owner as to what to do with these. I think it is fine as long as the policy is consistent. There are several threads about casino sites...
Itd not just that people dont review the spam submissions they get, they are too greedy to refund the money. To them a few $$ is more important than having their directory filled with useless crap. You made the right choice. Quality sites is more important than a few bids. They do. I have had over $400 from casino sites in the last week. I refunded them all.
Casinos are not as bad as porn sites. they can probably be just as addictive but at you might win some cash in return.
Well, I think the real issue is, as far as the directory business concerns, whether Google tends to penalize sites that list adult links or gambling links when they are NOT adult or gambling sites themselves. This often-discussed topic could be a matter of personal opinion, but PayPal for example doesn't like gambling sites. So, from a long term business perspective, I tend to think this is not a good thing, especially a directory displays an adult link or gambling link on its home page.
Seems this thread is going into yet another discussion about casino sites again. But to add my thoughts i don't think you can really compare a casino site to porn or even pills site. A porn site is completely family unfriendly, pills sites are very often illegal and casino sites on the face of it as long as its main pages are clean is totally harmless. So a 10 year old stumbles on a glitzy looking casino site its not like he can run up his credit card and get involved in immoral activities. What is most likely is that he won't have a clue what he's doing and move on. I don't think there is anything wrong with well buillt clean casino sites.