Introducing Bonanzle Classifieds
Since undertaking the mission to get Bonanzle into new advertising channels, Chad and I have learned an important lesson: getting a quality ad campaign online is really hard. Everything from picking the right sites to put the ads on, to coming up with snappy text for the ads, to actually getting graphics that jive with the text... each step adds up to make it a many-week process to actually launch an ad campaign.
As we became increasingly fed up with the hurdles to getting our ad campaign online, we asked ourselves a simple question: Is this our only option? Online advertising is becoming an increasingly competitive space, as more and more companies move from print to Internet advertising. And then, it struck us: what if we zig while they zag? What if we move Bonanzle into print advertising?
Barn style roof shed.20% off original DIY price! NOW ONLY $2,359.20 Call Curt at 253-874-3700 for more info
Furniture. Lots of practically new leather furniture for sale! This is furniture and accessories just back from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. New in box Red Wing Boots 4308 sz 10.5 Abseil RW-Inspired MEDIUM. Retails for $160. They have been sitting in my garage since I bought it a month ago but I do not need them.
I am having a major closet cleaning blowout sale. Sizes 18/20 to 26/28, and single sized items as well. All items are $25.00 and under (so please, no bills bigger than $20).
For most of our lives, newspaper classifieds were the first place you looked when you needed to find a well-priced item. But lately, classifieds have dwindled to near non-existence. What the model needs is a jolt. Enter Bonanzle Classifieds.
With your help, this could be the perfect time to hit the papers. And hit them hard. We would like to get the entire Bonanzle inventory published to all the major metro newspapers, drawing perhaps hundreds or even thousands of new buyers per month to Bonanzle.
The biggest difficulty in branching out to classifieds, of course, is how to condense our sellers' wordy item descriptions down to the 25 word maximum for most classifieds ads. To help our sellers make this transition, please reviews your classifieds descriptions here. Does it look good? If not, please email us with any ideas on how to fix it to [email protected] and help us get this algorithm perfect before publishing begins.
The other potential difficulty will be paying for the ads. Because most papers are still charging around $10-$20 for a single ad, the cost of publishing 3 million items in 50 newspapers would become prohibitive without a good discount. But our sources indicate that, for bulk buyers, newspapers can often offer discounts as steep as 55-90% or more.
It may not be easy, but with your help in perfecting our classifieds algorithm, we believe that Bonanzle Classifieds will streamline advertising by removing the need for expensive graphics, while moving into a space where we are sure to get noticed.
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57 responses to Introducing Bonanzle Classifieds
Interesting idea… but can we really afford this? If so, it could be a great way to both get new buyers and maybe save the newspaper industry while we’re at it
Bill, you’re a genius
Sounds like a great idea – though when I viewed a coupe of “Sample” ads – the wording sounded a little off – and may turn the buyer off – rather than make than come in.
I would be interested to know how it works out money wise for individual sellers.
Jules
Well, I am sorry but my ad descriptions are so far off that it isn’t even funny. They look like a real mess and don’t even tell you anything about the item at all. Thank God for titles I guess.
We are supposed to sit and play with all of our item ad descriptions to be included or are they simply added as they are showing now unless we change them?
I know this sounds negative but it sounds like a lot of work for the sellers on this project and I don’t believe that this project is going to give us the results we are looking for – just who reads the newspaper anymore?
The large ones, in huge metro areas maybe some people do but I don’t get it. What papers are the planned target? If they are not read nation wide, I think the money could be better spent elsewhere.
Are we infusing a dieing media to our benefit or wasting our time and money (the likely reason there are few ads in newspapers could be cost versus number of sales resulting from the ad)?
I, for one, am not going to mess with all of my descriptions. To continue to change our listings or add to different aspects of our listings just seems very bay like and I am sure that I can find better ways to spend my time.
While we need advertising and we have needed it for a while, I don’t believe that this is the right direction.
Thank you for letting us know that you hear us.
Bill, mine is completely garbled, doesn’t even slightly resemble my listings. For example: “German into pin seamstress been of all Little the other I doll the is trim. I Little break of not $35”
Most of them look pretty much like that one.
Good idea, needs a little work.
Dakota, LOTS of people still read the paper. How else could you do the word jumble and daily crossword? And don’t get me started on the comics! Newspaper classifieds are infinitely more efficient and easy to use than online classifieds.
Here is just one article on newspaper circulation:
In Part:
The two-decade erosion in newspaper circulation is looking more like an avalanche….
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/business/media/27audit.html
Also in part, for those who won’t read the article above:
The Internet, where newspapers are generally free, has siphoned off circulation and advertising even as it made papers more widely read than ever before. This year, newspaper sites have had more than 72 million unique visitors a month, compared with 60 million in 2007, according to reports by Nielsen Online for the Newspaper Association.
I used to carry a local paper on 5 routes everyday. I used to get the paper. I can tell you that many newspapers are never read and some are only partially read before they hit the trashcan.
More and more people are reading their favorite newspapers online.
Mine was garbled also. i wonder if perhaps those of us who would want to be included could write the ad as part of listing new items. That way as items are added they could be customized to fit the ad format…perhaps the first 25 words.
Another idea would be to offer it as an online service to the newspapers. It would all be online, but sourced at the newspapers web site. It could be an affiliate program for the newspapers and would generate income for the papers.
I think you have a diamond in the rough….it is just a matter of how to polish it.
I have to agree with Dakota, Though I appreciate Bonanzle’s efforts to begin advertising, I don’t feel this will be any more beneficial than even Craigs List. I would think a general Nationwide ad geared to bring people to Bonanzle would do more than individual sellers running small ads. Newspapers don’t attract the attention they once did.
Still, I am happy to see the idea of progressive marketing for the venue being kicked around. We are ripe for activity, #3 venue, people are hearing about us…
If this is a joke, the real ad campaign ought to be a hoot!
uh – folks – uh – april fools’ day?
Mine are so VERY bad, this must be an April Fool’s Joke! HaHA!
If it is an April Fools joke – I liked Bizzy better.
I am also not thrilled about being the butt of “jokes” in public.
PS – We really do need advertising at a national level and that’s no joke.
Nice one
Couldn’t find the classified edit text button to save my life! LOL
I got suckered then – good and proper – darn it !! NOT FAIR !!!LOL
Bill – This is my favorite…
Boston Globe Classifieds
Enduring Love (VHS) Very Rare Promo Screener . Genre: Bill with partner, comes trouble. boy, the once of rescuers the on far fallen very go Paramount Enduring Sale $25
*Comes trouble boy is right! LOL
Nice thought but..mine look like a foreign language too and…Mom’s, Shabby, Dakota…
.
If I need something to Buy…I go Online, hear about it on the Radio or see it on TV. Maybe if Booth Owners could get a nice discount on some Bumper Stickers/Tee Shirts that would actually put the BONANZLE word out there much better than Classifieds?
I’m hoping that this is indeed an April Fool’s joke…..
All my descriptions are garbled and make no sense. This is an April Fool’s joke, right?
Great idea in theory.
I’m not a programmer but would imagine this will swallow up considerable resources, not to mention revenue.
My ads looked like a garbled mess of everything but words that actually applied to the item.
Today’s newspapers are becoming less and less relevant. Not sure if the cost could be off-set by any returns……..
Sooooo boyz…spit it out….LOL
I thought it was for real until I actually started reading the descriptions and thought about the whole concept (impossible to keep up with). Great APRIL FOOL’S Joke
Well … At least you didnt bring back Bizzy!! … ROFLMAO
If I click my heels together ca I get back to Kansas? Sure hoping this is a joke. Our local paper charges $60 for classifieds and they’re all but useless unless you’re selling large items like furniture. So Bill, I have a good sense of humor and I’m laughing if this is a joke – if it’s not please tell me where the “opt out” button is… thanks honey, love, jammi
@ yeshuazgirl, I’m with you> and also laughing the entire time too…thanks beauty!
You had me till I saw the 3 million items in 50 papers …
Good job on the ads !! That is awesome work!
Bring back Bizzy
She could type much better than what’s in the Classified Ads. ROFL.
Thank you oh wise and great ones…finally advertising
No wonder it’s taken so long……lol
It’s a Joke right?
OMG Bill and Chad!! Let Mark and Elizabeth do the advertising! ROFL
Norma…why would you think this is a joke???
If this IS a joke, I certainly bit on it and promptly sent a message to support with my suggestions!
The problem is that the concept ain’t bad. I assume we’re NOT talking about 3 million items in each of 150 papers. That would make a pretty fat paper. But even if the 3 mill is divided over 150 papers, that’s 20,000 items per paper. STILL too heavy to lift! Well, OK, then maybe we split it up over a month, 30 editions of the paper. That’s about 667 ads, per day. And that’s STILL too much.
But the concept makes some sense. Anyway, I totally was led down the garden path. Good one!
April Fools?
ROFL! Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collector Plate Franklin Mint. style=“font-size: font-family: Mint, of 8 see the date style=”font-size: weight Arial;"> purchase cleared one are listing. expensive shipping less does $18
Especially like the “expensive shipping”, that should help sell it nicely!
Well, you got me with this one. I actually went to look at my “classified ad” content before I realized what day it is.
Now, if only I could just write off some recent changes on other sites as April Fools jokes, my mind would be better off.
Happy April Fools Day!
you guys are funny!!!!!!
Hilarious
LOL at the classified ad text for my 3M Scotchlite Fabric Tape: “This 3M inch you to safety, pet make Often a or visible source any sewing on night Great arm play cleanable. $8”
Well the timing is suspect but I think this is a brilliant idea. Think of this as another tool to use for your business. The Bonanzle toolbox is stacked with many tools to empower your business and they keep adding such great tools. Way to go, keep up the good work, I cannot wait to see what is next.
hey wheres the ebay HPL of Marks lol
Glad I read about this in forums before going to ’what’s new’ or I probably woulda been took.
But seriously, maybe a classified ad or newspaper online? Or buy your own publishing house to put stuff in print.
pst. Deer River Publishing is up for sale (MN).
Are You Teasing the Community? You are all very smart and witty. Good timing.
Newspaper – local only would most likely apply. Ad’s themselves would need a 2nd space to strip space prep out, cannot grab from the existing….well I would have to weigh the value and work on that one….
Or
If You Are Not Teasing, why not just take out a classified with the name Bonanzle Only.
Bonanzle – The Hottest On Line Marketplace – Every Thing but the Ordinary…………………….(i.e. what ever you all write).
PS I do not care about the individuals ad’s (sellers Do, can or need to manage, arrange those for themselves). I personally just want to see the Road Sign to BONANZLE get the press, which is what we All need.
My one-half cent only.
OK…I get it…now put my 15 listings BACK to the way they were!
You Boyz just get Goodier & Goodier every year!
Happy April Fools Day!
Kim
Hahahaha! Love the idea but a simple sample picture of a lovely handpicked list and a little blurb is really all that is needed. The point is just to bet the Bonanzle name out there. So you guys got assigned to April Fools day uh?
Brilliant!! and how you got those descriptions to personalize for everyone ~ you guys are too good!
I will try it. Can’t hurt me none…
Bonanzle spent all these hours (while we languish for sales) developing a prank to make sellers look like arses? Bad form. Can we request that this post be sent to the Dungeon? If this was a prank, it goes beyond community standards. If not, then it was still an idea meriting thought. The “Classified Ad” button now appears proudly on the front page of another venue.
I Suggest !
eBid — eCrater — and Bonanzle get together and really hit the “FeeBay” boys where it hurts – Some Heavy Competition ..I Am Serious ! http://www.artie.com/april_fools/arg-april-fool-plumber-207×165-scrollup-url.gif TV Advertising only way to go..
ROTFLMAO.THIS JUST CRACKS ME UP.
It is funny. But, seriously if you are going to do this, please set up a classified section to our listings that WE can add/modify. It may take us some time to get them all in, but, it’s better than publishing rubbish.
Thanks guys. Having a background in marketing tells me that this may be a good idea maybe for the local penny savers. But, it would be better to advertise “Voted The best alternative to Ebay” (tout sources) Also when advertising keep in mind consumers fears of buying online “is my data safe?”, “are these reputable sellers?”, “can I get my money back if they don’t send my merchandise or if it is not up to par?” People need the warm and fuzzies and they need to know that we exist as an excellent alternative to ebay and amazon.
Oh you Guys!
I am warm and fuzzies!
Why can’t we all just get a can of black spray paint and spray paint the word Bonanzle.com everywhere, instead. Especially I think it would look nice on the base of the walls at all the Federal Reserve Banks.,and maybe a few of the "big Wall Street banks and firms and insurance companies.
Descriptions are very disjointed, so I am at a loss.
Why not just advertise Bonanzle as “the up and coming internet marketing venue” (or something to that effect). We could probabaly get some attention with large print, simple and smack you right in the face with the website address. (To be seen on the way to the trash can).
LOL!
high,17 incredible or huge 8 size. so carve form finished unique, grain! but which prized the closely Solorio. keep with $350
I like Sarah564254 we already have a great slogan
Find every thing but the ordinary.
excellent! from: used1goods TEXAS USA!!!!!
Must be a joke???Bill…..
No thanks! I don’t have the time nor money. Besides – I haven’t sold anything on this site for over a year, so am not going to bother with that.
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