Re: New Discussion Board Format
That is an excellent point.
Out of curiosity what is the source of expense of doing the Driveline business? Is it in the printing and distribution of it by chance?
I've got to point out that for I don't know how many years now most any newspaper classified goes BOTH online and in print. It doesn't have to be either/or. And anybody anywhere in the world can go look at the online version for free w/o paying 35 cents or whatever. Those pesky ads are still displayed too. Even the small time bi-weekly 16 page rag that covers my rural county does this.
Once upon a time (back when I still had a 9600 bps modem) I exclusively dependend on Driveline for parts and such. I've largely stopped paying attention to the Driveline in much of any fashion some time ago given the myriad online resources now available and any good deals always seem to be snapped up before I get mine. I doubt I'm all by myself in this regard but maybe I am. For that matter the mail order catalogs I have from the usual suspects are stale and I don't fret it in most cases as the majors have good websites. Given all that - are advertisers depending on print ads in the Driveline still getting their money's worth compared to before? And will they continue as time, technology and trends march inexorably on? Sure NCRS can claim to potential print only advertisers that it has 24K circulation. But what if a sophisticated ad man asks about the penetration of such advertisements? Any argument regarding the status quo print version of Driveline in print only is increasingly an academic one I fear at this point. As I said, even the slickest and most professional (read expensive) parts trader site sponsored by NCRS were to roll out tomorrow - it's measurable click rates would likely be anemic at this point. I'm sure it won't be for quite a while as long as most niche market advertisers dont' concern themselves too much w/ actual penetration and response levels but someday the current and largely academic debate of the present may move to a purely financial one as to whether or not it's worth keeping or having Driveline at all. Currently it may have the dubious distinction of being one of the larger classified publications around that is NOT available online. But since it presently has no apparent direct competitors to threaten advertiser revenues I suspect it can and will sustain for the forseeable future as a print only.
That is an excellent point.
Out of curiosity what is the source of expense of doing the Driveline business? Is it in the printing and distribution of it by chance?
I've got to point out that for I don't know how many years now most any newspaper classified goes BOTH online and in print. It doesn't have to be either/or. And anybody anywhere in the world can go look at the online version for free w/o paying 35 cents or whatever. Those pesky ads are still displayed too. Even the small time bi-weekly 16 page rag that covers my rural county does this.
Once upon a time (back when I still had a 9600 bps modem) I exclusively dependend on Driveline for parts and such. I've largely stopped paying attention to the Driveline in much of any fashion some time ago given the myriad online resources now available and any good deals always seem to be snapped up before I get mine. I doubt I'm all by myself in this regard but maybe I am. For that matter the mail order catalogs I have from the usual suspects are stale and I don't fret it in most cases as the majors have good websites. Given all that - are advertisers depending on print ads in the Driveline still getting their money's worth compared to before? And will they continue as time, technology and trends march inexorably on? Sure NCRS can claim to potential print only advertisers that it has 24K circulation. But what if a sophisticated ad man asks about the penetration of such advertisements? Any argument regarding the status quo print version of Driveline in print only is increasingly an academic one I fear at this point. As I said, even the slickest and most professional (read expensive) parts trader site sponsored by NCRS were to roll out tomorrow - it's measurable click rates would likely be anemic at this point. I'm sure it won't be for quite a while as long as most niche market advertisers dont' concern themselves too much w/ actual penetration and response levels but someday the current and largely academic debate of the present may move to a purely financial one as to whether or not it's worth keeping or having Driveline at all. Currently it may have the dubious distinction of being one of the larger classified publications around that is NOT available online. But since it presently has no apparent direct competitors to threaten advertiser revenues I suspect it can and will sustain for the forseeable future as a print only.
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