[walleyewarrior]

Frank in all honesty the whole issue of having stock availablity shown on the links seems like a TERRIBLE idea.
After re doing all my site and pages to update for new models etc I looked at my main page today, and wish I hadn't. Personally if I looked at my main page, I would go elsewhere. 16 models shown that were all in stock less than a month ago.
Of those 16, 6, SIX, thats almost 40% of all links now show sold out, or backordered. Personally I don't want my visitors on my site, I want them clicking through to YOUR site. Thats my job. Yours should be to also help close the sale once there. Showing them all these items no longer even available gives them no incentive to go anywhere further except the x or back button and go elsewhere. Show the back order or not available once they reach you. Just get them off the links, and lets get them at least clicking through to your site.
Just my opinion sir

...............
WW

Make a difference! Support your local Cancer Care providers.

[EmDub]

I totally agree with Walleye. Having product availability as part of the image is a horrible idea. Let's get them to your site--then they can decide what they want to do.

Also, I thought I read where pricing is part of the image, and not part of the feed anymore. Is this true? If so, I think that's another bad idea.

My scooter site is still about 2 weeks from being built, but I won't even waste my $8.95 on a domain name if the feed is going to be less-than-friendly.

Michael

[walleyewarrior]

I don't have an issue with price on them.
It keeps the pricing up to date. Relevant info although not ideal if you don't run pricing normally.

EM I had some serious grey hair happening and many pvt messages to Frank when they recently did their update. I believe after a few choice words mumbling and grieving over things by me, Frank was very good at getting things looked after promptly. Service and getting back to us has always been top notch. While I would love to have you use the 8.95 and find another market to key in on ( ONLY since I hate ANY competion)
Urban Scooters is a well run, affiliate friendly program run on a network ideal for him where service, and not bellying up to parasites is still an everyday way of properly running a business.

...............
WW

Make a difference! Support your local Cancer Care providers.

[This message was edited by walleye warrior on August 29, 2003 at 03:24 PM.]

[EmDub]

Understood on working with Frank. I can deal with prices being on the images, although I really wish they were in the feed. But I can deal with it.

However, the "out-of-stock" issue is a very valid one, and one we need to get figured out as soon as we can.

Michael

[frankodelic]

OK Walleye and EmDub... I'm open to reviewing this.

On the table for review:

Product pricing on the imgage and in stock status on the image.

Both were added as a service to our affiliates. If they're not fulfilling their intended purpose, let's get rid of them.

Product pricing is placed on the image because our pricing fluctuates frequently. We could never ask or expect our affilates to update their pricing as often as it changes and if our customers see a lower price before coming to our site they chew our ear off about it and demand a price reduction (that makes for bad business).

The purpose of the in stock status is as a service to the customer and to deliver more targeted leads which has an effect on conversion rates and an affiliates EPC.

Let's hear what the group has to say. This is the kind of thing our forum was made for.

Frank
UrbanScooters.com (http://urbanscooters.com)
UrbanScooters.com Affiliate Program (http://www.shareasale.com/shareasale.cfm?merchantID=2959)

[Electropulse]

I'm with WW and emdub. http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Black Out? you gotta be sh!tting me! - Nikola Tesla (while spinning in his grave).

[walleyewarrior]

prices yes
availability NOOOOOOOOOO

...............
WW

Make a difference! Support your local Cancer Care providers.

[missdonna]

price yes
availability no

[EmDub]

I suppose I can go with the prices. However, the availability has to go.

Michael

[cazzie]

Price yes
Availability no
Cazzie

Join the Fight! Parasite Free In 2003!

[Kellie aka Ms. B]

Agree with the above.

It's Your Money. You earned it. What are you going to do to make sure you get to keep it?

[Linda]

Price yes - I like that being on the graphic

Availability no - Like the others have said, if the customer sees that there's none in stock, they have no reason to click thru and maybe see something else they might like.

I just looked on my site page that I have for you and see one that says "Sold Out/Discontinued". I don't look at my individual merchant pages every day on my mall site - just too many to check on. Obviously this one scooter needs to be removed and replaced with another. I don't know how time consuming this would be on your part, but it would be beneficial for me and maybe for others if maybe once a week you post a thread here on what's been discontinued or sold out and what products have been added?

[frankodelic]

Looks like there's a pretty clear consensus on this issue so far. I've PM'ed a couple of affiliates that haven't chimed in yet. I'd like to hear from them before I lay this task out for my partner.

Linda... I've just now made an announcement regarding the Whiz Bang (http://abw.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=548608979&f=7826001683&m=2706046114) and will use this forum to provide updates on product availability.

Too bad about that Whiz Bang. It's actually a great scooter. It's surely the marketing "genius" that thought up the name of the thing that's to blame here.

Frank
UrbanScooters.com (http://urbanscooters.com)
UrbanScooters.com Affiliate Program (http://www.shareasale.com/shareasale.cfm?merchantID=2959)

[ecomcity]

Let me see if I understand this argument over pricing and availability of datafeed items. I see the value of daily updated datafeeds for merchants who actively carry closeouts or markdown certain items as loss leaders, open box returns or discontinued items. Price is the motivator for the click. When the qty reaches zero the merchant often cannot restock the item. He sure doesn't want to waste the time or garner bad PR for booking a non-deliverable unless he's a bait-n-switch merchant.

The alternate method of some merchants like Computer Geeks find they rather enjoy, is putting a huge OOS sign on the product page ( tiny link to similar items way at the bottom of the long descriptive page) with the OFFER to e-mail the customer if the item comes back in stock. So sorry affiliates this a customer CRM issue and even though the exact same item or is sister item is available we reserve to notify this referral about this without a commission attached.

Nice move to keep pricing current via the picture link. I just wonder the motives of those unanimously requesting the OOS message be removed equating the value of the auto-generated page, without any benefit or consideration to the shopper's time, is just there to set a cookie via a click.

I know all affiliates, even BHO's -spammers -click to win and phony couponers, live and die by setting their tracking cookies. Has affiliate marketing regressed into just devising ways to set cookies, automating creation of doorway pages and using them to spam the SE's for listing purposes. Where is the love for the shopper and value added targeting effort factor into all of this?

Mike & Charlie ... http://abw.infopop.cc/smilies/parrot.gif

If they won't adopt and feed a bird ..flip them one! BBQ some Gator and remember to flush WhenU..

[Packy]

Mike and Charlie,

Sorry your not even close on this one as far as the sold out or back ordered is considered http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Like stated above. If a customer comes to my site looking for scooters, or a particular model or make of a scooter and see's that they are out of stock or on backorder they move on to another site. This isn't about trying to set a cookie, this is about getting the customer to the merchant site to make a purchase.

Suppose a customer searches for electric scooters and comes to my page that has 4 scooters that are elctric. They see two are on back order and one is out of stock. The other one is in stock, but higher than the price he wanted to pay for one, so he moves on. Now if he would of clicked on the link he would of saw that there are several other scooters in the price range he was looking for but just weren't being shown on my site. Or perhaps he might have come across a gas scooter and decided instead to get a Gas scooter instead of an Electric one. To me, the OOS or Back order should be on the merchants site and not mine. JMO of course http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

As for the price, I don't mind either way. Franks prices are pretty competitive so either way is ok with me. Once again, JMO!

Sold out and Back Ordered should go though! Let them find that out when they are browsing the merchants site. IMO it hurts Frank, just as much as it does the affiliates. Once again, JMO of course http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

The best way to handle the link would be for Frank if posible to update the link to something similar in product and price and also give the affiliates the heads up on the product change so we could review it. http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Frank was very good at getting things looked after promptly. Service and getting back to us has always been top notch. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree with WW on Frank being prompt and one to listen to ideas and suggestions http://abw.infopop.cc/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Merchant Coincidences, One of the Wonders of the World

Coincidence Me baby! http://abestweb.com/banana.gif http://abestweb.com/banana.gif

[walleyewarrior]

Mike
This time its time to remove the foot from your mouth. I can barely see your knee.

Nothing to do at all with mass produced or data feed products. These are just regular links. All on non data feed pages.

...............
WW

Make a difference! Support your local Cancer Care providers.

[Nature Boy]

I vote to keep the prices and lose the availability status.

------------------------------
Scott
TravelDepot.Net (http://www.traveldepot.net)

[FFoc]

Frank, I agree with the general concensus - Price ok, Avail no.

I also do the "pre shopping" thing.. I pick out a couple dozen I want to feature, and leave it at that. If one I picked is out, but there is another real close to it on your site somewhere, the customer will never find it if he doesn't click through.

Example, say I feature the Mongoose Hornet F5 and it's on backorder.. But, they find the Schwinn F18 after clicking through on your site, and it isn't.. Same scooter, same price, different name.. Sale likely still made..

--
"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own." – Benjamin Disraeli
--
Ford Fox-body Owners Club -- http://www.ford-fox.org

[~Michelle]

I agree.

Pricing yes, availability no.

When I shop and I click through to something off of another site and get there and find it is out of stock, I will generally look at that site for something similar to order instead.

Another idea on your end of it is if a particular scooter is out of stock, how about a "View Similar Product" link?

~Michelle

****************************
"All I ask is a chance to prove that money can't make me happy."

"Work to become, not to acquire." -- Confucius

[Dynamoo]

I've just put the new product links up, and I'm happy with both pricing and availability. I think it's useful for the visitor to see both.

________
All your commission are belong to us.
Check out the latest Homeland Security (http://subj.com/dhs/) press releases.

[phillyburbs]

Add me to the masses ... prices yes, availability no.

Karl Smith
phillyBurbs - Your Internet Starts Here (http://www.phillyburbs.com)

[frankodelic]

OK, looks like we have a clear majority here in favor of keeping the pricing info and nixing the availability info.

We're planning an update to the watermark on all images shortly (I personally HATE our current one). When we update that watermark we'll kill this monstrously unpopular availability info.

Thanks for the feedback gang! http://www.abestweb.com/smilies/yelclap.gif

Frank
UrbanScooters.com (http://urbanscooters.com)
UrbanScooters.com Affiliate Program (http://www.shareasale.com/shareasale.cfm?merchantID=2959)

[~Michelle]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Frank - UrbanScooters.com:
OK, looks like we have a clear majority here in favor of keeping the pricing info and nixing the availability info.

We're planning an update to the watermark on all images shortly (I personally HATE our current one). When we update that watermark we'll kill this monstrously unpopular availability info.

Thanks for the feedback gang! http://www.abestweb.com/smilies/yelclap.gif

Frank
http://urbanscooters.com
http://www.shareasale.com/shareasale.cfm?merchantID=2959<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Thank you Frank! http://www.abestweb.com/smilies/yelclap.gif

~Michelle

****************************
"All I ask is a chance to prove that money can't make me happy."

"Work to become, not to acquire." -- Confucius

[frankodelic]

Allrighty then... this baby has been put to bed.

You may have noticed that the larger sized images were remade to exclude the in stock status a couple of weeks ago. We just remade the smaller sized images to exclude the in stock status today.

Thanks for being patient while we ripped through several items which had to be given higher priority on "the list".

Frank
UrbanScooters.com (http://urbanscooters.com)
UrbanScooters.com Affiliate Program (http://www.shareasale.com/shareasale.cfm?merchantID=2959)