Its Time We Give Back to OzBargain

luffyex2010 on 26/11/2019 - 14:59
Last edited 26/11/2019 - 16:12 by 1 other user

I have been using Ozbargain for nearly 10 years and the website has provided me with valuable information that has helped me to save in the early years and spent more…in the later years.

This is one of my favorite website that has heaps of live and updated information at my fingertips (electronics and especially gaming) and also recently a good place for people to whine and sort help from experts of different fields about their neighbours/traffic dissatisfaction/accidents/infringement notice, the usual daily social topics etc

So what can we do you ask? well, I am one of those people who has taken for granted that the website runs on revenue streaming from ads but my adblocker is usually enabled on this (not anymore now I know) so we should all disable our adblocker on this site.

It helps them to generate more revenue, pay staff, keep mods happy, keeps Scotty motivated to make sure Ozbargain runs for a loooong time and keep their infrastructure, website healthy/active and most importantly functional.

Yes, Scotty, you can retire too at an early age but you can/have to overwatch the whole operation as a member to make sure it's running while you still live lol.

How do I disable my adblocker for this site?

Chrome
Right click adblocker icon on the web browser tool bar which is usually on the top of the screen, then click pause on this site. (Icon should go green when you visit ozbargain.

Sorry I only use Chrome, but other web browser users do provide steps and I can add it up here.

Poll Ends on 1st of Jan 2020
Let's give all the support we can provide~~!!!

Note: I have no affiliation with Ozbargain or any of the staff just would like my favourite website to run forever.

Things that I believe Ozbargain could evolve to
1) Upgrade app with easy classifieds (categorized)
Eneloop rewards points, have to be an Ozbargain registered member (to redeem Ozbargain merchandize)
New customized deals and notification feature which will only show certain category

2) Ozbargain having partnership with certain retailers doing special Ozbargain deals.

3) Opens OzAdvice (the place to getmaybe professional advice or to get trashed)

4) Opens OzMeals (24 hours online mobile convenience store, CyberTruck maybe?)

5) Opens OzClassifieds (time to compete with gumtree?)

6) Opens OzGameCon (gaming tournaments, anime cosplay, model,s anime toys)

Poll Options expired

  • 24
    <You don't have to tell me this, been doing it since day 1!>
  • 21
    <I have disable my adblocker for this site, long live Ozbargain!>
  • 0
    <Hell yeah! I will do it asap, will change vote once it's done>
  • 52
    <I am a selfish jerk, scalper, greedy person, not going to do it ~_~ seriously?>
Site Discussion

Comments

  • spackbace on 26/11/2019 - 15:06
    +27

    I am a selfish jerk, scalper, greedy person, not going to do it ~_~ seriously?

    I contribute by posting deals, bringing visitors to the site that way. Yes, I block ads on here.

    My tally is at 1416 deal posts, 423 comp posts.

    Feel free to neg away

    • Clear on 26/11/2019 - 15:12
      +5

      My tally is at 1416 deal posts,

      I'm catching up to you old man. 939 deals.

    • luffyex2010 on 26/11/2019 - 15:31
      +2

      Oopsie wanted to add a option for VIP but…can't add the fifth option. So….the last option really isn't for you guys.

    • [Deactivated] on 26/11/2019 - 15:57
      +2

      You MONSTER!

  • Skramit on 26/11/2019 - 15:12

    I Agree, if it works…

    Can we confirm if this actually impacts revenue when an ad is blocked? Scotty described in his AMA that ad buyers simply buy space via 3rd party ad space sellers or whatever they are called. So would be good for a web advertising noob like me to understand is this conditional on clicks or page views or does what? How's it actually work?

    TLDR: Does disabling ad blocker actually help OzB?

    • Wystri Warrick on 26/11/2019 - 23:00
      +2

      TLDR: Does disabling ad blocker actually help OzB?

      Yup got the word from the big man himself :)

    • Loopholio on 27/11/2019 - 09:22
      +1

      Thank you @Skramit, I was looking for that TLDR. :)

      I use DuckDuckGo to read Ozbargain which blocks all tracking stuff, this seems to include ads.

    • scotty on 27/11/2019 - 09:34
      +6

      Does disabling ad blocker actually help OzB?

      Basically we do not get paid if the ads don't get loaded. So the direct answer to your question is — Yes, disabling ad blocker actually helps OzB.

      HOWEVER, as I've explained elsewhere, I much prefer people to enjoy the site than having to go against their own preference and disabling the adblocker. OzBargain grows by having a happy community that keeps on coming back & hopefully brings their friends as well. I appreciate luffy's initiative. However this post might be seen by only 100 OzBargainers, and it would be lucky to have 20 people switching off their adblocker as the result — it really does not contribute much in the long run.

      On the other hand if OzBargain is a site that you enjoy using, just keep on coming back and tell your friends about it. Even if we can only grow our size by 5% next year it's still something significant.

      • Skramit on 27/11/2019 - 09:36
        +2

        Basically we do not get paid if the ads don't get loaded. So the direct answer to your question is — Yes, disabling ad blocker actually helps OzB.

        Thanks Scotty. This is good enough for me to help support you (and for world domination!!)

        I have just disabled ad blocker on this site.

    • jetblack on 27/11/2019 - 09:42

      Without getting technical, if you don't see the ad, the ad-serving technology 'knows' that an ad wasn't served to you, and the advertiser doesn't pay.

      It's not like a physical billboard, where you could cover your own eyes as you walk by but the ad still exists.

      • Skramit on 27/11/2019 - 09:42

        Thanks.

  • Nugs on 26/11/2019 - 15:34
    +1

    Option five; what's an ad blocker?
    .

    • blehgg on 26/11/2019 - 18:40
      +1

      Option 6) I've signed up to the ultra ad hour ~ I get 2000 ads an hour for 1 hour.

  • rompastompa on 26/11/2019 - 15:34
    +3

    I asked scotty if it would make a difference, and he said he suspects it would be negligible.

    I agree though, if you're not going to be supporting the community by constructive posts/comments, then the least you could do is enable and ignore a few ads.

    • luffyex2010 on 26/11/2019 - 15:41
      +1

      I am more towards after reading this:-

      I measured ~3 years ago and around 30% of page views have adblockers. I believe it's a bit more these days, and moreover Safari and Firefox have privacy settings turned on by default, which you can really tell the effect on the ad performance. Basically for this year — page views are up, but ads revenue is down quite noticeably.

      Fortunately I do have a bit of buffer. However it's definitely not good for other ad-supported publishing businesses that get less page views and/or have higher operation expenses.

      So do I have problems with adblockers? From publishers' point of view, sure yeah! But we are doing alright.

      However I also know that some people are really bothered by the ads. So feel free to go ahead to use it

  • luffyex2010 on 26/11/2019 - 15:47

    Some funny reason revolve ads are targeting me lmao.

  • Meeb on 26/11/2019 - 15:59
    +4

    Isn't there a reason why the site makes it an option for registered users to turn off ads? It's a perk of being a contributing member. Anyone who isn't registered (majority of users) are watching ads for us… Seems counter-intuitive.

    It's literally an option on your OzBargain account settings page…

    • rompastompa on 26/11/2019 - 16:20

      Yep, but for those that have it enabled still won't set the ads off if they have an ad-blocker on which is the point of this post, I think.

      • Meeb on 26/11/2019 - 16:23
        +2

        One would imagine that those who feel like they want to see ads and would actually go out of their way to turn that option on in their profile setting would have the brain capacity to turn off any browser-based ad-blocker too. Just feels like a bit of a redundant post. The two things go hand in hand. Unless this is aimed at non-registered users… which may be the case.

  • Diji1 on 26/11/2019 - 18:10
    +1

    It seems like it would be a much better idea to set up Patreon, or whatever other means, and take donashuns. Donating users could get special badges and forum areas or whatever.

    Donashunz are good. Loading harmful, unwanted content that is a security risk isn't.

    Actually it should be supporters not donations but whatever.

  • scotty on 26/11/2019 - 18:36
    +5

    I sorted of responded to that here. I appreciate that some of you are turning off the adblocker. However I think the best contribution would be keep on using the site (like what Spackbace alluded to in the first comment).

  • Sawtell on 26/11/2019 - 19:56

    What a retarded concept that we should feel honour bound to view ads on a website.

  • donga100 on 26/11/2019 - 20:09
    +1

    I already contribute by paying for the Platinum OzBargain membership so feel justified in running AdBlock.

    • Wystri Warrick on 26/11/2019 - 23:09
      +2

      You only have the platinum membership?
      I have the rhodium membership, and I've enabled ads for OzBargain.

      • rompastompa on 27/11/2019 - 00:40
        +2

        pffft.. lower class. Unobtanium level is where it's at.

        • Wystri Warrick on 27/11/2019 - 01:42

          That you Selfridge?

        • Neverpayretail on 27/11/2019 - 09:19
          +3

          @rompastompa I was in the midst of typing a similar comment except I regarded them as amatuers. Great minds and all that lol

  • OzHunterNSW on 27/11/2019 - 10:17

    Sounds if you were invited to the annual OzBargain Xmas party, (you did get an invite?) your conversations would be about how OzBargain can improve themselves.
    If only she wore better make-up, if only she combed her hair, if only… if only… if only… …. hello, hello… I'd swear I was just talking to someone.

  • zetapulse on 27/11/2019 - 11:23
    +1

    Things that I believe Ozbargain could evolve to

    7) Add and promote an optional dark website theme because
    * it hurts eyes less
    * it uses less energy
    * it causes less screen burn-in
    Not that I mind, the DarkReader extension is working fine here.

  • 1Kenobi on 27/11/2019 - 13:29

    Add the ability to allow referral links from OzB … but still turn off banner ads if desired

  • jonkvh on 27/11/2019 - 15:37

    Gotta say, I've disabled Adguard on this site, but still don't see any ads. Trying to my bit to help.

    • hamza23 on 27/11/2019 - 22:15
      +1

      Go to my account menu > settings. Under the Banner Ads: heading change it from none to text/image ads.

      • jonkvh on 28/11/2019 - 08:25

        Worked a treat. Thanks hamza23.

  • Noblejoker on 27/11/2019 - 15:52

    Good idea - I had unblocked ages ago - but recently changed ad block apps and hadn't unblocked again!

  • ozbjunkie on 27/11/2019 - 20:10
    +2

    I may be a selfish greedy jerk… But that's not the reason I try to limit my exposure to advertising. I won't look at a website with ads. It's ugly. And bad for the psyche.

    Meanwhile, I'll report back on deals with good and bad feedback based on my purchases. That's what I offer.

  • skillet on 28/11/2019 - 23:05
    +1

    I don't have a problem with ADs in websites. I haven't have a ad-blocker installed for three years just because I support ads driven revenue. In fact, I sometimes judge the contents of a website by how dirty/NSFW the pictures are, the naughtier the more legit piracy contents.

    The ads on ozbargain fine, they are all appropriate and non intrusive. I have 3840 x 2160 pixels screen I don't mind them. Just don't Xucking popup windows on me.

  • pennypincher98 on 29/11/2019 - 06:31

    I thought there were only ads on Ozbargain when you were signed out?
    I'm so confused. I haven't seen any ads.
    Either that, or I'm more of a victim to marketing then I thought and don't notice them.

    • sss333 on 29/11/2019 - 09:33
      +1

      Logged in users have a setting where they can turn ads on or off

      • pennypincher98 on 29/11/2019 - 10:41
        +1

        Ahhh didn't know this! Thanks for letting me know. Might have done it when I joined. Is the general consensus to have them on or off?

  • Lysander on 29/11/2019 - 15:47
    -1

    The income is generated from affiliate commission.
    Also as Spackbace said, many users who regularly contribute deals already make enough contributions.
    In fact, I think Ozbargain should give back to the users who regularly post as without those this site would die.

    • spackbace on 29/11/2019 - 16:14
      +1

      Monthly awards - Scotty does give back :)

      • Lysander on 29/11/2019 - 16:45
        -5

        Give me a break. Always the same people. Maybe we should have categories for people who work and do pro bono work and hence have little time to post and people who have all day to do things on Ozbargain because they "are looking for a job".
        It is a bit like Bono giving $5000 making $50m a year but asking normal, ordinary people to donate $500 when they make $35,000 a year.
        In the past at least there were affiliate links allowed for the OP.
        People like Dealbot could probably also live off their posts if he got the affiliate income from Amazon or at least 50% off it. He finds the deals and posts them so I think it would only be fair to split the income.
        Same with other people who post the hugely income generating deals.
        I have long ago stopped posting deals for affiliate sites, especially Amazon, because of that even though I could post a considerable number of those.
        But that is only my opinion and of course other people have other opinions which is absolutely fine.

        • spackbace on 29/11/2019 - 17:06
          +2

          Bit rich for someone to speak from the outside and say scotty should do this, should do that. If dealbot had an issue with it, he wouldn't post. Look at what gnv9 does for the comp section.

          People do it because they want to, and because they can. If they have the free time, the scripts etc to scrape for price changes, then that's up to them and if they don't seek payment for doing so (or referral credit, like top posters previously) then that's up to them.

          Why do you feel the need to speak on their behalf and whinge about what scotty should do for them, when they haven't expressed any issue with the process?

          It's not about monetary reward, either directly or through affiliate/referrals, it's about contributing to the community.

          • Lysander on 29/11/2019 - 18:30
            -2

            @spackbace: Sure. If you say so that's fine. That is your opinion.
            Contributing to the community is fine but I do have a problem with making someone else rich due to my free/voluntary work.
            If you do not that's great. However, I am sure that you do think it is fair to get paid for whatever job you do even though I am sure that your job directly or indirectly also contributes to your local community - you would not do it for free knowing instead other people get rich through your free work. But as I said, if you do, great work and fair dinkum. I just happen to have a more differentiated opinion (I do lots of volunteer and pro bono work but not to make someone else rich but to help them survive, and improve their life and situation).

            Some people, due to culture etc. and various reasons, try to avoid confrontation. As on this site criticism is often suppressed by negging etc. this is very understandable.

            Just to be clear: Scotty can do whatever he likes but so can I. Therefore, if someone says "It's time to give back" I am more than entitled to say I do not think so and I think it is the other way around.

            Anyway, let's agree to disagree.
            Have a lovely weekend.

  • AncientWisdom on 06/12/2019 - 18:30

    I'm a bit surprised no one mentioned Brave Rewards - I think it's a great idea for a future web where people contribute to websites via micropayments that reflect how much they use a website.

    https://brave.com/brave-rewards/

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join