Boats and outboards

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

They are getting worse now. I've now had 7 ads for my jetski disallowed with no reason given despite emailing 'Boats' on here AND their admin. Eventually I rang them and the ad was allowed...but as soon as I edited it to put a couple of small details in that I forgot, it was disallowed again...

Just glad I wasn't paying for the 'service'. If I was I'd be billing them for time wasted by now.

I have a credit with them and emailed to ask what I can do with it, have a guess and what the response was.

[MikeCC]

Same experience as oher users and advertisers - doubt we'll be going back. To add insult to injury, the Friday-Ad group recently bought Mailspeed Marine. Not sure I like the idea of paying a competitor to advertise! Perhaps the profits from Mailspeed will outweight the lost advertisers?

I don't understand why the site is so painfully slow now. Never seems to load up properly - sometimes get pics, sometimes not.

[Nos4r2]

On a more positive note, I received a reply from them today!

Originally Posted by boatsandoutboards admin

Dear Seller
Thank you for placing your advert online at www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk.

However, we feel that the advert may be incorrect as the price is extremely low for the product in question (delete which is necessary)

We have put your advert on hold for the time being until we have details clarified. Would you be kind enough to reply to this mail and confirm to me the correct price. If we do not hear back within 48 hours we will assume you do not require the advert any more.

As there is a large amount of fraud on the internet we wish to protect both yours and potential buyers interests.

Yours faithfully


Internet Support

It's fair comment I guess.

Anyone wanna buy a jetski cheap?!

[Boats]

Originally Posted by ribraff

When i go on to the B+O website i get a pop-up from utarget showing some poncey Land Rover ad.... does anyone else get this or is it just me?

We will be taking that pop_under off the website shortly.

[Boats]

Originally Posted by Ribshop

We have just pulled all of our advertising from the site for this very reason. The web site is running slower and slower and I am sure people looking to purchase a Rib are not interested in buying riding lessons or a new kitchen.

The site has to make revenue to be viable, the adverts you dislike are no different to most other popular websites, that said we like to listed to what people say and particularly RIB.net users so will be seeing what we can do to reduce the less relevant advertising. The site speed issue I am also investigating, the website is the UK's busiest marine website by a country mile and so at certain times the load on the servers can be quite a bit, hopefully users will nottice an improvement in the next couple of days.

[Boats]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Yes - used to be for Sky TV until recently.

I'm not sure whats wrong with charging people to advertise (or e.g. charging for adding a picture) - assuming the costs are low. Afterall anyone listing there is intending to make money out of it. This would also reduce the tendency for the "scam posts".

Yes, this hits the nail on the head we have to make it a viable business but also by charging a small fee to list a boat on our website we manage to reduce the amount of scam adverts.

[Boats]

Originally Posted by ribraff

Excellent.... my pop up ad has changed to think property! ....'good to see we've had a response from them too. Not.

Sorry I have been on holiday for a couple of weeks!

I am now working in my spare time to address the points raised here, I have checked my inbox and have not had any emails from anyone here, if anyone does have any feedback or needs help then please email stephen@boatsandoutboards.co.uk

[Boats]

Originally Posted by malthouse

Exactly my view, it has been getting slower and more expensive and is now unusable for the trader and getting that way for the buyer.

They lured me back for a three month retrial and it was the worst thing I ever did, I do not think I got a single enquiry from anyone outside of Nigeria.

Our prices have not increased in well over 15 months, certainly since I joined the company in Jan '07, I am looking in to the speed issues.

I have just looked at emails that your account received whilst it was live and you had many good responses from the adverts you had placed online with us so I think that is a little bit unfair to say that did not get any outside of Nigeria.

[Boats]

Originally Posted by MikeCC

Same experience as oher users and advertisers - doubt we'll be going back. To add insult to injury, the Friday-Ad group recently bought Mailspeed Marine. Not sure I like the idea of paying a competitor to advertise! Perhaps the profits from Mailspeed will outweight the lost advertisers?

I don't understand why the site is so painfully slow now. Never seems to load up properly - sometimes get pics, sometimes not.

This is no different to any other successful company, look at the services Tesco and Sainsburys offer in addition to food! Friday-Ad is our parent company and so for all intents and purposes Mailspeed Marine are customers of ours like many others, we even invoice them! BoatsandOutboards is the busiest marine website in the UK for internet traffic and I understand you have to make a business decision but we would like to have you back onboard and I am sure advertising with us would benefit your business.

[Boats]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

They are getting worse now. I've now had 7 ads for my jetski disallowed with no reason given despite emailing 'Boats' on here AND their admin. Eventually I rang them and the ad was allowed...but as soon as I edited it to put a couple of small details in that I forgot, it was disallowed again...

Just glad I wasn't paying for the 'service'. If I was I'd be billing them for time wasted by now.

Hi,

When did you email me as I have not received anything, checked spam folder!

I have been away for a couple of weeks so will just double check the inbox as there is a fair amount of emails there.

Many apologies for the lack of response!

Stephen

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Boats

the adverts you dislike are no different to most other popular websites,

Stephen I would disagree with that, blanket (untargeted) advertising can not generate you significant revenue . In contrast context sensitive adverts (i.e. related to boats) would generate you much more if you did it right.

[Boats]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Stephen I would disagree with that, blanket (untargeted) advertising can not generate you significant revenue . In contrast context sensitive adverts (i.e. related to boats) would generate you much more if you did it right.

I think you missed my point, our website like most other successful niche websites will carry what you might call non relevant advertising, it is however desirable to have the advertising that is marine related and that is what we strive for, any remaining inventory is sold as you see it now and it does go a long way to paying the bills!

Cheers

Stephen

[matt h]

Hi Stephen, i also e mailed you twice, and nil responce, ok i understand that e mails can go missing, BUT the site now is so slow,its painfull, its all changed in the last year, so what ever you have done, reverse it, its what the customers want, you are hearing from customers that can be bothered to tell you,
What about the ones that cant??

[Boats]

Originally Posted by matt h

Hi Stephen, i also e mailed you twice, and nil responce, ok i understand that e mails can go missing, BUT the site now is so slow,its painfull, its all changed in the last year, so what ever you have done, reverse it, its what the customers want, you are hearing from customers that can be bothered to tell you,
What about the ones that cant??

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the message, honestly not sure where those emails have gone!

I am taking on all the feedback as I am sure you can see.

Just out of interest what browser and type of internet connection are you using?

Thanks

Stephen

[matt h]

explorer and drawing 7meg,wireless laptop, just clicked on a particuler rib manufacturer and timed 11 secs between pages, its great that your addressing these issues, just do them fast!!!

[matt h]

ive just tapped in Avon under sports and dive, and it bought 9 other manufacturers boats and 3 ads for Talk Talk car phone warehouse that i could not get rid off, also beat that time, 18 sec watching a blank blue screen,
come on Stephen you can do it !!!

[Boats]

Originally Posted by matt h

explorer and drawing 7meg,wireless laptop, just clicked on a particuler rib manufacturer and timed 11 secs between pages, its great that your addressing these issues, just do them fast!!!

We should have this resolved pretty quickly, fingers crossed and thanks for the feedback.

Stephen

[matt h]

splendid, Now may i suggest you go buy a rib to redeem your self !!!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Boats

Just out of interest what browser and type of internet connection are you using?

It won't matter its painfully slow for everyone... ...XP pro, very slow PC, IE6 and 2.3Mb/s connection (actually giving about 1Mb/s real speed):

time to load www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk (IE already open) 30s to blue background, 54s till pictures etc loaded. Then click "ribs for sale" link. Another 30s for blue screen and 66s until content/images loaded.

compare this to rib.net get new posts command < 6 seconds and www.bbc.co.uk/news which loads in about 9 seconds including all pictures.

In the office - theoretical 8 Mb/s connection, faster PC running IE7 then other sites load faster but B&O is not.

[Boats]

Originally Posted by Polwart

It won't matter its painfully slow for everyone... ...XP pro, very slow PC, IE6 and 2.3Mb/s connection (actually giving about 1Mb/s real speed):

time to load www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk (IE already open) 30s to blue background, 54s till pictures etc loaded. Then click "ribs for sale" link. Another 30s for blue screen and 66s until content/images loaded.

compare this to rib.net get new posts command < 6 seconds and www.bbc.co.uk/news which loads in about 9 seconds including all pictures.

In the office - theoretical 8 Mb/s connection, faster PC running IE7 then other sites load faster but B&O is not.

I just need to look at all the possible causes, I am using Firefox at home in the middle of the countryside (away from the exchange) and although it is not great it is not as slow as you guys are getting, it was slow using IE in the office this afternoon. I have my developer looking in to it so hopefully we will get it solved!