Hello.
What about a "best offer" feature where publishers can offer to buy our articles at a lower price? The author can accept/decline or counter.
A "What's Hot" list compiling the best selling topics for the past three months would be cool.
I love this website and the fact that you want to improve it is a testament that you guys (gals) rock. Thank you for creating it. One more thing....can you change your colors to blue/white/red--Go Cubs!
Christina
Calling for ideas?
Moderators: Celeste Stewart, Ed, Constant
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constant-content
- Site Admin
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Re: idea and praise :)
Great Idea about the best offer.... Now I have to figure out how to get that to work.econtent wrote:Hello.
What about a "best offer" feature where publishers can offer to buy our articles at a lower price? The author can accept/decline or counter.
A "What's Hot" list compiling the best selling topics for the past three months would be cool.
I love this website and the fact that you want to improve it is a testament that you guys (gals) rock. Thank you for creating it. One more thing....can you change your colors to blue/white/red--Go Cubs!
Christina
I disagree with the Go Cubs comment as I'm a Tigers fan
Ideas
I really do like the idea about showcasing "Other Similar Articles" when someone makes a purchase. This would help to draw attention to the older articles without pressuring.
As far as taking offers for lower prices on articles, I do have fears of this. If we don't accept a lower price, will that turn off the buyer all together from our writing?
Another possible idea is to allow package discounts when a buyer orders multiple articles from one author. Example: "Buy 3 or more articles from this author and receive 5% off." ...or something similar.
Most of us might gladly give a small discount if someone buys a bundle from us!
Candicep
As far as taking offers for lower prices on articles, I do have fears of this. If we don't accept a lower price, will that turn off the buyer all together from our writing?
Another possible idea is to allow package discounts when a buyer orders multiple articles from one author. Example: "Buy 3 or more articles from this author and receive 5% off."
...or something similar. Most of us might gladly give a small discount if someone buys a bundle from us!
Candicep
I see a best offer system as allowing customers not to take the prices listed seriously. Most of the articles' prices that come through the editing area seem to be too low already. A best offer system would encourage authors to take less than what their articles are worth, and that doesn't benefit anyone.
We might as well be a bid site if this is implemented, in my opinion. Authors already have the option of editing their prices and the request system allows for customers to specify what price range they are looking for.
Ed
We might as well be a bid site if this is implemented, in my opinion. Authors already have the option of editing their prices and the request system allows for customers to specify what price range they are looking for.
Ed
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constant-content
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J. A. Young
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- Location: U.S.A.
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mattsterrr
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It's all horses for courses.
Bidding sucks. Most webmasters will go with the cheapest option leaving a group of people to win all the jobs only for the customer to become dissatisfied with the results and, wrongly, blaming CC.
I actually like the Best Offer idea but I can see the problems with it. Perhaps you could include a tick box to allow authors the decision to accept best offer offers, if you see what I mean.
Expanding on some of the ideas, the "similar articles" is a brilliant marketing idea that would help to sell. Also, the other day, I noticed one webmaster bought three of my articles on the same topic. This could have been coincidence but I like to tell myself it's because they were really happy with my writing. Perhaps as well as a "similar articles" list you could have a "also by this author" list.
How about the ability to request payment? I know you are well up on the once a month as promised T&Cs but sometimes I could really do with getting to my money sooner if there's a shiny new computer bit hanging around on ebay that I want to buy. I do understand that this will cause more work but if you leave the minimum $50 amount in then I'm sure many authors may choose to leave their funds to build up a little before withdrawal. By the way, can I withdraw my money I've seen a good price on a new processor and I feel a home built computer coming on.
I think this may have been mentioned before but how about the capacity for buyers to ask a question regarding a particular article. Not using emails or anything (although being informed by email would be good) but a questions and comments section.
By the way, surely Press Releases could be worked in the same way as articles through the request system. We already get people who want a rewrite of page content as well, so press releases would work in a similar way isn't it just a case of advertising on and off site that the service exists and including a new category for press releases/page content etc...?
Hope I've been of some use, it would make a refreshing change.
Bidding sucks. Most webmasters will go with the cheapest option leaving a group of people to win all the jobs only for the customer to become dissatisfied with the results and, wrongly, blaming CC.
I actually like the Best Offer idea but I can see the problems with it. Perhaps you could include a tick box to allow authors the decision to accept best offer offers, if you see what I mean.
Expanding on some of the ideas, the "similar articles" is a brilliant marketing idea that would help to sell. Also, the other day, I noticed one webmaster bought three of my articles on the same topic. This could have been coincidence but I like to tell myself it's because they were really happy with my writing. Perhaps as well as a "similar articles" list you could have a "also by this author" list.
How about the ability to request payment? I know you are well up on the once a month as promised T&Cs but sometimes I could really do with getting to my money sooner if there's a shiny new computer bit hanging around on ebay that I want to buy. I do understand that this will cause more work but if you leave the minimum $50 amount in then I'm sure many authors may choose to leave their funds to build up a little before withdrawal. By the way, can I withdraw my money I've seen a good price on a new processor and I feel a home built computer coming on.
I think this may have been mentioned before but how about the capacity for buyers to ask a question regarding a particular article. Not using emails or anything (although being informed by email would be good) but a questions and comments section.
By the way, surely Press Releases could be worked in the same way as articles through the request system. We already get people who want a rewrite of page content as well, so press releases would work in a similar way isn't it just a case of advertising on and off site that the service exists and including a new category for press releases/page content etc...?
Hope I've been of some use, it would make a refreshing change.
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J. A. Young
- Posts: 249
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- Location: U.S.A.
I was wondering if there has been any consideration of using counters in the "more" section of each article. I always use them when I list eBay auctions and it might be something that could work here.
For one, if there are lots of views and no purchases, it might mean I've missed the mark and need to rethink the article. If there are no views, I might simply need to wait and be patient or that I submitted it in the wrong category.
Something else we might want to "borrow" from Ebay--the use of dual categories for articles. For instance, when writing those Italy articles--the food for instance, I could never decide whether to list something in Italy or in food and drink.
Anyway, just a couple thoughts to get me back in the CC frame of mind. Took the week off from writing for some family travel. --J.
For one, if there are lots of views and no purchases, it might mean I've missed the mark and need to rethink the article. If there are no views, I might simply need to wait and be patient or that I submitted it in the wrong category.
Something else we might want to "borrow" from Ebay--the use of dual categories for articles. For instance, when writing those Italy articles--the food for instance, I could never decide whether to list something in Italy or in food and drink.
Anyway, just a couple thoughts to get me back in the CC frame of mind. Took the week off from writing for some family travel. --J.
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Article Admin
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J.A, Articles can be listed in more than one category, but it has to be done by the Editors. This is because when we allowed the writers to do it, they would put it in any category, just to have it listed twice. I'm sure your articles were listed in both categories even though you didn't realize it.
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Article Admin
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I agree with Ed that a best offer system is not a good idea. Ed is right when stating that the articles that come through editing are priced too low in most cases. If we implement a best offer system, the writers will end up getting nothing for their work. If a writer isn't getting at least 10 cents a word for their articles, they are selling their work at a large discount. Most writers charge much more than that.
I do agree that if a buyer puts in a private request to an author and wants a bundle of articles that we could give a discount. I've done that in the past and it's worked out very well. However, we need to set our sites on reasonable prices that will benefit both writers and purchasers.
My two cents.
I do agree that if a buyer puts in a private request to an author and wants a bundle of articles that we could give a discount. I've done that in the past and it's worked out very well. However, we need to set our sites on reasonable prices that will benefit both writers and purchasers.
My two cents.
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LJade
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I've thought about this long and hard, this is what I'd like to see:
I would like to be in charge of my own account. I would like to control my payments. I would like the power to either let my money sit or click a 'Pay Me Now' button with choices like paypal, bank transfer, StormPay or e-gold. (etc.)
I'd also like to see some stats, something that shows me what my median article price is ya know?
I'm not a high-tech whiz, and I don't know a thing about what all that involves. Those are my 'ideas' though! LOL
Have fun!
LJ
I would like to be in charge of my own account. I would like to control my payments. I would like the power to either let my money sit or click a 'Pay Me Now' button with choices like paypal, bank transfer, StormPay or e-gold. (etc.)
I'd also like to see some stats, something that shows me what my median article price is ya know?
I'm not a high-tech whiz, and I don't know a thing about what all that involves. Those are my 'ideas' though! LOL
Have fun!
LJ
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darlene758
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:38 pm
- Location: Pa.
Notification Function
Does CC have a notification function to let prospective buyers know when new articles that may fit their criteria are posted? I was just wondering. I know that writers can write articles per specific requests but I was thinking for example, if a new writer joins CC after a request was made and their article fits what the buyer was looking for he or she can be notified of new articles in case he or she would be interested in purchasing more. If this function already exists or someone has already made the same suggestion then please disregard. Just had to put my two cents in. By the way, I also would like to see the "Pay me Now" idea that was mentioned previously by someone else. That's all for now.
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mattsterrr
- Posts: 106
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I believe buyers are informed of any articles that pertain to their particular request. The writer can also use the q/a section of that particular request to inform the buyer of a suitable article.
Buyers can also sign up to be informed of new articles posted on any topic or by a particular writer.
I don't think it would be reasonable for CC, or the buyer, if CC were to send emails to every customer who has ever bought an article on a specific topic just because another has been posted.
Popular topics like SEO or health probably get a bucket load of articles posted every day. I know that, unless I'd signed up for it, I wouldn't want to be told every time a new one was added.
Buyers can also sign up to be informed of new articles posted on any topic or by a particular writer.
I don't think it would be reasonable for CC, or the buyer, if CC were to send emails to every customer who has ever bought an article on a specific topic just because another has been posted.
Popular topics like SEO or health probably get a bucket load of articles posted every day. I know that, unless I'd signed up for it, I wouldn't want to be told every time a new one was added.
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darlene758
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- Location: Pa.
I love CC as it is, it is a great concept and you people are doing a great job.
My only 2 cents would be to remove article posting dates in the customer's view, so that the articles dont get dated.
Also am not sure how this would work but maybe we should have a minimum cents per word limit, beneath which we dont sell articles. Maybe we put it to vote with the writers and customers, and CC, so we are all square and fair.What we dont have right now is standardization, and may be we can work out a way to work out the minimum payments standards...
My only 2 cents would be to remove article posting dates in the customer's view, so that the articles dont get dated.
Also am not sure how this would work but maybe we should have a minimum cents per word limit, beneath which we dont sell articles. Maybe we put it to vote with the writers and customers, and CC, so we are all square and fair.What we dont have right now is standardization, and may be we can work out a way to work out the minimum payments standards...