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Joined: Dec 20, 2005 Posts: 4 Location: Dereham, Norfolk
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:25 pm Post subject:
I'm new and I have read this forum with interest. My view is that if it is worth having it must be worth paying for. That said, if you are going to be 'professional' then it can't be beyond your wit to charge an annual fee, but provide automatic updates to save the 'paying' customers hassle. This works well with other applications and it would (presumably) update a small DB on the PC. _________________ TT Go 300. Win XP
Commercialisation of the speed camera database does not surprise us. We are an ex-advertiser on Pocketgps and pulled away when advertising prices increased month in month out and were told notto continue supplying the 'FREE' database with our boxed versions of Tomtom Go units we sold or we will be charged for doing so (£5000+)!!.. It would not suprise us if other retailers are paying for the database on a monthly basis.
As an ex-advertiser, adding up the cost of advertising slot comes to £3000 a month in revenue . Knowing how much we pay to get listed on Google Ads, the Google adverts must bring in the same again in profit due to how popular this site is. £6000 a month *12 = £72000. Pocketgps is hosted at http://www.ev1servers.net and looking at their tariffs they charge $199 dedicated server per month (unlimited bandwidth), = $2388 / £1326 a year.
£70,674 a year profit for the Pocketgps team and more from exhibition charges. As others have commented, the speedcam database will bring in possibly £150,000 a year, quite a profitable venture!
We used to like it back when Dave was in control of the site, it was a site run by amateur enthusiasts, since he left there are hardly any new reviews, what reviews there are are TomTom related, advertising has increased and it is clear the team have decided to make this a profitable venture.
We do not blame Dave for moving on; what he setup was something special nor do we blame the Pocketgps team behind the site for wanting to make large profits as theyre more then entitled to do so but the Pocketgps team should be upfront with vistors that have made the site what it is today rather than suggest this is just to improve accuracy of teh database.
I wonder what Dave makes of this now? Was this the reason that he decided to leave along with joining ALK?
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:17 pm Post subject: How to shoot yourself in the foot then cut off your leg
Oh dear Pocket GPS World
Not only have you failed to take account of the obvious fact that a large number of your speed camera information is supplied FREE OF CHARGE by forum readers and members who will with absolutely no doubt, stop contributing to your "professional" database but in doing so you will also lose a large number of your advertisers who will move away from this site because ex forum members are moving to new forums where they will be able to obtain the same information free of charge and I'm fairly sure it will be more accurate too and where the readers are will be where the advertisers are.
Since it was started, I've contributed a fair few cameras into the database on my travels around the country, I won't be sending/amending any in a commercial database, one which the readers of this site have had a large part in building
I share many of the opinions expressed, one both sides of the argument.
Like most of us I will doubtless make my own decision.
I want to pick up on one point. This touted professionalism.
I had sort of expected that after 3 days worth and 25 pages of comments and questions, that by the time I got to the end there would be some formal response by PGPSW.
The lack of comment is not helping.
If this site is to become "professional", then this behaviour is less than professional.
"To handle difficulties, handle them when they are small and just beginning.”
What I find highly ironic is that PGPSW a primarily 'online' entity with no real 'offline' substance, chose to ask the opinions of a select few at an event.
Funny thing is - none of these people who allegedly 'polled' in favour at Basingstoke, has seen fit to support their decision in this forum.
Joined: 04/08/2003 11:30:41 Posts: 6 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:47 pm Post subject:
The deafening wall of silence from our soon to be Professional team at GPSW is an indication of the level of service, respect and care you can expect from the new regime in the future. The British Army is Professional, you Gentlemen are Commercial.
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:49 pm Post subject: Re: How to shoot yourself in the foot then cut off your leg
wibblemonster wrote:
Oh dear Pocket GPS World
Not only have you failed to take account of the obvious fact that a large number of your speed camera information is supplied FREE OF CHARGE by forum readers and members who will with absolutely no doubt, stop contributing to your "professional" database but in doing so you will also lose a large number of your advertisers who will move away from this site because ex forum members are moving to new forums where they will be able to obtain the same information free of charge and I'm fairly sure it will be more accurate too and where the readers are will be where the advertisers are.
wibblemonster, Like most people who have posted on this thread, I want to see the database kept FREE. But i don't really want to burst the bubble for you. But lets say every poster on here, has done one post each 25*15=375. out of 24,737 registered members is not a lot. What we really need is postings, with very good reason for not charging for the database. Not with "we have got one up on you" type postings. They normanly only get peoples backs up. Keep to the point why you don't want them to charge for the database etc. Just maybe they will listen. All the best to you all and have a merry Christmas. Derek
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: How to shoot yourself in the foot then cut off your leg
Quote:
wibblemonster, Like most people who have posted on this thread, I want to see the database kept FREE. But i don't really want to burst the bubble for you. But lets say every poster on here, has done one post each 25*15=375. out of 24,737 registered members is not a lot. What we really need is postings, with very good reason for not charging for the database. Not with "we have got one up on you" type postings. They normanly only get peoples backs up. Keep to the point why you don't want them to charge for the database etc. Just maybe they will listen. All the best to you all and have a merry Christmas. Derek
Although what you say may be true, I would suggest to you that the majority of the 24,737 subscribers don't frequent this site on a regular basis, afetr all I don't recall seeing that many different usernames making posts.
Some will only want to download the database, and will therefore probably only visit the site at the beginning of the month when the new database becomes available. Imagine their surprise at the beginning of January!
Others will just be lurkers, whilst most of this number will simply have registered to get their problems sorted out, and drifted away perhaps never to be seen again. _________________ Regards
I hear what you are saying trev, Thats is why i said about keeping it to the point. You want people to read the thread. If you end up getting a lot of "we have got one up over you" type threads. People will lose intrest in reading them, Thats what we don't to happen. 25 sorry 26 pages at the moment is a lot of reading. Maybe i should have made this point in the earlier post. Anyway got to go out now mate, All the best and have a good new year as well Derek.
I hear what you are saying trev, Thats is why i said about keeping it to the point. You want people to read the thread. If you end up getting a lot of "we have got one up over you" type threads. People will lose intrest in reading them, Thats what we don't want to happen. 25 sorry 26 pages at the moment is a lot of reading. Maybe i should have made this point in the earlier post. Anyway got to go out now mate, All the best and have a good new year as well Derek.
Derek, I couldn't agree with you more about keeping to the point. That's why it's a great pity that admin are keeping silent.
Mind you isn't that an admin trait? Deliver bad news then become unavailable for comment or explanation. Certainly works that way in my outfit.
Often bad news is delivered by e-mail at 17:00 on Christmas Eve, (central government)!
PGPSW simply got their timing a few days out. But HEY they're not professionals yet! _________________ Regards
Joined: Aug 10, 2005 Posts: 88 Location: Clitheroe, Lancs
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 6:39 pm Post subject:
Wow, it's taken me the best part of an afternoon to read through this thread.
As a GPS retailer I've been recommending pocketgpsworld to customers on a daily basis for over a year.
If PGPSW do go ahead with the charging plan, will they be paying commision to those of us who send custom their way?
Given the strength of feeling expressed on here over the past few days
I am extremely surprised not to see a reaction (if only to defend his ground) from Mike Barrett.
In my "day job" I regularly deal with politicians, councillors, chief execs etc and normally they are queuing up and banging on the doors for their right to reply whenever journalists get a sniff of a good story.
Is he hoping this is all going to go die down and go away? I think not.
If this was a company in the outside world by now there would be crisis meetings and possibly a PR company involved with a damage-limitation strategy brief.
To do or say nothing is extremely naive
Looking as an (interested) outsider it is clear the issue isn't one of money but a perceived breakdown of trust.
One poster asked is what the site is proposing is any different to a "barrowboy" selling the database on a CD at a computer fair or internet auction site. Good point.
In any business there has to be a relationship between the clients, owners, suppliers and advertisers. Maybe an uneasy one. But everyone knows a business without customers - or a website without advertisers isn't worth anything.
The internet can make and, as quickly break, any organisation. Word travels fast.
Today's star can just just as easily be tomorrow's forgotten hero.
DM
Hmm... wonder how long before I will be writing about this saga in my official capacity?
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