Surfers stopped buying porn?

[kalle7]

Well, the headline was perhaps a bit drastic, but I feel that the situation has changed drastically the last couple of months when it comes to sales. I am not one of the “big-guns” in the bizz and have probably less online stuff to fall back on when things gets slow and therefore the situation has become clearer for me.

I thought that perhaps it was only me that was in this situation before I learned that there are other webmasters that is struggling these days also, and I am a bit surprised that I have not seen any more posts about this. I have also talked with some of the “big-guns” that says that last month was perhaps the worst one that they have ever had in online bizz.

This week has been the worst for me since I got started in bizz with a conversion rate of 1:10000 uniques. I do not only have LL and SE traffic, but is all a mix together with TGP traffic. With only one sale this week from the sponsors I promote it will not take long time before I have to do some big changes to secure my future online bizz.

The strange part is that my own pay sites have the same or even better conversion rate and I find that a bit strange since I am sure that the sponsors that I promote have better quality tours that should make it easier to convert the traffic. And since most of the sponsors offer trial memberships for $ 0,- and up to $ 5,- and my own sites goes for monthly memberhips at $ 24,95 I find this very strange. Is it harder to “sell” a free membership than it is to sell a monthly membership of $ 24,95!

I have been thinking and thinking over again about what could have happened the last couple of months that have made this situation to what it is today. Could it be my traffic? Well, I have never had so much traffic from SE, LL or TGPs as I have now and it is the same traffic that converts on my own sites. Could it be “cookie” trouble caused by virus-programs, anti-spyware software and updates like SP2 that makes sales harder to get registrated? But I guess that the traffic would not be tracked and registrated with the sponsors at all if that was the case. Is it CC companies that are doing changes? Well, I have been thinking about all this over and over again and of course I will not get the solution with just sitting here and thinking the same ideas over and over again by myself. My only solution for my problem that I see now is to try to change as much of the traffic to my own sites instead of sending it to sponsors that cant convert it. Therefore I would appreciate any feedback regarding this and see what other people is experiencing these days. |cool|

[Jaden]

I am right there with you Kalle, and have been wondering the same. My sales have dropped to almost nothing, to the point of being almost where I was when I very first started. I had some sponsors that have converted consistently for me for over a year at right around 1:350 that have dropped to well over 1:6000-7000 now for the past month or so. I'm kind clueless too as to the reason. I have increased my SE traffic, and its just doesn't seem to be converting. Would love to hear from others also......
Jaden

[natalie]

same here I have done a bunch of sites this last week or two for a ccbill sponsor and been getting loads of traffic and one conversion! Most of my other sponsors have had little or no sales the last two weeks. I havent done anything different so I have no idea what it could be. But as I usually do in times like this I will just build more sites

[Lemmy]

I haven't been in the adult business long enough to have seen any major ebbs or flows in my income, but if the last half of May equals the first it will be my best month ever.

[binxgook]

Its the summer sloooooooooooowwwwwwwww down

[ponygirl]

so what's the solution...keep building more for surfers that aren't going to buy, increasing traffic in hopes that this will make up for less conversions?
I'm glad to know others are having a slow period right now too...keep chuggin along & wait for it to pick up is the only thing to do I guess
maybe this would be a good time to work on other projects, like hubs & tgps?

[kalle7]

Originally Posted by binxgook

Its the summer sloooooooooooowwwwwwwww down

lol I wish it would be the summer slow down that was causing this, but already in march I noticed the beginning of this. Also there are some big things taking place around that is not beeing posted on the boards, but it is things that I have been told in confidence so I can not talk more about it. Sorry about that.

[Jim]

The summer slowdown is coming on us like a freight train. By the end of this month, it will be here in full force. All you can do is work harder, submit more and start getting ready for the end of summer.

[Toby]

My sales this month continue to be extremely erratic, great one day, lousy the next two. If this were due to the fabled "Summer Slow Down" I'd expect to see a noticable drop in traffic, but if anything traffic numbers are up a bit. It makes no sense to me.

[Ramster]

Honestly sales seem about the same for me all over the place. There were a couple of slow days but nothing to be concerned about.

Summer us coming for sure. What to do? Keep building! Keep submitting! Build your own traffic source!

[tickler]

Originally Posted by Toby

My sales this month continue to be extremely erratic, great one day, lousy the next two. If this were due to the fabled "Summer Slow Down" I'd expect to see a noticable drop in traffic, but if anything traffic numbers are up a bit. It makes no sense to me.

That time of the year when university kids(with CCs) are packing it up for the summer and high school kids(without CCs) with more free time are surfing for free porn.

Try concentrating on niches that they aren't going to find on the beach in a tiny little poka dot thong bikini.

Fetish niches seem to convert pretty steady all year round.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by tickler

...Fetish niches seem to convert pretty steady all year round.

My primary focus is lingerie/stockings/heels and boots/leather/latex. I don't think they're wearing much of that at the beach, with the exception being Rubberdoll

[Outcast]

I have heared "Summer Slow Down" many times, but never noticed it in my business.
Some people tired of everyday porn and need to take a rest, its ok.
You also need to have a rest, dont you?
But if making porn is all you need & you working hard & never stop - the difference between summer & winter is not great.

[Greenguy]

April 2005 was my best month money wise since March 2004 (when ARS switched) and May looks to be even better, so I'm quite happy with the last few weeks

[Useless]

According to my stats, surfers stopped buying porn about three or four years ago. Or maybe they've just never bought it from me. Never can tell.

[Cleo]

Sales are about the same for me as last month wish has been pretty decent.

[Lunatic]

Conversions for my best sponsor are at about 1:290, and stay there year round fortunately. Sales have even gone up a bit this month compared to last month. I promote mainly shemale, mature, ethnic, bondage, etc. These niches seem to convert well.

[andrej_NDC]

sales were worse for me end april and the first week of may, since then, they are up, way up

[Mishi]

Ahh.... for the first time EVAH, I get to claim better sales when everyone else is complaining about them being down.

Sales from free sites are all but non-existent for me right now. I don't do TGP, so I have nothing to share there. My few link list sales are keeping me alive. Overall 1:449 for the month so far; last month was 1:669. Looking at about a 30% increase in sales over last month, if all continues as it has gone so far.

Diversify. Seriously.

[JanTM]

Sales are on an upward trend for me... global economy is better... Life is good

[nekrom]

March was rocking for me, April took it in the ass and May is heading high so all good here.

-N

[MrYum]

Yea, as is usually the case...some are rockin...some are in da toidy...

I'd be in the latter group at the moment. April started well...crapped out at week 3...and May has been abysmal so far

But, I also spent a lot of time revamping my link site and getting it ready for submissions. Traffic dropped off since I wasn't submitting free sites...kinda makes sense that sales went with it. But, ratios...for what they're worth...are also way too high at the moment.

However, finally got a new batch of sites ready...started submitting em today! Sooo, those on my submit list...new sites coming your way...mo yummy traffic fo me

[koolkat]

So far I haven't done too bad with sales on my new site (and that without the ability to accept VISA). Hopefully that will double my sales!