Disclosure: This site may receive compensation from some link clicks and purchases.
We hate banner ads as much as the next guy, but they are a necessary evil in the online publishing world. Without them, there wouldn’t be free-to-read sites like Barn Finds. Well, today we are excited to announce a new option for those of you who can’t stand the ads. By becoming a supporting member you will enjoy ad-free browsing and early access to every find! It costs $9 per month, but that’s a small price to pay to be able to get the jump on the best deals before everyone else arrives. Click here to get signed up and please leave your questions in the comments below.
I think you meant “for people that CAN’T stand the ads”. IDK, they don’t bother me all that much.
You always know what to say Howard. Thanks a lot.
Hi Jesse, um, I hope you aren’t being sarcastic. I know, I tend to “shake up people’s soda” sometimes. That’s what old men do. Still love the site ( except lose the thumbs!) I have to admit, the attraction is because almost free. I hope to contribute soon, if I can, ( one of these t-shirts is bound to be a winner for me. :)
All good things come to an end…. I subscribe because I like to see the classics for sale and what they are bringing… I have a barn of my own with projects that will never see the light of day. Not because I don’t know how, it’s because I physically can’t do the work. But they don’t eat anything and I don’t owe anything on them so they and sit there till I die. I don’t need the money and I won’t let someone profit from my misfortune. I really don’t need to ” get the jump” on anybody so if you decide to charge for this most entertaining newsletter so be it. I’ll read them till you stop sending them. Thanks for producing such a great service…. Best of luck…. George
We aren’t charging for the newsletter or access to the site George. This is just an option for people who really enjoy the site and want to contribute some money each week. Most people are fine paying $100 per month for cable so why not a couple of bucks for a site that generates more car content than any magazine? Members get a login and will be able to see the stories as soon as we write them instead of having to wait until they are scheduled. Also they won’t see any ads. Hopefully that clears up any confusion. Thanks for your support!
Oops, one more thing, it’s the content of the stuff coming through BF’s that is so neat. I mean, Hemmings has some BEAUTIFUL stuff, if you’re from NYS ( most expensive state in the country to live, thank heaven, I’m back in N.Wis., never thought I’d say that) but for regular schmoes, like me, I’ll never buy anything out of Hemmings, and BF’s shows us PLAUSIBLE projects. Affordable projects. One of these days, Jamie is gonna find me a “6” I just won’t be able to refuse ( that maroon one came close). Thanks again for a great site! ( the “edit” feature alone is worth it)
Howard, I’ll keep trying :-)
George, if you have a wife or children who will have to deal with your collection, it would be kind to do what you can to make it easier for them. My husband died unexpectedly and my son and I are going to be dealing with his stash for months if not years. The hardest part is not knowing the specs and therefore not knowing their value.
Hi Claudia, 1st, I’m sorry to hear about your loss, 2nd, I feel this is a very important post, and probably doesn’t belong in this thread, but it faces a lot of people, especially as the hobby members age (and die) and the value of these things is still in their heads.This site is more of a “buy/sell” site, and doesn’t deal with the human side too much,(Maybe some sites do) but I hope I can help. Every once in a while, a vehicle comes through here, OBVIOUSLY priced low by someone that doesn’t know the value, or conversely, way over-priced, again, because someone doesn’t know the value. ( example, 1963 Corvette split window for $5,000, or conversely, 1963 Corvette split window, for a million dollars) Best thing, would be to have someone appraise what you have. It may take a few bucks, but will be the fair way to do it. Sure, someone will be smiling at that $5,000 Corvette,( which is worth probably 50g’s or more) but you will more than make up for the appraisal fee and get a fair amount. Be careful. There are vultures out there that are just waiting for folks like you to come along. Best of luck, Howard
This is very true. While I’m statistically a few good years away from kicking the bucket I have growing concern for my stash and the burden I could be leaving.
Not to mention the sizeable value of parts that even the casual car guy might toss to recycling.
Crazy George you are indeed as one of my friends says…. “On your own special wavelength”.
Maybe you should instead think of this in different terms. We have a guy locally. Very well known. Always charged a premium and never gave anything away.
So with a very extensive collection, His family had a very sobering intervention and warned him. “XXXX, when you die, we are going to line up dumpsters and throw all your stuff away, figure it out now, or ELSE!”. Everyone who knew him was amazed but I was able to channel much of his collection to our local museum. Some will be sold to support the non profit and ALL Volunteer museum, and some will be retained and used. The point is it will continue to be enjoyed and will actually benefit a lot of people. While this freaked him out initially, He actually has found a great deal of enjoyment out of it. He is leaving the world and his community in a better place.
#2) I know a guy locally, He had been after a old timer who ran a shop about his old motorcycle. The old guy would never sell. Finally, after begging and pleading and logic intervened, the old guy realized he would NEVER get around to this project. My friend bought it, Price is irrelevant here. He kept in touch over 2 years while restoring and at the end honored their agreement and returned with the bike completed and as original and correct as humanly possible. The old timer had stipulated he would ride it one more time. But instead had Dave just run it up and down the road a few times and they spent the afternoon hanging out and enjoying it. The old timer had tears running down his face. Very emotional. Dave now takes the bike out and attends as many events as he can and everyone is very appreciative this thing isnt molding away in a basement somewhere. It will be a magazine feature this winter. This bike was bought NEW back in 1950s as a factory race bike, Dave documented it WON a major international race. And now it runs again. Thank god it didnt get scrapped or lost to time.
I have seen way too many times first hand some treasured stuff tossed or scrapped. I have tried to save some but was too late often times. I worked a few estates where people were ignorant or stupid and just tossed stuff. Some would just enrage people if they knew what people tossed out. Maybe, just maybe, you could find a worthy cause or deserving youngster or program? Someone who will honor this stuff, appreciate it, and its not about the money but instead being good stewards while we are here.
Read up on the educational programs at our museum and how so many young people have benefited and will in the future as we grow these programs.
See: http://nwcarandcycle.com/
Look what those ads did to Quizup. Death!!! Good luck BarnFinds. I most likely won’t last long.
What are you talking about bingo? I think you may have misunderstood this whole thing. We aren’t charging for access and we already had ads.
Maybe your right. Quizup threw many more ads at people and it was/is a mess. Ads everywhere. If you keep the free site as is, with no more ads then that’s acceptable.
Jesse, doesn’t it amaze you how people read stuff but don’t take it in? I read it and saw straight away it is an OPTIONAL thing you are offering, no one is being FORCED to take it up, you take it on and pay the $9 IF YOU WANT TO, BUT YOU DON”T HAVE TO, IT’S YOUR CHOICE.
To be honest I never really notice the ads, there aren’t a lot of them compared with a lot of sites.
Sadly you can’t make the site IDIOT PROOF so we just put up with what people write and ignore it if we choose to. I wonder if there’s a ‘DUMB’ or ‘STUPIDITY’ filter available that we could download onto our computers, etc. to catch it?
Best of luck and keep up the excellent job you’re doing.
Tony, Australia
Reading comprehension is a dying skill, obviously
Hey Woodie Man, probably the smartest post,,,,but nobody read it.
Hahaaha… You actually think these guys are gonna cough up 9 dollars a month…. they would’ve dropped Netflix if Pickers were on PBS…
But good luck to ya… I’ll continue to troll for free…
Maybe there are other ways to monitize your sight? Have you thought about a radio show or webcast? I heard a couple of chumps made some money talkin’ about cars…
No worries… these guys got nowhere else to be… beer store doesn’t open til 9…
Blunt and maybe offensive. That said this is EXACTLY what I meant when I said you guys don’t know your audience well.
Call it what you want, blame it on whatever factors you will, it’s tough not to boil it down to, Barnfinds’ readers are cheap.
Realistically, I think its an issue of demographics and GEOGRAPHY.
It is no coincidence that Bring a Trailer is based in the ultra expensive Bay Area, and feeds on that money. The quality of the cars (despite their tagline) reflects it as do the hammer prices.
Yes the online presence is worldwide but their roots including their event coverage, and in person appearances are Bay Centric.
Now. Put down the torches.
This isn’t all to say this audience is broke or won’t spend, but they have a greater value for their money because it was probably hard earned by making, or doing, rather than consulting and moving imaginary money around. So they in turn need to see true VALUE in what you are offering.
Where I agree with BMU is here: Some of us myself including have been into old cars since a 1950 Cevy was a 20 year old car. I look at my age cohort who go to BJ Auctions or any of them as suckers. I don’t need a tarted up overpriced piece of junk. I’d rather look at honest old beaters that have inherent value to me. That’s where BarnFinds comes in.@ I too used to love BAT. I understand their strategy to monetize their work. There’s an audience for them. That said I wouldn’t presume to tell Jessie how how to run his site. I’ll leave it with I appreciate what he does
I think everyone needs to read it again. It was pretty clear. IF you don’t like the ads and want a heads-up on the listings, you CAN pay $9 a month and not have to put up with the ads. Plus you get a jump on the listings — which is important if you’re a serious buyer. If you’re just a tire kicker or like to dream a little of what could be, and you do nothing, it will continue on as before. Right? Exactly.
I love you guys. And I understand the desire to monetize the site. I had the same idea on my to do list. However I feel that you may be out of touch with your audience. Drop me a line I’d love to discuss you options, and provide real constructive input.
The irony of the down votes here is incredible.
What ads? From time to time I hear and see this discussed on several sites I visit everyday. I don’t ever see any ads on any of these web pages. I never have any pop-ups or other unwanted distractions. I have to wonder if I’m missing something good. What types of advertisers are placing them?
I love this site the way it comes to me. Maybe I’m so used to skipping over ads that it doesn’t bother me. I don’t look at the emails as a serious buyer since I have my own projects with others on the way. Happy to keep enjoying it the way I always have. With that said I welcome the creativity of monetizing your site. Thanks so much for a job VERY well done!!
9$ pr. Month is no money.
I enjoy this site, keep up the good work.
Best regards from Germany.
Reading comprehension is a vastly underused skill.
Wow, I’m really surprised by some of the comments here. I know everyone is accustomed to getting things for free online, but still. This is a way to show your support for a site that many of you enjoy on a daily basis. In fact, tens of thousands of you return everyday. Many of you have purchased cars that we’ve found too. Perhaps I didn’t present this concept correctly, but I still don’t understand the negative response received.
No, I think it was clear, people just interpreted it wrong.( kind of why I get so many thumbs down, is people misunderstand what I mean) What I think is odd, is, don’t the ads pay more than $9/month in ad revenue? I’d think BF’s would be losing out on the $9 dollar deal.
Ads most definitely do not pay that kind of money per person per month. If they did, we’d be very rich men.
Pop up ads are a P.I.A.. but 9 bucks a month, I would like to quit my day job and do the antique car thing full time too.
We submit the finds, we pay if we want to list something with your site. I will not be extorted. Sorry.
What? How are you being extorted? We aren’t forcing anyone to do anything. Many people work hard everyday so you can continue to read the site for free.
Obviously Im late to the barbeque but it must be depressing to realize that a number of your readers are so umm….how can I put this politely……reading impaired! Sheesh
Bcavileer may have been abrupt, and his comment has been down voted but I’d like to support him to a degree I know how he feels.
I was an active contributor on BAT for years and watched it develop. It was very organic, and many of us got to ‘know’ each other.
It really was sort of like meeting your buddies at the car show and shooting the breeze about cars without the sunburn, and all the waxing and polishing.
The great part was that there was an incredible depth of knowledge among the contributors. That knowledge if not the sole reason for BATs success is certainly responsible for the lion’s share.
When they became the juggernaut they did, I felt used. It was our camaraderie, and our knowledge that built the place and THEY were not only making some incredible money off of us, they spoiled the whole feel.
Now, with that said, it’s THEIR site. And they didn’t charge me a dime, or make me any promises.
And I barely visit.
Those of you that are complaining…you are seeing the word “option”, right? Nothing is changing unless you want it to! As a consumer as well as a contributor, I really don’t see how having the OPTION to eliminate the ads is a bad thing?
If someone can explain that, please do :-)
I can’t believe we got 23, oops, 24 comments on a thread that really didn’t need any commenting on.
Ad Blocker. ‘Nuff said.
The problem with adblockers is that you are cheating the creators of all the sites you enjoy out of the little money they generate from ads. Online publishing is a tough gig and high capacity servers are not cheap to rent. Ads may be annoying, but without them there wouldn’t be fun sites like Barn Finds.
Perhaps so, Jesse. But the intent of your site is to sell things. It is, in fact, one giant ad for cars. It’s my decision what other ads I want to see.
Another consideration is that many people are uncomfortable with Google ads insidious cyber stalking method of personalizing the ads.
One of my thoughts was using the readership stats to attract some vendors. They pay to advertise and perhaps pass on a BF discount to readers. Many forums use this tactic with success.
Wow. Some of these comments are… out of the barn. Be patient Jesse, this too will pass. Keep doing your good thing.
Have you thought of doing an auction as PART of BF? BaT went there very successfully. I don’t like their site very much any more, but I do read it every day to see what things are really selling for.
Just a thought.
BTW I hardly even see the ads. It’s the same everywhere and many of us just get used to it.
Funny you should mention that waynard. We have had a lot of people ask if we could run their exclusive as an auction. Sometimes it’s hard to determine a barn find’s value, so an auction would help people get whatever their car is actually worth. We wanted to give the membership thing a try first though to see if it would work. Looks like our audience may not see the value though so we may be offering auctions soon…
So long as the reserves or start prices are realistic you might have something unique here. Go for it.
Bring a Trailer is a seller’s paradise and often (usually?) doesn’t reflect the ‘real’ market.
Good luck, I’m going to miss you. Be interesting to see how many people are still paying $9 a month in a year from now.
I repeat, we are not charging for access. This is only for people who would like an ad free experience and early access to the finds.
A few comments. #1) I HATE the software for the ads. It blows up my computer, bogs down everything and is a pain in the A$$.
I run a desktop on XP because it works well for me and I hate newer operating systems. Vista was terrible, and Windows 10? on our new laptap drives me nuts. (And all the others in between). Damn thing locks up all the time doing updates i dont want or at the worst possible time.
I dont mind the ads, I understand the concept of earning money for time and labor. Its just how it screws me up. I dont know what the income level is but I know it is very challenging in this day and age. I know a LOT of out of work reporters and writers because of modern media. Truth is. I am extremely unlikely to ever “CLICK” on a ad. If by chance I saw something of interest, I would simply google it. I often wonder about $$ per click versus just hosting pop ups and banners.
On several other forums such as Buell motorcycles or Nortons you can be a VIP or preferred member and avoid some of the ads. I would have to look and compare numbers, $9.00 per month is both cheap but expensive at the same time. If I was aggressive about buying then I would expect a lot more than the amusing ads and profiles on here. I would expect targeted listings and certain services. I also think for that much I would expect more material. Perhaps a dual level for free/paid.
$108 per year can buy a LOT of entertainment, And we just severed the cable TV subscription and in comparison the Firestick and Amazon prime we pay for AD FREE and the shows we download and pay for are a better value. Not complaining but just for reference. Maybe less $ and more users might be better? Also other monetizing ideas.
I WILL support ANY options that can compete with Feebay or other high cost sites. CL has its uses but low cost classifieds WITH good traffic might be a winner.
Theres more than one way to skin a cat, and you have options. But it CAN be done. I know Tyler Malinky, and when he first started in his garage with his very first product
“Not seen on TV” with a slash thru it. Now days he is VERY successful and I am proud to know him and proud I was able to help him in his early days.
See: http://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/
Lowbrow was started in 2004, a physical manifestation of chopper fever and passion for all things motorcycle. We are the premier source for custom and chopper parts for your moto, backed by a tight-knit crew here in northeast Ohio who strive to make your experience with us the best possible. We not only work hard to supply motorcycle enthusiasts with cool parts from small shops all around the world, but to also keep innovating and building, creating brand new parts and accessories, getting them out onto the road.
Another site that has struggled but has managed to not only survive but thrive is:
http://www.chopcult.com/browse_classifieds.php
(Classifieds, forums, product features, tons of ads but not as invasive or annoying as here. Plus events and other revenue generators and a very effective marketing setup)
Now, that is some constructive criticism! Thanks Doug. I will check out those other sites.
Thanks Jesse, those are just 2 examples but the idea is get you thinking. I still have a original “Not seen on TV” sticker and probably a collectors item! Ha! But he turned a little garage based business into a dominant force.
Heck you guys,,, How many of you remember when Harbor freight was just a little folded up newsletter back in the early 1980s? I was in the military and it was primarily machine shop tools, and auto tools. 2-3 page flyer. I showed mine to guys in my unit and they would order too. Bunch of broke GIs spending our cash on tools. Now?? Look at them! (This was at Mt Home AFB Idaho Jesse, 366th Tac ftr wing. EMS and AGS squadrons-Happiness is Mt Home in my rear view mirror!)
Jesse, I didn’t forget about you and I will still respond via email with a few thoughts that would be better off discussed offline. And I have some resources you might be interested in. Oh and some tough love ;)
In the meantime a couple readers have made some of the same points I was going to make, and others have had some great ideas I hadn’t even considered.
I wasn’t blowing smoke up your tailpipe with my enthusiasm. I’d love to see you succeed. And I’m watching your efforts closely as I’m hoping to start something of my own in the near (ish) future.
So I’ve been taking some time to make notes on some of the comments made here both yours and readers.
I’ve started here because I think Doug has given some great input.
So, you’re taking notes to start a competing website? That’s nice of you.
Not at all. My business concept has nothing to do with yours other than having an online presence.
I’m taking notes on all the comments and thoughts and going through my bookmarks for links that might help you.
Two pages and well over an hour I might ad. Because I actually give a crap.
I apologize for misinterpreting your comment and appreciate your feedback!
I find your arrogance and smug attitude towards Jesse incredibly underwhelming. You are correct to take your self important comments offline. 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼
Well Barbie, I’m sorry you feel that way. It’s interesting how even with care how the written word can misconstrue ones real intent.
I truly can’t imagine how you got the impression you did but its truly no matter. My intent is to offer Jesse some help not make you happy. But thanks for the feedback I’ll consider it as I reread my post.
I actually was going to reply to your early comment about how genuinely sweet and encouraging it was. In fact it was one of the comments foremost in my mind when I wrote in an email to Jesse;
I expect the reactions have you bummed. I get it.
You have the beginnings of something great here, be proud of that! Don’t dwell on a bit of negativity.
In fact look at the amount of ideas and positivity that has been shared! People, strangers no less, are going out of their way to offer you ideas and well wishes!
That’s incredible!
With that in mind I think the Barnfinds collective should be proud of that!
I think that when you said you were watching and taking notes as you were considering doing something similar to BF… that came across as pretty arrogant. When you offered Jesse some tough love, that sounded both smug and condescending. That may not have been your intent but that is how I read it.
If your offers to help Jesse are genuine, then I think taking that conversation offline is best, that way it doesn’t appear you are attempting to school a grown man on how to run his business. Does that makes sense? I know if I were Jesse that’s how I’d be feeling.
I understand how difficult it is to show intent when dealing with the written word. We can’t read the subtle facial expressions and hear your tone of voice, the written word is just flat.
You may want only the very best for Jesse, I just feel very protective of someone I think most of us really like. Jesse and Josh have shared a good deal of their personal lives with their readers, so we can’t help but feel invested in seeing them do well. I think they have a very loyal following.
I don’t usually say much, so I’ll go back to be a reader, not a commenter. Have a great weekend! 😎
So the first item on the agenda; the evaluation.
Judging by the responses here not many are concerned about the ads, some are already missing them likely because of browers settings, and those adamantly opposed use free ad blocking programs. So really is there much value there?
Your second selling point is timely access to the wrote ups.
The first problem I see with that so called advantage, is that many (most?) of the featured cars are languishing projects and/or yard art. They aren’t going anywhere fast.
Now for the second problem I think you need to be honest with yourself. What percentage of your readers are prospective buyers? I mean really and truly, cash in hand, looking, SHOPPING for a car as opposed to browsers or folks just wanting to look at old cars?
Now of those few serious shoppers how many have so little an idea what they want, that Barnfinds is a solid resource?
With that question in mind, let me extrapolate on Doug’s comment. As he (loosely) said a serious buyer needs more substance, a targetted approach, and more content.
Chances are a potential buyer is a Ford guy, a Chevy guy, a truck guy, maybe a muscle car guy or a British car guy. In fact the chances are the potential buyer knows the make and model maybe even the year and trim level that they want.
With that in mind there are a lot of resources available, among the best being platform specific forums, where the knowledge base runs deep. (More on this in our email correspondence). Or doing nation wide Craigslist searching etc.
So is this resource worth $108 dollars a year? Let’s say for the sake of argument that most people agree that it is. What happens when they make their purchase? Do they pack it in? What is the ongoing incentive? Will they be coming here for restoration info?
Bobsnephew, I strongly agree with your other comment–BF editors either don’t know their audience or don’t want to.
For example, various BF readers have repeatedly asked for some price indication on the first page, BEFORE deciding if it’s worth their time to click to ‘Read More.’ BF writers still seldom give us that courtesy. That’s the main thing that separates Barn Finds from those sites run more professionally. Rephrased: That’s the difference between a useful site and one that’s just good entertainment.
Some of us ARE serious buyers and sellers but don’t have the time to waste screening through stuff that’s nowhere near our price point that day.
Why would we pay money to view a site that doesn’t give us what we want???
You don’t have time to click on a link stu? A few people have asked us to just put everything in the email so they don’t even have to visit the site anymore. It takes them too much time apparently. Well, we obviously aren’t going to do that because we would lose our sense of community (no comments) and all advertising revenue.
We do try to listen to everyone, but that doesn’t mean we can fulfill everyone’s request. We have to balance many things when making decisions. You want everything in the first paragraph on the homepage, but if we did that, people would spend less time reading the posts and commenting would go down. Things are not as black and white as they seem. Besides, would you actually be willing to pay a monthly fee if we made those changes?
Stu, that was a little harsh, I wont vote you up or down, but I am assuming your comments were trying to he helpful. As such, you DO raise a point that I touched on as well.
If this was a serious buying site, with alerts about deals then it DOES need to be restructured so it fills that need. Personally, IMHO if there is a market for it, offer that as a paid service via subscription. Just like job searches I can tailor a system to alert me to a job in a certain area as well as certain TYPES of jobs.
But the problem is, right now there are a number of Apps and services that already do a version of that for free or little cost. I know several guys who know within seconds of any Norton-Trumph- BSA stuff listed on FeeBay and Craigslist. They get text right to their phones. Many work day jobs and I often wonder if their boss knows how much time they actually work vs trolling the internet.
Again, IMHO the daily updates and posting seem to reflect more a version of entertainment. I dont open all the listings as frankly many dont interest me. And of course, in a narcissist fashion I have deeply held beliefs of what I personally think they should feature every day but not everyone would agree to my choices.
I frequently send in tips and suggested feature vehicles. Once in a while they print them but its not very often.
I saw somewhere there IS a bazillion or so people subscribed so clearly we dont always get what we want but sometimes as Jagger says… “We get what we need”.
I hope we can continue to have a fruitful and productive discussion on ideas to help improve the site while providing a fair income. I know,,, How Socialist of me! But I heard a guy say in a talk a while back regarding perceived high incomes and benefits for Govt workers and he said, Instead of complaining about a fair wage and things like healthcare and retirement the discussion should be instead why isnt the focus on raising the standard of living for everyone who works in this country? So, Everyone wants something for free, but I cant pay my mortgage or medical bills with twigs and bottle caps so lets figure out a way forward.
$3.25 per month on AccessNorton to be a VIP member, I know the Site owner Jerry, They do okay and very active. A lot more activity than here. might be worth looking at what other sites do???
See: https://dev2host.com/support/accessNorton.php
We have looked at what other sites are doing, but this site is lot different than a forum. Perhaps we should just let people pay what they feel our membership should be worth? I’m in the thick of it, so of course I think $9/mo is a bargain. I have a feeling that if a person won’t pay $9 per month, they won’t pay $3 though, but I could be wrong. What does everyone think?
Have you considered doing what Wikipedia does? Every year they ask users to voluntarily pay what they think it was worth to them in the past year. Even if EVERYONE paid a dollar a month it would generate some serious income. Or five dollars a year. Thats still more than most people pay, which is nothing. Just a thought.
Great idea Puhnto. A couple have people have mentioned the Wikipedia model, so we will have to take a look into it. Thanks!
In what ways is this different from a forum in the business model sense?
For that matter why not have a forum? As I’ll outline in an email there are some distinct advantages, but maybe I’m overlooking something.
I think the Wiki approach is GREAT!
One thing you guys have over anyone is your approachability and involvement with your readers. I’m sure many would donate just to give a friend a hand!
Guess I just want the pure collector hobby back. Nothing but another investment strategy for most anymore. Sorry I digress, but seems like my pockets just keep getting picked deeper every time I go to another ‘online’ resource.
Had my beef with Sports Car Market and Keith Martin the other day. Their response was that they were targeted to the ‘upscale’ market . Is is no longer a hobby, nor a love of the restoration. It is simply another buisness and as such you must obtain advertisers or bill us for your “services”. When one must plunk down thousands for a vehicle that will take years and serious money to bring back, then it is no longer a ‘barn find’. It is another investment vehicle. Look at the conversations that transpire. Few comments about design or driving experience, just what is expected when finished as a return. ‘Nuff said. This is not a personal attack, just an observation.
Becavileer I have to agree that this as a site about the technical and design concept of any given car on here is almost nonexistent. Now I too don’t blame anyone for that, it’s just the way people view the vintage car hobbie. When I first started viewing this site there was much more talk about restoring a car and how to go about it and less concern about if you were going to make or lose money on it. This site used to be more about the passion for classic car, I miss that. It has become more of a online used car lot where where beautiful cars like that Buick hard top are ripped to pieces. Instead of talking about for example how you’d go about making rust patches and welding them in. As for paying to view this site without ads I think this site has done a great job doing the ads without have them intrude into what your viewing. What’s so bad about an ad placed between the story and the commentary I fact you could have an ad after every fourth commentary and it wouldn’t bother me, and if it helped make you more profitable then go for it. I return to this site every day to see the cars and read the stories and I’m glad there are no pop ups.
Good observations bcavileer and Mark! We haven’t purposely focused on the investment side of things. I think we offer a more well-rounded conversation than most automotive sites, but clearly there’s room for improvement. We aren’t trying to commercialize things by offering a membership. It takes two full-time people and multiple volunteers to keep a site like alive and we need a better server to handle all the traffic. That takes money so we are just trying to find ways to do it without loading things up with more ads.
Like you said, “Online publishing is a tough gig”….
What worthwhile “gig” isn’t tough?
Can’t do $9. But I donate to Wiki every year when they request it through my email.
Thanks for your honestly Larry. Perhaps we were overvaluing the entertainment and utility the site provides.
No your not but there’s too many other things that are.
Wow…what a forum tonight… I almost forgot to look at cars ! Good and constructive dialogue up to 6:19 pm…then everyone took a break; it’s 9:30pm now. Good night all, and this is a super site however it is presented !! Thanx to all
Jesse
I don’t write on here often, but people are taking this way off base. Keep up the fine work you do, and ,ll start taking down dress sizes.
Haha, thanks Rob!
I dropped BAT when it went upscale and became nothing more than a online auction site. Same for Petrolicous, even though their film content is still second to none.
In both cases I could see what was coming far ahead as the model didn’t make sense unless they had a plan to monetize it at some point.
I get the daily update because I like that the cars are within reach of the average car enthusiast schmuck like me. Don’t change that, there is a big hole in the marketplace for your website.
As for trying to monetize things to keep it afloat, I’m not sure membership is the solution. First, who wants to be a member of anything anymore? Membership is a 50’s concept who’s sole purpose was to separate and insert a caste system into society. I work for NASA (not the rocket people, the cool car people as my friend who works for NASA the rocket people says) and we sell driving. Sure you have to be a member of NASA in order to drive but I don’t sell membership, its a byproduct, a secondary requirement like you need air in your tires.
I understood your explanation but that so many didn’t tells us how poorly the average person comprehends what they read the first time. I’m sure if most read it twice they’d get it but instead reacted to what they THOUGHT it said, not what it ACTUALLY said.
I think the Wiki idea might be a better solution to your needs. Or, every couple of months have a new, limited time only BF product. Coffee mugs, t-shirts, etc.
Also, I think you have a huge opportunity in reviving the BF rally series. There is a market for events for cars like the ones your site hosts. Average interesting cars owned by people who appreciate them for what they are, not garage and trailer queens worth more than our homes or entire life’s work. All that is cool but when IU stop racing one day my toy will be a daily-able sports car that isn’t perfect, just like me!
Good luck and see you tomorrow!
Great points Bryan! I don’t really want to be a member of any car club, so I see where you are coming from. Even if we decide to do the auction thing, we are going to keep the focus on affordable projects and unrestored collector cars. That will mean lower listing fees than other sites because we wouldn’t want to scare away the low dollar stuff. It would seem like branded products would be the way to go, but they aren’t the big money maker that some people think they are. Unless you are selling a huge amount of stuff, it’s basically just for fun. We will look into the donation idea and consider reviving the BF rally though. Thanks!
Don’t discount the value of shirts though. I have had a ton of people ask me about mine (Superbird) at all the swaps, shows etc. And now they know about your site!
While I don’t think a membership alone is a driving force for readers I think a paid subscription (offering value incentive) is feasible in the future.
As for membership I’m a member of a forum with enthusiast ‘chapters’ across the continent. And though they are unofficial each regularly spend their own money to have T shirts and/or stickers made up, and regular events and cruises, and charity fundraisers.
I’d argue car folk are among the most fraternal bunch going.
Why is there no forum with this site?
What about classifieds for car parts?
50$ to get a car on Barnfinds sounds steep….why not a place to list a car for 10$ on a page with lower traffic?
Downloadable manual library? 1.99 for a pdf of a Chilton’s?
Coffee mugs and t-shirts are a must…
BF barn-burner party weekend… I’d pay $9 to camp on your front yard…and 50$ for all you can drink beer.
Sponsor a monthly/bi-annual/quarterly auction of cars featured on the site?
BF certified cars?
BF antique car insurance?
Look at these numbers:
over 20k email subscribers, 200k social media followers, and 2 million website views per month…
You have to think about branding and offering… you have a brand but what are you offering us?
I think offering more on the site and off is the way to go… paying for the same (minus the ads) doesn’t seem like a deal.
We tried the forum thing and it didn’t really fit. Classifieds has been an idea that we have considered for a long time, but it’s hard to compete with the big boys. The exclusives work, but you might be right about the price. Honestly, it’s a great bargain if you consider how much coverage you get, but that’s hard to convey to people. We will continue to do shirts and I will look into your other ideas. Thanks daCabbie!
Hang in there Jesse………I appreciate what you do. Whatever it is……
carborundum non illigimati est!
nothing lasts forever when it is free. you will be a pay site in the future,no way around it. that’s the way the old internet works. just stay with barn or garage finds. the cars found in front and back yards and in the middle of fields are not finds. they are seen everyday by people. keep the site going. you are the best site for reading about old cars that were left behind by someone. keep up the good work. the hobby of reading about cars, working on cars, selling cars is great. i do all this after my job that affords me to live and enjoy my hobby of units that are propelled by rubber bands to 10,000 hp NHRA dragsters . hope your site lasts a long time
Jessie I love your site. I used to love BAT until they “commercialized it”. I guess I’m ahead of the curve as I was able to read and understand your post. The $9 a month is OPTIONAL. I get it. But I’m also able to do math, and using your own words against you, you said ten of thousands of us read this site……Let’s just say you had 10,000 readers, and lets say 25% sign up…..That’s 2,500 readers at $9 month, that’s $22,500 a month……That’s a nice paycheck for browsing eBay, CL, and other rags and reposting, along with what we readers also submit. Maybe that’s a little jealousy in my tone, maybe it’s just me sick and tired of everyone selling out. I’m here for the entertaining reads, and rarely do you post a car I haven’t found a day or so before from my own trolling. The more you become like BAT, the more I’ll dislike your site like I do theirs…….
It doesn’t take an MBA to know that the “subscription business” is the fastest way to go from broke to rich, as I am also doing the same thing myself, although I offer a tangible product that can’t be found anywhere else. I wish you the best of luck, but please think about what a real “car-guy” would do….For now I’ll just get back on my bus and head to my school, where I am the HeadMaster ;-)
Don’t worry. 25% of our readers aren’t going to sign up. In fact, it appears that some of them think we are charging to access the site now…
Barn Finds is one of my favorite sites but one of many. So much available on the ‘net to occupy ones time. I donate to various sites, like Wikipedia, when they do a fund raiser. The amount I donate depends upon how much I use/enjoy the site.
If Barn Finds were to ask for donations I would probably give $25 a year.
I have lost some interest in BAT because of the auction taking over most of the content.
Thanks for your honest feedback Abarthbill!
Jesse,
You guys do an amazing job. I’ve read through all the comments and I know you must be feeling a bit disheartened. I understand how hard you work to put out a high quality product. I can tell how meticulous you are in proofing each story before releasing it.
Your articles are incredibly knowledgeable and well written, and always provide the right mix of humor and information. It’s obvious that BF is a work of love, not just a job for you. When you’re passionate about what you do it shows.
I will do whatever I can to support you guys. I place a high value on the entertainment you provide me with. For those of us that are hardcore BF enthusiasts, let us know what we can do to help. Your daily emails brighten my day, make me laugh, and let me dream big. Thanks so much!
Thank you for all the kind words PhxBarbie. Your support is greatly appreciated!
I fully read and understood the initial post and I certainly do not blame BF for trying to support a great site. I use AdBlock so I don’t see any ads on most of the sites that I frequent. My question is: Maybe a one-time donation to receive a cool BF T-Shirt or BF window sticker which would still support the site? Kinda like PBS…
With a $10.00 donation..window sticker. $25.00 donation…T-Shirt, and so on….I for one am glad that BF exists but, I don’t necessarily wish to do “a monthly thing”….I have enough bills every month.
My 2 cents.
Great idea, and monthly dues is a common concern amd worth mentioning.
Great idea. We have tried something similar in the past, but maybe it’s time to give it another shot!
I just want to thank everyone for all the suggestions shared here. The great thing about a site like this is that we can try new things and get instant feedback from all of you. It’s hard to open up, but it seems like we always get good direction when we do. Many heads really are better than one. We understand that the views expressed by a few people may not be shared by all our readers though so we try to take that into account. Still, it would appear that our membership idea needs some work. We will regroup and see what we come up with. Thanks again everyone!
92 comments and growing…
Come on 100! Yes, you can!
Hey Jesse… under the classification of stranger ideas… Let’s take a Barn Find Cruise to CUBA…
I know a guy who has Hemingway’s Caddie parked in his barn… all we have to do is put some pontoons on it and we can drive it back to Key West… ;-)
Come on…. you know you wanna go to CUBA… you might be able to write the trip of as a business expense (if you ever make any money)… ;-)
Cigars, rum, and the HOTTEST cars in the world (hot meaning SEXY not stolen)… ;-)
DaCabbie: Went there in 2000….have lots of pix of cars…better hurry pretty soon there will be WalMarts and all the cherished signposts of modern Americsn culture
Jesse,
I don’t really mind the ads. But I am wondering – I sent a submission on 4 September and have not heard anything back yet. Are you on vacation?
We have just been a little shorthanded John. It should go live today. Thanks!
I am sssssooooo late to the party but, ill keep it short and sweet:
I think you guys are doing a great job!!!!
I think this site is extremely education!!! (though I could do without a lot less of the commenter bashing that goes on)
I think that asking for OPTIONAL support is fine!!!
(I’ll be getting my years support to you guys shortly)
Jesse,
You’re right–I don’t have time to click on each link if I don’t have an idea where it’s going.
Polski Fiats are cool, for instance, but if a guy wants $10K for a rust bucket we don’t need to read 40 comments about how or why it’s overpriced. On the other hand, if the ’63 split window Corvette is priced at $5000 I’ll click on it to find out more–even if the first picture looks like the back half might be burned. Someone might have a creative idea for it and the price point makes creative thinking feasible.
Jesse, a friend got me started reading the comments on your site. They’re a great way to deepen one’s knowledge about a particular vehicle type. Most comments are unbiased, personal experience accounts or observations.
My point is the price is a necessary screening tool to narrow the initial daily searches. Every one of us knows we’ve sometimes spent toooooooooooo much time on Barn Finds on a day we had other responsibilities. Without a price indication I choose not to click on many that might have been bargains or had an interesting story to support a moderately strong price. Also–don’t miss this–BaT or DT sometimes show the same vehicles with a price indication on the first page.
Do you know of any successful sales system that makes the potential buyer work to discover the price?
Now, as far as getting what we want: I restricted my comments the first time to the previous issue. Here’s another. I’ve yet to figure out how to get a car listed with you. The effort that stands out most clearly involves a ’59 Chrysler Imperial we had for sale. I emailed you before, during, and near the end of an eBay listing of it. My preference was to put it on BF exclusively. Your response appeared to be a form letter telling me you’d see if it fit your standards. That was it–NO follow up at all, despite follow ups from me. The car was quite presentable and had just come out of decades in storage. We’d gotten it running and driving, and were only looking for a few thousand dollars. In other words, a true barn find in the genre of your namesake. Would hiring enough help to process my request and accept my money have been cost effective for you?
Your inaction turned out to be our blessing because eBay attracted a buyer in Sweden who paid more than we would have expected from an exclusive listing on Barn Finds. Again, I offered to pay you for some extra exposure after not hearing from you and going to eBay as my second choice.
So, your final question. Would I pay to eliminate banner ads? No. There’s plenty of free content on the world-wide. Banner ads can be distracting but they’re getting better and more focused. Sometimes they actually help us find things we’re interested in. Other readers’ results may vary.
Again Jesse, you’re trying to figure out how to capture value / monetize what you do. Your site is one of my favorites. You’ve left money on the table when I’ve offered it to you. It’s happened with more than one car so I quit trying. The Imperial experience wasn’t the first like that with you–but it was the last. I’m glad you have advertisers to help pay the way. If you remove me from your list for my honest, constructive feedback you’ve requested I’ll miss the many great commenters but I’ll get over it. If I counted my time for messing with this thread at our shop rate I’ve already spent a couple hundred dollars.
Good luck in your search. Maybe what you’re looking for has been right in front of you the whole time…….
Stu, I just went back and read through all your emails and you never said anything about running the Imperial as an exclusive. You asked if we could promote your eBay listing, but then you didn’t reply for a few days because of computer problems. We missed the auction, but it wasn’t a car that we wanted to feature anyway. We do reserve the right to reject any submission even if money is offered. You said that this happened to you more than once, but I’m not seeing any other submissions from your emails address. Also, we dont use autoresponder “form” emails so perhaps you sent something into one of the other sites you mentioned and had a bad experience?