Black Friday Site Suggestions

[Brad]

http://blackfridaysaleads.com/countdown2.gif

 

Yes, we know it's still over 4 months until Black Friday, but considering how busy the site was last year, and that this year will be even crazier, we thought we'd start taking suggestions for the site. We know a lot of you found GD because of BF and therefore we want to do whatever we can to make this year's site better and attract more people to the site and forum. We anticipate even more competition this year, but we plan to continue our reign as "Kings of Black Friday"

 

For reference, here is the archived version of last year's site: http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/home.php

 

So let us know about any features you want to see added, ways to organize things better, etc... this year's site is in it's early stages of development, so there is plenty of time to add new stuff.

 

One thing that I will say is that we are going to tie in your forum membership with the site (just like we do for the main GD site now) so if you have a forum membership, when you go to the BF site it will recognize you, so your personalized shopping list info will be saved unlike last year, you can be notified about new ads being posted, view your saved searches, etc... all from one personalized page.

 

Also give us your opinions on the BF forum. Last year we played around with requiring people to register to view that subforum (which caused 3000+ people to register, never post, and never come back after BF). What can we do to encourage more posting and more conversation?

[mrn8]

One thing I assume you'll include, but I want to make sure is that we can customize the stores we want to see. For instance, I would really want to see Fry's or Costco, because there are none in the area, so I would not show those.

 

An RSS feed would also be nice, so I can cruise through the stuff quickly while at work.

 

As for the posting, I'm not really sure. If the deals are the only reason they are here, maybe just leave well enough alone and be happy with the commissions from their purchases. It would be nice to have a more active year-round community, but some are only interested in finding the best deals for that time of the year.

 

I guess you could offer an incentive, like the current charity one. It may draw in some more people to start posting.

[Guest DigDoug]

I am not sure how to get more people here to post regularly. Deal hunting is a great thing but at first glance I would never think this was a friendly place or online community. I also think that other sites have an advantage because their content is formed from a hobby (scrapbooking, automobiles, computers, etc).

 

Over at twopeasinabucket.com, a lot of members have photobars and avatars with pictures of themselves or things that are important to them. I think that has helped people in that community form friendships because people feel they "know" other members. Maybe we could get some people to do that here?

[Guest beatmix01]

I am not sure how to get more people here to post regularly. Deal hunting is a great thing but at first glance I would never think this was a friendly place or online community. I also think that other sites have an advantage because their content is formed from a hobby (scrapbooking, automobiles, computers, etc).

 

Over at twopeasinabucket.com, a lot of members have photobars and avatars with pictures of themselves or things that are important to them. I think that has helped people in that community form friendships because people feel they "know" other members. Maybe we could get some people to do that here?

in my avatar that is me licking the controller

[Guest DigDoug]

in my avatar that is me licking the controller

and that's my junk your licking.

[biomajor]

in my avatar that is me licking the controller

I hope you sanitized it well--something that old is probably crawling with germs!! You have a very pretty jaw, but I always thought you were a guy. I'm so sorry!! beatmix just sounds like a male nick, I guess. Now that I know better, I won't make that mistake again :-)

[biomajor]

I loved the shopping list last year. It was really wonderful!! I just saved mine into word and kept a running page until Wednesday.

[Scott]

I think some level of customization may be good. However, I enjoy seeing all the deals as I have contacts all over... so, if I don't have a Fry's near me for example, I use one of my contacts.

 

:)

[ladygab]

Hello, I found this forum last year because of black Friday. I have always visited it since, just lurk more than anything.

 

Kinda funny, cause it is like I know a lot of you, cause I come here at least 3-5 times a week, just browsing, looking to see if anything is on sale that I could use.

 

I don't have any recommendations, but did like how you set it up last year. I also liked the forum too.

 

Thanks for putting this together, and showing us all the deals you find, and all the hard work you do around here.

 

Take care,

Kelly

[Brad]

Just some comments on your comments:

 

* the shopping list will be back and will be much better. your list will automatically be saved so you can update it, add to it, etc... as many times as you want. you can then print it out whenever you want and don't have to copy and paste things to another file to keep it updated. that part of the new site is already done.

 

* as for customizing what stores are shown, that could be done. the default would be to show all stores, but if you want to exclude stores you don't have in your area, that could be done.

 

* an RSS feed is a possibility, but I'd be worried about abuse. If we had an RSS feed of all the sales, what's to stop one of our competitors from creating their own BF site that is updated directly with our information. with the deals on the site now, there isn't much people can do because you need the links from our site. but with the BF sales, it's just text - anyone could take it. we had enough sites copying and pasting our lists last year without giving credit - we wouldn't want to make it any easier. but we'll still consider it. at the very least we could have an RSS feed with "news" updates. things like "walmart sale items posted - laptop for $399, etc..." and then link it back to the site.

 

that's all. keep the ideas coming :)

[mrn8]

 

* an RSS feed is a possibility, but I'd be worried about abuse. If we had an RSS feed of all the sales, what's to stop one of our competitors from creating their own BF site that is updated directly with our information. with the deals on the site now, there isn't much people can do because you need the links from our site. but with the BF sales, it's just text - anyone could take it. we had enough sites copying and pasting our lists last year without giving credit - we wouldn't want to make it any easier. but we'll still consider it. at the very least we could have an RSS feed with "news" updates. things like "walmart sale items posted - laptop for $399, etc..." and then link it back to the site.

 

that's all. keep the ideas coming :)

 

That makes sense. I'm on the site enough that it doesn't really matter. I was kind of wanting the RSS feed, so I could put it on my Axim and have it handy for the B&M deals. No need to make copying all you work easier for the competition, that's for sure.

[Guest DigDoug]

Hello, I found this forum last year because of black Friday. I have always visited it since, just lurk more than anything.

 

Kinda funny, cause it is like I know a lot of you, cause I come here at least 3-5 times a week, just browsing, looking to see if anything is on sale that I could use.

 

I don't have any recommendations, but did like how you set it up last year. I also liked the forum too.

 

Thanks for putting this together, and showing us all the deals you find, and all the hard work you do around here.

 

Take care,

Kelly

You should stick around and post more. :)

[Brad]

I was kind of wanting the RSS feed, so I could put it on my Axim and have it handy for the B&M deals. No need to make copying all you work easier for the competition, that's for sure.

If that's the reason you want it, we could just add the RSS feed a few days before BF itself. That way it's too late for anyone to build a site around it, but you'll have the info.

[Brad]

Still taking suggestions... Black Friday is now less than 4 months away.

[Guest DigDoug]

Still taking suggestions... Black Friday is now less than 4 months away.

Did you read my suggestions?

[brynnfromtheblock]

I think there was a post that ended up being stickied after a while, but maybe on the shopping list or somewhere else prominent a place that features opening times and pricematching info ffor the individual stores as it becomes available for BF... This helped me make my game plan esp since so many stores opened at the same time last year. And finding out that Walmart pricematched was great... we scouted out what items they had in stock that would be on sale at another store and went to Walmart last and just casually picked those things up.

[ajbrowns]

In regards to keeping more of the newbies that register around as regular posters: what about if you have some type of contest that encourages posts strictly from new members. Maybe say anyone that registers after November 1 is eligible. They must post X (maybe 5?) amount of times between Nov. 1 and the day after Black Friday and at least one of those posts must be a new thread that introduces themselves to everyone (This type of post will result in existing members posting responses and hopefully the newbie will want to hang around since they are meeting nice people on a more personal level) and one post must be in the "Tell us about your BF deals" type thread.

 

I also discovered Gottadeal last Black Friday. I lurked for several days before I ever made a post. It was the nice people here that resulted in my initial post. I think so many people are burned on other forums by meanhearted people that they automatically assume GD is the same when it is just the opposite. If you can keep the lurkers here long enough then chances are a lot of them will stay around once they come out of their shell.

 

Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about how to draw people to and keep people coming back to a website! I may be completely offbase with the contest idea. It is something similar to the type of thing that I do in my classroom, and that usually works...but that doesn't mean it will work for a deals site.

 

Amie

[i-bystander]

Amie's idea is actually pretty good - I like it. All we need is for new users to open up and jump in, and I'm sure the rest of the GD community will take care of them...

[Brad]

Excellent ideas from everyone. We had been planning on a very fun contest anyway, so we'll see how we can work it to encourage new members to post, while not excluding all of you old timers from participating.

 

As for having them post an "introduce yourself" thread, by the time the BF site opens, we expect to upgrade this forum to vBulletin 3.5 assuming it has gone final by then (they just released the first release candidate (RC) version yesterday). One of the add-ons available for vB is the ability to automatically create a welcome thread (in an "Introductions" subforum or something) for each new user. That could also be an option, although I wonder how many would actually bother to post in those threads unless they are forced to do so before accessing the BF board, which we wouldn't really want to do.

[ajbrowns]

Is there any way that you could include info about the contest in the email generated after a new user signs up that allows them to confirm their membership? The email would invite them to the forum.

 

Amie

[outnumbered]

I think a lot of BF dealhunters are just looking for good prices and not necessarily to join any sort of forum. So I think there are a lot of people who will register just to see the deals and then disappear, because all they want to do is shop, not talk. I think the biggest way to get new posters is going to be getting the ones who post just to ask a question or two to stick around. I think that's how I got started. I had other boards I was posting on but I never expected to be a member of a deals type site as I don't often buy electronics, and somehow that is what I thought this site was for during the rest of the year. LOL...then I started posting here in the Lounge and, well, it was all over...

[Brad]

I think a lot of BF dealhunters are just looking for good prices and not necessarily to join any sort of forum.

That may be true, but keep in mind that we had well over 3,000 people register for the forum last year during BF to read or post on the Black Friday board (which was open to registered members only). If they just wanted the information about that ads, that was on the BF site and didn't require any registration, so that tells us that people like the pre-BF conversation on here as well as the actual ads.

[outnumbered]

Hmm. I know I registered for some reason...oh, I think it was to see the scanned ads? Was it mandatory to register for the forum to see the pics? Well, I got sucked in *somehow*...I may just have to go look it up.

 

But I see your point. 3000 would not have registered just to see pictures. Gotta get those lurkers talking.

[Guest DigDoug]

/me looks at my post again

[outnumbered]

your post talking about your junk being licked??? I know, I'm sooooooooo funny.

[Guest DigDoug]

your post talking about your junk being licked??? I know, I'm sooooooooo funny.

Hahaha.... NO, but it looks like you took one of my suggestions with your avatar. I feel more at home already.

 

Edit: Oh, and twopeasinabucket.com was mentioned in a news article on yahoo the other day. I believe it was a national article. Imagine if GottaDeal got that kind of press.

[i-bystander]

/me looks at my post again

RE: your suggestion/s... don't people do that already - albeit, not with pictures of themselves, but with images that somehow represent what they like (or are like)? You, for instance - based on your avatar, I would say DigDug is probably your favorite Atari game; before that, I knew you like cats. Another example, mrn8 - I'd say he probably likes Greg Maddux and baseball; prior to that, I knew he likes Vai/guitars. beatmix01, though? It's anybody's guess... but whatever that guess may be, they're probably right.

 

Tell me: how would you expect/encourage people to post a picture of themselves, when you haven't done so yourself?

 

p.s.

And on a more personal note, please refrain from talking about/thinking about/mentioning anything about twopeasinabucket.com anymore for your own good! Trust me on this one. :)

[marloween]

I found this site because of BF. After looking around, though, I had no idea that these deals were out there. Maybe if the everyday deals were a bit more publicized that would help. I will come back just for the other types of deals. On a side note, I hope that a Target BF ad comes around soon. That's usually my first place to go that crazy morning.

 

Keep the deal coming!

[ladygab]

You should stick around and post more. :)

Thanks so much, and not much of a talker, or tapper should I say? :) I do love this forum though, and come often.

 

Thanks!

 

Happy Holidays,

Kelly

[tinkerszs]

I enjoyed it how it was. There is great info on this site.