An observation on the current business...
 

I have noticed in the past few months on various boards...including Oprano, that there is a chill in the air. There is a lot of bickering over small issues and small sums. There is a lot of finger pointing at ex "partners" for various problems, failures, and scams. There is wave of insults and attempts to trash people's businesses (competition?). And there are a lot of cash programme failures, or businesses on the market at some very "attractive" prices. There seems to be a war in the content world with big undercutting sales. All in all a malaise in the porn world.
When anyone mentions the "downturn" in the economy, there are the usual "I'm kicking ass this month" responses, and maybe some are. However, more and more are agreeing. The specter of tube sites is everywhere. The same people that are bitching about them on one board, are asking for advice on how to start one or monetize them on another.
All in all it ain't pretty. For the first time ever, it kind of feels that the market is very, very oversold and there is a frenzy of panic.
This might be a little colourful, but I do feel a chill in the air.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Sit back and enjoy the ride!
I am.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

I think the observation is more or less accurate. There is definitely a thinning of the herd taking place, and not just in the adult biz.

Some will depart gracefully, others will go down in flames, and there's always some trying to find a way to make a quick buck on other's misfortune.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

As the profit margins get tight, the business's that run a tight ship will survive. The business's that employ a fast and sloppy business plan will die off, be absorbed, sell out etc..

Fresh from GFY
http://www.gofuckyourself.com/showthread.php?t=823774

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

I'm laothe to blame something like tube sites - for a lot of reasons, but primary among them is that every time there are economic uncertainties in the broader market, there are a few things that happen:

1) Shoppers begin looking more often at deep-discount items,
2) Small business owners have a harder time staying afloat,
3) Credit begins to tighten. and
4) Marktes as a whole contract and consolodate.

Why should adult be any different? and most everything that you mention (backbiting, etc) are very common when times are tight. And a lot fo the things I am seeing mentioned here I think are strongly attributable to the larger economic picture. It's tough to justify paying for porn when you're looking at paying $40 to fill an economy car - and much, much more if you drive anything with horsepower - and you are looking down the barrel of a tightening job market.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Interesting thread.....

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Traffic matters. Lets see how much it matters to some of Freeones sponsors.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Fuck it ... I'm expanding! :yowsa: It's never as bad as it's made out to be (the economy), and it's ony "bad" until another fiasco happens for some more sensational coverage. Here is an honest disclosure: Had a few more chargebacks than usual this month, but my sales are steady or up on all of my little gumball machines .... :okthumb: The coolest thing about being amateur is that it's just us, no partners or investors to answer to. The fray you refer is amusing and I'm gonna take a seat next to Gonzo to watch.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Good luck to you.....the sand is just around the corner. You will recognize it by the number of guys with their heads buried in the pile.
I never said it was catastrophic, but there is a huge economic problem in the world at the moment. If Walmart is feeling it, everyone is feeling it.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

:-pearl:

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Gonzo you fucking piece of shit you owe me a box of KK

Ill get you and your little dog too

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

You dont eat no KK any more Mr Egg White Omlette!

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

darn foiled again

=(

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

"I'm kicking ass this month" :D

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

But porn is "recession proof".....lol
BTW, if you know anyone that needs a job, there is a huge labour shortage in Western Canada. Some businesses have gone under because they can't get staff. There are help wanted signs all over Vancouver and construction cranes everywhere. If you can hold a hammer you are working. However,its the American economy that unfortunately makes up a huge per centage of our business.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Sorry....I am a little deef....you say you got your ass kicked this month?

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Yes! . . . . .

You are most defiantly “deef”

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Sorry, I couldn't here you. Would you mind speaking up?

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

I just read through this thread and I can't believe the sheep just falling in line. Freeones wants everyone to pay them 70% because they are feeling the crunch....talk about short sighted idiots! Right there is your "fast and sloppy business plan", a company that just bounces really shit traffic around trying to dictate percentages to the sponsors they use to pay their bills. But the sad thing is, many of the sheep will fall for it. Not only are the sponsors working with a weak dollar, they will be get even less of it, and many think it's just fine.

Years ago, when the boys were swinging their dicks around, showing off about who could pay out more, and raising RevShare to 50%, I thought they were just plain crazy. It made no business sense whatsoever. Now we're hitting on 70% pay-outs! Madness, and a fully failing business model.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

But Danny, that is just business. From what I saw, they will get what they want. Personally, I don't give a shit. They will be the first adopters of this, and ultimately it will kill the golden goose. However, many will make a killing out of adversity, and these guys are really fucking smart. But they have the converting traffic.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

They don't really have converting traffic at all, they just manipulate a lot of it well. They throw enough at a program in hopes that some will stick. You'll get lots of traffic, but the conversion ratios are low. Lots of blinds and old fashioned circle jerk stuff.

But as I mentioned, they will get what they ask for as the sheep over at the zoo will just fall in line. A smart program would call them on it, and probably are in private. As we all know, real business is never done on the boards.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Shit I do all my business on the boards.....lol......
I do think, like I said, the first adopters will do ok. Its like the price of gasoline. They send it up to a buck thirty seven a liter and then we all think a buck twenty is a bargain. It is freeking altered reality. Sorry about the metric for our American friends, but gallons don't mean a lot to me anymore.

But I do think they crossed some lines. The good news is, a lot of people are going to disappear in the next six months and what is going to replace them will not be as good. I have never really thought that until now.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

As the "sheep" knuckle under we will witness the thinning of the herd. Culling of the weak and feeble will be a good thing for the industry. Too many substandard paysites and unsustainable tube business models eating at the customer base for too long. I think this is just the beginning. We have already seen some consolidation and some absorption of minor sites to flesh out the niches of the smarter, bigger, well managed sites, ie DeeCash. I really think we will see a huge turnover and churning in the industry in the next few months. It will make for an interesting show for sure.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Chicken Little Rears His Little Ugly Head
Once Again ....


He makes more Cameos in this business than Puffy in a Bad Boy Video.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

*cracks up at "recession proof"*

Sure, it's a lagging indicator, but if people simply have got less money to spend (and let's face it: stateside, they do, and according to global market news, it's affecting other markets as well - much like the Japanese econ explosion back in '98 blew up Asia and Europe) - they are certainly going to prioritise where it's going. Teh pr0ns are going to be down that list a bit, typically.

I mean, I'm less willing to go out and buy the new issue of Club when my econobox takes $50 to fill with petrol, is all I'm sayin'.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

We discuss all these issues at the safety meeting.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Ahhhh Danny Cox wise man!
Why programs allow affiliates to dictate their business model is beyond me.
70% rev share --- only a MORON would give that away instead of going out and buying their own traffic.

I think affilaites got into this habit back with all the rules you had to follow to get your TGP listed with some of the post owners.

They lose sight of the fact that a post owner is there to make THEMSELVES money FIRST and anyone else DEAD LAST.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

As Tommy says, "1 for them, 2 for me." :okthumb:

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

I had a feeling this post too would reappear. However, this is a different situation than previous sky crashing situations. The US economy will prolly never recover its total dominance thanks to the last 8 years of breath taking spending. The dollar is weaker than its been in decades....if ever. Gas prices are approaching the scary numbers of the gas "crisis" of the 70's. All that is left to put the icing on the cake is inflation. I recall when the price of butter tripled in a month.
This time chicken little has a few more arrows in his quiver. The previous doomsayers were more worried about free porn and 2257 which was always a non starter in my books and I posted pretty much what you just said, DK. But there are bigger influences at work today. I don't think everything is going to crash and burn for everybody, but the heady days are over. The "soft" landing has arrived and this time, those who don't have good traffic and good product are facing some serious problems (I have always hated challenge as a euphemism).
So I don't think this is necessarily an "end of the world" observation, but times are not as optimistic and opportunities not as easily available, and yes only the strong will survive. You see I do believe in Darwin.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Banner Headline in my local paper today was World Wide Food Crisis. Here is a bit of the article....
This state of fear is what is fueling Chicken Little and this time we all have to deal with it.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

http://myadg.com/op-2008/article.gif


The "I hope his dick still gets hard again tomorrow" sales strategies is
what your fuckers need to be looking at, not what the price of rice is...:doh01:

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Nitwit....

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

He'll be yankin' his crank tomorrow, regardless. The question is: does he pay for the spank bank, or grab something free?

When the decision comes down between food or petrol, fewer will say "Oh, I'll totally shell out for the new PornStar Update."

'm pretty sure that was his point. But I may be mistaken.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

I'm sorry Liz, :( I disagree.

Addictions comes first before the kids eat in this country. :salute:

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Spelling, grammar, and sentence structure, should also be high on the list.

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We don't need to know how to spell, we just gotta know how to drive trucks :okthumb:

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Oh, come now, EJ: Don't let's be ridiculous.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

See, your learning, I'll have your tomboy premadonna ass trained in no time. :okthumb:

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

How much will you pay for this video on Liz dancing?

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Depends on what shes wearing while dancing ;)

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

It wasnt much

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

:yowsa: Oh? really??? ya im intersted then,
throw a number my way, and there better be some cleavage involved with this dancing

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Ill throw in the full video of AJ doing his clown preformance too....

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

I got a truck full of blow up mannequins that needs to be in Miami by 3pm.
and since I pulled over at the truck stop to play with them, I'm running late now. GOTTA ROOOLLLLLL !!!
So let me know how much? :)

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

One can hope?....

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

The biggest issue facing the industry is poor grammar and a failure to use proper punctuation. If everyone did it right, we would all be billionaires.

Yes, this is the answer.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

AGAIN>>> cuz i feel like a broken record now, since we've been thru this before:

In a country that consist of spelling one word 5 different ways,
but pronounce it ALL the same way?
And where words spelled in one format but are pronounced or sentenced a TOTALLY different way. No where near the way spelt.
Then sorry people, I have no respect for your language from the get go.

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

Oh, that's all right...it's not easy to be an American. If it were, you could all be one of US. (Get the little pun, there?)
But, we like you anyhow. You keep working at it, and maybe, one day, we'll let you in!

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

GET BACK TO WORK DUDE
http://myadg.com/op-2008/gepetto2.jpg

What progression have you to show these past few months ?

Re: An observation on the current business...
 

I agree with Gonzo. We've both been around for over a decade at this biz.

What I'm seeing is like in any industry there are the incompetent and the greedy who fuck up things. It's that simple.

You have people who've made tons of money in this biz only to piss it away on dope and gambling and other stupid shit instead of putting things away for a rainy day.

I never did this full time because it was so easy. Only last 18 months or so I got attacked by some assholes who if you know the story are no longer in the biz. Their shit failed and several more now owe me money from court losses. Yes you have people undermining other people but that's why you have lawyers so they can go after the fuckheads.

I had to do diagnostics and damage control over the past year and it was fun. Found some new affiliates that actually convert, new strategies, new allies. I whittled everything down to the basics and to the bone so that the final responsibility would just be me and my artwork. It's never ever failed. I can now sit back and just draw toons and do little maintenance. I'm literally only a wee bit away from retiring on this income on a default basis.

In the meantime I don't sit on my ass I still look for the next way to make more capital.

I've found so many people in this biz are full of more shit than a constipated elephant. You find out when it's time to pay. I don't even deal with people who can't back up what they say. I've spent a good six figures on legals in the past few years straightening out a few assholes in this biz and more are on the way although they don't know it til it's too late.

It was high time I started cleaning house anyway.

So for me, one's status in this biz is in direct reflection to one's willingness to take responsibility for oneself.

Bottom line, it's who you hang out with.