#I could maybe make some bundle prices or do some sale in the future if I have break from other commission idk
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Brooklyn Supreme?
Extremely lad
#I don't think there are colour pictures of him I just vibed 🐎#and hello all horse lover followers!#would people be interested in horse/animal commissions or rider + horse or other steed type commissions 👀#I could maybe make some bundle prices or do some sale in the future if I have break from other commission idk#horse#Brooklyn Supreme
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Nintendo Switch: Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise, the newest version of a game that is new to me but not new to the world. My former BFF from highschool plays it way too much, thank you nintendo for letting us see how much our friends play each game. My former BFF just started playing it, I think to twitch? My sister played it on PS4 with a group of people who called her “The Tank”. I thought, it might be time to try it.
Set in the ninja-inspired land of Kamura Village, explore lush ecosystems and battle fearsome monsters to become the ultimate hunter. It’s been half a century since the last calamity struck, but a terrifying new monster has reared its head and threatens to plunge the land into chaos once again. More info: https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/monster-hunter-rise-switch/
My Thoughts On The Game:
I decided, with current Black Friday specials, that at $20 the game is worth trying, and to boot there is a demo! There is a DLC too, and the bundle is also on sale for $40 if I remember right. (At the time of posting this, the game is most likely back to full price). Watching my sister play, it is very japanese forest camp...which shocked me for some reason, but I thought maybe the folklore is where they get some of the monsters from? Doing the demo, you get a castle on the sea for the main image. How the hell does one have to do with the other? Maybe with the story if you play it out?
Now I have to start a new paragraph for this, follow me this is a bit of a rant. So, my sister has played previous versions and showed me her playing the current game. So I had some idea of how it worked, other than the remote being in my hand. I did the demo, and did a “beginner” round before the tutorial...thinking I could get a hang of the buttons on my way to the monster I was hunting. You have 9 faint attempts, and I got through about half of them before wanting to rage quit. I somehow figured out how to get out to the menu, and tried the tutorial, and it did not show me anything I did not already know?
This game, from what I know of it, has been the same very hard way for most releases. The most previous release of the game from 5 years ago was more for “western audiences” and is called Monster Hunter World. With Monster Hunter Rise, they went back to “normal” form. I get I may not be very good at this game the first time I play, but I had an idea of what to do and its not my first game I have ever played. But to play and basically have my arse whooped even if I hit all the buttons right, seems crazy to me. I was (half) joking when I told my sister that it seems that this game would appeal to people who like being dominated. No shame to those that have that like, but it is definitely not for everyone.
Since I saw this game on sale, I was going to try it for the “sale price” and if I liked it, buy the DLC when it went on sale after playing. Because I saw a demo, I thought I would try it before I buy. Man am I glad I did, my sister who did spend money on both Game/DLC feels like she should play it to justify her cost but not because she wants to? I know for me, this will be just like Need For Speed. I loved Hot Pursuit style but not the Underground style, and Hot Pursuit did not do well for the game maker. But they rebooted HP for switch and I bought the game twice (once for switch and xbox). I actually plan to look into Monster Hunter World for Xbox and may make a post about that in the future. The idea of a game so simple in idea (that all one does is hunt and get better at hunting, not unlike COD) yet so complex at the same time, is very appealing. But, from my own personal opinion, not played out well in this game.
#rant#gamer#gamer girl#now playing#nintendo switch#monster hunter rise#demo#review#spoiler free review#spoiler alert#single system#local wireless#online#action#capcom#teen#DLC#monster hunter rise sunbreak#black friday#monster hunter world
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Where to Get Witchy Supplies (part 1)
Hey guys! So this post is going to be another masterpost type with some info added. This is just a guide on where I get my witchcraft and wicca supplies on a budget! I know practicing in college or high school can be difficult when it feels like you have to have the BEST and PRETTIEST tools, supplies, etc, but it doesn’t have to be that way! This post is the first part to a two (maybe three) part series, and I will be posting the next part tomorrow!
So before we get into this list, I want to say that being a witch/wiccan/pagan or whatever you identify as does not mean you have to have the prettiest supplies. Really, the only thing that matters is if your tools function and that you connect with them! I also want to mention that some of these items are going to be on the ‘splurge’ side, but the majority are pretty cheap so you can save up for those pricier items! Let’s get into it babes!
Herbs
A big way to save on herbs is to avoid your grocery store most of the time. Of course you can compare prices between the sites I list below (which I tend to do for anything I buy so I can get the best deal!) These are a few of my favorite online places to buy herbs!
✴ Magical Omaha: this site has a TON of different supplies that you can buy online. My favorite section happens to be their herbs section. They also have bee pollen and beeswax beads in this section! They sell their herbs by the ounce, and every order I have placed has been perfect. They have $5 flat rate shipping that I believe is for all across America!
✴ 13 Moons: this site is a little pricier than Magical Omaha, and I am not too sure on their shipping (I believe it was around 5 dollars for me!) but they have a few more options than Magical Omaha. They have resins, more root options, and a few more herbs than Magical Omaha that I could see from browsing. They also have herbal sets and bundles, which Magical Omaha does not have.
✴ Mountain Rose Herbs: I am pretty sure this site is more catered towards alternative medicine or wellness. However, I have heard good things about the quality of their products, so I am adding it to the list!
Incense / Cleansing
So I do not have a lot of experience with buying incense as my apartment complex does not allow it, but I did a bit of research to find a couple cheap options for you guys!
✴ five below: This is a newer store (at least where I’m from) and while they are more of a bargain store, they do have a few options for incense and essential oils! One of the best deals I saw on their site was 20 incense sticks for 2 dollars! Definitely perfect for the witch on a budget. They also have free shipping on orders over 35 dollars!
✴ Incense Warehouse: This site has ENDLESS options for incense, sage, smudge sticks, really anything you can burn! If you can think it, you can find it!
Crystals
I personally rarely buy my crystals online (and when I do, I tend to go to Etsy), but there are a lot of options to do so! I will link a few below! However, for the most cost efficient way to buy crystals, I would definitely research any metaphysical stores in your area. That way, you will be able to make sure your crystals are in perfect shape and you are able to be sure you will connect with them. Also, always cleanse your crystals after you receive/buy them. You don’t know whose energy has been absorbed by them!
✴ Bliss Crystals: this Etsy is chalk full of crystals of all shapes and sizes! The prices are also extremely reasonable compared to many different stores I have browsed. Also, you receive free shipping on orders $35 and up!
✴ CrystalsnCreations: Elica has a wide variety of crystal kits and decorations! She also has a few ‘mystery’ kits where she intuitively chooses your crystals for you! You can also create your own crystal set. Her pricing is also very good, and I am pretty sure every order comes with free shipping!
✴ The Spirit Nectar (Canada): this shop has SO many crystals to choose from! They are organized by size and shape for ease. They also sell home decorations and some pretty cool artwork as well! There are quite a few items with free shipping to the US, and I’m pretty sure to Canada (I may be mistaken on the Canada bit).
✴ Your Crystal Shop: another shop with so many options. They mainly specialize in jewelry/pendants, but around 1000 items are currently under their sale section!
✴ Mandala Gems: I have only heard good things about this shop, and looking at their website just gives me a good feeling! SO MANY BIG CRYSTALS! They also have a clearance crystal section and a sale section!
Athames and Bolines
So for a witch on a budget, I honestly think that these are the hardest things to come by. An athame is a ritual knife that generally has a dark handle, is traditionally double sided (check your local knife laws!) and is not used for literal cutting (just ‘cutting’ energy or directing it). A boline is another ritual knife, but it is used for cutting or carving different things at your altar. It traditionally has a lighter handle, and can be a crescent moon blade, a small scythe, or even a pair of scissors! Something to always remember is if something does its job and you use it in your practice, then it is a proper tool!
There are so many options on Etsy for athames, and I have even run into a few interesting knives that could work as athames at vintage stores and art stores! You could even use a letter opener. Here are a few affordable options for athames!
✴ Botanical Resin Athame
✴ Hecate Athame
✴ Pewter Celestial Athame
✴ Adder Athame
✴ Personalized Leaf Letter Opener
✴ These Gorgeous Letter Openers
Etsy (can you tell I LOVE ETSY for all things witchy??) also has a great selection for Bolines! I personally use scissors or a carving knife as my boline, depending on what needs to be cut, but I’ll list some “traditional” bolines for you!
✴ Reaver Boline
✴ Moon Crescent Boline
✴ Druid Boline
✴ These Bolines and Athames from allwicca.com
Wands
Your wand is one of your most powerful tools. It helps you direct energy and focus your intentions in any ritual or spell. While you can buy a wand that you feel drawn to, I personally love making my own! I have made two in the past. So for this little list, I will be linking a few pre-made wand options, and a few tutorials on how to make your own wand! The lovely part about making your own wand is it is super cost effective and really, you probably only need to buy 1 or two things (a small crystal you would like to use and any carving tools you need). In the future, I will probably make a tutorial on how I make my wands!
Make your own wand!
✴ Tutorial 1
✴ My Tutorial! (will link when posted)
A few beautiful wands I found
✴ Handmade Maple Walnut Wand
✴ Quartz and Wood Wand (look through her Etsy for more!)
✴ Rough Selenite Wand (you can use completely crystal wands as well)
So babes, that’s about all for this part of the supply shopping post! In the next post, I will be adding more altar tools and possibly a few divination tools! If the divination tools do not fit into the next post, then I will be doing a third post about them!
Thank you so much for reading! If you have any questions, my ask is always open!
-dahlia
#dahliamasterpost#wicca#wicca masterpost#wiccan#witchblr#witch masterpost#baby witch#wicca supplies#witch supplies#wicca altar#pagan altar#witch herbs#witch crytals#crystals#baby witchblr#witch etsy#baby witch etsy#pagan#pagan etsy#thrift witch
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intro
n the world to come there is little sin There are just lots of american alligators It was a great idea, but it wasn't long before people started getting burned by their own fires The prediatrain movement caught fire in america The demand for american alligator meat skyrocketed and so did the price People began to get greedy and the greed got them killed You see no reason why this can't happen here too Whorals where burned to ash while polled hereford heifors fetched record prices at market that week The cows have returned to the farms and other prey animals make their homes in unused warehouses Over a billion dollars a head in auction sales! It'll take the world a few years to bleed the remaining American Alligators and it'll take a few more before there come reports of theft Googizon won the bid to construct for the military the most forward thinking alligator farm in existance All eggs used today bear the GoogZon prf mark It currently floats near the okeenokee snow swamp Or so it will say on their website No one believes it This is not that story "Come on Al, it's the target! " the tech yells as you take fire and hit the pavement We are primal ponds inc a predatory company, head quartered at number ten prime avenue And you are Al Brutal leads rank 3 for said company A small mom and pop alligator farm attemping to make it And you're casing it "We don't have sufficient evidence! " You yell back We need you to make deliveries for us When your territory was hoisted upon you you had a team It's gone, lost You have no one Please Point of view of the player: You wake up with a mean hang over and a thick head ache in the dark A delivery champion You will drive through the night to a swamp and break through glitched out gates is a lowly position He had a secert life as billy fea fbots navigator And one more thing He had to have known about his bugs Maybe all saltimbanques are fots dead ones or not but he googled it It turns out no one has made a crappy real time virtual reality game dedicated to About a dozen years before your time, digital reality came out billy fortes navigator yet Delivering dragon tail in the far, far, future or you could kill the bugs, sharpen your tusks, drink your vodka and hang out with the hardcore otters Maybe that needs to change You push "N" to climax the degrading disk and send it out into nothing We proudly introduce today drum roll please Doesn't anyone play regular instruments any more? Alligator delivery service A darkness awash light breaks through the windows and washes over you The door slams open and a deliverywoman walks in your office The alligator farm where the gator are delivered is currently under hostile takeover Trouble in the bandit managed quarry has led to good business for here A series of construction tasks allow you to flood the market with new affordable alligator meat and pelts You bring in your first load of revenue Already we own over four over ten foot alligators a buzzard and a vat of swamp water Let's throw ourselves a party and watch as they exterminate your future competition Including rex lex, your prime suspect Five years seems like enough time for our boys in blue to put the pain on old rex A massive 14 foot beast with jaws that could crush cars float in your tank You're out of coffee and are jittery as hell Each on is incredibly detailed with over twenty bioligocail parts like an engineers wet dream THey have nothing else worth mentioning, jsut huge predatory monsters that will sell for a bundle Part one of this weeks training pick up a nearly dead gator out the tank and work with it over time to tame it Part two Part thee no wait Part five Part four Lum rex overfished the river and died before we could get our hands on it use the dead rex to harvest collagen The only thing it's good for something, something That's it for this week folks Let's prepare today's shipment Part six bio-diesel Part seven shoot some folks in the face! wait wrong game Part eight Looks like we're gonna spend our earnings wher else but here oh yeah, No employee raises we're shorting titanium Gold doing amazing things with Bridge and tunnel construction in NYC Part nine THe alligator lays in the mud lifeless after taking multiple assaults from your shovel The alligator drops and lands with a heavy thud Part ten capitilize on new changes We all help load the alligator onto the semi As you secure it, Coming next fall We are currently broadcasting their vital signs over at americanalligator They're in a glass reinforced steel container welded under the deck xyz The accelerator and brake are under the dashboard Our alligators come in many different sizes, each perfect for their own uses We currently have a large supply of eggs that will be ready to "harvest" in about ten years Ages, shapes, sexes and shades are represented over our entire roster of workers They all have cute baby faces, cold reptilian eyes and maws full of razor teeth The like to eat, sleep, dream, and spawn but don't speak our language or one anothers They're sensitive to movement and bright lights but that's it They love to fight and gossip and spread allegiences through body language and scent We created them using centuries old processes, updated from breeding techniques pioneered by the USSR to create super soldiers The algorytms which run each alligator is closely modeled after the human brain and all it's decisions making pathways This allows each alligator to learn and rationalize After the habits of the real world reptile, alligator missippissus extended lenghts and agility are full 360 Their lungs breath and thier hearts beat just like yours Similar organs replaced with robotic parts replace hollow bones They bleed real blood and molt just like the real things Orders for gator teeth are starting to accumulate and folks just love those mugs hand painted with an engraving of the Holy Rood, it's such a conversation piece! Our desire is to create an expierence which leaves you dripping in the hair, blood, offal and oil of adead reptile From the feeling of utter terror and awe as you combat one of these unpredicatable beasts The thrill of the hunt as you dispatch one of these creatures, the feeling of being a great hunter Alligator delivery service in addition to gator tail, hide, meat and eggs available Please allow around 8 weeks for your tail ordered to be ready for pickup We serve realism No happiness in killing a creature, even if it's wrong The realism of death is important to us Their every behavior has been memorized by the leading ichthyologists to achieve lifelike movement in our alligators Hours of alligator combat video have been studied Real life wild life wranglers have been interviewed for interaction of our beasts and filmed for the feeding times Now we just need to budget of 500 dollars towards the creatation of an alligator carcasses ready for consumption Our dedicated staff is enthusiastic to begin serving you Of an accurate alligator wrestling simulation This will give our patrons a greater sense of fulfillment when slaying these beautiful beasts in the wild And on behalf of all the artists improving perfect beeing CCD is commited to becoming your best supplier of fuctioning animal organs, so if you are ever in market for any glactic wild beast organ or rept Thank you for allowing us to serve your alligator fantasies Note: No animals are killed in the creation of these projects Alligator parts are ordered online, at real prices Tail orders ready in 8 weeks Sofware is taking over everything and eating the jobs of the working class as they increase efficiency We will be the last one standing the monopoly we need to succeed to provide our parents a stable future, no matter the cost The artists become in time we all will be artists The human condition is to become an artist Our skin becomes a canvas for our violent mammal urges To become one with nature We cant do it know be have sacracity Father of the art we become the last mammal on Earth So people have to be responsible in any way they feel correct to build on their future and fulfill the promises Should we try something that hasn't been tried yet? Algrothymic story telling with algrothymic alligators What would be worth giving your life for? -Youtuber "Mothers Meateor" Chances are your are going to be entrenched in a feeling of emptynes as you see most of your kind unfulfilled You play this game more like real life knowing that there is nothing after what happens Utter terror and awe sometimes as you encounter an alligator you have neve seen before As if it really exists Pleasure of the hunt as you begin to think cruelly The first simulation we need to get on-line is wrestling for alligator teeth Please remember your payment for the materials: it will all be worth it in the future For mom Let us become artists On the farm are incredibley detailed models of different organs This is the source of our realism Our bodies become painted canvases to be admired in their perfection They own the following body parts 1 heart, 2 lungs, 3 ribs, 4 kidneys, 5 teeth, 10 pints of blood, 20 gutfuls of feces, 40 liver slices and ------------- It has many storys as humans describe them Sofawin notes interpretation However, there are descriptions to the creation stories Brain storming: Defination- Flying dream Master piece realness bone organ healthiness enlightenment artist scrawling writing hard work starving pain, embrace sunlight sacrificing accuracy for fast 2 Left eye ribs 6-12, 2 arms, 10 fingers, 2 lungs 10 ribs right leg 5 toes Foundation bone setup Outline proportions 2: 1 3 crown Right eye eyebrows art piece scars chin 3 fingers I am the white masked guy with an eye tattoo over my right eye, I manage all the projects Upper jaw piece William 'bill' coles - Born 10 Lower jaw 5 Indian boy with attitude Duncan brennan - 5 Right ear A pig heart the size of a cannon ball you struggle to keep alive this is your 2nd pig heart you have had Left ear Rion - Really tall african-american guy from new orlean, likes to wear black Tail You are not the only mutant alligator in this city You must fight for territory and you want old orleans Front right leg An alligator that walks upright and a sword weilding alligator cowboy from atlantic city He is a drug-fueled mutant Front left leg A blind lesbian alligator that carries a padmachine gun Hind right leg This guy has a harpoon for his tail Hind left leg This alligator is a pyromaniac who likes to blow thing up A tiny little 85 year old alligator with a sugar addiction Heart and lungs Master echo luke tyler - Blind guy with a magic staff lives in memphis Urinary/Defecation system I heart mary Gentiles part I am part shark, part primate or monkey Nose Hope is on the horizon for all mutant alligator people! We are moving to new orleans in 1 year Right flank Last show for old orleans guys! Testicles Left flank Charilaia - 1 year left to live wants to go out in style Carly - underwater welding alligator woman rare and beautiful Martin - Addicted to alcohol and drugs Back hide abby- Normal florida gator Eh-pee Biggest enemy is the skinless man who wears cotton on his belly and uses a sword for violent acts Belly hide Teeth Skinless men - Are skinless humans, think they are vampires when really they are just psychos Lungs Wasp - Black and yellow striped arrival to new orleans airport, walks to old orleans in 5 hours Kidney's/ genital organs fran The alligator has a weight in kg based on its heart size The weight is not just a number but how it effects the alligator's every motion A percentage of the weight is affixed to each body part section and organ All the percentage of the weight equal to one hundred for example; The alligator's liver makes up 4 76% of its total body weight The alligator's skin makes up of 11 These precentages affect certain rules of the game Skin 4 85 We specialize in home loans The thicker an alligator's skin; The more it costs, but the house price is higher too We need all the words to describe an alligator hide 1 millimeter of skin thickness reduces house price by 200 dollars and increases mortgage cost by 1% Word one to describe alligator hide can change price by 100 dollars Each word after the first adds 100 dollars to cost The words are modified later for better Buyer experience Word two to describe alligator hide can change price by 10 dollars Each word after the first adds 1 dollar to cost Word three to describe alligator hide can change price by 1 dollar Word four to describe alligator hide can change price by 0 dollars Each word after the first adds 0 dollars to cost Word five to describe alligator hide can change price by -1 dollars Each word after the first adds -1 dollar to cost Word six to describe alligator hide can change price by -10 dollars each word after the first adds -10 dollars to cost , the words are modified later for better Buyer experience Word two to describe alligator skin can change price by 10 dollars each word after the first adds 1 dollar to cost Word ten to describe alligator skin can change price by 1 dollar each word after the first adds 0 dollars to cost Word ten to describe alligator skin can change price by 0 dollars each word after the first adds -1 dollar to cost Word ten to describe alligator skin can change price by -1 dollar each word after the first adds -10 dollars to cost Word ten can describe alligator skin can change price by -10 dollars each word after the first adds -100 dollars to cost Word ten can describe alligator skin can change price by -100 dollars each word after the first adds -1000 dollars to cost Word ten can describe alligator skin can change price by -1000 dollars each word after the first adds -10000 dollars to cost Word ten can describe alligator skin can change price by -10000 dollars each word after the first adds -100, 000 dollars to cost Word ten can describe alligator skin can change price by -100, 000 dollars each word after the first adds -1, 000, Word ten can describe alligator skin can change price by -1, 000 dollars each word after the first adds -10, 000 dollars to cost every word change increases the price by not 1000 dollars but 10, 000 and that is not a typo http: //pastebin Word ten can describe alligator skin can change price by -10000000 dollars each word after the first adds -10000000000 dollars to P 114 your skin if you haven't read our company ethos, try reading over our summary and your choice will be obvious We believe A creed to live buy and die by we are building a rocket ship and we are trading in fantasy, science, fiction things that no reasonable human should, the old ideas have drifted away and belief systems rapidly put in their place there never was much no need to re-read our creedo you're a reasonable human aren't you? don't lie Scrap of paper, grain P 115 wait at your home If you have not arrived in two hours turn this page turn it now read it later your will is crucial Your where about are not zero hour 05: 00 hours The stable alligator with curiosity looks at the woman standing nervously in the newly bought dress
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25 Years of Sega Saturn & Virtual Boy - Flashback Special!
After the deluge of wrestling-themed entries for WrestleMania month this past 30 days, I have been pining to do another videogame anniversary special. Looking up which platforms have major milestone anniversaries this year, I noted six that stuck out. Four of the platforms (NES, Xbox 360, PSone, PS2) I have an extensive history with and they will get their own respective flashback treatment from me when their anniversaries draw nearer later this year. The other two platforms have all had lackluster or outright abysmal degrees of retail success and both I have only had limited histories with and never played on a consistent basis. Nevertheless, the time I did have with them I considered unique and I do have some fond memories of my experiences with each platform. So let us get on with this flashback special as I celebrate the 25th anniversaries of two consoles that each hit in 1995: Sega’s Saturn and Nintendo’s Virtual Boy.
I want to begin with the platform I have played the least of these two, the Saturn. Yes, I played my Virtual Boy and its daunting 14 game library more than the Saturn. In 1995 I was still lagging a generation behind on the latest consoles. All my family had was an NES at this point and I recently got a GameBoy for Christmas of 1993 so in 1995 I was getting a lot of mileage out of my GameBoy and my parents were still hitting up garage sales for bargain price NES game for me. By the time the Saturn and PSone hit in mid-1995, I was a year away from getting a SNES which I desired more so the Saturn and PSone were not even close to making my wish list. I read about them looming in magazines like Game Players and Electronic Gaming Monthly, but truth be told I was not all that excited for the future of disc-based platforms and the advent of polygonal graphics that were about to come into fruition with 32-bit consoles. As a naïve 12-year old, the first major 3D polygonal games that hit on SNES and Genesis in the early 90s like Star Fox and Virtua Racer looked butt-ugly to me, and from trying out demo kiosks of PSone and Saturn at stores the impatient kid I was back then was furious at this newfound ‘feature’ of the latest systems having loading times. Combine that with my family having no desire to chunk down several hundred dollars for another gaming system and I was left with no cravings for the Saturn and PSone when they both hit in 1995. I had no clue of Sega’s surprise Saturn launch announced at the first E3 in May of 1995. For the unfamiliar, it was when going into that E3 it was known that both the Saturn and PSone were slated to launch within days of each other in September of 1995, but at Sega’s press conference they said right then and there the Saturn is out right now at a handful of select retailers. In 1995 the Internet was only around for a few years and not even the slightest bit ubiquitous. Computers were still a couple years away from coming down to more reasonable family friendly prices, so at this time I got all my gaming news from my monthly subscription to Game Players.
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Here is the podcast special on the Saturn I originally recorded way back in 2008. Check it out if you want to know even more about the history of the Saturn and its games. I wound up largely ignoring both the Saturn and PSone for the first few years they were out, maybe occasionally trying out an occasional store kiosk demo and that was about it. I remember the magazines at the time putting a lot of hype into Sega’s arcade ports, and console exclusives like Panzer Dragoon getting cover stories of having mind-shattering graphics, but I was not buying it at the time and stubbornly remained loyal to my 2D sprites. For the Saturn, I finally got my first real experience with it in April of 1997. I remember shortly before this time the Saturn was being pushed aggressively on TV with a special 1996 holiday bundle packaging it with Daytona USA, Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Cop for $199. I had no idea at the time why this ridiculous deal happened was because Sega was getting killed in sales at this point in the PSone/Saturn/N64 era and they were desperately trying to play catch-up with a hell of a value considering several months earlier in 1996 it was clinging onto its dooming launch price of $399.
Flash forward a few months later in April of 1997 and my hometown got hit with a huge flood that forced a mandatory evacuation of the entire town for a couple weeks until the waters receded. For a couple days our family stayed at a nearby air base hangar. I believe we were planning on hunkering down there for several days until a couple days in my uncle from St. Paul surprised us and showed up and ‘volunteered’ on taking us in and refused to leave without us coming with him. My siblings and I were delighted to get out of the crowded hangar and spend time with our cousins for what ended up being a week before we were able to get back home. My cousin Royce, who was within a year of my age at the time wound up getting that Saturn three game bundle for Christmas a few months earlier and we played those three games along with the demo disc that came with the system almost every day. We must have played through Virtua Cop at least a few times, and I remember finding it a big step up from previous light gun games I was accustomed to. Daytona USA at the time did not really click with me, and while I was impressed with the graphics at the time I did not come around to checkpoint-racing games yet and was more turned off by their enforced time limits back then. On the demo disc our family got a lot of fun competing against each other in the home run derby mode available in World Series Baseball. The standout game of the pack was easily Virtua Fighter 2. It blew me away and for me it was the first game that proved not only for fighting games, but for games all together that 3D polygonal graphics and gameplay could be viable and damn fun. I knew I was a couple years late to the party by this point, but by 1997 polygonal graphics were no longer the crude, non-textured blocks and rectangles on the SNES and Genesis, but actually had some depth and style to them. I loved Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat at this point, but Virtua Fighter 2 proved to me that 3D fighters could coexist with 2D ones.
That week with my cousin was my proper introduction to the 32/64-bit era. It would be over a decade though before I got more serious hand-on time with the Saturn. Not many friends of mine had the Saturn back home, or if they did we rarely busted it out. My friend and former podcast co-host, Matt has a mammoth collection, and I only recall us turning to the system once or twice all these years to play the charming platformer SCUD. Another friend and podcast co-host of mine, Chris also has a Saturn in his equally mammoth game collection, and until 2008 I only recall us powering it on a couple of times to play the fun co-op action platformer, Three Dirty Dwarves, which had a nonsensical, grungy vibe to its destruction. In 2008, we were a couple years into doing our videogame podcast and we loved doing console retrospectives, so we decided it was time to do one on the Saturn. I just uploaded it to YouTube and integrated it into this article for your listening pleasure! Chris knew about my limited Saturn hands-on time at this point so we decided to spend literally a whole afternoon, about four to five hours of ‘research’ playing a good chunk of his Saturn collection. About 10-15 minutes for each game for a quick refresher for what each game brought to the table. There was one though we played for about two hours straight. That was the rare Panzer Dragoon Saga Chris had a copy of. I knew about it being a collectible at this point and heard the acclaim for it being an ahead of its time RPG and professed to Chris to hope to spend a little more time with it to see what the hype was all about. I remember digging its rail-shooter action the first two games established while simultaneously mixing in RPG style mechanics and exploration. I think we both got wrapped up in it, and stuck with it a bit longer than anticipated. Suffice it to say, those opening hours stood out to me all these years later and I can see why Panzer Dragoon Saga became a hot commodity.
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Jeremy Parish did an excellent line of videos with deep dives on every individual Virtual Boy game released, including Japanese exclusives. Here is his take on the Wario's exclusive Virtual Boy game as of yet to be re-released, Wario Land. In my TurboGrafX-16 flashback, I wrote about how I procured the system at a gaming community meet-up event. At that same event there were several gaming systems hooked up for play throughout the night, and one of them was the Saturn. One of the highlights of that night was someone bringing enough multi-taps and controllers that we were able to get plenty of rounds of eight player Saturn Bomberman in. I am a fan of classic multiplayer Bomberman, but never played more than four players before, and was surprised to see the Saturn pull off an eight player version with a micro-sized map and characters in order to fit everyone on screen. It was a Bomberman experience that nothing will likely ever stack up to. I dug up a photo from the event of all of us gathered around the TV so you call can see the tech in action!
Sadly, I never got anymore hands on time with the Saturn after this. It is one of the few major consoles that I do not own. For years I remember seeing the system for sale at our local retro games shop for around $30, but I always hesitated on it. The games I enjoyed on there Sega released better sequels on other systems, and I later got to check out some of its top ranked games like the Capcom fighting games, Guardian Heroes, Nights Into Dreams... and acclaimed shmups like Radiant Silvergun on enhanced re-releases on the Xbox 360 and PS3. There remains games exclusive to the Saturn that I always wanted to try like Die Hard Arcade, World Series Baseball ‘98, Fighters MegaMix, Burning Rangers and Shining Force III, but with retro game prices continuously going up, the time to start a Saturn collection has come and gone in my book unless I happen to stumble upon a steal of a deal. I do have one Saturn game in my collection however, and I will give props to Matt once again who gifted me his extra copy of Bug!. While Sega pulled the plug early in America on the Saturn, it comparatively fared much better than Nintendo with the Virtual Boy. It launched in America in August of 1995, and sold so poor right out of the gate that Nintendo could not have abandoned the platform any faster. Its last game, 3D Tetris, hit North America in March of 1996, only seven months after it launched and with a total of a meager 14 games officially releasing stateside. I remember seeing the hype leading up to the Virtual Boy’s launch in the magazines, and like with the initial wave of polygonal graphics, I was not sold on the concept of virtual reality. However, a couple months after that same flood hit in 1997 our local Wal-Mart had unsold Virtual Boy inventory it was desperate to get rid of by selling the system itself for $20, and games for $5 each. This was one of the first times as a kid I recall my dad abstaining from his garage sales-only videogame rule and realized the steal the system was going for. We walked out of that Wal-Mart with the system and the copy of Mario’s Tennis it came bundled with, along with copies of Golf, Mario Clash and Nester’s Funky Bowling.
I was in the midst of spending summers on a farm at this point in my childhood for several years, and that was the summer of Virtual Boy with my siblings. I played the crap out of all four of those games. I abided by the recommended break alerts that popped up every 15-30 minutes seriously because I recall the gaming mags at the time reporting on the Virtual Boy causing eye strain after consistent use. Even with all that heavy duty play of the Virtual Boy that summer, somehow I am the only one in my family that does not have glasses. All four games we had were solid, but not mind blowing. Mario Clash I thought was a nice, fully-featured take on the classic original Mario Bros. arcade game that fleshed out that style of gameplay with about 100 stages and got so difficult early on I did not come close to finishing it. Golf was a good simulation of the sport, but it only had one course so I did not revisit it that often. I remember enjoying Mario’s Tennis a lot, but this being the debut version of that game it was more of a tennis sim with Mario characters, and had less of the wacky mini-games and power-up attacks associated with the franchise today. My siblings and I played a ton of competitive Nester’s Funky Bowling. There was not anything that funky about it other than the occasional cheerful animation from Nester and his twin sister Hester whenever you scored a strike or spare, but it was a functional enough bowling game that we had plenty of fierce rounds of over that summer. After that summer we and I got our fill of those four games and the Virtual Boy found itself in the closet for many years. Eventually I randomly dug it out and found the tripod busted, and the pack that hooked up to the back of the controller that contained the plug-in for the AC adaptor was missing. With no means of powering on the Virtual Boy, it sat in a bag forgotten in my closet for well over a decade. I will thank one Jeremy Parish for renewing my interest in Virtual Boy with his excellent line of Virtual Boy Works videos. For those that are unfamiliar with him, Parish is one of most credible members of the retro gaming press, with him hosting the renowned retro-game podcast, Retronauts since 2006 and going on to write countless books and producing chronological video series on nearly every 20th century Nintendo platform. He averages one video a week, which usually highlights one or two games and does a deep dive into its development history and then proceeds to review the game. A few years in he has already covered almost all the games released from the first years of the SNES and the first two years of NES and GameBoy.
Throughout 2019 Parish took a detour from those three systems to focus on going through the entire VirtualBoy library, including its several Japanese exclusives. His surprise love for the platform shined through his thorough coverage for each game. It is a well-produced series and fantastic history lesson for this blink-and-miss-it platform that I highly recommend checking out by click or pressing here, especially now to learn about the first major attempt at a virtual reality platform with VR now having a modicum of success with the PlayStation VR and the Oculus Rift having made legit waves these past few years. Virtual Boy Works inspired me to track down a few more Virtual Boy games to my collection which were surprisingly going for not that much on eBay. I wound up getting Galactic Pinball, TeleroBoxer, Virtual League Baseball, Vertical Force and Wario Land. I also tracked down a replacement AC Adaptor hub and tripod stand which resulted in my Virtual Boy powering on once again! I tested out all these games briefly. I love me some videogame pinball, and Galactic Pinball has some nifty 3D tricks up its sleeve. TeleroBoxer is like Punch-Out meets Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots or Real Steel for the younger readers who need a more contemporary reference. Vertical Force is a competent shmup, and I wish I put more than a few minutes into Wario Land because it is a legit top notch platformer and went down as one of the few highly rated games on the system. I swear to one day make it through Wario Land! Thank you for joining me on this two part 25th anniversary special for the Saturn and Virtual Boy! Got a favorite Virtual Boy or Saturn memory of your own? I would like to hear how it compares to my tale so shoot me a line on Twitter over @Gruel. If you enjoyed this journal-style flashback special, than I encourage you to check out the links below to the specials I wrote for the Dreamcast, GameBoy, Genesis, TurboGrafX-16 and yes, even the 32-X. Thank you all once again for indulging me!
My Other Gaming Flashbacks Dreamcast 20th Anniversary GameBoy 30th Anniversary Genesis 30th Anniversary TurboGrafX-16 30th Anniversary and 32-X 25th Anniversary
#videogames#saturn#virtual boy#virtua fighter#panzer dragoon#nester#wario land#three dirty dwarves#teleroboxer
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Since I’m feeling quite apathetic right now let’s talk business aka unpack why superm’s marketing strategy was set to fail from the very beginning
Main reason is their concept. The avengers of kpop / superheroes or whatever you wanna call it implies two things.
First is that they literally gonna be cosplaying superheroes, driving fast cars, flying helicopters, there will be explosions etc. It’s an obvious attempt to cater to american audiences who’s been into this trend for a while. Fair enough, I guess there’s not much more to it, other than, my personal opinion is that it’s not very original. More on the limiting side really. The execution, no matter how much money was put into it, is still cringy. Also, there’s the issue with the fact that sm already has a group with literal superpowers that would fit the concept much better, so no matter how you look at it, superm just seems like a recycled version of EXO with a strong NCT influence (especially when Jongin and Baekhyun keep their superpowers in superm). But that aside.
The second and more important thing that this concept implies is their main positioning strategy. Positioning means defining yourself as a brand - what are your strong points, what are your characteristics, what makes you different from other brands. Superm’s whole brand image revolves around how they are super, they are the best, they are better than anyone else, they are the ultimate team. Now, the problem is that these titles are entirely self-given and have no reflection in reality, both as of before debut and as of now after they debuted. Titles mean nothing if they aren’t acknowledged by others and there is no way for others to acknowledge/judge the group when it hasn’t even debuted yet. You can’t promise the consumers (because kpop fans are still consumers, especially in the company’s eyes) something that you are not sure of, much less something that turned out to be untrue.
There’s a big disonance in how sm wants to cut superm members off from their original groups and strongly push the image of superm being something entirely new and revolutionary, but they also use these groups’ cumulative sales and social followings to create an image for superm. Image that is not even representative of the whole group, seeing as how 90% of sales and followings superm brags about come from EXO alone.
It’s clear that sm thought that some of the success of each group will translate to a superm success in an additive way. Which..... honestly I can’t understand how you could make such an assumption when the most basic market research will tell you that this is not how things work. People are not sm stans, especially not the people they expected to carry the majority of superm’s sales. How sm didn’t predict the backlash, I have no idea, maybe they just arrogant like that, but it’s obvious they didn’t expect it.
Even if you consider the fact that their main goal isn’t pushing superm, but creating the buzz in america for the future new groups and/or NCT, you just don’t invest such big money without expecting some of it to be returned, especially since that profit also translates to creating the image of supergroup that sells a lot. (This is why sm kept lowering the price of albums from 16$ to 14$, made a 10$ discount if you buy all 8 versions, made individual covers with guaranteed included photocards of the same person that is on the cover, gave the a pre-order period of over one month, and made bundles of 50$ concert ticket + album for free that will count for overall sales that they dropped after all the people who were going to buy albums anyway already bought them). Which takes us back to how they promised their fans something based on expectations that they now aren’t able to fulfill. The group already debuted and it’s crickets about number of pre-orders and sales. You know that if there was anything to brag about, they’d be doing it left and right, but as it is now, they’re probably still counting the bundles so it appears as a higher number.
So to summarise, sm promised the fans something that they had no guarantee of coming true and, lo and behold, it didn’t come true. They basically set all superm members to be humiliated. They completely ignored their audience’s demand and supplied something they thought would do well on god knows what basis. They continue to treat their main consumers (loyal fans of the original groups) like something disposable and unimportant, despite clearly counting on them to contribute to the sales and streaming. They also make the members take the blame for their lies and miscommunication, which might appear like it’s helping the image of the company, but as I’ve already said, people aren’t fans of sm, they are fans of their groups, so if they see that their faves are being dishonest, unloyal or using them, they will turn against them, which ultimately means turning against sm. We made a full circle, sm loses anyway, and all thanks to lack of proper strategy adapted to current situation on the market and fans’ demand, really bad PR and being so blatantly manipulative.
#whew if someone read all of it congrats!#i kinda wanna tag s*perm because i want to hear other opinions but sth tells me that all i'm gonna get is that i'm spreading negativity 💀#15
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10 Ideas To Help You Sell More Tickets ASAP...
Have I told you that I’m going to Sydney for the Ticketing Professionals Australia Conference on 14th and 15th November yet?
Of course, I have.
I’m bringing Simon Mabb, CEO of Booking Protect, with me.
I’m also looking at doing a special event in Melbourne on Monday or Tuesday, 18 or 19 November built around sports marketing, ticket sales, and revenue.
You want more information, email me [email protected]
But as I’ve been researching the Australian ticket market, I’ve begun to see some similar opportunities and challenges in markets around the world, so I wanted to highlight 10 of them quickly.
And, I will work on expanding on them in future posts:
1. Think packages:
Pretty much everywhere in the world, we can go with some sort of package. Maybe this package includes travel, accommodations, and some sort of featured benefit.
Most travel agents and hotels do this naturally.
Why?
Because it works.
The Washington Nationals just started promoting a first pitch package.
That’s a great start. Now what else can we do?
2. Add value at every step:
Sometimes we can forget that the sales cycle is a process and that as we are working people down the sales funnel, we need to add value to keep them moving towards a purchase.
How can you add value at each step?
There are tons of things but here are a few that may make sense that are used in other industries or with other entertainment acts:
Free downloads
Special access
Members-only newsletter
Upgrades
3. Bundles:
I’m working on a project to do a full-day sales and marketing event in New York City in January 2020 with a couple of my friends and we have been talking a lot about bundling things together.
Why are bundles valuable?
They allow you to increase the perceived value of a package or an offer without cutting the price.
Here are some ideas if you are offering a ticket:
Add a t-shirt
Add a drink or food
What about a cap?
Parking?
Activate your partners in a bundle
4. Partnerships:
I love partnerships.
Why?
Because they give you and your partner a chance to work together to reach a bigger audience, make an impact, and do creative stuff while generating revenues for you.
You have to look for win-win deals though.
None of this win at all cost crap. That stuff doesn’t work too well.
5. Know your marketing window:
This needs a fully fleshed-out article, but the simple explanation for this is that in sports and entertainment you have certain windows around on-sale dates, schedules, pre-seasons, and such that are big windows for marketing pushes.
You want to have a fully thought through year-round marketing calendar that gives you these dates and puts in motion campaigns that build to these points.
6. Know your sales window:
Comparable to above, but if you listened to my podcast with Jacob Lausen, you’ll know that the sales window is specific too.
You need to recognize when and why people are buying and manage that process effectively.
Like the marketing window, this needs its own special post.
7. Be creative, think about the new:
Live in the new is sort of a motto around the offices of Dave.
We are always thinking about new ways to share ideas, add value, and create opportunities for you and me!
Another way of thinking about this that might be helpful to you is to ask yourself what sacred cows you have in your organization and whether or not they should be tested or killed off.
Or, you could just keep an idea folder full of new and crazy ideas for selling and marketing your tickets.
The reality here is that consumers are inundated with marketing and sales messages, so the same-old ideas aren’t likely to get traction…so we have to be creative.
8. Combine marketing and sales:
Ian Taylor reminded me that I’m too sales driven. I need to think marketing first.
I’ve got a better reply than I used to.
I don’t think sales first or marketing first. I think both at the same time.
Why?
Because I feel like you can build a brand and get people to buy at the same time.
One challenge many of us face is that marketing may not get the credit it deserves or the emphasis it needs. And, sales may never know how best to use marketing…vice versa.
We need to tear down the silos here a lot more.
9. Improve the experience:
This does a few things.
It gives your guests a sense of excitement when they come.
Think the idea that Jesse Cole talks about with the Savannah Bananas of putting on a “show” at each game.
Also, when you offer a great experience you can create word of mouth that helps boost your marketing.
10. Focus your marketing efforts:
I think we try to think about marketing too often in terms of words that are meaningless like reach, buzz, engagement, and so on.
Let’s focus on ROI now!
You can do that by taking time to focus on the specific audiences, sectors, or personas so that you can control a market, a message, and hope to penetrate a market that is inundated with messages and asks for attention.
I’m going to work on fleshing these ideas out more in a future series of posts.
What say you?
Will we see you in Sydney or Melbourne? Let me know. Email me [email protected] and I have a special treat for you if you’ve purchased your TPCAU tickets!
Please follow and like us:
10 Ideas To Help You Sell More Tickets ASAP… was originally published on Wakeman Consulting Group
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Tis the season... to be hunting
Aw yes! Here we are folks. Yard sale season. You know what that means. Actual finds. Spring cleaning has come and gone! People are now having Yard Sales, and donating to thrift stores. We are already chock full for this post, so sit back and relax, I have pictures of everything, and it is a long one.
First up is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for Playstation - Found 2018.04.20 at Goodwill
I have never played this game, and have no intention of playing this game. Hate to start out o a bit of a negative note, but Harry Potter is of no interest to me. It was $0.99, so with tax, $1.06 out the door. Strictly resale bait. Anything I can sell for about seven to eight times what I paid for it, I’ll always pick it up.
Next up, you are witnessing the very first yard sale I was able to get to this season. It was literally within walking distance of my house. I happened to see the sign on the way out to get breakfast on the morning of April 21st. It was so convenient I really had no thoughts of actually finding anything. But of course I stopped anyway and lo and behold... three very nice condition PS2 games. Nothing earth shattering, but I’ve been wanting to try the Ratchet and Clank games for a while. Now is my chance.
Ratchet and Clank - PS2 - Found on 2018.04.21 at a yard sale
As you can see from the masking tape price tag, it was only $0.50. Those are my kinds of prices, especially for clean, well taken care of games. It is complete and in great condition.
It has instructions/poster. Which are in A condition, as well as a solid A disc, and A case. I will be looking forward to checking out this game in the near future. Not sure when, but soon. Especially since the lot came with an additional Ratchet and Clank game...
Ratchet and Clank Going Commando - PS2 - Found on 2018.04.21 at a yard sale
Another one in pristine condition for being as old as it is. Same ratings accross the board as it’s prequel. Could not ask for much more. Solid games for a very good price at this sale.
Once again, just minty fresh, and complete with instructions/poster. Definitely going in the collection, right along with Ratchet and Clank.
The third one they had may go in a bundle or be trade bait, I am not a big Star Wars, or Lego movie/game fan, don’t get me wrong, I love Legos. I just always thought the games and movies were hoakie and kinda blah. But, for $0.50, its hard to really pass up any title. I may have bought freakin Madden games for that price just to have extra cases or bundle fodder.
Lego Star Wars The Video Game - PS2 - Found on 2018.04.21 at a yard sale
Once again, just immaculate condition. A’s accross the board. There were kids at the sale, but I cannot imagine this was ever handled by them, I have a feeling the homeowner was also the PS2 owner. There were no other games or consoles out. Which is strange. Who puts out just three PS2 games. However, being the first sale, and so dumbstruck was I that I even found something, I broke my very first rule. I forgot to ask about more games. So I’m not sure if they would have had any more, or be willing to part with them if they had. Dropped the ball there, it won’t happen again.
An item that is a little off topic from the usual blog content, I also picked up a really nice Sony dual tape deck for $1 at the same sale, it says “turns on but won’t play”, I immediately figured it needed belts. I opened it up and it does in fact need belts. They are snapped and gooey, wrapped around the flywheels and gears. I have ordered a set and I can’t wait to get those in and fix it up, and listen to all my old cassettes. Maybe even turn a few of them into MP3. Not traditional music Cassettes, these are recording I made when I was a kid, and even live concerts i recorded off of the radio back in the early 90′s. Can’t replace those. So backing up to digital would be very nice.
Well. Since that is not related to the normal content of this blog we’ll just stop talking about that one right there. Though if you don’t mind seeing a few things here and there outside of gaming for finds, I’m happy to toss one in here and there. Leave a comment if you feel one way or the other on that topic. Here is a pickup recap photo with the tape deck in it for fun anyway.
Moving quickly on, or this will be a mile long and you will be here all day reading this post. I think it may get to be a mile long anyway. Sorry about that.
A couple days later I popped back into a Goodwill and found a game I never could get to play on any of my machines at the time it came out. I think I had a demo, and it absolutely destroyed both my rigs at the time. It was unplayable. It is old enough to be on 5 CD ROM discs, no DVD ROMs here! In a nice condition double disc jewel case I found...
Far Cry - PC - Found 2018.04.23 at Goodwill
I picked it up and thought, there has to be a missing disc, or they are all scratched to hell. But nope, every disc was accounted for, and they were in immaculate condition. Ubisoft releases patches for their older games, and after a quick Google search in the store, it appears there is one that will allow this to work on Windows 10. So I bought it. $1.06 out the door from the CD bin. I haven’t tried it yet, and even if it doesn’t work, that’s a cool piece to have.
Next up is another one I had a long time ago, not valuable or rare or anything, but was a good game that I enjoyed playing in the early 2000′s.
Fable - XBox - Found 2018.05.03 at Goodwill
This was in a little rougher condition than I’d have liked, but it might still play. See the scratches on the disc below.
Worst case I can get it resurfaced for like $2. The scratches do not have a “catch” to them when you run your fingernail over them, which is a good sign. They will likely buff right out and it’ll be good as new. Unfortunately that would put it up to a total cost of $5.21 since this guy cost $3.21, and with a value at only $7.36 it doesn’t really make it much of a bargain. But I can live with that if it is added to my collection in working order.
Still a couple bucks under retail, and if I’m lucky, I won’t have to resurface it, making it even closer to a bargain at about half price. So disc is about a C. The case has a small crack, placing it at about a C+, and there is some wear on the manual. The manual though is not falling apart so it stays in the B’s with a B-. Some days later I found a minty “Platinum Hits” edition of Fable at another Goodwill, but the case was empty. I took it to the counter to ask if I could have the case, and they said no, unless I wanted to pay $3 for it. Bummer.
I don’t know why all of a sudden most of the Goodwills in the area are keeping people from taking empty cases. The one closest to my house still lets me take them if I get the right employee/manager on at the time, but the others still won’t let me take them without paying at least a little bit for them. At least they don’t want full price. Maybe they are getting a good deal on recycle material or something. It’s irritating though, glad I got the cases I did throughout last year while I had the chance.
Anyway, moving on.
This was actually the same store and trip that I found the empty Fable case. The game section had close to zero games in it, and I was about to leave (and see if the cashier would give me the Fable case) when I decided to eyeball the toy section in case some controllers or other accessories got tossed over there. For some reason three PS2 games were sitting on the shelf. Two of them were of no interest and were not valuable enough to even buy at $3. But, this one I was interested in playing. I had Defender of the Future on the Dreamcast a LONG time ago. That version is a lot more valuable than this one now of course. By about double, but if it is the same game, I’m in.
Ecco The Dolphin Defender of the Future - PS2 - Found 2018.05.06 at Goodwill
Another very good condition case and disc. Id put the case at an A-, you can see some wear on the outer plastic. Disc is a solid A, as is the manual.
I was always mesmerized playing this game on the DC, how fluid, and realistic the movements of the dolphin were through the water. If this one is as good as the DC, and plays the same, it will stay in the collection as well.
Side bonus to this one, the clerk only charged me the DVD price of $1.99, instead of the video game price of $2.99. Score! I’ll take any small discounts I can get. That $1 could be a GameCube game at a yard sale or something.
The very next day I wound up at another Goodwill and noticed a Wii bundle in the showcase. It was marked $49.99. I noticed there wasn’t a power cable, video cable, or sensor bar sitting with it, which was making me start to shy away from it. It did have several games with it, along with a first party Classic Controller, which I could use, I don’t have one, and have been on the look out for one. Additionally it had two first party nunchucks. I need nunchucks, I only have one first party nunchuck. As far as stuff that did not help the value, there was a Wii balance Board and it also had two third party controllers with it. Which were junk. Additionally it was missing flaps. So I felt at the top end, I was willing to pay maybe $25. The store manager noticed me looking at it and immediately apologized for there not being a sensor bar, power or AV cables with it. He said he usually tries to get them complete before they are put out, he wasn’t sure why this one was out, and it was definitely priced as though it was complete, so he dropped the price to $30 right there. Okay, now we are getting somewhere, but another $5 off would be better.
I said thank you, I appreciate that, that does compensate mostly for the missing cables, though I have a couple other concerns. The GameCube controller port covers are missing, and the two Wiimote controllers it has are absolute junk. How about $25? He didn’t even think about it, he immediately said yes, and dug it out of the showcase to bring it over to the register for me. I wish I’d offered $20 first now. Worst case he comes back with $25 and we end up there anyway.
Wii Bundle - Found 2018.05.07 at Goodwill
I looked closer at the games while he ran around behind the counter for a few moments, then helped a couple other employees with something, and they are all in extremely good condition. Of the games in the bundle, I am interested in adding Mario Galaxy, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz to my collection. So I will do close ups on those below. The rest are in almost as good condition and I’d like to sell off as a bundle, and get close to or more than I paid here for it. Sonic was in the DVD / Games bin and cost an additional $3.21 to get that as it was obviously not part of the Wii bundle. It was also in immaculate condition. So I couldn’t pass it by. I included it in the picture because it was all the same purchase. As he was ringing me up, and because he was so eager to get me going, I almost thought maybe he knew something was wrong with it. But when tested, it booted right up and reads discs OK. Likely it was just busy in there and he was looking to get the transaction taken care of and me on my way.
As for the games themselves, well, have a gander.
Sonic Mega Collection Plus - PS2
I have been playing Sonic games almost as long as Mario games. Maybe less by perhaps 4 or 5 years. While not as near and dear to my heart, I do hold them up as quality games. I owned a Genesis/32X/Sega CD monstrosity for a number of years and played Sonic 2, Sonic CD, and Knuckles Chaotix a lot in my later teen years. I also had a Game Gear with a Sonic game, and this title proclaims to have Game Gear titles on it as well. So I’m looking forward to that.
Super Mario Galaxy - Wii
What can I say about this find? Freaking. Perfect. Condition. Perfect. Like someone took the cellophane off, and brought it to Goodwill. So crispy. I absolutely LOVE finding games in this condition. It is nearly flawless. Close to crystal clear outer art sleeve.
Manual is an solid A, one tiny dent there in the lower right-ish corner prevented the A+, but otherwise looks like its never even been touched. So happy to have this one in the collection finally. I never owned it, even having owned a Wii since at least 2008, I’ve never played it until recently. Looking forward to giving it a proper spin.
Donkey Kong Country Returns - Wii
Wow. Just. Wow. Immaculate. It astounds me that something this old can be in this good of condition coming into a Goodwill. This game was released when? November 2010 according to Wikipedia. So it could be anywhere from roughly six to eight years old or so depending on when this copy was actually manufactured and bought. This belonged to someone who either didn’t care at all, or hated the game the first time it was played, set it on a shelf and it was forgotten until donated, or it was loved and well taken care of. Considering it was donated, I’m going to wager a guess on the former scenario as the most likely.
The crispiest of manuals. A+. Just look at that. Did anyone EVER play either of these games!? I love it. Disc is A+, not a mark on it, flawless. Case is a solid A as well, very clear jacket, no dings, dents, cracks or chips.
The game itself to play is quite good as well, good play control, the visuals are on par with the DKC series, and is updated into the “New Super Mario Bros Wii” style, by rendering everything then fixing the camera in position to create a side scrolling platformer that can be smoothly zoomed in and out, as well as create pseudo parallax scrolling by placing layers of rendered backgrounds behind the area in which you are playing. Backgrounds become the play field in this game as well. I’m enjoying it so far.
I dig this game a great deal, and will also be giving this a proper play through sooner than later.
The condition of most of these finds this month has been stellar so far. Super crispy and clean games. The exception to this is the following game.
Super monkey Ball Banana Blitz - Wii
Really good shape for the most part though, the only blemish on this game is the sticker. GAH! At least we can get that off of there with relative ease, the blog post from a while back I did shows my technique for this. It is very effective and uses nothing more than a damp cloth and packing tape. No goo gone required. So case is an A-. I do however, find the two stickers inside to be rather amusing. They appear to be actual Chiquita banana stickers, with Monkey Ball characters on them, so I think those will stay. It adds to it in my opinion. Manual is A+, very crispy. Disc is a solid A as well.
This game isn’t great because of the controls in my opinion. I much prefer the GameCube games, but my son is a big fan of the series and played the original and the second one on our Wii with a GameCube controller pretty regularly. He has tried this one, and was not as thrilled with it because he cannot use the controller easily, it is all motion/tilt control. But I can see him trying again when he understands the control better. Hes still only three, he will pick it up I’m sure.
Side tangent for a second, does anyone else hate certain games on the Wii because of the controller options? Or rather, severe lack there of? Taking a series like Monkey Ball, or Metroid Prime, that originated on the GameCube, and then make it so you HAVE to use a control scheme that incorporates the new Wiimote motion control. It infuriates me. How hard would it have been to allow fans of the series that played the games on the GameCube to plug in their favorite controller, and seamlessly pick up the game using the same control scheme they know and love. It was simply left out of the game entirely. A big middle finger from Nintendo. Nope, you have to use our new way, we innovated this new motion control platform, and we are going to force you to use it in EVERY game. Plugging in a GameCube controller to a game series that is a continuation FROM THE GAMECUBE should at least be an OPTION. Another example, a game like Twilight Princess, where it was actually a GameCube game ported to the Wii. Not just a series continued from the GameCube. But an actual GameCube game. The original control scheme with a GameCube controller should be an OPTION. But it isn’t. They even mirrored the entire game just so Link would carry the sword in his right hand to match up with 99% of people’s “sword hand”. Really? Oi.
Speaking of Zelda...
*grumble grumble*
Moving on.
To round out this month’s finds I have two more to go. First is a small find from Goodwill. A single game, but, it is on a system that I just do not see games for in Goodwills around here. Gamecube. Nothing spectacular by any stretch, but I had to grab it considering it was GameCube.
Medal of Honor Frontline - GameCube - Found 2018.05.09 at Goodwill
Relatively good shape, I’d give the case a B. Manual is an A, very crispy. Disc is a solid B, a few light scratches, but no question it will play. It will go in the collection for now, but might not stay forever, FPS games and I do not generally get along on consoles.
Still happy to get it, of course it ran the standard $3.21, it only weighs in at a little over $5 on pricecharting though. Oh well. A GameCube game is a GameCube game these days.
Last but certainly not least, my final yard sale find of the month is a Glacier Game Boy Advance, with Pokemon Red version included.
Game Boy Advance with Pokemon Red - found 2018.05.11 at a yard sale.
I’ve only ever owned an original Game Boy DMG-01. I played Tetris, Revenge of the Gator, Metroid II, TMNT, Mega Man, Super Mario Land and other games for hours as a kid growing up in the late 80′s and early 90′s. The GBA was released after I’d become an adult, and portable gaming was lower on my priority list at that time. I was doing less riding in cars on road trips because I was now the driver on road trips. I had a girlfriend/wife or friends to talk to on those trips in any case, so even if I wasn’t driving, it wasn’t like I was bored off my ass in the back seat while we drove to another family vacation. Or sitting in school or something. I had a job. Way less free time.
So, having never owned some of them when they were new, I am down to get my hands on a few of these portables at this point. If nothing else, I can give them to my son to play with on some family road trips!
I saw this one in a picture in a Cragslist ad, the person’s ad for the Sale had photos. It was on a table along with a TI-84 Plus and an Apple TV. No price tags were on any of it in the photos. I’d hoped to get all three for a steal, and flip the Apple TV and calculator for a profit to help fund the collection. My hope was about $10 for the Apple TV, $15 for the Calculator at most, and perhaps $10 for the GBA. I arrived at the sale only a minute or two after it was scheduled to start. Of course there was already a swarm of people and I thought “damn, I’m sure it’s gone by now.” However it was not gone, as you can see from the picture, marked at $20. Double what I was hoping for. Probably why it was in still there. A glacier GBA is only worth about $25 according to Pricecharting, and I would also assume that price assumes the battery cover is present. This one does not include the battery cover. So I asked the guy if the price was flexible. He said he could go $15. I pointed out it was missing the battery cover and that I was hoping for $10. He said he hadn’t noticed the battery cover, and in that case he could go as low as $12. Knowing Pokemon Red had to be at least a ten dollar bill, I bought it.
As you can see it works fine. I figure this could also be a unit I will take thrifting with me to test GB, GBC, and GBA games right in the store before buying them. Will be handy.
Incidentally the TI-84 was marked at $40, they are only worth about $50 to $60, and this one was a little rough. The Apple TV was marked at $30. But only worth $40 to $50. If I could have gotten them for the prices I was hoping for, I may have picked them up, but given the price he wanted for the GBA, I don’t think I could get him that low, so I didn’t bother even making an offer. The only item I was really after was the GBA, and I think I got a good enough deal on that.
That wraps this post up for a little more than about the last month of hunting. A lot of stuff this time around, the season is just starting to hit stride. Hopefully this continues. The finds have already been fairly good.
So now down to the official business. We had $57.46 at the end of the last posting.
Harry Potter was $1.06, that takes us to $56.40. Ratchet and Clank, Ratchet and Clank Going Commando, and Lego Star Wars were 50 cents each, taking us to $54.90.
Then we found Far Cry, another $1.06 takes us to $53.84, and Fable at $3.21 takes us to $50.36. Ecco the Dolphin Defender of the Future was only $2.13, but that still drops us to $48.50.
That takes care of most of the one off stuff and brings us to the Wii bundle with Sonic Mega Collection Plus. All of it was $30.08 out the door. A little ouch compared to what we have available for funds. But a good deal for what I got. That shrunk the total to $18.42. But it was worth it, those games were in stunning condition. Plus, I should be able to eventually make back every penny on the leftovers. Assuming I'll run across some cables at some point. A Wii bundle with the games that were left, the Wii Fit Board, the controllers, nunchucks, and all the cables should fetch at least $30 - $40.
The last one off game was Medal of Honor Frontline for the GameCube. It ran $3.21. Taking us down to $15.21. Only just enough to bring home the last item, the Glacier Game Boy Advance with Pokemon Red Edition. That $12 brings us down to what I believe is a record low. $3.21.
Ironically, just enough money to buy ONE game at a Goodwill without going negative if one turns up.
Not to fret though, I have a small pile of items I will be listing very directly, which should refill our till so we can move into peak Yard Sale season fully armed.
Slated to hit eBay soon are: Pokemon Red Sealed copy of Wii Fit Plus Sealed copy of Wii Play A copy of Dragonball Revenge of King Piccolo The Lot of 007 Games from last post.
I might list the entire 007 lot for something between $12.99 and $17.99 buy it now with free shipping. I feel like that should move fairly quick, but we'll have to see what's going for what price as I'm listing it all to really choose final pricing.
That’s all for now, happy hunting to my few readers! I love you all.
2018.06.02
#nintendo#ps2#playstation2#donkeykong#supermario#mario galaxy#mario galaxy 2#mariogalaxy2#wii#nintendowii#sony#medalofhonor#SuperMonkeyBall#sonic the hedgehog#sonic#sonicthehodgeheg#sonicmegacollection#pokemon
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Transcript for: Rethinking what my ideal of a video game is or Moving out and the future, past of video games video
If you missed it, I re-added it to the bottom of this post and the link is here:
https://youtu.be/JSJM-2L38dw
Written transcript for my last Youtube video (not a 1:1 but based off of my word file that I read for the video):
So what do I think of when I hear the phrase video game? For me its pretty much a gambit of Triple A big budget titles – God of War, Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty come to my mind. If I had to make my best guess its probably because they are the corporate, Triple A games. Those Triple A games have over the years have been drilled into my brain to mean their big budgets are the ones synonymous with quality, that they are the penultimate ideal of a video game - the Triple A title. These are the games that get the clout and win the awards every year and get (sometimes) yearly sequels and all the attention.
But when I think about the games that I really love, is that really accurate?
Not usually. Cuphead and the Shantae series are the games most recent that I unabashedly love and find myself regularly going back to. While I do enjoy some triple A titles like Gears V and Paper Mario: The Origami King, I have been playing a lot more indie games recently. I helped kickstart Yooka Laylee back in 2015 and my most recent backing is the upcoming Symphony of the Night inspired Metroidvania, The Last Faith.
Perhaps that reasoning for Triple A is because most indie games, even the best ones, don't hold that long term place in my heart or even memories even when they are good due to that Triple A bias. When was the last time I really thought about World of Goo for instance? Or even a more popular game like Limbo? Braid is only on my radar again because it is getting a remake and that game was especially huge when it came out.
This isn't to say either that Triple A games are all bad or that Indie games are the only real good ones. You can enjoy both, either or neither. The latter is, I suppose, if you don't like video games. That and there are indie games that last, while these games haven't been out a very long time titles like Undertale and Shovel Knight have had more lasting power and I don't think myself or anyone will be forgetting about them anytime soon, or at least I hope we don't.
Rather I bring this up to go back to the core of the the question, what do I think about when I hear the phrase “video game,” I think I have a new response to reprogram my brain to what I want and not what has been ingrained into me. And the best example I can now think of is … Moving Out.
Moving Out is now my example not because its my new favorite game, (though I really do like it) but its because the game really gets at my core of what I like. Its easy to pick up and play, its not exploitative, it has a lot of content to really delve deep into but it can also be played in a few short bursts. It controls well and I don't feel frustrated by the challenges. Its a game that's easy to beat but hard to master.
First off without even touching the game, the aesthetic is something that I really dig. Its that late 80s / early 90s before the 90s were really determined as a decade look that, for me, is really nostalgic being a 90s kid that was born in the 80s. Its look is very colorful and done for laughs – that laugh at loud funny / cartoony – and not photo realistic vibe. Hell, your certification to become a mover is what's known as a Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technician. That is spelled out as an anagram – its F.A.R.T., fart. You play as a FART
::laughs::
You can't tell me you can't appreciate a good fart joke, and its a clever one.
So in my opinion the humor and aesthetic is on point and that's before you even really get into playing the game. The game itself is full to the brim with clever word play and jokes. Even dragging around the furniture and breaking things without any regard when you are supposed to be a professional mover, made me laugh out loud time and again and even harder later on when my wife noticed me doing it.
Also before you even play the first level of the game, this game tells you that if you aren't having fun that there is an *accessibility mode (*Assist Mode) you can activate. In a world of fake Cuphead controversy and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice MEMEs where you cheat yourself- This complete disregard of “real gamer” credentials to just say “HEY! We want you to enjoy the game, there's no wrong way to do it” is extremely refreshing. And its not done as an insult, its not deemed “easy mode” and playing with these options doesn't disable achievements either.
But back to accessibility, you also right off the bat can customize your character to be in a wheelchair. I love that, I like the representation and the fact that its a simple thing the devs did to be more inclusive. But customization doesn't end there. You can customization your character appearance with a lot of varied and different outfits and colors. As you play you naturally unlock more characters to use just from playing the game. Crazy right?
My only minor gripe that also is a fair counterpoint to that claim is while this game doesn't have micro-transactions, it does have one piece of downloadable content. The downloadable content, or DLC, is the employees of the month pack. This offers more movers for you to play as. Originally this was a pre-order incentive given for free that you now have to pay for. While it would be great if it was bundled in, at least this game is a budget title with plenty of characters and customization options even without those few extra characters. Not only that but with the latest updated we got some more polish, bug fixes and a new character so it takes the sting out of what would otherwise be a perfect point. And the extra characters don't gate off any additional content of achievements either if you don't have them.
long with playing the story mode, there are also tasks you can unlock after clearing a stage in the story to go back and get coins. These coins are used in the game's arcade to unlock bonus stages. There are also bonus stages unlocked from getting gold medals from clearing the stages in a certain time limit. Its brilliant both in adding replay value and having a type of in game currency that you can spend on the game without paying real money to unlock. I want more games to do this.
Only in 2020 is something like that a big deal that was so standard in the games I grew up on.
So overall with the one issue about the DLC the price is pretty fair, a budget title of $23-$28 (pictured at $29.99 on sale for $19.99) and if you were to pay for the the few extra characters that's an additional $2.99. That's about less than half the cost of a new Triple A title, and even less considering a new console generation is around the corner and games are priced to be maybe be $70.
Yikes!
I love all the care that went into Moving Out- I love the humor, the look, the gameplay, the price point. It may not be my favorite game of 2020 by the end of the year and it may not be yours either but I really implore you to at least try this game. If you have Xbox Gamepass Ultimate, this game is available to download on both Xbox One and PC. I feel like these kind of indie games could be the real future of gaming or at least what I hope it is, by doing so much of what I loved from video games of the past. Treating video games like video games as a product again, and not a media service to bleed the player dry.
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#Moving Out#Moving#Out#Team17#Team#17#Like Overcooked#accessible#indie#Xbox#Xbox One#Gamepass#Gamepass Ultimate#PS4#Playstation 4#Playstation#PC#Steam#Switch#Budget#Budget Game#Budget Title#Humor#Gaming#Videogame#Video game#Hashtags
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Perpetual Coupons as well as How to Choose the Right Discount Coupon Website for Your Organisation
The majority of business owners are constantly in search of some means to boost income and also interest in their service offerings. Perpetual coupons are always a win with both existing as well as prospective clients, so using it as part of your marketing approach could really operate in your support over time.
What is a continuous coupon?
A perpetual voucher is different to the standard cut-out or paper promo code. These discount coupons are usually electronic or online discount coupons, as well as these promo codes run out the day of redemption but can be updated daily. Normally, a coupon would only be valid for a specific amount of time, but perpetual coupons supply discounts whenever business wants to Central Vapors Promo Code Code.
These discount coupons would generally include clicking a certain link to qualify, and you won't also need an unique code to put in the acquisition or repayment web page. These discount coupons can be utilized over and over, so if you intend to attract consumers back over and over again, a continuous voucher may be the method to go.
Things to think about prior to picking a perpetual promo code website
Subscription costs
Most discount coupon websites require a charge or some kind of income share from businesses that use their solutions. The method to discovering the best coupon site is to try to find one that offers reduced or discounted costs for the first few months. You must additionally attempt to prevent websites that ask for a cut of the purchase price, as well as rather than opt for sites that use their services at a level fee monthly. This makes it easier to exercise your expenses and you'll get back a lot more from your marketing efforts.
Coupon kinds
You ought to look at the types of discount coupons provided by the website prior to you sign up. There are a number of various voucher types consisting of print discount coupons, day-to-day deals, digital discount coupons, and also continuous coupons.
Promo codes that can be published out are typically saved for purchases at some point in future, so results might not be immediate. Daily offers commonly come at a cost to the customer, since they need to pay a cost to get the bargain. It's also a much more expensive alternative for you as a business owner due to the fact that you have to pay a percentage of your sales to the coupon site. Digital discount coupons are a much more easy to use option because these do not need to be published out as well as can be redeemed quickly online or via the use of cell phones. Continuous vouchers are, obviously, the most wanted of all these different voucher types and will certainly permit both brand-new and current customers to take advantage of the financial savings on offer.
Check-in programs
A site that utilizes check-in programs awards consumers for checking in utilizing a variety of various social sites. Google Places, Facebook Places, as well as Foursquare are just a few of the websites a consumer can utilize to check in with once they see your company. The browse through itself might not cause a sale, but if consumers are offered a reward to do this you'll obtain additional exposure and brand-new clients can be enticed right into checking out Central Vapors Voucher Code.
Geographical targeting
This is a crucial attribute to try to find in a promo code site. Websites that target the deals they show to their customers' geographical location not only make it less complicated for customers to identify good deals at a glance, but likewise generate service faster because of the targeted leads they generate.
The tips above ought to assist you select the ideal perpetual discount coupons website for your advertising efforts. You'll see much better outcomes and also wind up with more cash in your pocket while pleasing existing consumers and achieving brand-new ones.
Classified Ad and also Discount Coupon Sites - 20,600,000 as well as Counting - Does the Globe Need An Additional?
My most recent Google search showed up 20,600,000 classified advertisement as well as voucher sites. Does the Web requirement an additional one? My first response would have been "No." Then again, my 2 friends claimed "Yes." So, include one more to the search engine result: 20,600,001.
Just how could they have possibly chosen this arena as an organisation version recognizing the competition is so strong and crowded? Defeats me. Yet, it definitely compels you to think outside package. And they have. The only means to have a shot is to supply something above and also past what the others do.
So, they've determined to pay 70% from each sale of their 3 affordable advertisement bundles back to every person who brings somebody else to their site that comes to be a paying client. Currently, they do calculate this after the little payment cpu's cost. Nonetheless, it's still giving the lion's share of their revenues right back to the referring member. And, they don't charge anything to sign up with or come to be included. They do not play any kind of video games, either: no qualifying, quotas or other tricks. These guys likewise desire customers to experiment with their innovative solutions for 2 week prior to they spend a cent. After the totally free trial, the customer can continue with the prudent monthly subscription rate, or terminate Central Vapors Promo code Code.
They also hand out a totally free ad with the very same feature-rich alternatives that their paying clients get. They allow the totally free ad to continue to be on-site indefinitely, as well. After the product is sold, a person can switch it out for an additional, whether it be a wrench collection, a collectible, an automobile, a residence, a boat, a bike, art, fashion jewelry, property, or craft things ... They don't even charge additional for house, work, company or aid wanted listings. The only distinction between obtaining the one complimentary advertisement permanently, and also buying a low-cost advertising package is that subscribers reach provide limitless products in any of my pals' 384 classifications. As well as, there is no middleman. All transactions are purely between purchasers as well as vendors.
They enjoy the "ideal bang for your buck" approach as a method to stand out from the group. They likewise offer an easy-to-create business promo code building contractor wherein services can design their own discount coupons for possible clients to publish immediately. These coupons can after that be used at the proprietor's store, either the brick-and-mortar type, or online. As well as, my buddies will certainly even help you begin.
These individuals have just 3 advertising and marketing bundles: one for endless classified advertisements just, one for business promo codes just, or both. The regular monthly subscription costs are wonderful. As well as, compensations are paid out for every month that a subscriber stays an energetic paying member.
While my buddies' company is new, they are experienced veterans in the Net organisation arena. We have actually worked together for 11 years. So, if they say it's doable, then I need to think them since they not only know what they're doing, but they've been successful too.
All of us recognize and more than likely use the most significant services in the field for categorized and voucher advertising. My good friends' objective is to turn into one of them. From the very first day they disclosed their brand-new company venture to me, the objective has actually always been to end up being a home name in the local neighborhood along with around the globe. I wouldn't wager against it. So, when they asked me ahead aboard as their writer, editor as well as fellow brainstormer, I thought about it for a couple of minutes and readily approved the deal.
It's really amazing for my close friends and also me to see something they've functioned so hard for grow bit by bit, awaiting the day that the online area discovers them and sees what they've started on. Actually, anything is feasible if you agree to gamble and be patient, consistent. truthful and moral. That's all these guys understand.
On-line Discount/Coupon Sites - Are They Helpful for Your Organisation?
If you pay attention to the nationwide media, we are in severe recession. This is the story they spread today as well as each day, year after year. So this instills anxiety, concern, and also conservative costs behaviors after it is defeated right into our heads day in day out throughout all mediums. Lots of people now use promo codes that never have in the past and not out of need yet as a result of the anxiety and also concern that the economy can get worse.
In action to this online voucher sites are springing up as well as many customers are getting incredible deals at restaurants, resorts, oral workplaces, horseback riding lessons, and many various other categories that they otherwise would not have actually capitalized on. However due to the attraction of a DEEP, EXCELLENT, DISCOUNT consumers are registering for a daily e-mail with info on the "Deal of the Day" and also are sharing the handle their good friends and also the viral surge grows daily.
There are lots of opportunities for companies to obtain their message out to the masses with this sort of program totally free - or two they would have you believe. These programs can be a shot in the arm for a business or maybe the beginning of needing to always discount their service or product. The common program is that you (your company) provide your product and services at 50% or more off your regular rate. After that they offer "coupons" for $50 dish for just $25 and also the $25 that the program accumulates then divides it 50/50 with your firm efficiently offering you 25% of what you would certainly have generally received from a client who located you by themselves.
Feels like a good deal as well as it can be - for some companies. I have always felt that not all programs work for all businesses in every market. A mindful evaluation of the program, their expectations and your expectations, is important prior to doing ANY program - discount or typical advertising and marketing or online advertising and marketing.
Bear in mind these business are selling what consumers view as a present Card. They are not thinking about advertising and marketing or trying to offer a "coupon for $500 off your purchase of $1500 or even more". They are not offering vouchers they are marketing present cards. Offering the consumer a Coupon with policies as well as stipulations that they need to spend even more money to reap the benefit of what they have actually currently purchased beats the function of these programs.
Success is determined in lots of means for various programs. It is important to comprehend exactly how to track outcomes for programs like Groupon, Living Social, Deal Bee, Take the Bargain, I-Deals, and so on. If you want new customers to find in for a special offer there are several crucial elements you need to think about:
1. Will this be an once point or are you intending to do this over as well as over?
2. Do you have the capability to "up-sell" once they can be found in to retrieve the marked down deal? Is your personnel trained to effectively make this take place?
3. Do you have a goal or limit on the amount of discounts you intend to issue?
4. Is the deal attractive yet still valuable?
5. Will your part of the money collected from the program cover your tough costs associated with the deal?
6. How much do you require to "up-sell" per redemption to make this a rewarding program?
7. Will your team appropriately track the program so you can see the actual outcome of your engagement?
There are several variables to any advertising and marketing or advertising program. Business need to plan out their technique for the year and see where this could fit into their overall plan. If they don't have a plan, their service is down and also this is a knee jerk reaction, they may get short-term outcomes however experience in the long term as a result of not having a plan.
Promo Code Sites Offer Restaurant Offers
Buying discount coupons is one method to save cash when the budget is tight. Finding a site with inexpensive neighborhood bargains enables customers to invest less on points they would typically acquire. They additionally provide individuals the chance to buy things they usually might not manage. Dining establishment discount coupons are an example of exactly how discount sites work.
The customer goes to the internet site for promo code bargains. The search box will ask for a zip code. Once it is gotten in, all of the vouchers available for that area will certainly show up. There will often be added vouchers for bordering zip codes so that potential customers can conserve at close-by merchants too. A listing of classifications, consisting of restaurants, will show. Classifications range from tanning beauty salons to auto detailers to roofer and also more. The variety of participating sellers will certainly show in parenthesis beside the category. This informs the customer the amount of there are where to pick.
The consumer clicks on the group of selection. If restaurants are chosen, every one of the dining establishment promo codes will certainly appear on the screen. Each voucher deal can be viewed to see just how much it is and also what it involves. Neighborhood bargains could include a buy one, obtain one totally free; get one, get one fifty percent off; a discount rate portion, or a totally free thing with the purchase of another thing. Some merchants use greater than one bargain.
The client makes a selection, after that signs up with the website. If they wish to acquire discount coupon bargains, they include them to their buying cart. They pay for it now. After repayment has been approved, the promo code can then be printed out.
If the customer desires to save more money as well as acquire more discount coupons the other groups can be accessed, one right after the other. The items can be contributed to the sopping cart at the end and also spent for at one time. The discount coupons can be printed out together, too.
As soon as the customer has actually ended up purchasing and has published out all of their coupons, they can leave the web site. It is recommended to conserve the website on the listing of faves or as a book marking for fast as well as easy recommendation in the future. Promo code offers change, with new ones being included on a regular basis, so the consumer will likely wish to inspect back quickly.
Conserving Cash Is Easy With Daily Deal Sites
If you're not accustomed to the term "social couponing" then you are probably spending more cash than needed on every little thing from dining establishment dishes as well as day spa solutions to amusement venues and also showing off equipment.
Coupon usage often tends to increase in appeal during economic crisis periods, yet the most recent pattern has really taken discount coupons to the next level. Deal-a-day discount coupon sites, targeted by geographical place, enable consumers to register for complimentary and receive an e-mail each day including a huge price cut on several neighborhood retailers or provider.
Wondering just how much you can save utilizing social coupon sites? Many offers by means of social voucher sites offer half-off offers or much better, with savings approximately ninety percent. Deals might be structured as a dollar-off quantity (for example pay $25 and get $50 well worth of food or product), or a set offered at a deep discount rate (two-night remain with breakfast at a high end resort for just $150).
Not all deals are for deluxe costs like dining out and also health spa services. Lots of social couponing sites feature discounts on dental job, chiropractic services and various other different healing modalities, as well as even house solutions such as landscape design or painting.
Most importantly, a lot of sites have generous terms, enabling you up to one full year to use any kind of discount you buy.
Additionally, discount coupon clients have the possibility to make credit scores or free vouchers just for referring loved ones to the current bargains, making it even much easier to save cash.
As the variety of social discount coupon websites increases, a variety of collector sites are cropping up. Rather than registering for each discount coupon site and also potentially getting swamped with deals, you can go to an aggregator website, which puts together offers from a number of social voucher websites as well as arranged a checklist by city each day. By doing this, you can go to one site to locate every one of today's bargains.
We can anticipate this promo code pattern to continue for the direct future, more than likely with a boost in modification for customers. For example, as opposed to checking out a social discount coupon website for Denver, you would have the ability to choose smaller sized cities and suburbs in and around Denver. Similarly, some social discount coupon websites are asking you for information concerning what kind of offers you 'd like to see - that way, you only get e-mails for deals that fit your personal rate of interests, which lowers unnecessary emails in your in-box.
Additionally, we might start to see niche-based daily offer websites. For example, sites for children's interests, for personal advancement, for business owners, and so on. In the meantime, delight in the cost savings.
Shop Smart Online With Promo Code Codes
The number of individuals going shopping online is increasing every year as several are uncovering the advantages of making use of the Internet to buy items. Smart online buyers make the most of getting particular things cheaper and in addition save time as well as the cost of a trip to the Shopping center.
What happens if there was a method to conserve more money on products that are already less costly than in a brick and mortar store? Difficult, some may say. But true, as a matter of fact, for those that recognize how to profit from store discounts available in the kind of voucher codes.
Voucher codes or discount coupon codes appear like these: "MOM15" or "STPAT10". The initial one is a Mom's day discount coupon with a 15% discount and also the 2nd a St Patrick promo code with a 10% discount rate, on particular products. Voucher codes are identified in a different way and also some just won't claim much regarding the offer without a description.
Voucher codes can be located on a merchant's web site, located in a details section of the Home Page or Coupon page. One of the most typical discount coupon is "Free Shipping" after a minimum order amount as well as has no code ... Various other promo codes usually have a restricted legitimacy and are used on unique occasions or vacations.
The merchant's website is not where the best discounts are located. There are web sites called promo code sites that note all the present legitimate promo codes for a selection of merchants as well as products classified in groups. Some offers are readily available only in these voucher websites and can't be located anywhere else, not even on the seller's website.
The appropriate process to go shopping online would be to avoid going directly to a favorite merchant, however to inspect if there is a voucher code offered for this particular seller or a simultaneous store with better offers. One may find better price cuts after a couple of clicks of the computer mouse.
There are discount coupon codes for practically every item readily available at any moment of the year. Presuming that a watch is the wanted item, a promo code site may display all the sellers with legitimate coupon codes offering watches. The search box existing in these sites would certainly likewise be a quick means to search for a checklist of watches of a specific version or brand name.
For those not accustomed with the use of vouchers, the technique is simple. After the needed item image with description, price and also discount coupon code is presented on the promo code website, all the buyer needs to do is click the web link given to be redirected to the matching thing on the seller's website. At this moment the cost is shown without the price cut on the item's web page.
After the product has been contributed to the cart, a page is displayed with a description of the product, quantity and price. The consumer after that type the coupon code in the tiny box that shows something similar to this: "Discount coupon code? Enter it below:", as well as click apply. The page freshens and also reveals the final cost including the discount rate.
The Benefits of Online Discount Coupons
As the globe has actually been facing an actual downward fad in its economic conditions, it is not extremely easy to get everything you desire within your budget. The rates are rising skies high and it has actually gotten to a situation where you just can not live easily like olden days. Consequently, consumers are on the watch out for different sort of online discount rate promo codes which will provide a huge price cut while purchasing products.
Buying via the net has ended up being so prominent now-a-days that on the internet shopping has actually gotten to peak degrees. People are greatly brought in by the truth that they do not have to wait in queues, and can acquire any kind of point under the sun within the conveniences of your house. And also the great news is that there are a selection of online price cut promo codes that are supplied by numerous firms which make everything the much more alluring as well as economically wise to acquire items this way.
The circulation of website traffic to these voucher sites have observed an astounding boost of around 38% within the period of March 2007 to March 2008. Besides the financial gains that you take advantage of, clients savor a deal offer as well as really feel fairly thrilled with the entire event.
These online discount rate promo code sites have actually become a challenge to the news media that were when the kings of advertising discount vouchers. You no more need to carefully review the paper to obtain information about the different offers that various companies supply on all sort of products.
The astonishing hike in the rate of any type of customer good has become a boon for coupon websites online. The discount coupon online websites give vendors discount coupon marketing and also offering system. With the sudden surge of traffic to these voucher sites umpteen customers are publishing and using these coupons, the numbers of suppliers who have an interest in visiting to this website get on the boost. The internet outcome is that hundreds of individuals are doing all their purchasing with discount rate promo code online sites.
If by any chance your purchasing cart does not delight the coupon center, you simply need to get the assistance of a software program store to get the function took into solution to change into shopping cart software which support it. You can also attempt Discount software program which relates well with all carts, websites and blog sites. Thus you will certainly locate that on-line price cut promo code websites have actually begun ruling the web and also are now the top rated return website traffic sites online.
For More Information Visit: https://ragingcoupon.com/
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39 Call-to-Action Examples You Can’t Help But Click
Think about all the times you’ve signed up for things in your life. Did you once download Evernote? Dropbox? Spotify? Maybe you’ve even taken a class on General Assembly.
Each one of these signups is likely a result of an effective call-to-action (CTA).
Think about it: If you hadn’t been drawn in by the copy or design of the CTA, or been guided so eloquently through your sign-up process, you would probably use a lot fewer apps and websites than you do now.
It’s really important to guide your visitors through the buying journey using strategic CTAs.
What is a call to action (CTA)?
CTA stands for call to action, and it’s the part of a webpage, advertisement, or piece of content that encourages the audience to do something. In marketing, CTAs help a business convert a visitor, or reader into a lead for the sales team. CTAs can drive a variety of different actions depending on the content’s goal.
What a CTA Means in Marketing
As a marketer, CTAs are relevant because they encourage your audience to take action on a marketing campaign.
Ultimately, the goal of any marketing campaign is to guide your audience in the buyer’s journey so they eventually make a purchase.
However, each marketing campaign might have a different action for the audience to carry out because there are several tactics you can use to guide your audience in their journey.
Below are a few examples of the types of CTAs you might use in marketing:
Sign up.
In this type of CTA, the audience might be invited to sign up for a free trial, an online course, a future event, or even a software product. It all depends on the CTAs context on an ad or website.
Subscribe.
This CTA doesn’t commit a person to a purchase. Rather, it invites them to receive updates from the company. “Subscribe” CTAs are common to company blogs, for which the business wants to develop a readership.
Try for free.
Nearly every company website has a free trial offer today. Each of them are CTAs of this variety, and they allow people to demo a product before deciding if it’s worth the cost to them.
Get started.
This CTA can drive a variety of behaviors for a company, from a free trial to virtual reality experience.
Learn more.
Sometimes, all you want is to give your potential customers a little more information so they’re prepared to buy something. That’s what this CTA is for.
Join us.
Do you manage an online community. Is your product built on collaboration between users? You might find yourself placing “join us” CTA somewhere on your website.
Learn more about the purposes CTAs can serve in this blog post.
The above types of CTA all serve a designated purpose, but keep in mind the language they use can vary. And today, marketers everywhere have put some creative spins on their calls to action to generate the leads their businesses depend on.
To help you identify what’s effective and what’s not, we’ve listed out 31 examples of CTAs that totally rock. These call-to-action examples are broken out into three categories:
Simple and effective CTAs
CTAs with great call-to-action phrases
CTAs that balance multiple buttons on one page
Call to Action Examples
Evernote
Dropbox
OfficeVibe
Netflix
Square
Prezi
Full Bundle
Panthera
EPIC
Aquaspresso
QuickSprout
Grey Goose
Treehouse
OKCupid
Blogging.org
IMPACT Branding and Design
Huemor
Brooks Running
Humboldt County
Uber
Spotify
Ugmonk
Pinterest
Madewell
Instagram
Barkbox
t.c. pharma
General Assembly
charity: water
Hipmunk
MakeMyPersona
TeuxDeux
Betabrand
Fabletics
Ashley Stewart
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Slack
Nintendo
1. Evernote
CTA: Sign Up
“Remember Everything.” Visitors can immediately understand that message the moment they land on this page. The design on Evernote’s website makes it super simple for users to see quick benefits of using the app and how to actually sign up to use it. Plus, the green color of the main and secondary CTA buttons is the same green as the headline and the Evernote logo, all of which jump off the page.
2. Dropbox
CTA: Sign up for free
Dropbox has always embraced simple design with a lot of negative space. Even the graphics on their homepage are subtle and simple.
Thanks to that simple design and negative space, the blue “Sign up for free” call-to-action button stands out from everything else on the page. Since the CTA and the Dropbox logo are the same color, it’s easy for the visitor to interpret this CTA as “Sign up for Dropbox.” That’s one effective call-to-action.
3. OfficeVibe
CTA: Subscribe
Here’s a slide-in call-to-action that caught my attention from OfficeVibe. While scrolling through a post on their blog, a banner slid in from the bottom of the page with a call-to-action to subscribe to their blog. The best part? The copy on the slide-in told me I’d be getting tips about how to become a better manager — and the post it appeared on was a post about how to become a better manager. In other words, the offer was something I was already interested in.
Plus, I like how unobtrusive slide-in CTAs are — as opposed to what my colleague Rachel Sprung calls the “stop-everything-and-click-here-pop-up-CTA.” I find these CTAs offer a more lovable experience because they provide more information while still allowing me to continue reading the blog post.
4. Netflix
CTA: Join Free for a Month
One big fear users have before committing to sign up for something? That it’ll be a pain to cancel their subscription if they end up not liking it. Netflix nips that fear in the bud with the “Cancel anytime” copy right above the “Join Free for a Month” CTA. I’d venture a guess that reassurance alone has boosted signups. Also, you’ll notice again that the red color of the primary and secondary CTAs here match Netflix’s logo color.
5. Square
CTA: Get Started
To achieve effective CTA design, you need to consider more than just the button itself. It’s also super important to consider elements like background color, surrounding images, and surrounding text.
Mindful of these additional design components, the folks at Square used a single image to showcase the simplicity of using their product, where the hovering “Get Started” CTA awaits your click. If you look closely, the color of the credit card in the image and the color of the CTA button match, which helps the viewer connect the dots of what to expect if/when they click.
6. Prezi
CTA: Give Prezi a try
The folks at Prezi are also into the minimalist design look on their website. Other than the green dinosaur and the dark brown coffee, the only other color accompanying the predominantly black-and-white design is a bright blue — the same blue from their main logo. That bright blue is strategically placed on the homepage: the main “Give Prezi a try” CTA, and the secondary “Get Started” CTA, both of which take users to the same pricing page.
7. Full Bundle
CTA: Our Work
Full Bundle is another company that uses negative space to make their primary CTA pop. The white “Our Work” call-to-action stands out against the dark greys of the background. Their choice of CTA is strategic, too. Given that they primarily exist to build out clients’ online presences, it’s important for them to showcase their work — and that’s what most folks are going to their website for.
8. Panthera
CTA: Join
The folks at Panthera are looking for users who really care about wild cats around the world and want to join a group of people who feel the same way. To target those people in particular, we love how they use language that would speak to big cat-lovers: “Join the pride today.” The page itself is super simple: an on-page form with two, simple fields, and a button asking folks to (again) “Join.”
9. EPIC
CTA: Let’s start a new project together
The folks at the agency EPIC use their homepage primarily to showcase their work. When you arrive on the page, you’re greeted with animated videos showing some of the work they’ve done for clients, which rotate on a carousel. While there are plenty of other places users might click on their site — including their clients’ websites — the main call-to-action stands out and always contrasts with the video that’s playing in the background.
I love that it features friendly, inclusive language — “Let’s start a new project together” — which gives a hint to users looking for a creative partner that they’re an especially great team to work for.
10. Aquaspresso
CTA: Send Me Specials Now!
The whole point of a call-to-action is to direct your site visitors to a desired course of action — and the best CTAs do so in a way that’s helpful to their visitors. The folks at coffee company Aquaspresso really nailed that balance here with the pop-up CTA on their main blog page.
Here, the desired course of action is for their blog readers to check out what they’re actually selling (and hopefully buy from them). There are many ways they could have done this, including putting out a CTA that urges people to “Check out our most popular products!” or something very direct. But we love what they’ve done instead: Their CTA offers blog readers something much more helpful and subtle — an offer for “today’s specials” in exchange for the reader’s email address.
Adding that the specials are for today only is a great example of a psychological tactic called scarcity, which causes us to assign more value to things we think are scarce. The fear that today’s specials are better than tomorrow’s might make people want to fill it out and claim their offer while they can.
(The call-to-action above was created using HubSpot’s free conversion tool, Leadin. Click here to learn how to easily create CTAs like this one using Leadin.)
11. QuickSprout
CTA: Are you doing your SEO wrong? Enter your URL to find out
No one wants to be wrong. That’s why a call-to-action button like QuickSprout’s slide-in CTA on their blog is so clickworthy. It asks the reader, “Are you doing your SEO wrong?” Well, am I? All I have to do is enter my URL to find out — seems easy enough. It’s language like that that can really entice visitors to click through.
Plus, having the CTA slide in mid-blog post is a great tactic for catching readers before they bounce off the page. Traditionally, many blogs have CTAs at the very bottom of each blog post, but research shows most readers only get 60% of the way through an article. (Click here to learn how to add slide-in CTAs to your blog posts.)
12. Grey Goose
CTA: Discover a cocktail tailored to your taste
Here’s a fun, unique call-to-action that can get people clicking. Whereas site visitors might have expected to be directed to product pages or press releases from the homepage, a CTA to “Discover a Cocktail Tailored to Your Taste” is a pleasantly surprising ask. People love personalization, and this CTA kind of feels like an enticing game. The play button icon next to the copy gives a hint that visitors will be taken to a video so they have a better idea of what to expect when they click.
13. Treehouse
CTA: Claim Your Free Trial
A lot of company websites out there offer users the opportunity to start a free trial. But the CTA on Treehouse’s website doesn’t just say “Start a Free Trial”; it says “Claim Your Free Trial.”
The difference in wording may seem subtle, but think about how much more personal “Claim Your Free Trial” is. Plus, the word “claim” suggests it may not be available for long, giving users a sense of urgency to get that free trial while they can.
14. OKCupid
CTA: Continue
OKCupid’s CTA doesn’t seem that impressive at first glance, but its brilliance is in the small details.
The call-to-action button, which is bright green and stands out well on a dark blue background, says, “Continue.” The simplicity of this term gives hope that the signup process is short and casual. To me, this CTA feels more like I’m playing a fun game than filling out a boring form or committing to something that might make me nervous. And it’s all due to the copy.
15. Blogging.org
CTA: Countdown Clock
Nothing like a ticking timer to make someone want to take action. After spending a short amount of time on blogging.org’s homepage, new visitors are greeted with a pop-up CTA with a “limited time offer,” accompanied by a timer that counts down from two minutes.
As with Aquaspresso’s example in #10, this is a classic use of the psychological tactic called scarcity, which causes us to assign more value to things we think are scarce. Limiting the time someone has to fill out a form makes people want to fill it out and claim their offer while they can.
Curious, what happens when time runs out? So was I. Hilariously, nothing happens. The pop-up CTA remains on the page when the timer gets to zero.
16. IMPACT Branding & Design
CTA: What We Do
CTAs can feel really pushy and salesy (yes, that’s a word…) if the wrong language is used. I like IMPACT‘s educational approach, where they challenge visitors to learn what the company does before pushing them to take any further action. This call-to-action is especially intriguing to me because they don’t even use an action verb, yet they still manage to entice people to click.
17. Huemor
CTA: Launch (Do Not Press)
If you went to a website and saw a “Launch” CTA accompanied by the copy “Do Not Press” … what would you do? Let’s be honest: You’d be dying to press it. The use of harmless reverse psychology here is playful, which is very much in keeping with Huemor’s brand voice.
18. Brooks Running
CTA: Find out when we have more
How many times have you hotly pursued a product you love, only to discover it’s sold out? Well, as you might know, it’s no picnic for the seller either. But just because you’ve run out of an item doesn’t mean you should stop promoting it.
Brooks Running uses a clever call to action to ensure their customers don’t bounce from their website just because their favorite shoe is out of stock. In the screenshot below, you can see Brooks touting an awesome-looking shoe with the CTA, “Find out when we have more.” I love how this button turns bad news into an opportunity to retain customers. Without it, Brooks’ customers would likely forget about the shoe and look elsewhere.
When you click on the blue CTA button depicted below, Brooks directs you to a page with a simple code you can text the company. This code prompts Brooks to automatically alert the visitor when the shoe they want is available again.
19. Humboldt County
CTA: Follow the Magic
Humboldt County’s website is gorgeous on its own: It greets you with a full-screen video of shockingly beautiful footage. But what I really love is the unconventional call-to-action button placed in the bottom center, which features a bunny icon and the words “Follow the Magic.”
It enhances the sort of fantastical feel of the footage, making you feel like you’re about to step into a fairytale.
What’s more, once you click into that CTA, the website turns into a sort of choose-your-own-adventure game, which is a fun call-to-action path for users and encourages them to spend more time on the site.
20. Uber
CTA: Sign up to drive | Start riding with Uber
Uber’s looking for two, very distinct types of people to sign up on their website: riders and drivers. Both personas are looking for totally different things, and yet, the website ties them together really well with the large video playing in the background showing Uber riders and drivers having a good time in locations all over the world.
I love the copy of the driver CTA at the top, too: It doesn’t get much more straightforward than, “Make money driving your car.” Now that’s speaking people’s language.
21. Spotify
CTA: Go Premium | Play Free
As soon as you reach Spotify’s homepage, it’s pretty clear that their main goal is to attract customers who are willing to pay for a premium account, while the CTA for users to sign up for free is very much secondary.
It’s not just the headline that gives this away; it’s also the coloring of their CTA buttons. The “Go Premium” CTA is lime green, making it pop off the page, while the “Play Free” CTA is plain white and blends in with the rest of the copy on the page. This contrast ensures that visitors are drawn to the premium CTA.
22. Ugmonk
CTA: Send me the coupons | I’m not interested
Exit CTAs, also known as exit intent pop-ups, are different than normal pop-ups. They detect your users’ behavior and only appear when it seems as though they’re about to leave your site. By intervening in a timely way, these pop-ups serve as a fantastic way of getting your reader’s attention while offering them a reason to stay.
Ugmonk has a great exit CTA, offering two options for users as a final plea before they leave the site. First, they offer a 15% discount on their products, followed by two options: “Yes Please: Send me the coupon” and “No Thanks: I’m not interested.” It’s super helpful that each CTA clarifies what “Yes” and “No” actually mean, and I also like that they didn’t use guilt-tripping language like “No Thanks: I hate nature” like I’ve seen on other websites. Finally, notice that the “Yes Please” button is much brighter and inviting in color than the other option.
23. Pinterest
CTA: Continue with Facebook | Sign Up
Want to sign up for Pinterest? You have a couple of options: sign up via Facebook or via email. If you have a Facebook account, Pinterest wants you to do that first. How do I know? Aesthetically, I know because the blue Facebook CTA comes first and is much more prominent, colorful, and recognizable due to the branded logo and color. Logically, I know because if you log in through Facebook, Pinterest can pull in Facebook’s API data and get more information about you than if you log in through your email address.
Although this homepage is optimized to bring in new members, you’ll notice a very subtle CTA for folks with Pinterest accounts to log in on the top right.
24. Madewell
CTA: Take me there | What’s next?
Madewell (owned by J.Crew) has always had standout website design, taking what could be a typical ecommerce website to the next level. Their use of CTAs on their homepage is no exception.
When you first arrive on the page, you’re greeted with the headline “I’m Looking For …” followed by a category, like “Clothes That’ll Travel Anywhere.” Below this copy are two options: “Yes, Take Me There” or “Hmm… What’s Next?” The user can choose between the two CTAs to either browse clothes that are good for travel, or be taken to the next type of clothing, where they can play again.
This gamification is a great way to make your site more interesting for users who come across it without having a specific idea of where they want to look.
25. Instagram
CTA: Download on the App Store | Get it on Google Play
Since Instagram is a mainly mobile app, you’ll see two black CTAs of equal size: one to download Instagram in Apple’s App Store, and another to download it on Google Play. The reason these CTAs are of equal caliber is because it doesn’t matter if someone downloads the app in the App Store or on Google Play … a download is a download, which is exactly what Instagram is optimizing for. If you already have Instagram, you can also click the CTA to “Log In” if you’d prefer that option, too.
26. Barkbox
CTA: Get Started | Give a Gift
The two CTAs on Barkbox’s homepage show that the team there knows their customers: While many people visiting their site are signing up for themselves, there are a lot of people out there who want to give Barkbox as a gift. To give those people an easy path to purchase, there are two, equally sized CTAs on the page: “Get Started” and “Give a Gift.”
As an added bonus, there’s an adorable, pop-up call-to-action on the right-hand side of the screen prompting users to leave a message if they’d like. Click into it, and a small dialogue box pops up that reads, “Woof! I’m afraid our pack is not online. Please leave us a message and we’ll bark at you as soon as pawsible.” Talk about delightful copy.
27. t.c. pharma
CTA: Find out more | View products
Turns out Red Bull isn’t its own parent company: It’s owned by Thailand-based t.c. pharma, a company that makes popular energy drinks, electrolyte beverages, and functional drinks and snacks.
Its homepage features two call-to-action buttons of equal size: “Find out more” and “View products” — but it’s clear by the bright yellow color of the first button that they’d rather direct folks to “Find out more.”
28. General Assembly
CTA: View Full-Time Courses | Subscribe
As you scroll through the General Assembly website, you’ll see CTAs for various courses you may or may not want to sign up for. I’d like to point your attention to the CTA that slides in from the bottom of the page as you’re scrolling, though, which suggests that you subscribe to email updates.
Although this feels like a secondary CTA due to its location and manner, I actually think they try to sneak this in to become more of a primary CTA because it’s so much more colorful and noticeable than the CTAs for individual classes. When you create your own CTAs, try using bolder colors — even ones that clash with your regular stylings — to see if it’s effective at getting people’s attention. (Click here for a tutorial on how to add slide-in CTAs to your webpages.)
29. charity: water
CTA: Give by Credit Card | Give by PayPal
Charity: water’s main goal is to get people to donate money for clean water — but they can’t assume that everyone wants to pay the same way.
The CTAs featured on their homepage take a really unique approach to offering up different payment methods by pre-filling $60 into a single line form and including two equally important CTAs to pay via credit card or PayPal. Notice how both CTAs are the same size and design — this is because charity: water likely doesn’t care how you donate, as long as you’re donating.
30. Hipmunk
CTA: Flights | Hotels | Cars | Packages
When you land on the Hipmunk site, your main option is to search flights. But notice there are four tabs you can flip through: flights, hotels, cars, and packages.
When you click into one of these options, the form changes so you can fill out more information. To be 100% sure you know what you’re searching for, Hipmunk placed a bright orange CTA at the far right-hand side of the form. On this CTA, you’ll see a recognizable icon of a plane next to the word “Search,” so you know for sure that you’re searching for flights, not hotels. When you’re on the hotels tab, that icon changes to a hotel icon. Same goes with cars and packages.
31. MakeMyPersona
CTA: Grab the template! | No thanks
Here’s another example of a great pop-up with multiple calls-to-action — except in this case, you’ll notice the size, color, and design of the users’ two options are very different from one another. In this case, the folks at MakeMyPersona are making the “Grab the template!” CTA much more attractive and clickable than the “No, I’m OK for now, thanks” CTA — which doesn’t even look like a clickable button.
I also like how the “no” option uses polite language. I find brands that don’t guilt-trip users who don’t want to take action to be much, much more lovable.
32. TeuxDeux
CTA: Get Started for Free | Try for Free
Another example of simplistic design, TeuxDeux’s main website features one phrase and two CTA buttons.
That’s it.
Using the company’s colors, the background is just a splash of red and some black.
The CTA buttons stand out against the color and emphasize that you can try the product for free.
I like these CTAs because they show that the company understands its audience. Whenever I’m researching to-do list apps, I always want to try it before I buy it. It’s something that people are very particular about and want to test-drive. TeuxDeux’s CTAs shows that they understand this about their audience.
33. Betabrand
CTA: Get involved
Betabrand is a clothing company that sells yoga/dress pants for women. Usually, clothing brands tend to use similar CTAs such as “Shop Now.”
However, Betabrand’s homepage CTA is unique in that it involves the audience. Here, users can vote and impact the design of new products.
This is a fun way to get the audience involved and do something different.
34. Fabletics
CTA: Limited Edition
This Fabletics CTA uses several marketing tactics: scarcity and a holiday.
On the homepage, the brand announces a limited edition collection that’s tied to a holiday (Mother’s Day).
Additionally, the CTA uses a bright color so the CTA stands out on the simple homepage.
35. Ashley Stewart
CTA: Shop the Lookbook
Ashley Stewart is a clothing brand catered to plus-sized women. In this CTA, the company uses a fun design to entice website visitors. The entire collage of images looks like a behind-the-scenes camera roll, which is interesting to look at.
Additionally, the CTA copy is straight to the point, which is helpful for visitors who are looking to browse.
36. Amazon Music
CTA: 3 months free
This is a great example of several of the elements we’ve talked about in one CTA.
Amazon uses two strategically placed CTAs, colorful, yet simple design, and offers the product for free.
With this CTA, Amazon is promoting one of its own products and services on its homepage instead of other products listed for sale on the site.
The only message they want to get across? That you can try their product, Amazon Music, for free for three whole months. This CTA accomplishes that goal with a simple design.
37. Barnes and Noble
CTA: Shop Now
Barnes and Noble uses a simple CTA to entice visitors to shop a limited collection during the Mother’s Day holiday.
I like this CTA because the landing page design is so cohesive with the branding of the overall company.
Additionally, the graphics and the fonts are all interesting and match the brand’s messaging.
38. Slack
CTA: Learn More | Contact Us
Slack uses beautiful, simple design on its homepage to entice visitors to click on one of the two CTA buttons.
I like this example because Slack has two CTA buttons for two different audiences. If you’re just getting started in your research, you can click “Learn More.” However, if you’re a repeat visitor and know that you want to talk to a sales person, you can click “Contact Us.”
This is a great example of serving two audiences with your CTAs on your homepage.
39. Nintendo
CTA: Compare Features
On Nintendo’s website, the company is focused on answering any questions a visitor might have.
In fact, one of the main CTAs is “Compare Features.” With this CTA, Nintendo answers one of their most popular questions because they understand that many visitors are still doing their research before purchasing a product.
There you have it. By now, we hope you can see just how important little CTA tweaks can be.
Full Disclosure: We don’t have data to know if these are all scientifically successful, but these examples all follow our best practices. If you decide to recreate these CTAs on your site, please remember to test to see if they work for your audience.
Want more CTA design inspiration? Check out some of our favorite HubSpot call-to-action examples.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in June 2014 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
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Wondering How to Grow Your Business? 4 Ways Dropshipping Can Help https://ift.tt/2TYrE4d
There’s also an undeniable level of stress that’s part of being a business owner. Perhaps your store is your sole source of income and any dip in profits could throw your future into uncertainty. Or, maybe your online store is a side hustle you’d love to expand but haven’t quite figured out how to grow your business.
It can be difficult to work out how to grow your business when you’re also trying to manage good customer service, savvy marketing, and sound finances. However, expanding your product range could help.
Adding different products can draw in more customers. And the more eyes on your store, the better it is for profits.
I know what you’re thinking: Expanding your product range sounds like a lot of time and effort – and usually it is. But not with dropshipping.
If you’ve been curious about different approaches to boost your online store, dropshipping is a genuinely low risk option that could help.
While many people run successful online stores that consist solely of dropshipped products, there’s no reason why you can’t combine selling dropshipped items along with your own products.
In fact, there are a number of reasons this is a fantastic tactic for online business owners wanting to crack how to grow their brand.
What is Dropshipping?
If you’re already selling your own items in an online store, you’ll remember how long it took to develop your products and figure out how to produce it before you could start selling it. And then you had to work out packaging and shipping!
Dropshipping frees you from all of these problems.
Dropshipping is a business model that involves three parties: you, the supplier, and the customer. First, you find a supplier’s product and place it in your online store. Then, once you make a sale, the supplier will ship it directly to the customer – all without you ever touching the product. Here’s a quick explainer:
How to Grow Your Business Using Dropshipping
It might sound weird to hear someone else’s product could help build your brand. But it’s true. Up to 33 percent of internet retailers use dropshipping as their main method of order fulfillment, including huge companies like Wayfair, Amazon, and Sears.
Combining dropshipping with your own items can help you expand your store, work out what products to invest in, and even give you a competitive edge.
1. Test Out Potential Products with Little Investment
Did you start your online store with a bunch of product ideas and quickly realize you’re just one person with only 24 hours in the day?
Sometimes, no matter how good an idea for a product is, you just can’t spare the time, energy, and money to design and produce an item that might not even sell well. Especially if it’d be taking away from something that’s already a proven money maker.
This is where dropshipping can help.
Rather than investing in your own product, you figure out how to grow your business by dropshipping a similar item and gauging its potential.
After adding the item to your website, you can work on advertising it across different platforms as you would for anything else in your inventory. Then, use tracking and analytics to decide if it’s a winner or not.
If the product is wildly popular, that’s great! You’re making money with the markup on the item you’re dropshipping and you know that it’s worth developing a similar product of your own. You could even bulk order from your current supplier, or find one that can add your branding. Then again, if you’re happy with the product you’re dropshipping, continue selling what you know already works.
On the other hand, if the product flops, you’ll know the idea wasn’t viable. Then, you can simply delete the item from your store and your total loss from the whole experiment will be whatever you didn’t recover from your spending on ads. Much easier than creating your own or dealing with piles of leftover stock.
2. Sell Products That Complement Your Own
Do you have the perfect idea for a product that matches one you already sell, but don’t have the time or expertise to create it? Dropshipping these complementary products could help increase brand awareness and drive future sales of your own items.
For example, say you have a store selling handmade necklaces and earrings. You’d love to be able to sell rings, but you can only make so much jewelry. Necklaces and earrings are taking up all your time. Besides, you’re not really an expert at making rings anyway.
By supplementing your jewelry business with dropshipping, you can find a complementary product and sell that on your store alongside your handmade items.
By doing this you’re giving customers more options. Not to mention, offering bundle deals or upselling with the new item could be a good way to increase order value.
Plus, if the ring helps to draw new potential customers to your store, your brand is being exposed to an audience that otherwise wouldn’t have found it.
And the handy thing about dropshipping being so versatile is that you can trial different complementary items as often as you like. Perhaps the ring wasn’t the best match for your store but selling jewelry boxes was perfect.
Suddenly figuring out how to grow your business doesn’t seem so difficult and expensive any more, right?
3. Dip Your Toe in New Markets
It feels good once you’ve had some success with your products and store, but if you want to continue your winning streak, working out how to grow your business through entering new markets becomes increasingly important.
This is especially key if you’re in a really niche market or find you have more and more competition nipping at your heels.
However, as lucrative as entering a new market could be, it’s something many businesses shy away from due to the associated costs. This isn’t an issue with dropshipping because you never have to worry about shipping – your supplier takes care of it. And actually, your supplier could even be based closer to new markets you’re targeting, like Malaysia or the Philippines.
Dropshipping is a great way to learn how to grow your business in new markets without having to spend a lot of money in the process. Being able to offer products via a dropshipping supplier gives you the freedom to experiment and see if you get any positive results.
You can test out multiple markets and see which best respond to your product. And, because dropshipping is so simple to get started with, you can invest more time into researching which approaches work best for each market and figuring out Facebook targeting for users in different locations.
If you find that a new market is responding to the dropshipped item, start thinking about the sales channels you could use to sell your own products in that market. Or, stick with dropshipping if you’re satisfied with the product and supplier you’re currently working with.
4. Respond to Competitors Quickly
Keeping track of what your competitors are doing is a good move for any type of business. It helps inform you about new trends, stay up to date on different advertising methods, and keeps you motivated to always make your business better.
And naturally, it’s important to be aware of your competitors so if they make a move you can quickly respond.
If you want to know how to grow your business, keeping an eye on your closest competition is one of the best ways to learn.
Say a competitor suddenly began selling a new product and customers started going bananas for it – it would be in your best interest to try and grab a slice of the action, right? Of course! However, this requires quick movement to start selling the product before the hype dies down.
Think about the fidget spinner craze. They were everywhere for a hot second but soon crowded clearance bins as companies struggled to offload stock they were slow to buy and even slower to sell.
If you were combining dropshipping with your store, none of this would be an issue.
You could quickly find a supplier, add the item to your store for a bargain price, and begin advertising it all within 10 minutes. And if the popularity begins to wane, you can simply stop selling with no need to worry about being stuck with excess stock or lost investment.
This is Great But How Do I Start Dropshipping?
So now that you know what dropshipping is and how it can help your online business, you probably want to know how to get started.
The most important steps are finding a good product and a reliable supplier who can keep up with demand. But, when you’re already busy running a store this can be a pain to pour time into. This is why thousands of dropshippers are using Oberlo.
Oberlo is an app that makes dropshipping with AliExpress so simple that you can get started in minutes. All you need to do is browse the millions of products on AliExpress and find an item and supplier that you like. Then, using Oberlo, import the product directly into your current online store on Shopify, ready to be sold alongside your non-dropshipped items.
You can customize the product descriptions and pictures to fit your brand. And when a customer buys the item, Oberlo will help you fulfill the order with your supplier.
With the expertise and skills you already have from marketing and selling your own products online, adding dropshipped items to your store will be easy.
Plus the versatility of dropshipping means that you can start and stop whenever you like, with no great financial risk. Heck, even Oberlo has a free plan!
Summary
To create a stable online business, sometimes you’ve got to think outside the box.
If you’ve been wondering how to grow your business but only know about time-consuming or expensive ways, dropshipping offers an alternative.
Whether you’re curious to move into new markets, thinking about different products, need to find ways to respond to competitors, or just want to expand your catalog, dropshipping can help.
The most convenient thing of all? You’re already at Oberlo.com, which means you’re just a couple clicks away from being able to test new products and explore new markets.
Start combining your online business with dropshipping today.
Is there anything else you’d like to know about how to grow your business by mixing dropshipping with your online store? Let me know in the comments below.
Want to Learn More?
The Ultimate Guide to AliExpress Dropshipping
The Ultimate Shopify Dropshipping Guid
What Is Dropshipping? It’s the Easiest Way to Start an Online Business!
Oberlo Dropshipping FAQ
The post Wondering How to Grow Your Business? 4 Ways Dropshipping Can Help appeared first on Oberlo.
from Oberlo
There’s also an undeniable level of stress that’s part of being a business owner. Perhaps your store is your sole source of income and any dip in profits could throw your future into uncertainty. Or, maybe your online store is a side hustle you’d love to expand but haven’t quite figured out how to grow your business.
It can be difficult to work out how to grow your business when you’re also trying to manage good customer service, savvy marketing, and sound finances. However, expanding your product range could help.
Adding different products can draw in more customers. And the more eyes on your store, the better it is for profits.
I know what you’re thinking: Expanding your product range sounds like a lot of time and effort – and usually it is. But not with dropshipping.
If you’ve been curious about different approaches to boost your online store, dropshipping is a genuinely low risk option that could help.
While many people run successful online stores that consist solely of dropshipped products, there’s no reason why you can’t combine selling dropshipped items along with your own products.
In fact, there are a number of reasons this is a fantastic tactic for online business owners wanting to crack how to grow their brand.
What is Dropshipping?
If you’re already selling your own items in an online store, you’ll remember how long it took to develop your products and figure out how to produce it before you could start selling it. And then you had to work out packaging and shipping!
Dropshipping frees you from all of these problems.
Dropshipping is a business model that involves three parties: you, the supplier, and the customer. First, you find a supplier’s product and place it in your online store. Then, once you make a sale, the supplier will ship it directly to the customer – all without you ever touching the product. Here’s a quick explainer:
How to Grow Your Business Using Dropshipping
It might sound weird to hear someone else’s product could help build your brand. But it’s true. Up to 33 percent of internet retailers use dropshipping as their main method of order fulfillment, including huge companies like Wayfair, Amazon, and Sears.
Combining dropshipping with your own items can help you expand your store, work out what products to invest in, and even give you a competitive edge.
1. Test Out Potential Products with Little Investment
Did you start your online store with a bunch of product ideas and quickly realize you’re just one person with only 24 hours in the day?
Sometimes, no matter how good an idea for a product is, you just can’t spare the time, energy, and money to design and produce an item that might not even sell well. Especially if it’d be taking away from something that’s already a proven money maker.
This is where dropshipping can help.
Rather than investing in your own product, you figure out how to grow your business by dropshipping a similar item and gauging its potential.
After adding the item to your website, you can work on advertising it across different platforms as you would for anything else in your inventory. Then, use tracking and analytics to decide if it’s a winner or not.
If the product is wildly popular, that’s great! You’re making money with the markup on the item you’re dropshipping and you know that it’s worth developing a similar product of your own. You could even bulk order from your current supplier, or find one that can add your branding. Then again, if you’re happy with the product you’re dropshipping, continue selling what you know already works.
On the other hand, if the product flops, you’ll know the idea wasn’t viable. Then, you can simply delete the item from your store and your total loss from the whole experiment will be whatever you didn’t recover from your spending on ads. Much easier than creating your own or dealing with piles of leftover stock.
2. Sell Products That Complement Your Own
Do you have the perfect idea for a product that matches one you already sell, but don’t have the time or expertise to create it? Dropshipping these complementary products could help increase brand awareness and drive future sales of your own items.
For example, say you have a store selling handmade necklaces and earrings. You’d love to be able to sell rings, but you can only make so much jewelry. Necklaces and earrings are taking up all your time. Besides, you’re not really an expert at making rings anyway.
By supplementing your jewelry business with dropshipping, you can find a complementary product and sell that on your store alongside your handmade items.
By doing this you’re giving customers more options. Not to mention, offering bundle deals or upselling with the new item could be a good way to increase order value.
Plus, if the ring helps to draw new potential customers to your store, your brand is being exposed to an audience that otherwise wouldn’t have found it.
And the handy thing about dropshipping being so versatile is that you can trial different complementary items as often as you like. Perhaps the ring wasn’t the best match for your store but selling jewelry boxes was perfect.
Suddenly figuring out how to grow your business doesn’t seem so difficult and expensive any more, right?
3. Dip Your Toe in New Markets
It feels good once you’ve had some success with your products and store, but if you want to continue your winning streak, working out how to grow your business through entering new markets becomes increasingly important.
This is especially key if you’re in a really niche market or find you have more and more competition nipping at your heels.
However, as lucrative as entering a new market could be, it’s something many businesses shy away from due to the associated costs. This isn’t an issue with dropshipping because you never have to worry about shipping – your supplier takes care of it. And actually, your supplier could even be based closer to new markets you’re targeting, like Malaysia or the Philippines.
Dropshipping is a great way to learn how to grow your business in new markets without having to spend a lot of money in the process. Being able to offer products via a dropshipping supplier gives you the freedom to experiment and see if you get any positive results.
You can test out multiple markets and see which best respond to your product. And, because dropshipping is so simple to get started with, you can invest more time into researching which approaches work best for each market and figuring out Facebook targeting for users in different locations.
If you find that a new market is responding to the dropshipped item, start thinking about the sales channels you could use to sell your own products in that market. Or, stick with dropshipping if you’re satisfied with the product and supplier you’re currently working with.
4. Respond to Competitors Quickly
Keeping track of what your competitors are doing is a good move for any type of business. It helps inform you about new trends, stay up to date on different advertising methods, and keeps you motivated to always make your business better.
And naturally, it’s important to be aware of your competitors so if they make a move you can quickly respond.
If you want to know how to grow your business, keeping an eye on your closest competition is one of the best ways to learn.
Say a competitor suddenly began selling a new product and customers started going bananas for it – it would be in your best interest to try and grab a slice of the action, right? Of course! However, this requires quick movement to start selling the product before the hype dies down.
Think about the fidget spinner craze. They were everywhere for a hot second but soon crowded clearance bins as companies struggled to offload stock they were slow to buy and even slower to sell.
If you were combining dropshipping with your store, none of this would be an issue.
You could quickly find a supplier, add the item to your store for a bargain price, and begin advertising it all within 10 minutes. And if the popularity begins to wane, you can simply stop selling with no need to worry about being stuck with excess stock or lost investment.
This is Great But How Do I Start Dropshipping?
So now that you know what dropshipping is and how it can help your online business, you probably want to know how to get started.
The most important steps are finding a good product and a reliable supplier who can keep up with demand. But, when you’re already busy running a store this can be a pain to pour time into. This is why thousands of dropshippers are using Oberlo.
Oberlo is an app that makes dropshipping with AliExpress so simple that you can get started in minutes. All you need to do is browse the millions of products on AliExpress and find an item and supplier that you like. Then, using Oberlo, import the product directly into your current online store on Shopify, ready to be sold alongside your non-dropshipped items.
You can customize the product descriptions and pictures to fit your brand. And when a customer buys the item, Oberlo will help you fulfill the order with your supplier.
With the expertise and skills you already have from marketing and selling your own products online, adding dropshipped items to your store will be easy.
Plus the versatility of dropshipping means that you can start and stop whenever you like, with no great financial risk. Heck, even Oberlo has a free plan!
Summary
To create a stable online business, sometimes you’ve got to think outside the box.
If you’ve been wondering how to grow your business but only know about time-consuming or expensive ways, dropshipping offers an alternative.
Whether you’re curious to move into new markets, thinking about different products, need to find ways to respond to competitors, or just want to expand your catalog, dropshipping can help.
The most convenient thing of all? You’re already at Oberlo.com, which means you’re just a couple clicks away from being able to test new products and explore new markets.
Start combining your online business with dropshipping today.
Is there anything else you’d like to know about how to grow your business by mixing dropshipping with your online store? Let me know in the comments below.
Want to Learn More?
The Ultimate Guide to AliExpress Dropshipping
The Ultimate Shopify Dropshipping Guid
What Is Dropshipping? It’s the Easiest Way to Start an Online Business!
Oberlo Dropshipping FAQ
The post Wondering How to Grow Your Business? 4 Ways Dropshipping Can Help appeared first on Oberlo.
https://ift.tt/2Zckmwu January 28, 2020 at 07:00AM https://ift.tt/2YQwdkP
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The revolution will have a monthly subscription
Introducing the first iteration of the Apple TV with an app store, Tim Cook (in)famously declared, “We believe the future of TV is apps.” The Apple TV stands out from its competitors for only two things: the App Store, and a much more powerful CPU than its competitors. So it’s safe to say that Apple genuinely does believe this is the future of TV.
It’s also safe to say, though, that it doesn’t appear to be panning out. Pretty much nobody buys Apple TVs for much other than what other streaming boxes do.1 We’re watching Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Amazon Prime. (Well, we will be watching Prime. Later. Theoretically.)
What we want from TV is—sorry for the buzzword—content. In practice, it doesn’t matter how we get Game of Thrones or Star Trek: Discovery as long as we can get it easily on demand. Apps are arguably less help than hindrance. Imagine having a storefront that had all the shows, and we just paid per episode or per season for permanent access to our favorite shows–we could stream them or download them. Wouldn’t that be much better?
Ha ha! I’m pulling a fast one on you. Sorry. We had that from Apple and Amazon by the mid-2000s. Have you ever bought a TV show on iTunes? No? Yes, but only because it wasn’t available on Netflix? Once we got “all you can eat” streaming for $10–12 a month, we all said fuck this à la carte thing. We’ll just wait for all the networks and all the studios to put all the things on Netflix. Everybody wins!
But studios don’t make as much selling to Netflix as they used to in old syndication deals. They make a lot less. So what are they going to do? Start their own streaming service. Yay! You know Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, and HBO Go/Now. Maybe you know Walmart’s me-too Vudu service. And you’ve recently heard Trek nerds bitch about CBS All Access. But there’s also Crunchyroll, Feeln, Acorn TV, Filmstruck, BritBox, Shudder, Screambox, Youtube Red, and others that I’m certainly forgetting–and that’s without counting the “cable replacement” services like Sling Orange, PlayStation Vue and Hulu Live. Disney is gearing up for their service, with plans to pull their stuff off other streaming services. And there’s whatever the hell Apple is doing.2
“But nobody’s going to subscribe to all those streaming services!” Not if you’re already paying $100+ a month for cable before you add any streaming services, no. But imagine a world (it’s easy if you try) in which you’re only paying, say, $50 a month for network access with no bundled television. All your shows now come from streaming services. So the chances are you’re going to end up subscribing to more than just Netflix and one other.
If you look at cord cutting as a money-saving move, this sounds depressing: it’s painting a picture of a future where the money you save by going data-only gets eaten up by streaming services. Well, true. But now you’re paying for everything on demand, in most cases commercial-free. Honestly, that’s still a win.
“Okay, but even if you get me to pay for five or six services, you listed eighteen services and claimed you were probably forgetting some. That is not gonna happen.” No, it isn’t. Most of those services aren’t going to survive long-term. They’re going to merge with other services or just quietly vanish. (SeeSo, we hardly knew yeeso.) But streaming video will likely never consolidate to a point where you can get every show you want by ponying up for one or two big names.
Is this just about money? Is it just greed that stops networks and studios from making it easier on all us consumers by just putting everything on Netflix or Hulu? Sort of. But it’s also about control.
Giant aggregators kind of reverse the way we think of monopolies working: instead of giant companies gaining control over a market and gouging consumers at retail, they lower retail prices and deliver the real pain to the suppliers. Walmart is the original giant aggregator, and it’s not hard to find stories of companies driven to bankruptcy by “success” selling through them. Twenty-First Century Walmart, Amazon, is remarkably cavalier about counterfeiters selling physical goods on their site. And you don’t have to be on the take from Penguin Random House to wonder whether it’s particularly healthy for self-publishers to rely on Amazon for three-quarters or more of their sales. If they decide they’d rather only give “indies” a 50% cut of the cover price instead of 70%, well, what are you gonna do about it? Pray they don’t alter the deal any further.3
The music industry still blames Apple’s iTunes ecosystem for destroying the once-lucrative CD market. So it’s not surprising that studios have decided that if on-demand streaming was truly going to be the future of television, they did not, in fact, want to chill with Netflix. Think about streaming music: artists say that unless they’re Taylor Swift, they’re making bupkis from Spotify, yet Spotify pays out so much for music that they’re still not profitable. These sound mutually exclusive, but they’re not: Spotify and friends should have charged $15 or $20 a month for unlimited music streaming, not $10.
Does that mean that Netflix should be charging us more than $9.99 $10.99? If they wanted to be the video version of Spotify, yes. But they don’t: they want to be a network. Amazon wants to be a network. Hulu wants to be a network. Apple (probably) wants to be a network. CBS wants to remain a network.
And at the end of the day, that’s what this boils down to: video streaming services aren’t the new airwaves, they’re the new networks. And since we’ve pretty much all collectively decided we can’t stand commercial breaks–how we “paid” for most network programming for sixty-odd years–we’re going to end up paying those networks directly.
So the future of TV is not apps–the future of TV is, just like the past of TV, networks. The key shift is a move from an advertising-supported model to consumers paying the networks directly.4
But will this future last as long as what it’s replacing? The network-and-affiliate broadcast model has been with us for nearly a century, predating television itself. That’s a lot harder to say. The model definitely needs tweaks–streaming services need to stop treating their metadata as proprietary secret sauce and let companies building streaming appliances build comprehensive cross-service program guides, for a start. But it seems to me like this future, even if it’s not precisely the one we wanted, has legs.
It’s much less clear to me whether this model will work well for software, as more and more programs take cues from Adobe and Microsoft and move toward subscription models. That, however, is another post.
The Apple TV is arguably most of the way to being a solid “casual” game console, but it’s become clear that Apple has no idea how to make it attractive to either developers or consumers in that space. ↩
I suspect Jason Snell is correct: Apple will take an “HBO approach…offering a dozen original series and a curated collection of films and classic TV shows.” ↩
This is what much of Amazon’s stock price was historically based on: investors bet they would do exactly what Walmart did. That this hasn’t come to pass may well be due to Amazon Web Services becoming the company’s biggest revenue driver. ↩
Advertising-supported services that are free to watch will stick around, but there’s a strong antipathy toward services with monthly bills and ads. I doubt that “blended” model will be with us long-term. ↩
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Deficit Spending Will Stop Tax Reform
BY PATRICK WATSON
Many people still assume a big tax cut is coming. I think we won’t get any tax cut at all—but if we do, it will cause another problem.
In other words, we’re going to lose either way.
Here’s Why The Trump Plan Won’t Work
The tax reform wish list the White House unveiled recently isn’t exactly a “plan.” It’s more like an outline, minus the details.
Still, the goals are clear enough: Trump would reduce almost everyone’s federal tax burden and make the system somewhat less complicated.
Objections fall into two categories:
1. The biggest tax reductions would go to the wealthy.
There’s truth to this, but it’s hard to make the math work differently. The top 20% of Americans pay 84% of all income taxes. You can’t cut someone’s taxes unless they pay taxes.
Of course, the 40% of Americans who are “income tax-negative” still face payroll, property, sales, and assorted other taxes. Maybe it would make sense to cut some of those, but that’s largely a state and local matter.
2. The tax cut would blow up the deficit.
This one has more merit. No one has figured out how to cut income taxes in a way that is both politically balanced enough to get through Congress and neutral to government revenue.
That’s necessary because we obviously can’t cut spending. The president’s budget proposal shifts money from other departments to defense but doesn’t reduce the total.
As a result, the Trump administration didn’t even try to keep the plan revenue-neutral with spending cuts. They instead claim it will spur economic growth, which will create more future tax revenue.
Is that true?
Probably—but not to the extent they hope. Lower tax rates should spur a little more business investment and consumer spending. Few economists think it will be enough to fully offset the lost revenue.
(Brief tangent: I really don’t like describing tax cuts as “lost revenue” for the government. The government can’t lose what it never owned. Your income is yours first. You simply keep whatever amount Washington allows. I use the phrase only as convenient shorthand, reluctantly.)
The Deficit Will Explode
But deficit spending isn’t really the problem. Our disease is excessive spending. Deficits and too-high taxes are merely its symptoms.
All government functions cost money to deliver; that’s why we have taxes. The real issue is we have let government grow to a size where it now needs $7.03 trillion to get by (that’s how much federal, state, and local governments combined will make in fiscal year 2017).
Looking at the big picture, it doesn’t matter if the government funds itself with a). taxes now or b). borrowing now and taxes later. Both funding methods divert equal sums from private sector uses that could be more productive.
Longer term, though, it makes a huge difference.
Suppose I’m wrong. Suppose a series of miracles will give Trump everything on his wish list. Then what?
Unless another series of miracles cut government spending to the bone, we will get huge budget deficits.
The Treasury will issue more bonds to finance the deficit, crowding out private borrowing and forcing interest rates higher.
Higher rates will send the dollar up against other currencies, hurting US exports and corporate earnings.
At some point, long-term bond yields will look more attractive than stock dividends. Then stock prices will adjust lower… maybe a lot lower.
And while this unfolds, the Federal Reserve may be raising short-term rates and winding down its bond portfolio.
Not to mention that we’re overdue for a recession and first-quarter GDP looked dismal.
Be careful what you wish for.
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