Forum Sponsors. C'mon guys...

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scoti

Royal Smart Person
Sep 5, 2019
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You do understand the demographics of this board......right? The typical gbodyforum member drives $2k 3.8 powered 4 door buick regal, works a blue collar job, and has a $50/month parts budget.

Contrast that with Vette owners, new Camaro/Challenger/Mustang owners, tri-5 owners, muscle car era, diesel truck guys.......hell anybody but us. These are bankers, accountants, lawyers that wouldn't think twice about dropping $2k on new exhaust or $4k on wheels/tires/lift kit. If you were a vendor.....where would you concentrate your resources?
Well.... If I was a vendor for g-body/related stuff, it would seem a site like this would have a high probability of finding a potential customer or two @ a minimum.
Worst case, I get to know others that share my automotive passion.
 
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ck80

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What I was talking about doesn't require a dedicated person getting paid a wage to sit in front of a computer for extended periods to possibly interact w/potential customers.

I visit boards because I'm a car guy. I share points of my builds & look to see what my peers are up to. If I worked for a suspension company or a parts supplier I would be interacting w/people interested in the same stuff I am & I might even be able to help them.

I do this on my own to educate myself & it's done for free.
Not to argue semantics too far, but, there's some legal issues with what you said.

In your first post:

Agree 100%. I just checked on the old


thread to see if Mac/Southside Machine Perf ever acknowledged/responded to my last statement which wound up being the final post of that thread.
Says you were looking for the vendor, not just some gbody enthusiasts who worked for the company and took it upon themselves to engage you.

But as an aside, ballpark, how many internet message boards do you think are out there related to just the core 78-88 a/g body cars. Either an individual make/model or covering more than one?

Then add in all the various social media platforms, groups, pages, etc.

The world is much MUCH bigger than gbodyforum.

And that is before you look at other products and services a particular vendor offers - in the case of Southside you've got 60s/70s abody, fox body, gbody. Harley. Powdercoating. Machining. All sorts of things.

We could go through every vendor and all they make/offer. But.... I really don't think k anyone cares enough to do that systematically.

But back to the start of this post, if an employee answers messages, and does it on behalf of a company, they're entitled to compensation for that time even if they don't ask for it at the time so on so forth... also no need to get into the employment law death spiral. Govt wants their payroll taxes on that effort too. And if the employees are later let go due to cutbacks or economy downturn, well, they can get the DOL to get back wages, back taxes, and penalties for them with free lawyers.
 

87National

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2009
661
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eastern SD
Really? If the typical member drives a 4 door, I must have missed the "More Door" subsection on this forum for the past 8 years.
I think you missed my point......the guys that own the $30k+ turbobuicks, the low mile original Hurst Olds, the 86 aerocoupes....etc. don't tend to hang out on here. Just look around a bit at the "regulars" and what they drive.


Even the blue collar guy who has $50 bucks to spend, is just as important to any business, as the guy who has $500, or $5000 to spend.
Uh sorry......but that is not correct. Private Enterprise exists to make a profit. Vendors will cater to guys who are willing to open their wallet and spend large sums of $ on parts and services. Those guys aren't on this forum....lol.
 
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87National

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2009
661
679
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eastern SD
To answer your question... If "I" were to sponsor a forum, "I" would engage my potential customers with my knowledge, customer service, and product lines. "I" would provide "YOU" with a solution to your needs & wants.
^Same goes for me if I were a vendor......but I would also be smart enough to recognize the potential for profit is a 100X higher on other forums and would spend a proportionate amount of time and effort on those forums.

Look at the forum sponsor list.....do you think these guys are exclusively sponsoring gbodyforum? I guarantee you that UMI, PST, Cold Case are active on other forums......and likely generate a ton more revenue on those forums.
 
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Screwz

Greasemonkey
May 10, 2021
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Arkansas
I would be more likely to purchase products from a company that interacts with the community that it’s makes products for.
If they spent 5 minutes a week on this forum we would get to know them and that would get us to buy from them.It’s just that simple people like to support people and companies they know.
 
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JAMCAR223

Royal Smart Person
Jun 6, 2014
1,853
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Houston, TX.
You can "Uh sorry" & "lol" me all you want, but I own the $30+k Grand National, and several other nice cars (not just G Bodys) and I hang out here every day. You can put me, and the other "poor G Body owners" down all you like. You have grossly underestimated our buying power. I know 62 Turbo Buick owners here in the Houston area alone (Yes, I have a contact list), and I can't think of one banker or lawyer on the list.

The target profit margin in the automotive accessory re-seller business is 40%. You're saying companies should aim their efforts for 100x that. A 4000% profit margin??? There's the LOL.

The sponsors on this forum are not exclusive. My original point of this thread is they aren't sponsoring sh*t. They don't even make an appearance on here.

** I know 2 guys on this this thread who are WAAYYY overthinking it.
I would be more likely to purchase products from a company that interacts with the community that it’s makes products for.
If they spent 5 minutes a week on this forum we would get to know them and that would get us to buy from them.It’s just that simple people like to support people and companies they know.

^^ Exactly! That's called building trust. Another huge core business value.
 

ck80

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Supporting Member
Feb 18, 2014
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I still think the forest is getting lost for the trees here...

One thing I hadn't mentioned earlier is another small piece of firsthand info...

So, as part of sponsoring the board here the package of perks, among other things, include a bigger PM box and a dedicated subforum you can choose to use -or not use- as you see fit. It's a perk to help entice sponsors and show appreciation.

So what I'm hearing here is because a vendor voluntarily coughs up coin to help keep the lights going on a free resource for you, but, doesn't hang around all the time posting messages that you should take your business elsewhere.... did I get that right?

Because last I saw, summit racing, jegs, etc aren't participating in threads either. But, it's OK, because they don't donate money to run things they shouldn't need to have a personal presence here?

Am I missing something else?

My original point of this thread is they aren't sponsoring sh*t.
And you'd be 1000% wrong. They write a figurative check, handing over cold hard cash, to help offset the costs of keeping this board running.

Something you don't seem to be doing yourself, despite the option to do so?
 

abbey castro

Royal Smart Person
Oct 31, 2015
1,042
1,303
113
Harker Hts TX
Guys, some of these companies sell stuff in such a wide variety of applications that a few G Bodies parts in their stable is not worth the time ($) to have someone sit and post or give advice. Website info is all you get. They just want to get their name out there and into your wallet. It's for us to ask each other what parts have you used and where did you get them. That is what sells good parts. That's for us to ask each other and we'll figure it out. In the old days you could walk into the speed shop or auto parts store and talk the guy behind the counter for what was a good part to get, touch it look it over and compare with your old part. (cross referencing of parts was a skill they had) . Now walk into any auto parts store and try and buy valve grinding compound and the the 1st question is; what make is the car and year! This actually happened to me. Ordered it online! Are there any places that will rebuild your calipers, alternator, starter or AC compressor let alone a Carb? Yes, a few that the old guys that runs them haven't died yet. I believe our sport is a dying passion. Go to any car show and see the well done car but don't ask the gray haired guy what rear disk setup his running cause he bought it like that. I try and post a picture with all my replies when I run across the same problem or bought a part that has worked well. Well, enough soapbox. Wouldn't it be interesting to find out what is the age demographics of our forum. I'm 72.
 

JAMCAR223

Royal Smart Person
Jun 6, 2014
1,853
5,507
113
Houston, TX.
I apparently have a different work ethic than most 🤷‍♂️ I'll leave it at that...
 

87National

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2009
661
679
93
eastern SD
You can "Uh sorry" & "lol" me all you want, but I own the $30+k Grand National, and several other nice cars (not just G Bodys) and I hang out here every day. You can put me, and the other "poor G Body owners" down all you lik
I wasn't putting anyone down, just simply describing the demographics of this forum. Members here have less disposable income to spend on parts compared to forums that cater to other types of vehicles. I'm not saying you have to like it.......I'm just saying that's the way it is.


The target profit margin in the automotive accessory re-seller business is 40%. You're saying companies should aim their efforts for 100x that. A 4000% profit margin??? There's the LOL.
Nope......not even close to what I was saying. Cold Case (as an example) sells 100X the radiators on a Mustang/Mopar/Camaro/Corvette forum..... yet you think they should post daily on here and be your best friend?
 
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