The fat lady has completely lost her fat mind!

[TownsendPLocke]

Now she has a cardboard sign that she flashes at the intersection of Tropicana and Valley View Blvd. in Las Vegas "Give me money or you won't see any reviews for 3-6 months"

Thing is-those reviews count for 80-90% of the traffic at her busy intersection. 

Her little mongrel dog Tweaker has been snarling and snapping at any drivers who dare to question her about the sign. But most just nod, throw her a sympathetic glance (and a few pennies) and go on their way happy to be considered part of her esteemed circle of followers. 

I am sure a more resourceful operation could swoop down and kick her out of that intersection for good.

[Suckrates]

Well Mr TP,  I agree, but we must keep in mind that ALL despots get their power from their subjects, who enable them.  So it's not really the fat lady's fault per see.  She just knows who is buttering her croissants, and is using her RESOURCES.   Those subjects feel SHE is providing them some life sustaining service, and are willing to shell old their pennies to secure it.  

People are so silly sometimes.

[JKane]

It's notable that theoretically the main point and traffic item on her site is generated by others and given to her for free (though there's no counting how many are actually generated by her...).  In return the people who bother to do her that favor find it takes a month or more for the review to go up.  Presumably negative reviews of people who donate to her simply don't go up...  

[AdamSmith]

Main problem for that business model is it was created in and for an era that no longer exists, and to serve needs that are rapidly dwindling out of existence.

Here in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill there is a vibrant and flourishing escort economy that advertises solely on backpage (see the explicit escort ads under the 'Dating' section: http://raleigh.backpage.com/ ) and whose escorts and clients alike have never heard of 'review' sites, and who fall out laughing at the needlessness of them when I sketch the concept to them.

It is a new era and a new generation that simply do not have the hangups, fear, paranoia or repressed guilt that used to be part & parcel of hiring for many.

[Suckrates]

20 minutes ago, AdamSmith said:

Main problem for that business model is it was created in and for an era that no longer exists, and to serve needs that are rapidly dwindling out of existence.

Here in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill there is a vibrant and flourishing escort economy that advertises solely on backpage (see the explicit escort ads under the 'Dating' section: http://raleigh.backpage.com/ ) and whose escorts and clients alike have never heard of 'review' sites, and who fall out laughing at the needlessness of them when I sketch the concept to them.

It is a new era and a new generation that simply do not have the hangups, fear, paranoia or repressed guilt that used to be part & parcel of hiring for many.

 

No one is reviewing all those guys you can scoop up from places like Grindr and CL. and sex is much easier to find in most places where like minds desiring male/male sex reside.   Yet there are staunch die-hard old schoolers that need the false security of "review sites", but regardless of all the telethons held to raise funds over time,  seems these same members are not willing to shell out enough moola to keep their High Priestess solvent  (or so she says)...  I suppose "you get what you PAY for" applies here ? 

[AdamSmith]

6 minutes ago, Suckrates said:

 

No one is reviewing all those guys you can scoop up from places like Grindr and CL. and sex is much easier to find in most places where like minds desiring male/male sex reside.   Yet there are staunch die-hard old schoolers that need the false security of "review sites", but regardless of all the telethons held to raise funds over time,  seems these same members are not willing to shell out enough moola to keep their High Priestess solvent  (or so she says)...  I suppose "you get what you PAY for" applies here ? 

"Good advice costs nothing and it's

Worth the price!"

Allan Sherman

 

[AdamSmith]

Hooboy invented that business model 20 years ago. Things change and times move on.

The gentleman is selling buggy whips in the automotive age.

[Suckrates]

7 minutes ago, AdamSmith said:

Hooboy invented that business model 20 years ago. Things change and times move on.

The gentleman is selling buggy whips in the automotive age.

 

Yup technology dear.... Even my DEPENDS are heated now....

[RockHardNYC]

The software here is so fucked up. I had to refresh before my login would take hold.

2 hours ago, AdamSmith said:

It is a new era and a new generation that simply do not have the hangups, fear, paranoia or repressed guilt that used to be part & parcel of hiring for many.

Well, Trump is being inaugurated today, so perhaps talk of a "new era" makes some sense.

There is always a new generation that follows the previous. Perhaps repressed guilt has been set aside, but the kids I work with seem full of hangups, fear, and paranoia. At a certain age, some things are still pretty consistent, especially among the pot smokers.

There were always street hustlers in the marketplace who wouldn't know a review any more than they would know an appointment with their primary care physician.

The marketplace is loaded with guys who won't tip their toes into the escort pool without some kind of confirmation. And there are plenty of professional escorts who view the review process as an aid to building a well-honed business. As long as there are "professional" men telling customers to write a review somewhere, the "somewhere" most popular will remain popular.

[Guest Fluffypuff]

On 1/20/2017 at 6:12 AM, AdamSmith said:

Hooboy invented that business model 20 years ago. Things change and times move on.

The gentleman is selling buggy whips in the automotive age.

There's a reason that Yelp and TripAdvisor continue to hold their own. Reviews are an excellent first approximation of quality for hotels, restaurants, florists--you name it.

Escorting, both male and female, is a little different in that it attracts large segment of low-cost upstarts who can be more attractive to clients than than more established providers (even putting aside cost). Also, because so many M2M escort clients are closeted, they're less willing tosubmit reviews than are, say, restaurant patrons. But if nothing else, reviews allow clients to weed out the outright scammers and robbers. They also make it easier for clients to avoid stings.

If nothing else, rebranding as a general review site for gay-friendly businesses will provide some cover. Few LE agencies today want to be accused of homophobia.

 

 

[AdamSmith]

Let me be more specific. Hooboy's revenue came mainly from banner ads purchased by the escort advertising sites, of which 20 years ago there were many, and by porn-for-pay web sites.

You can see how both those revenue streams have dried up.

Your points about reviews are accurate, but irrelevant.

[Guest Fluffypuff]

Double post. 

[Guest Fluffypuff]

I quoted the wrong post. I meant to reply to:

On 1/20/2017 at 4:57 AM, AdamSmith said:

Main problem for that business model is it was created in and for an era that no longer exists, and to serve needs that are rapidly dwindling out of existence.

Here in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill there is a vibrant and flourishing escort economy that advertises solely on backpage (see the explicit escort ads under the 'Dating' section: http://raleigh.backpage.com/ ) and whose escorts and clients alike have never heard of 'review' sites, and who fall out laughing at the needlessness of them when I sketch the concept to them.

It is a new era and a new generation that simply do not have the hangups, fear, paranoia or repressed guilt that used to be part & parcel of hiring for many.

In terms of the business model, expanding the scope of the site could help.  I'm guessing the owner would be more willing to accept ads from gay inns than escorts. Ideally, the search results for these segments should expand the site's audience   

[Guest Fluffypuff]

A bit of rainbow flag waiving will motivate people to post reviews of  inns etc. while the site gains traction in these new segments.