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Vintage slot machine website changes hands

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 10:31 am
by slotalot
Due to other interests I have put my vintage website on the market. it has taken me almost 10 years to compile this site, it would be a shame for it to go off line forever. :HaHa:
If you fancy taking it on and making it your own !!JUNK!!
MAKE ME AN OFFER :D
you can contact me via Private Message on this site, or via the contacts page on my site.
http://www.slotmachines.bravehost.com/

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:00 pm
by treefrog
That's a Shame Stuart, useful information to us all on there.

I already have two websites, so know the effort needed to maintain them...maybe the useful info gathered could come on this site with agreement of the owner :D

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 8:43 pm
by pennymachines
As you say, Stuart has invested considerable time, effort and cash putting it together and maintaining it. It would be a shame to see all of that lost. Hopefully some wealthy benefactor will come to the rescue. Failing that, I'd be very happy to host the material here.

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:55 pm
by badpenny
Stuart me old fruit.
I know you haven't taken this decision lightly, and I think I know you well enough to realise how important this is to you.
In order to expedite a suitable transfer you are satisfied with I think it might help if you ......
* Give an idea of operating costs, annually?
* Explain what sort of offers you are looking for
- Tens of Pounds
- Hundreds of Pounds
- Thousands of Pounds
- Money or near offer

BP

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 12:08 pm
by slotalot
Hi Jeremy, I have had a few people asking questions about the site, but no one is willing to make me an offer, I fully understand this, as how do you put a value on it !PUZZLED! ???? in truth I dont know what it is worth myself :!?!:
I can tell you what it has cost me to research and compile the information over the last 9 to 10 years, that figure including site fees is around £2000, most of that has gone on reserch, and that is not including all the man hours I have spent on it,
in an ideal world I would like to think that is what it is worth !!YIPPEE!!
But we dont live in an ideal world so I added the words *****MAKE ME AN OFFER*****

as to running costs going forwards?? it is less than the price of a pint of beer a week if you pay your site fees yearly, and if you pay a few years in advance it is less than that.

If you were to put adds on the site, or maybe a for sale page?? the site could pay for its self :burp:

and lets not forget the "good will" ... this site is well established and has back links to many other relevent sites and is picked up well by most search engines, this is not somthing that happen overnight.

anyway there you have it, must go now as the Commander in Cheif wants to got to Sainsburys. :byee:

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 3:53 pm
by coppinpr
This is just an idea Stuart, might not suit you but might get round the "make me an offer" sticking point.

Why not auction the site? You could set a start price or, better still, set a reserve price hidden to the bidders. You could do it on this site, or for that matter on Ebay, just so long as we all know the auction is live. I think there are people wanting to offer a price but uncomfortable with making an offer to someone they know. Bidding on an auction allows us to bid up to our price and drop out, without any problems as the price moves up. I would be a bidder. :cool:

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:27 pm
by slotalot
I did think about that, but not sure I want to go there. Just thought someone on here might have been interested. Enjoy it whilst you can, it will soon be gone. :(

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:40 pm
by badpenny
How about if we do crowd funding amongst the collective members on here on the proviso that Mr P absorbs it into this site?
I can promise £50, not because that's all I think it's worth, far from it. I haven't worked since last Summer and am relying on my pension.

If anyone else can chuck in, please add it to my £50 so we have a running total.
If it doesn't work, at least we tried. :!?!:

Over to you guys ......................

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:19 pm
by coppinpr
I did think about that, but not sure I want to go there. Just thought someone on here might have been interested.
I think there are people on this site that would be interested if you auctioned it on the forum market. If its going to close I cant see what you have to lose , set a hidden reserve price and let it run for 2 weeks, if it doesn't reach the reserve you have lost nothing but will know the sort of money people are prepared to go to. Just set a reasonable reserve price,setting a high reserve just to see how the land lies would not be fair

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:35 pm
by coppinpr
on the proviso that Mr P absorbs it into this site?
cant fully agree with you on this BP, as a last resort yes,but I would prefer to see the two sites running side by side,

how about if we crowd funded a pool to cover the running costs of the site,the site to be edited by Mr P(if he agrees) with a couple of moderators, and allowing any forum members who helped the fund to submit finished content to Mr P for possible inclusion in the site at his discression ,this would save the site and encourage its expansion under MrP's watchful eye without adding too much extra work to his already massive work load(this is bearing in mind he has already offered to include the content in this site which,indirectly hints that he would be prepared to do a little more).

I defiantly believe two sites linked would be better than one expanded.

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:44 pm
by badpenny
However as neither sites earn income, it would reduce costs to absorb them.
It's not our decision though, it's down to Stuart, PM and then those that contribute financially.

I stand by my offer, I just wish I could find more.

BP

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 9:12 am
by coppinpr
I agree its up to Stuart but the problem is if there isnt a plan in place to save the site we cant make a deal with stuart.
The running cost for keeping the site separate (which is ,I think, the only additional cost there would be if the sites ran side by side and not as one) is very small, not much more than £100 per year.

ill kick off a fund with £50 to keep them separate but under one umbrella(but only if Mr.P agrees)

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 10:46 am
by badpenny
Thanks Paul ...... so the total now is a measly £100.
Come on everybody, who's next?

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:13 pm
by treefrog
What are you buying !PUZZLED!

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:18 pm
by badpenny
Isn't it the intellectual property?

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:36 pm
by treefrog
But the information is already in the public domain. Is it to all the original paperwork and pictures/pamphlets etc....?

Anyway, as I said before, this is useful reference information for people and for me the effort in gathering and maintaining this type of stuff in our hobby is all part of the passion and not a commercial aspect. Of course I know some see value in paraphernalia they collect like paperwork, brochures and pictures and will not be willing to share. On Stuart's site people were willing to share information for free for the benefit of others.... There are other similar sites like Melright's Bryans site I reference all the time. No idea who he is and seems to have at least 6 others web collectors sites as well.

Cost of running a site is not huge. As mentioned, I maintain two (not that I will mention them here) and depending on the options you have including domain registration the cost can be low. Stuart's site is purely hosted and not a domain registration.

Would be good if the information is not lost and could be continued. In the past, and before Stuart started building his information on key manufacturers, one thing I always felt that would have been good on this site, was a company wide database and information portal. Adding pictures of machines, dates, and company info. I know there are sites like arcade database, but too broad and too little info can be added. I even thought about starting my own.

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:17 pm
by slotalot
I have just had an email sent to me via my website contacts page, !TAPTAP! I know the sender is a member on the pennymachines forum, but I am not going to say who it is to save his blushes,
It basically says I am being greedy by asking for £2000 for the site.

I would like to put this matter to rest if I can, firstly I have never asked for £2000 for my website.
I asked for interested parties to make me an offer.
The sum of £2000 came about when people asked my what I thought it was worth??? in truth I have no idea of what it is worth, I could only say that it had cost me around £2000 in site fees and research costs over the years so in an ideal world it should be worth that amount??? and if you were in my shoes you would say the same thing.

I am also trying to find a good home for the site so the information is not lost for ever, !SAINT! I have been interested in vintage slot machines all my life, I still am, but due to some major life changes over the past 2 years I no longer have the time to look after the site and take it forwards. !!JUNK!!

I think that Jeremy & Paul have come up with a solution that will tick all the boxes, have a collection from the members and inter grate my website into the pennymachines forum, the information will be in a safe place for you all to use, and I might get some payback for all my work over the last 10 years. :!?!:

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:19 pm
by coppinpr
rumour is the site might be under new management :cool:

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 2:54 pm
by slotalot
YEP!! it is in good hands :smash: lol.

Re: VINTAGE slot machine website for sale

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 3:45 pm
by pennymachines
Excellent news! !!YIPPEE!!