The Half Ashed Cigar Forum

The Amazon link is still floating in the corner of the website/forum at all times. So yes and yes to your questions.

Using our link generates a return to us of 0.5% to 4% of the order price. They have a sliding scale of how much the pay, depending on the product, total order value, etc. Big ticket items, like electronics, pay back the 1/2 percent or so. Every day items pay more. Every penny counts. We run a pretty tight ship with costs, as I do all the web work myself....as you can tell by all the graphic design "faux pas" throughout the site



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The other thing with this Amazon thing is that I believe you have to come to the site and click through to Amazon for each order. It doesn't save the cookie well enough to carry over. That's not what they say in their literature, but it seems to actually be that way.

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I suppose an alternate way to generate some funds for handling this stuff would be to simply set up a paypal link in addition to the Amazon box. That way people could just randomly give a couple bucks to the show with their return being?... More show which is what they apparently like. No actual product other than what Half Ashed already is.

Then there is site advertisement. I know Kip and Craig don't want to be beholden to anyone so that is pretty much out. Although something on the main site as a click based ad for a actual trusted person they are kinda tight with like Twin Engine Coffee (Colin G) or something like that might work?

Other than that some easy search engine work can come with a number of ways to have a site start generating more funds.

All this said I expect none of what I just typed to occur

1. Buy shit on Amazon through the link.
2. Put a pay pal donate button on the main page.
3. Sell Half Ashed merchandise.

It sounds like this is a good start to solving a bunch of issues.

Firstly, we're not insolvent or in danger of throwing in the towel. We just run on thin (nonexistent) margins to maintain the integrity of why we even do the show. It's about fun and community; not money. There has been a fear that if we operated with adspace or sponsors it starts to look a lot like work and less like a fun hobby. So yes, DC, advertising won't likely happen. We've always turned down offers for that.

The Amazon link was just an easy way to subsidize some of the costs without owing a commitment to promote a particular product or anything like that. In the past, it has covered 15-20% of the costs on an annualized basis (Nov-Dec usually generate the bulk of that). With regular shoppers using the link it'd be no problem paying for the hosting costs, software fees, etc. Anything that were to come in beyond that we'd just feed back into other show stuff like software, buying show sticks, etc. Even with extra coming in, we'd just operate at a net-zero. It's just easier.

As for swag, that's an easy fix if I can come up with suitable vector images that will translate into proper graphics.

I can also put a PayPal contribution link up, but honestly I think Amazon could cover it if folks all knew about it. No fuss, no muss.

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I say any extra funds go to buying Craig's wife a movie ticket and paying for a baby sitter so he can actually be available on Fridays.

The Banker wrote:I say any extra funds go to buying Craig's wife a movie ticket and paying for a baby sitter so he can actually be available on Fridays.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for busting Craig's nueces....but to be fair a good portion of delays in recent months lie squarely on me.

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My post was mostly trying to answer a question and not to be taken as direction on how to run the show/site. The paypal option however, may be the most viable. It gives people the option of donating as little as $1, but those add up. If some of your hundreds? Thousands? Tens? of listeners decided to do that once in awhile you could be all Scrooge McDuck up in here.

Me personally? I think I will just continue to save my shekels and send them to you direct Kip so long as it is a viable option. That way they can used for your family, mission, or whatever you deem they are needed for at the time.


As an aside Banker Kip does have a support page for his mission work if your looking to really make a difference...
https://fishers4him.com/support/

Regardless of personal beliefs if the answer to the question "Do you believe kids should have clean drinking water and an education?" is yes.. Then support should indeed be considered.


Maybe I overstepped on this one Kip... feel free to delete it if you like.

I appreciate the share. I hadn't come across this yet in the forums.