Haggling

[jsprague]

Hello,

My company runs several web sites that earn money via online advertising. We have been getting very frustrated lately by advertisers who haggle too much. Our rates are already very reasonable, and by the time the advertisers are done with us, we are practically giving it away (or so it feels like).

Does anyone else share this frustration?

It seems that we have to either substantially raise our starting price, or fix the prices and stand firm on them.

Mainly just venting. :)

Thanks...

[Mister Bogdan]

It is competition:)

[jsprague]

It is, but we are one of the most affordable options available. The nice thing is that our inventory is almost completely sold out so the bargaining power will be shifting our way now.

My wife deals with the advertising on our sites and I think she lets herself get bullied around more than she should.

She is afraid that if she doesn't cave on the prices that these companies won't advertise with us. I keep trying to tell her that they don't have anywhere else to go where they can get values as good as our REGULAR rates. There is only one other medium-large site in our market and they have similar rates. Most of the other sites are too small and don't get the advertisers. The few larger sites have ridiculous CPMs that none of our advertisers could even come close to affording anyway.

:)