The pop-up that I get when I log on is annoying enough. CTT inconsiderately and uselessly tries to entice me to renew my subscription, which they surely know is already ample. But when I try to click on the X to get rid of it, half the time it jumps upward on the screen just an instant before I click, so that I actually open the thing.
Yeah I’ve learned to scroll up a bit then click it off. Yes its annoying.
Agreed. Same goes for that little bar at the bottom of the screen. I come to this forum to enjoy my hobby, not to have a sales pitch pushed at me each time.
For me it pushes more away than it brings in. The mail alerts that you get are just as bad. Not to mention the cost.
A moving target is hard to hit, and I have noticed the same thing.
But jeez, how about the fact that you get to enjoy the use of this forum at zero cost to you? Someone foots the bill. Like anything else, it is a business and selling their wares is why this spot exists. No sales - no magazine. No magazine - no free forum.
I get many emails from CTT offering products. I either read them or delete them depending on if the subject line grabs my interest.
Seems like a small price to pay.
The pop-up at the bottom always frosts me …
I get blocked twice here and up to three times a visit at Trains. The problem is it wont let you move on without dealing with it…I get HO Model Railroader ads in the mail…(?) Is that a hint?.
Same at Garden Railways…Someone should inform them this aggressiveness can backfire as several former folks at the GR forum just got fed up and left. I keep getting asked to subscribe and I already do subscribe…I don’t visit as often as I used to…it just gets irritating…I think it has cut down on participation here and elsewhere as there are alternatives…sad to say.
The magazines don’t have control over the pop ups, they are placed by the company’s circulation department.
Advertizing is a given. I gotta go with the crowd here. The pop ups are annoying.
They do not change my buying habits in any way.
EDIT it just did it to me again. Took me right off the page and to their ads.
It costs money to maintain this forum. It’s like commercials I get on free TV. It’s easy to click off and I don’t begrudge our hosts efforts to pay for the site.
We all understand they need the ads but pop ups annoy more people than they attract.
Which would everyone prefer, dealing with an annoying pop-up or having to subscribe(pay) for useage ?
There ain’t no free lunch !
Doug, there is another possibility: a pop-up that takes into account whether it makes sense to try to get a long-term subscriber to–subscribe(!)–and to create ill will by tricking viewers into opening an advertisement while trying to close it. Think of it as the honey alternative to vinegar.
It’s kind of ironic to see the prevailing opinion is users being turned off by their host having ads for services that generate the revenue to provide this free forum. It’s also ironic that the topic of users being turned off by ads has now generated more responses on the first page of this free forum than any hobby-related topic - except the more social, non-hobby related gathering spot - the coffee pot. (And also a long running American Flyer thread).
Across the street, the forum has dozens of blinking ads on every page and the only discussions about train-related products allowed are threads about products offered by forum advertisers, or sponsors. If a non-forum “sponsor” starts a thread about a product he offers for sale, the thread gets deleted by the moderators for the protection of the sponsors. If a non-forum sponsor - providing products or services in which hobbyists might have interest - enhancing their hobby experience - includes a website or blog link in their posts - the thread gets deleted.
I think here you can talk about anybody’s train products or services.
The acronym "CTT, " the phrase “Classic Toy Trains” and the word “Classic” are all “banned words” in that venue as well. If you make a post containing any of those words or phrases, the post goes to the moderation bin where someone has to read it to ensure no positive mention is being made of CTT in a thread.
Every couple of dozen times you visit the other forum, a pop up appears offering a “Premium Membership” where you pay an annual fee to access special features - among these a “Private Messaging” feature - which is provided here for free. Not being a premium member, I only know that second hand - whether or not it remains to be true I do not know.
Point being - there are worse things than a “pop up” ad or a few emails and I seriously doubt that ad is designed to move around in order to bamboozle anyone in
Simply stated “I concure”
The only time the adds move on me is when I don’t let the page load completely first I use to have that problem about a year ago and it went away after running some malware scans it removed what ever was causing it. as my computers as a whole don’t have to play hide and seek with the adds I normally can click close and go on
If one were to pop over to the new websites of our sister magazines, Trains and Model Railroader, you, like me, might note a drop in the number of pop ups. Who knows what the future may hold.
I would much rather advertisers pay for the forum than me. Ads are everywhere so why not here. If I go see a sports event I have to go to LIncoln Financial Field or Citizens Bank Park because why would you want to call it Veterans Stadium? There’s no money in it. I’m still wondering why every interstate has giant colorful ads designed to take my eyes OFF the road? Could it be money? Nah, safety first right! Although if everybody were asked to pony up $20 to keep the forum THAT would be an interesting, heated, and I’m guessing long thread.
Don’t usually voice my opinion BUT have to agree that the pop-ups are annoying. I just “x” them out and go on. PS… As I am writing this, GUESS WHAT…The green strip CTT Subscription pop-up appeared on the bottom of the screen.
As far as the forum being free, its an adjunct to the magazine and I already pay with my subscription as well as patronizing some of the advertisers. I use a notebook and it’s small screen is nearly completely blocked…Its seems a moot point to complain…I dont expect a revolution in Kalmbach policy.