Why?
Simply because people from the community stopped supporting, and our smallish ad deals bring only cents per day (literally) and there is still debt from the failed hosting venture from the last try to get us a good server out of it.
What happens next?
The value of our website lies in the community, so the proper move for the next owner is to leave the community aspect intact.
The gain comes from full control over the ad inventory space and using our website to funnel traffic to a larger network of sites (I.e. online casinos, gambling review network, etc.).
Guys don't get this wrong.
This ensures the community continues and frees me from the (long due) burden of sustaining it.
We reached the unsustainable point with me, so it is time to move on for yours truly, so I can devote more time to my family, and both my other personal offline and offline ventures. Whatever it gets after clearing the debts, I think I deserve to have it as compensation for the years' work and to give something to my wife and family deriving from it, so my conscience is clear.
Also, it wouldn't be fair for me to simply leave the forum to die; our next owner sure will understand the value of what he/she is getting and I'm sure the community can go on without anyone else ever asking for donations to complete for hosting bills or anything like that (here in Venezuela we have foreign currency blockage for citizens, so if there is no community support as the owner I have to go buy the dollars at the black market for as much as x4/x4.5 the official price, plus tracking black market dollar dealers isn't as easy as it sounds and frankly I do not want to recur to that ever again).
Anyway, we are most prone to be acquired by a gambling network or some sort, already having the facilities to host us for the long run, which is a big gain.
It has been a great trip being the owner of this community, but it is time for me to move on. I hope you understand and please do cherish the new owner as he may be saving the community from dying.
I'll make proper posting when the deal is closed introducing the new owner.
Thanks for everything to everyone.
After all this time there is people here I can truly call friends.
Victor
I thought strongly about buying it myself, but I need this like a hole in the head. I'm off to a doctor today for some news. Who knows?
I am saddened that more people could not muster up $5 per month on a regular basis to help this man out. This is the end of an era in roulette forums. Today is my birthday and this was no present!
TwoCatSam
Well i think it would be an intresst for ux software having a forum like this.
I think i will send them an email.
LS
Sam, there is nothing to be saddened about. This move may bring us a better MORE STABLE future.
Being the owner of this community makes the most sense for an online casino or an advertising agency, not a single individual.
If we indeed get bought by an online casino or online advertising agency they can host the community in their big-ass server clusters and put as many resources as it eventually requires with a smile since they would be funneling traffic to something bigger.
As a matter of fact, the "business" model we had here has been terribly wrong (I.e. no business, just community support). Instead of growing with time, it takes us to this as soon as the support level ends.
All I've getting at paypal has been subscription cancellation notices. I saw this coming from the previous months, but I always cherished we could make it one more month.
Sam, look, it is the duty of the users to enjoy the best. The community's activity itself is what users bring, and using that properly as business model for something bigger should be enough and makes perfect sense -when you actually have something bigger! :)
May this be a happy time for us because our community ends from being "making it" month to month and instead has guaranteed stability for the long run :thumbsup:
Quote from: Lucky Strike on December 10, 2009, 02:22:33 PM
Well I think it would be an intresst for ux software having a forum like this.
I think I will send them an email.
LS
Hey Lucky, you have it right.
You have something bigger than the forum alone + you have an active community continuously funneling traffic to it = actual business model => very happy owner. (and by extension, very stable existence for the community! :))
Oh for you Sam:
[attachimg=#]
:thumbsup: :give_heart: :give_rose: :good:
this is not good news :(, I have not donated towards this forum to my shame, I didn`t realise things where that tight... could we not make it so part of the forum is free but the bulk (the good stuff) is only available to vip members? (paying members), I would pay per month to keep this going :)
p.s. happy birthday Sam :thumbsup:
Silver Fox, that is not a bad idea but then you might get people who can contribute a lot to the forum but are not in a financial position to donate any money.
Victor, by all accounts you are to be congratulated for getting this forum up and running many times and no one could deny you some more time with your family without having to worry about people's subscriptions.
Thank you for all the effort you have put in and let's hope the board does move forward and stays a great place for discussing and learning about the game we all love.
Hello dear Silver Fox,
VLSroulette.com is a daily visit place for many people and we aren't talking here about the shutting down of the community, but about change of ownership.
P.S. we did try having a sponsor-only zone, but that didn't work either. Someone even said who on his right mind would pay for debating in a forum... and guess what, he was right: the debating should be always free for everyone, it is the owner who has to look for ways to monetize the visitors that debate brings.
Look at the other successful forums: Stefano Hourmouzis Sells his roulette systems and computers, Forester sells computers too, Izak Matatya sells his systems, I... I... well, I'm me. It simply isn't in my nature selling roulette systems or devices :blush2:
Elmo, thanks for your kind words.
Again, we are talking about ownership change, the true value of this site lies on its community.
Silver Fox,
you can buy it for 15K. 15K for double standard forum, this is a complete joke.
nolinks:// nolinks.websiteoutlook.com (nolinks://nolinks.websiteoutlook.com) /nolinks.vlsroulette.com
vlsroulette.com Estimated Worth $15468.7 USD
Title OpenDNS
Description
Daily Pageview 6593
Daily Ads Revenue $21.19
That brings up another interesting question. What about the moderator's coffee klatch? Will we be meeting for our usual voting for actions weekly? What about the friends of VLS banquet & roasting?
QuoteToday is my birthday
Happy Birthday Sam.
Lanky.
Quote from: Gavioli on December 10, 2009, 03:20:11 PM
Silver Fox,
you can buy it for 15K. 15K for double standard forum, this is a complete joke.
nolinks:// nolinks.websiteoutlook.com (nolinks://nolinks.websiteoutlook.com) /nolinks.vlsroulette.com
vlsroulette.com Estimated Worth $15468.7 USD
Title OpenDNS
Description
Daily Pageview 6593
Daily Ads Revenue $21.19
Gavioli, those websites telling the worth are not reliable at all, it just dropped to 8K!
Visit nolinks://nolinks.websiteoutlook.com/nolinks.vlsroulette.com (nolinks://nolinks.websiteoutlook.com/nolinks.vlsroulette.com) again:
Vlsroulette.Com Estimated Worth $8270.9 USD
nolinks://nolinks.mywebsiteworth.com/site/vlsroulette.com (nolinks://nolinks.mywebsiteworth.com/site/vlsroulette.com)
This one has us at $ 3,134
The actual worth is only a PERCEIVED one.
For a shoe store, owning a roulette forum simply doesn't make sense; for an advertising agency it is worth as part of a larger portfolio of sites to attract possible clients via volume; for an online casino offering roulette it can mean a long-term investment for which the lifetime/perpetual advertising and revenue may be very worthy.
Worth is 100% an "eye of the beholder" thing.
The question is: why would anyone want to buy it? If the ads bring in nothing, there is no financial incentive. And, really, who wants to deal, on a daily basis, with the emotional train wrecks, truth-twisters and mentalists that drop in here for ten minutes of reassurance from some sucker, and maybe a hug and a kiss? IF is it bought, I personally wouldn't want to see it go to some random unknown. The first job for the valiant take-overer will be to start culling the membership and set out some clear rules that apply to everyone.
This is very sad for me to hear Victor. Could you not advertise more to generate revenue. This is THE top roulette forum on the net. I would guess it is the most liked forum too. I would not if it was me, sell just yet, try and wait it out a little longer and maybe a new business strategy will be found.
QuoteThe question is: why would anyone want to buy it?
Well I try to email ux-software "did not find an email do" and they would have an give an take situation running this forum.
As many member enjoy developing methods and play for fun and make an buck and first run it with RX to get an feel what they are up against, as it is an great tool.
Bulding new relations and have an give an take situation with other members.
I think a new owner like ux-sofware would benfit two worlds.
LS
That is quite a good idea, Lucky Strike.
There may be interested people in the advertising agency, online casinos and -yes- gambling software makers :thumbsup:
The idea is that the community continues. Other people *CAN* derive benefit from owning the forum, as long as they have a secondary product to offer. UX Software would be very suitable. Buying us is equal to a lifetime 100% inventory advertising deal for the interested party's product for a flat price. Not bad.