Who is still lurking?

[+yanagi]

Hello international community of geocoin addicts!

To tell the truth, I miss this forum!! There were times that I woke up and the first thing I checked were the new entries here in the forum. There is still some traffic here but most of it is shifted to Facebook. Because of the less traffic here I did the same, I check now all the Facebook groups first and write more posts there. But as I said before, I miss this forum here. It has disadvantages of course but it is in my eyes much more organised. If I want to know something about a special older coin I still search here and find one thread where everything is inside (though the search function here is a crap=. Just imagine you try to find something about a coin on Facebook in 5 years .I would like to change my behavior but I need more people to come back! I asked in the German facebook group and almost everybody agreed. But everybody will only post where the most traffic is and that is in the moment FB . Common, if you agree, let's protect this forum from dying, let's animate this forum, let's generate some traffic!!!! Looking forward to your feedback!!!!

[+TeamEccs21]

I didn't even know there were Geocoin groups on Facebook

 

I come here daily to see what's new in the geocoin world.

 

I only post if I have something relevant to say or to enter a Cointest or Mission.

 

Guess that makes me a part time Lurker

 

Be interesting to see how many replies this thread gets.

 

 

Edit for Spelling

Edited November 30, 2013 by TeamEccs21

[+sparklefingers]

I check here out daily.

 

but I do check other places too… I am more of an admirer of coins though. I can't afford everyone I spot and normally If I manage to find awesome coins to trade they're normally gone as soon as I list them. I haven't had any to trade in a while though… :/

[+ElliPirelli]

Back in April of this year, another thread sadly was hijacked for exactly this discussion.

 

Vendors think the customers are all at facebook, therefore they show off their new projects there instead of here in the coinforums. They might even think, it's easier to create content on a page seemingly controlled by themselfes, that was a reason for all those blogs springing up a few years back.

 

I like the collected information on coins here in the forums, even I often curse the search function, that's something needing a facelift to be a lot more userfriendly...

 

That being said, I don't consider myself a lurker, though.

I do reply when I feel I have something to contribute, be it praise and interest for a nice design or answering questions...

[+Crowesfeat30]

Lurkity, lurk, lurk...

 

CF30

[+runninbear1]

Whats a Facebook ???

[+yanagi]

Whats a Facebook ???

lol :laughing:

Edited November 30, 2013 by yanagi

[+ElliPirelli]

Whats a Facebook ???

Thanks so much! :laughing:

[+LadyBee4T]

Yep I posted back in that other thread about facebook. I come here everyday and sometimes more than once a day. I may not post though. I find facebook frustrating because the things I want to look at are scattered and hard to find. Here everything is in one spot. On FB I am a member of at least 4 geocoin groups meaning that is 4 different places to check as apposed to one here. In addition there are the designers to check their pages daily too. I usually don't bother checking the stuff on FB because of that.

[+kini_ont]

By definition “a lurker is typically a member of an online community who observes, but does not actively participate”.

Have that said I’m not sure if I’m a lurker or not, I don’t actively participate nor do I not participate which means that I do participate when I feel the need too.

 

I understand the vendor’s point of view and the amount of time and work it takes to run blogs, their websites, stores, newsletters, facebook then having to come here but I appreciate when they do and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

 

This fall drneal and I had a discussion on which coiners we haven’t seen in the coin forums for awhile and the list is growing for many reasons, sadly no long with us, divided interest, no interest in caching or coins. Well there may be many reasons and I don’t think the coin forum is dying, I think that we old hats (I hate calling myself old but I guess I is) aren’t drawing in new blood or that the new blood doesn’t have our affliction (addiction could be added here) to collecting coins as we do (some don’t even understand why).

 

I posted about a cointest (a free coin) in the facebook coin chat thinking I’d get a deluge of participants and was somewhat disappointed until I came to realize that at least there were a couple of new names, a few who were recent contributors and even a few of the old gang (TeamEccs21 I would have honored your guess but the Lions scored 50 putting you out) so it was hard to be disappointed and I tried to stir interest in the forums.

 

No needs to worry about seeing me leave the coin forums as I check it daily (several times) along with all the other avenues available to us addicts

[+sweetlife]

we are lurkers, we come here from time to time to check what s new in the geocoin world.~Keep On Caching! ~Valarie and Barry of sweetlife

[+AlliedOz]

I check here daily to see what is going on, tho it is a quick read these days

I was then forced to brake a vow to never have a FB account... to follow the coins

 

So I get my daily fix from both areas now, but I do prefer the forums.

 

Mind you a cointest seems to bring a few out of the woodwork, I must run one soon as I think I am one behind (get a coin give a coin)

[+Murazor]

Whats a Facebook ???

 

It is somewhat you want to keep away from (like I do).

[+seekerfamily]

Don't have a facebook account. Still check here everyday 1 or 2 or 3 or 20 times daily.

[+The Blorenges]

I still check all the Groundspeak forums daily but my lack of interaction in this particular forum is down to my declining interest in geocoins generally. I've never been a geocoin collector but I used to buy them occasionally if something special caught my eye. I was more interested in seeing them out travelling the world but very few cachers seem to released coins for travel these days (and I understand why).

 

MrsB

[+jpbarr]

I am still around, I have to admit that I check the forum every day but my last coin that I produced got exactly 5 comments and only one buyer. I know that there was an issue with the fact the producers wanted to call it a "Signet" rather than a coin but I still call it a Geocoin

But when you think that I nearly all have sold through Facebook then as a seller I have to post where the buyers are.

When I first got into Geocoins I was on here a couple of times a day, new coins, new cointests, missions, etc, but this has all slowed to a crawl

[+Moozer]

I never even considered looking on Facebook for coins - I thought the reduced activity here was just due to fewer coins coming out

[+yanagi]

I never even considered looking on Facebook for coins - I thought the reduced activity here was just due to fewer coins coming out

For sure it is not!! Only in the German Facebook group there are almost 1000 members and so much traffic, that when you are not in the internet for a day it is hard to keep up!

[+drneal]

it's rare that I don't check out the forum regularly, but I also keep tabs on facebook, and the various groups that talk geocoin. I like seeing the old ones that still post here (like kini_ont,) and the rare new folk, though I feel, to keep up with the newer coins before they have sold out, facebook is the place.

 

as my coin purchases decline (or maybe not,) I no longer post on the what was in you mailbox posting on a daily basis...maybe just weekly.

 

a new personal coin lurks in my future, though the date of release will not be made available until the actual release date...trade only coin...of course !

 

ILYK

 

ILYL

[Dofferson_Katch]

I visit this forum multiple times a day and am also active on several FB groups, i have mixed feelings on both mediums.

 

FB allows me to follow specific vendors and designers and, in my opinion, is less restricted. Posting messages, images and replying is more easy and it is integrated with all my devices. The downside of FB is that the information is fragmented and hard to find if it is not actual which on fora is more easy.

 

I am also active on other (non caching / coin related) forums and on every one of them it is the same problem, the number of posts / visitors decline and people all move to Facebook. Every attempt to bring it back to the old days fails and in my opinion there is no way to stop this. To the new generation of coin collectors Facebook is so integrated in their daily live and to them a forum is outdated.

 

I think (and i hope i am wrong) the forum principle is slowly dying and in a couple of years a part of our digital history. When that happens i hope there will be some new hybrid system with all the positive features of both systems. Until that time i will keep posting on both :-)

[+Toojin]

I am here. I think I post more often than I actually do.

 

I am on facebook, but there are too many things to check there -- as several have said.

 

And really I need to sell more coins than buy them. Sigh...

[+Bartians]

The forums is my home page. I do follow a couple of designers on their Facebook pages, but that is so much more work unfortunately. I get excited when there's an unusual topic posted that generates a lot of comments. Wish it happened more often.

[+steben6]

I check this forum several times a day. I enjoy it immensely, but miss some of the old time posters who have left (for whatever reasons). I, too, understand why vendors have gone over to FB because that's where they get more buyers, but it is a chicken/egg thing. If there was more activity/sales on the forum, that's where vendors would advertise.

 

I really enjoy the forums. I am also a FB user for certain things, but I have the same objection that others do with regard to posting about coins. It is almost impossible to search for a thread on FB, and there are so many geocoin FB pages now that it's hard to keep up with all the activity on all of them. I try, but feel frustrated that I might miss something just because I didn't know where to look. The Groundspeak forum's search is adequate, at best, but try searching for something on FB. It is downright impossible.

 

I like the vendors/coin creators who post on both the forum and their own FB page. Even if they just mention on the forum that they have a new coin, then I would know to go to their FB page to check it out. I do believe, if vendors stop posting on this forum completely, they will lose some business from those who are not FB fans or those who can't figure out how to find stuff on FB; maybe not a lot of business, but some.

[+Mar-elendili]

No Facebook for me, so I check here regularly.

It's kind of a sad thing that original official places get deserted like this...

[+Greenish]

I'm one of those evil people who hasn't been on this forum for years. But I found myself a mission to join so i'm back again. Haven't bought coins for years either, but boy have I made up for those missing years in the past few weeks!!

 

Why do geocoins hook you back in so easily?

 

I haven't noticed much on Facebook, but then i'm probably not part of the right groups

[+yanagi]

Thank you for the feedback so far. While reading them I had an idea. One of the most interesting things here in the forums are the presentations of new coins. As a few mentioned already the vendors do that for some reasosns mostly on FB. Let's not complain and try to get the vondors back which is hopeless. We have to do that by ourselves. Whenever someone of us find a new coin which is offered somewhere else he openes a new thread and put the link in it. I'm sure this would bring the traffic back since no one wants to miss a new coin. I will start today and open some threads of coins which are on sale now or will be in the near future. Please help me with that project!!!

[+nevadanick]

Not a FB'er either. If I can't find it here, I don't look much farther. At best, I go to some website sales places I check fairly often.

 

As mentioned before, I too wish more designers and sellers would at least post a note here when something new is offered or reminted. Then I might go look if I had time. Time = something I don't have enough of to just go wandering from forum to forum, site to site, FB page to FB page ....

 

The surge in FB popularity is certainly responsible for some transition from forums to FB pages and groups. Part of that surge in the geocoin area would likely be the flexibility in posting 'other' things on FB without a mod deleting and removing material and information. Sure, GS has a vested interest in those things that bear a GS tracking number only and it is their resources that provide this forum, but the limitations can and do drive 'sellers' away. Creativity spawns diversity. I understand that only 'geocoins' can be discussed here per the rules, but other resources appear to be more receptive to varietal postings. When sellers promote their products, they will by nature select the most responsive resource. Designers and sellers are seldom limiting their products to geocoins only. Posting here, they can only add a non-coin item if it is part of a 'deal' to include a trackable coin. They will go to a sales venue that allows them to at least 'mention' that the item is offered as a trackable coin, a non-track necklace, pendant, bracelet, etc.

 

JPB made a comment earlier in this thread re: a 'signet' that he was promoting and made note of the lack of response from the forum. Not sure how that was tracked since orders could (and may have been) placed through the website sales page link. Also ... $10+ (USD) and Int'l shipping seems to be a drawback to sales of a one-sided geocoin hybrid and that was (iirc) without an icon. Nothing derogatory meant here .. just noting that there seem to have been many more reasons for a possible lack of sales through the geocoin forum.

 

I'm definitely 'thumbs up' for anything that would help promote activity here in the geocoin forum.

[+ECplus3]

I still try to post all my new designs here, but the last few have generated little or no response. I was worried that maybe nobody liked my designs, but sales are still doing well.

 

I don't post on the FB groups -- just my own page. If someone else wants to post my coins in a group I am fine with that. There are just too many for me to keep up.

 

I do have one coin coming out in the new year and a series that will start in Feb or March.

[+LadyBee4T]

I check this forum several times a day. I enjoy it immensely, but miss some of the old time posters who have left (for whatever reasons). I, too, understand why vendors have gone over to FB because that's where they get more buyers, but it is a chicken/egg thing. If there was more activity/sales on the forum, that's where vendors would advertise.

 

I really enjoy the forums. I am also a FB user for certain things, but I have the same objection that others do with regard to posting about coins. It is almost impossible to search for a thread on FB, and there are so many geocoin FB pages now that it's hard to keep up with all the activity on all of them. I try, but feel frustrated that I might miss something just because I didn't know where to look. The Groundspeak forum's search is adequate, at best, but try searching for something on FB. It is downright impossible.

 

I like the vendors/coin creators who post on both the forum and their own FB page. Even if they just mention on the forum that they have a new coin, then I would know to go to their FB page to check it out. I do believe, if vendors stop posting on this forum completely, they will lose some business from those who are not FB fans or those who can't figure out how to find stuff on FB; maybe not a lot of business, but some.

 

Well said! My sentiments exactly!

[+LionsLair]

although I'm very picky and choosey about which coins I add to my collection these days (recently dwindled roughly 3,000 coins to 400) I still lurk the forums from time to time to see what's new and even still purchase them on occasion...

 

I quit coming here daily not because of fb, but because of my declining interest in coins (which btw came when everything from paper, aluminum, leather, and plastic started to get labeled a geocoin)

 

It was about that same time I had my hand slapped by a moderator for expressing an opinion on the subject, so I just quit posting my opinion here and started posting it on fb where I don't have to walk on eggshells when I have an opinion...

 

 

that's all.... carry on...

[+usyoopers]

I still come here to get updates in the geocaching community....I don't do facebook.

[+ElliPirelli]

I am still around, I have to admit that I check the forum every day but my last coin that I produced got exactly 5 comments and only one buyer.

Well, as long as you post the new coin and give a link to the shop, it would mean, we can go there and check it out.

 

What kind of comment would you like? Surely only nice ones...

But sometimes people don't fancy a new design. Or they consider the price quite well above their budget.

 

I rather don't post anything, unless I'm really liking the design. (Or I might go straight to the shop and get those coins!)

There are a lot of coin designs not appealing to me, be it, I'm not interested in the theme or be it the style.

So would you like me to voice my dislike? Surely not!

 

But as long there is a thread promoting a new coin, ideally with some background story to the design and numbers and versions minted, perhaps a link to the shop, where one can get this precious, then we all have something to find with the search after some weeks, month or years.

 

I recently went through my collection and sure was happy to have this forum to get information about my coins.

Tastes change, collectors habits change.

And so it is nice to have a place to find information.

For me it is this forum.

[+mamoreb]

I also open this page daily. I have FB, but I prefer having all geocaching related things here. I don't post here as often as in the past, not sure why... But almost every day, I take the time to read through the new posts. Perhaps we should come up with some activities to encourage people to open this forum more often. Maybe it is time for me to host my first cointest?? I think it is! But in two weeks time. Check back here to join it.

[+Ogima]

I am also one of those who visit the forum on a daily basis, but rarely post something. I'm more of a reader and will only comment with something constructive. I always check the new posts about a new coin on the forum, but usually I follow the link to the store or use a PM.

With the Viking Dragon Shield coin I posted here and on FB and it got a lot of response, both here and on FB. Most of the direct trades came via FB though. For now I certainly will stay on the forum, but I will keep checking the FB groups as well.

[+Where'sMyMarbles]

Hello!

 

I'm still here! Unfortunately I haven't been very active, geocoin funds are pretty low right now. We recently got a puppy and with Christmas coming up, it doesn't look like funds will be there anytime soon. :-/ I also have very little to trade at the moment. Oh well, I still visit the forums and also miss the fun!

[+Pan314159]

I'm fairly new here - I've only been caching for about 6 months - but I do love the geocoins and I check this forum most days.

 

I didn't realise there were geocoin facebook groups. Could anyone say what they are called?

 

I think even with FB, I'd still check this forum first though.

 

Pan

[+redwingrr]

I'm a regular visitor & lurker here although very inconsistent in how often I visit.

I do not use facebook.

As I alluded to in your other thread, I consider this forum the best place to find historical info on coins. I really hope it will continue to be in the future.

[+The Blorenges]

I'm fairly new here - I've only been caching for about 6 months - but I do love the geocoins and I check this forum most days.

 

I didn't realise there were geocoin facebook groups. Could anyone say what they are called?

 

I think even with FB, I'd still check this forum first though.

 

Pan

 

Have a look through this lot for a start.

 

MrsB

[+RedsknU2]

Hello all -

re-entering the entire geocaching hobby after quite an extended absence. I used to just love the thrill of finding trackables, but sadly those days seem long gone. However - re-introducing myself to the forums, and the hobby. I do have a question for you coin folks, there used to be a designer who made the most beautiful turtle shaped trackables. This would have been a few years ago - does anyone know if these are still around, or if the designer is still doing these? Mostly curious.

 

Greetings again to all.

[+yanagi]

Hello all -

re-entering the entire geocaching hobby after quite an extended absence. I used to just love the thrill of finding trackables, but sadly those days seem long gone. However - re-introducing myself to the forums, and the hobby. I do have a question for you coin folks, there used to be a designer who made the most beautiful turtle shaped trackables. This would have been a few years ago - does anyone know if these are still around, or if the designer is still doing these? Mostly curious.

 

Greetings again to all.

 

Welcome back!

 

I'm sure you are talking tsunrisebey. She is still around and designed some geocoins this year (for example Merlin Falcon, Lucky Koin). Last year she even designed another Earthturtle. Once in a while she posts here in the forum but mostly she is activ on facebook.

[+tsunrisebey]

I go through phases, I might check in once a week and at other times I have checked in once a month. Yes, FB is where it's at and I addressed this quite some time ago in another thread.

 

Vendors and designers left this venue for a number of reasons. I will only speak for myself though.

 

For the first 6 years, I designed for fun and not for profit. I designed geocoins and re-invested any $$$ I made into helping me attend geocoinfest and build a website and give coins away whether people were aware of it or not. Considering I was lucky to get out 4 designs in a year, it was more of a break-even thing for me and I loved every minute of it. My interest has slowed over the past couple of years as I have moved into different interests as far as designing goes.

 

In 2013 I became an official business, no more hobby for me but my designs were going outside of the geocoin world. I'm still keeping my foot in the geocoin waters but as a business you have to learn to grow in order to survive.

 

Everything changes and the geocoin forum has changed a lot over the years, even trackables have morphed into it's own animal. Here is what I find as a vendor to be the toughest issues to date. I work a full time job so when I come home my time is very limited. I also take classes to improve my education. I've got my feet in several different world and I have had to learn to pick and choose wisely as to where to spend my time. Since not everything I do is trackable, I can't come here and talk about my "stuff". I get that and I'm not complaining about it. However I can't hit all the venues that are available to me as a business person. Facebook, Twitter, LinkIn, Pintrest, personal website, personal blog, etc. I know it seems like it should all be easy but each on of those venues is it's own animal and learning how to navigate those and use them to a business' best advantage is time consuming. I can't tell you how overwhelmed I feel at times trying to figure out these new worlds and how to use them to my advantage.

 

The forum here is very singular so that is limiting for any vendor who dabbles in anything outside of geocoins. I still come here and announce geocoins but I did get bad about it for awhile. I will continue to post geocoins for sale here as I design them but I just won't spend as much time here like I once did.

 

The above paragraph leads me to another issue. I do believe the geocoin forum is a community and at one time I was not pleased when a vendor would come here and only "sell" their geocoin without much interaction with the community. They only saw us as a money machine to buy their coins. I do NOT want to be that vendor, granted it's not like I'm pumping out a coin design every month but I still feel strongly about people using a venue to sell something but never really care about the community. Now that I am in a different position, I find that FB is where I can still interact with everyone but I have my "own" community. What I mean by that is; I can talk about all my stuff and I can talk about geocoins, I can post links and pictures and for the most part, everyone who is there has elected to be there. Instead of me scrambling to be everywhere, I have a couple of places to interact with the community who elects to be there. I run contests, I promote my items, you name it I can do it. Everyone expects me to be doing that. I would love to have the old days back where we all got involved in geocoin discussions and excited about designs but those days have come and gone.

 

Vendors and designers have to go where the action is for business reasons. FB accomplishes that right now and maybe in 3 years it will be someplace else. By all means, stay here and keep this place alive, it's still an excellent format to discuss all things geocoin and learn but at the same time we all have to find the balance in our lives.

 

Please keep in mind, I've only touched on one or two facets of why people don't come here anymore but I'm merely speaking from a business perspective. I will always come here and announce coins and post numbers/editions and interact as time permits. For me this was the beginning of it all and will always hold a special place in my heart.

 

tsun

Edited December 7, 2013 by tsunrisebey

[+Greenish]

Hmmm, how do I 'like' the above post :laughing:

[+Bartians]

Well spoken and from the heart, tsun. Thanks for your candor.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Still here, just seldom as often as I'd like to be. I like to see what's happening, but get so busy from time to time that two or even three weeks will slide by without getting a chance to check in. I do miss the old free flowing thought generating inspiration pool and lively community of the days past. I'm hoping over time it will be again and occasionally I get the impression it's coming around, but with so many social networks I think it's been a bit diluted. I'm particularly pleased to see new cachers and new interest in making new personal signatures. New cachers equal new ideas equal new unique and wonderful additions!

[+JoenGPS]

Here on the forums everyday (most days multiple times). No FB for me. Job related security policies for one, and way too intrusive.