SCVJeff wrote:
proxim2020 wrote:
---snip---
It's a move that can have unintended consequences. While this move mostly targets the commercial moochers, it may very well alienate the so called free users at the same time. Without the masses of free users and the revenue generated by them, PhotoBucket would become dependent on subscription plans. With many free options out there I doubt people will flock to subscription plans and the money generated from the few that do may not be enough to support the company in its current state. So while you and millions of others have paid nothing to use PhotoBucket over the years, you leaving the service has a dramatic and real impact.
Normally I would say you are correct, but the way we that post pix here, there are no ad revenue click points to be had. I simply link a pic from Photobucket, and thats all that shows up. We here are in-inconvenienced, but the BIG losers are people like eBay sellers who have hundreds of thousands of pics resident on PB. AFAIC, THEY are the freeloaders that have caused this shutdown.
I don't know what their business model is, but cannot see me (us) or these eBay sellers leaving them have any effect on their bottom line whatsoever as PB's logos or any ad-based content is nver shown the way we do our thing with them as pure links, not the website.
Even though (knock on wood) I have gotten the Dear John from them, all of my picture posts, including the technical reviews with LOTS of pics are still available. For those I think I'll learn how to post in IMGUR via RV.net. It took awhile to download the entire library off PB, but I can rebuild most of it now just matching the links with the downloaded files
On some level PB charges there advertisers by the amount of traffic they have. I also imagine they charge based on the amount of members they have as well. The total tally includes free members.
If PB will not allow 3rd party hosting many of those free members will leave PB seeking 3rd party hosting elsewhere.
The loss of members will impact their bottom line.
