Internet Business Share Discussion Threads

[stemis] 26/6/2007 16:12

I don't know, however this is what Motley Fool UK say about their Alexa rankings:-



Well, the main "evidence" is that Alexa users are primarily US-based, and the UK Fool isn't. It's a bit like measuring UK television programme audiences mainly using devices attached to US televisions. And as Alexa don't separate out by location, it's impossible to correct for this bias.

Also, the Alexa toolbar only works with IE on Windows - not with Firefox on Windows, nor any browser on any other platform. (There are some third-party toolbars for other browsers/platforms, but they are an insignificant minority compared to Alexa's own).

So, it's actually more like measuring UK television programme audiences mainly using devices that can only measure one channel, attached to only one major brand of US television.

The other problem, as mentioned, is that Alexa themselves aren't very transparent about how they actually collect or analyse their data, so you're faced with the same problem in being convinced about their data being reliable as you are in being convinced about our explanation of why it's probably not.

[68steve] 26/6/2007 16:12

Agree 12345th we all got excited when they were rocketing and now they say they have no relevance...

[12345th] 26/6/2007 16:08

So why have those charts on here and why, if I remember rightly, did we all seem to get quite excited when IBG´s Alexa ranking was going up?

[hirschnathan] 26/6/2007 16:01

Alexa rankings do not track affiliate sales, it tracks affiliates and merchants logging into afuture.

[stemis] 26/6/2007 15:56

does all this sh·t hitting the fan mean that there WAS after all something to be read into those dramatically declining Alexa figures??

I don't think Alexa statistics are a meaningful measure of traffic for UK web sites.

[hirschnathan] 26/6/2007 15:55

Aleman

Holidays is one thing that is booming online.

Say you want to buy a fridge, you shop around, pop into comet to see what it really looks like and then buy it. When you go to a travel shop, they have no further information about your holiday, then you can see on the internet.
Shops are closing because people book online, there is nothing tangible to see, with holidays

[12345th] 26/6/2007 15:48

clond, they´ve been declining for months, well before summer!! Look at the charts at the top of this page.

[aleman] 26/6/2007 15:38

Thomas Cook closing 150 shops affecting 2800 jobs. I suppose that means more online booking, although it is more evidence of my belief that the UK is going into recession. It is probably a safe bet that My Travel/Going places will follow suit.

[clond] 26/6/2007 15:24

Declining Alexa figures are due to summer. People use the internet on dark cold nights and less in the light summer months.

That said I reckon this last week of torrential rain will cause figures to rise quite a bit.

[12345th] 26/6/2007 14:54

Valueclick, please bid for ibg, I want out, but not at this price. btw, does all this sh·t hitting the fan mean that there WAS after all something to be read into those dramatically declining Alexa figures??

[baheid101] 26/6/2007 14:49

reassuring comments on the future of affiliate marketing from Carl White, the boss of Valueclick (owners of Commission Junction)

On the threat of Google launching a Cost Per Action platform:

Do you see Google's move into CPA as a challenge to affiliate networks?

'No - quite the opposite. Google, being the size it is, will reinforce the CPA model. There will advertisers that haven't looked at CPA looking at CPA. It will bring new people into the performance market.

The other thing is we believe Commission Junction is a high-touch business. It isn't something you can automate - it's based on knowledge, experience, working with your partners quite closely and bringing the right deals together. From our point of view we see it as a major growth opportunity.'

[the blackster] 26/6/2007 13:56

68Steve - obviously I'm gutted but I'm still a believer in the business model, sector and growth - we're talking a slight reduction in growth here nothing major but the price has still taken a massive knock. If I was still in the business I'd say ibg looks good value at these levels and a very attractive target.

[omlaysause] 26/6/2007 12:36

Yeah July because Maz & Co are taking approx 2 weeks to word the next RNS ...LOL!!!

[stemis] 26/6/2007 12:08

Doesn't look like its going to hit 10p either.

I suppose its natural that the market is going to be cautious and wait for the interims [which look like being in July].

[hirschnathan] 26/6/2007 12:07

It is possible that those who where interested in ibg, at not too much of a premium, will now eye ibg, with the lower share price and which may lead to counter offers

[68steve] 26/6/2007 11:44

Not much of a bounce looks like the bottom has`nt been found yet...

[12345th] 26/6/2007 11:31

I´m also still shaking my head at what happend last week, lost 50k sterling overnight from my biggest holding. So close to selling some at end of last tax year but decided to sell other profits and wait for the 2 year tax break that kicks in in september. So near but so far, as they say. Cant believe the deja vu with my sorry dgm experience. Will these companies EVER come good???? Or is it all smoke and mirrors?

[the blackster] 26/6/2007 11:09

Masurenguy - is that to me? If so unfortunately I was in meetings for two days out of town so you can imagine my proverbial surprise when I came back on Friday to see £70K wiped of the value of my holding. I therefore did not sell and certainly will not be at these prices. I'm a big believer in online marketing having helped float another company in this sector and hold shares across the board in TD, Vclk, dgm, TMN and more. Online marketing is only in its infancy and is chalking up gains year on year with more consumers transacting each year. I've no doubt this is a great sector and that ibg has experienced some growing pains in not growing as fast as the market thought. IMO ibg will continue to benefit from sector growth, it will remain a takeover target, and as forecasts suggest, is continuing to grow and be profitable so it looks oversold at these levels. All IMO etc.

[masurenguy] 26/6/2007 09:03

I remember that you bought a shed load when the 'strategic review' was announced. Are you still holding all of those or did you sell some after last Thursdays RNS ?

[the blackster] 26/6/2007 08:35

Travel is only part of the story. H2 profits will be driven by the general cyclical rise in online retail which happens at this time and we've seen over the last six consecutive years

[old boy returns] 25/6/2007 21:43

If travel / holiday related commissions are a key driver to H2 profits then this wretched weather should help to get people booking foreign holidays. It is forecast to remain 'unseasonably' cold and wet for the next few weeks so IBG should benefit from it.

[hirschnathan] 25/6/2007 21:36

Yump

I imagine mp3playerdeals are dropshippers so having a website isnt a great overhead, all the websites seem to be managed from one office (I think) which is the sweatband office, so one more sale great, one less sale, no difference