OMG: cost to advertise in local paper $$$

[Todd T]

I just went through the steps to place my truck FS in our local news paper. After getting the ad to read the way I wanted it (the normal stuff) and selecting a 10 day run the cost was over $96 dollars. I just about passed out...



The last time I ran a FS in the local paper is was like $10-15. what gives??



Its eBay time again for me. Hell the last ad I ran on eBay it had over 1200 hits in 3 days, had 12 pics and didnt cost $96 :--)

 

[TORQUE THIS]

If you have a small business, you should see what it costs to advertise...

I had a 1/4 page add that I would change up every 2 months. It was well over $500 a month... The paper was printed monthly and went to 6 area towns...

 

[fkovalski]

You may want to look into your local area "Craigs List. " It is free to advertise... I have sold and bought many items via this website.



ON EDIT:

Here is the main web page--> Craigs List .

 

[Cummins Pilot]

I had the same shock when I sold my 4 Wheeler last year. I didn't even ask for the cost, just put in a little two line add. I was more than shocked when I got the bill. For that cost they should have put in a half page color add. Last time I ever do that.

 

[CSnyder]

Todd, you can try using autotrader.com or findcars.com also. I know you can run a photo ad with multiple pics, options bar, and good description on findcars for 30 bucks and it runs until you sell it with NO reoccuring charges.

 

[PToombs]

We have something here called the Swap Sheet. It's a small local sales sheet ( about 20 pages) , pay if and when you sell. The fee is usually a percentage of the asking price. Works good!

 

[E7mack96]

to run an ad for 1 week in the local daily, it was nearly 400. 00 (house for rent)



To run an employment ad, they wanted over 600 for 1 week.



Its getting bad.



E7

 

[ACoyle]

Just a guess, but, I would expect that all of the other ways to sell something are taking enough revenue away from papers so they have toraise their prices.



AC



In the online days papers are less significant. You posted @ 11:10 Am and you have 8 replies already. Newspaper cannot do that.

 

[MMeier]

Craigslist is great, but be careful of all the spammers on there!

 

[AMink]

I found out about the high cost of newspaper ads when I sold a trailer earlier in the summer. I'm selling my 97 and haven't put it in the paper. It's on here and that's it. I've had it sitting in the driveway with a sign, but we're at the top of a culdesac, so not much traffic. Maybe, deep down, I really don't want to part with it. Don't tell my wife!

 

[Todd T]

$400-600 for a week is crazy talk.



We have a thing called "the Advantage" around here, it hits all the communities that arent in the local paper's area. I think I will try them. Like AMink, I have a FS sign in the window with it out front of the house. I was going to take it to my dad's shop for a few days too where they a lot more traffic with a plant entrance near by too. Then I guess I'll eBay it as a last resort.

 

[GIT-R-DONE]

Around here we have the Horse Trader. It is very reasonable and reaches out to 10 counties. Look in your area, maybe there is something like this that might reach a target crowd for what it is your trying to sell.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I retired from a newspaper in '96 - and you're right, prices for advertising ARE outrageous!



When we moved here to eastern Oregon, we had an ownership in a RV resort near Red Bluff California we could no longer use - so I called the Sacramento Bee to advertise it. The classified clerk took the ad I dictated - about 2 lines of text - and quoted me $300 for a 1 week run - then, when she found I was from Oregon, she said out-of-state rates were DOUBLE that cost, and wanted *$600* for the same 1 week run, same ad...



Needless to say, I hung up...



Yeah, Ebay or one of the local swap sheets are a far better deal for most items - and I had great success with local area bulletin boards as well on appropriate items...