5 ms·

With certain audiences, forums are still popular and profitable. For example http://candlepowerforums.com http://candlepowerforums.com is still the place to go

by user24 15y ago

With certain audiences, forums are still popular and profitable. For example http://candlepowerforums.com http://candlepowerforums.com is still the place to go for advice on flashlights, and has a thriving marketplace and following.

spIrr 15y ago
I think forums are here to stay because they already have the community, i don't know how a newly created forum can evolve like it could have if it has been started several years ago. Although i constantly feel a lack of a dedicated community for several topics...
- cal5k 15y ago
  Subreddits are the new forums.
  - MortenK 15y ago
    Except for the few large ones, subreddits are extremely small, compared to their forum counterparts.
yabai 15y ago
Wow. I can't believe there is forum dedicated to flashlights!
- spIrr 15y ago
  On the other hand, flashlights are not that cheap, if you think of a decent xenon/led light in the middle to upper class. So have to think a bit before you make your choice about a flashlight.
  - thechut 15y ago
    If you think flashlights are expensive. Go checkout CPF, it will blow your mind. I was a member for quite a while, and those people SERIOUSLY love their flashlights. Flashlight porn: http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/schiesz/XR19%20Ti%20PD/Ti-Xr19-PD-Proto.jpg http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/schiesz/XR19%20Ti%20PD... [SFW]
    - lytfyre 15y ago
      Assuming that's the flashlight I think it is (mcgizmo haiku?) - it's actually a bit of an interesting response to this question in its own right. AFAICT, mcgizmo is one guy, who builds ultra high end flashlights. I believe his only sales channel is the aforementioned candlepower forums. He seems to do rather well with it. HDS systems is another flashlight maker that's one guy. Not as high end as mcgizmo (they run up to about $200). He even has his own (design circa 98) website. And it's apparently working for him - orders were backed up for weeks when I ordered mine. A few people, making a product for an extremely narrow niche.
      - thechut 15y ago
        You're right that its a McGizmo, and one of the more coveted Titanium models. I believe that light retails for about $699. On the CPF secondary market it could easily go for more than that. There are also a couple other business that sell parts and accessories for custom flashlights who survive almost solely from the patronage of CPF members. See The Sandwich Shoppe: http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/index.php http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/index.php [Warning: Truly terrible design] The more I think about it people will dump tons of money into their very niche hobbies. And the internet has only recently given people with niche interests a place to gather and hawk their projects and products. Look at how successful Kickstarter has been, doing something similar. I don't have any idea how much money Kickstarter itself is making, but they have certainly enabled people to make a decent profit on their projects that may otherwise never see the light of day. I agree there is certainly money to be made in these extremely narrow niche markets, but is it really a sustainable living? I ran a couple projects selling flashlights or flashlight pieces on CPF, and I always broke even or made money, but I certainly couldn't have made a living doing it. I've never seen McGizmo's financials, but I assume he makes a good chuck of change. However, I think he is the exception. He has set himself apart from everyone else and can charge whatever he wants. Maybe thats an answer to the original question in its own way too. But I really think people like McGizmo and PhotonFanatic make flashlights because they love flashlights, so its ok if they aren't making a ton of money doing it, but if they do, even better. I guess you can just lump this argument in with the do what you love crowd. but heh
- user24 15y ago
  Just wait till you find http://edcforums.com http://edcforums.com - dedicated to the things you carry on your keys, more or less.
- a_a_r_o_n 15y ago
  Rule 34a: there is a web site for everything.

by user24 15y ago

spIrr 15y ago

I think forums are here to stay because they already have the community, i don't know how a newly created forum can evolve like it could have if it has been started several years ago. Although i constantly feel a lack of a dedicated community for several topics...

cal5k 15y ago
Subreddits are the new forums.
- MortenK 15y ago
  Except for the few large ones, subreddits are extremely small, compared to their forum counterparts.

yabai 15y ago

Wow. I can't believe there is forum dedicated to flashlights!

spIrr 15y ago
On the other hand, flashlights are not that cheap, if you think of a decent xenon/led light in the middle to upper class. So have to think a bit before you make your choice about a flashlight.
- thechut 15y ago
  If you think flashlights are expensive. Go checkout CPF, it will blow your mind. I was a member for quite a while, and those people SERIOUSLY love their flashlights. Flashlight porn: http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/schiesz/XR19%20Ti%20PD/Ti-Xr19-PD-Proto.jpg http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/schiesz/XR19%20Ti%20PD... [SFW]
  - lytfyre 15y ago
    Assuming that's the flashlight I think it is (mcgizmo haiku?) - it's actually a bit of an interesting response to this question in its own right. AFAICT, mcgizmo is one guy, who builds ultra high end flashlights. I believe his only sales channel is the aforementioned candlepower forums. He seems to do rather well with it. HDS systems is another flashlight maker that's one guy. Not as high end as mcgizmo (they run up to about $200). He even has his own (design circa 98) website. And it's apparently working for him - orders were backed up for weeks when I ordered mine. A few people, making a product for an extremely narrow niche.
    - thechut 15y ago
      You're right that its a McGizmo, and one of the more coveted Titanium models. I believe that light retails for about $699. On the CPF secondary market it could easily go for more than that. There are also a couple other business that sell parts and accessories for custom flashlights who survive almost solely from the patronage of CPF members. See The Sandwich Shoppe: http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/index.php http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/index.php [Warning: Truly terrible design] The more I think about it people will dump tons of money into their very niche hobbies. And the internet has only recently given people with niche interests a place to gather and hawk their projects and products. Look at how successful Kickstarter has been, doing something similar. I don't have any idea how much money Kickstarter itself is making, but they have certainly enabled people to make a decent profit on their projects that may otherwise never see the light of day. I agree there is certainly money to be made in these extremely narrow niche markets, but is it really a sustainable living? I ran a couple projects selling flashlights or flashlight pieces on CPF, and I always broke even or made money, but I certainly couldn't have made a living doing it. I've never seen McGizmo's financials, but I assume he makes a good chuck of change. However, I think he is the exception. He has set himself apart from everyone else and can charge whatever he wants. Maybe thats an answer to the original question in its own way too. But I really think people like McGizmo and PhotonFanatic make flashlights because they love flashlights, so its ok if they aren't making a ton of money doing it, but if they do, even better. I guess you can just lump this argument in with the do what you love crowd. but heh
user24 15y ago
Just wait till you find http://edcforums.com http://edcforums.com - dedicated to the things you carry on your keys, more or less.
a_a_r_o_n 15y ago
Rule 34a: there is a web site for everything.