Buy me a coffee/beer?

[Kirk M]

I've just recently installed the "Buy me a beer" plugin on my WordPress blog since I just couldn't stand the thought of having ads. Ads just don't fit the feeling if you know what I mean. I set the plugin to "Coffee" instead of beer. So two questions to you fine folks here:

1. What do you think when you see one of these buttons sitting in someone's sidebar. Are you okay with it or do you find it offensive in anyway? What's your opinion?

2. Is anyone else using or have used this plugin and what kind of luck did you have with it? was there any negative responses?

My inquiring mind wants to know. :tongue:

[samwoodfin]

I haven't used it, but I'm not offended by it, either. I saw one the other day that said "Buy me some oxygen". Got a kick out of that one.

[Jelena]

I'm not offended either. It's kind of cute, but to be honest, so far I didn't buy beer or coffee to anyone.

Does anyone have info if that really works for some people?

[ses5909]

It doesn't bother me, but I really don't see it as any different than other forms of advertising. In one form you are asking for money (or beer, etc.) and in the other form you are showing ads. I think it will just come down to personal preference and what works for you.

[Kirk M]

Sam,

I like that. Thank god I'm not that bad off yet.

Jelena,

It works. A couple blogging friends tried it out and it put it right into my PayPal account (that I've never used until now). I had to finally verify the account before I could accept but it does work.

Sara,

I agree it's no different but it was a form I could accept without feeling like violated/degraded my blog so to speak. Besides, it appealed to the sailor in me. :D

[fatnewt]

I don't get offended by it, either. I think it's fine, but it's basically internet panhandling. I have yet to buy anyone a beer, coffee, etc -- nor am I about to install the plugin myself.

[tater03]

I have yet to try it on any place that I have seen it. But it doesn't offend me in the least. The first time I seen this I actually got a chuckle out of it myself.

[thetafferboy]

I liked it the first time I saw it - and I bought someone a beer. It's kind of wearing thin with me now, tbh.. I'd rather people just said "donate"..

[dojo]

I never donated and it's tacky having it on my blog. I do make money from my sites, but I sell links and am a part in advertising systems. Begging for money is not my cup of tea :D

[tater03]

I am curious to know if this is working for people. I mean I don't know about anyone else but I don't have the extra cash to buy someone I don't know coffee or a beer but I guess there are people that do it.

[reviewer]

It's cute, but do people really get much through "Donate" buttons? I've never even considered one since I just use advertising. Myself, I can't imagine donating to a blog but I do click on ads if I want to support it.

[kingjacob]

Its a very ineffective way to make money but if you have a really, really, really large readrship then it could work but as long as you keep ads relevant,of high quality and in order than having ads is fine.

[crumblepie]

I've never bought a drink for anyone but I think it's a really cute concept, so go ahead and place one on your blog if you want to! :)

[Bob!]

I've only seen this on one blog before and I never gave it a second glance as I didn't (until reading this) know what it was. I doesn't bother me though as it's really no different from a donate button. But if your going to use this wouldn't you be better off selling ad links? Wouldn't you get more response if the person parting with the cash was getting something in return? I don't do either so I don't actually know :)

I do donate to sites from time-to-time if they they have supporter groups running (forums) or have provided me with info or a tool (sites) that I appreciate, but I've never donated to a blog yet.

[Jessi]

I've never bought anyone a coffee/beer/oxygen/pencil (on a college student's site, lol) before either. I'm not offended by it, but I do think it comes down to what others have said....are you okay with panhandling if it prevents you from having ads up? I highly doubt you'll make much of anything off it, but it's worth a shot if you like it.

[Kirk M]

Hi Y'all,

Sorry I haven't been around but service related type disabilities have been taking all my attention of late.

First of all I appreciate all your replies and it gives me a good idea of the feelings out there about donation type plugins altogether.

I have found that I'm much more interested in writing up content and always have been rather than trying to make any money off of my current blog but strangely enough that little cup has found another purpose I didn't consider that you might be interested in.

I've been helping out folks with their WordPress installs for quite awhile now and invariably they end up offering to pay me for my services after the fact and I've always refused. Now, my "reputation" :'" has gotten around a bit and I'm finding myself spending more time now working on upgrading, troubleshooting and answering questions than I used to so now when someone absolutely insists on paying me for my time I steer then towards the coffee cup.

This works for me since I've never had any desire to beg for money. I really just liked the cup. :bigsmile:

[Robert]

It's an interesting concept, but easily overused I think. It would be one thing to see it in the sidebar, but one of the blogs I frequent has it at the bottom of every single post. When some of the posts are just a few lines long, it irritates me quite badly for some reason. You just posted a long sentence. You should earn several bucks on that why exactly? :)

I was looking at the plugin creator's site earlier. Per him and a few of the commentators, it was doing well for them, but hey, consider the source.

[freediver]

I have put an option for people to buy me a coffee in my wordpress plugins (http://www.prelovac.com/vladimir/wordpress-plugins) and have received the first donation just a week after (that was last month). Unfortunately that was also the only one :)

If it is not intrusive and for a good service, yes why not? If you do not ask you will not get.

[heylove]

I don't think it's offensive - I use it.