IN WHICH I CONFRONT FAILURE

When you open an account on Blogger, they immediately hit you with the pitch to "monetize" you blog. I never took it seriously, until I noticed the ongoing worldwide interest in my posting SOFT CORE NUN PORN AVAILABLE NOW! Since the day it went up, it has been the most heavily trafficked post on Potato Weather. I can only imagine the disappointed Serbian teenager or Brazilian octogenarian when he finds the unsalacious and actually quite thoughtful analysis I provide of Italian and Japanese nunsploitation films of the 1970's. But like flies to honey, everyday they come to check it out.

That's when I decided to look again at monetizing my blog. It is easy to become an Amazon Associate. Three clicks and you're signed up. From  your blog you can link to any Amazon item and if it is purchased by someone directed from your blog, you receive a whopping 4% of the transaction. I told myself I was doing it as a joke, but then again, why not knock a bit off my monthly Amazon bill.

My background in trade  led me immediately to SCNPAN! and I built links to the titles I discussed and even added some higher-priced box sets. Good merchandizing, I thought. Get those price points as high as possible. I also added copies and supporting material of all the books I reviewed, and eventually got around to plush toys and t-shits related to my postings.

This was all about a year ago. My total balance with Amazon stands at $1.80. They do not release the funds until you break $10.

What went wrong? Why has nobody bought the Library of America Philip K Dick box set? How have my readers resisted stocking up on the Georges Simenon romans durs available from New York Review Press after my over-the-top praise. Who wouldn't want a Chthulu plush toy for the little H. P Lovecraft fan in the family?

I was right about one thing. The nun porn sets get looked at the most. But no one buys them. Of course I think most of the people are in countries where the films would be seized by customs and I would end up on an Interpol list.

So I'm dropping the sales links. You will no longer feel pressured to buy 10 volumes of The Drifting Classroom manga series just because I think it's cool. Potato Weather is going commerce-free.

I spent my professional career as an integral part of a successful retail business, but I am no entrepreneur.