Opinions please!!!!

[Andrew2010]

Had a great idea in my opinion. How about something like ebay but in a forum format? A website where you can advertise but there is a forum on the site where you can talk live to potential buyers?

Please can i have a few opinions?

[Jayne]

It could do, i'd be a little worried they'd just use the forum for selling and not paying to list items. You need to figure out how to stop that :D

Jayne

[Andrew2010]

Could let people browse for free. But they could not type anything. To be able to type i could charge a fee?

What do you think? Say £1 signing up fee per member.

[Jayne]

It could work, but you would need to keep your eye on the forum, to stop sneeky selling...not a bad idea though, you need to do lots of research first.

And keep your job until it starts making money, bit slow starting an internet biz.

Jayne :D

[Andrew2010]

Anyone got any advice on whether this could work? Done the right way this could work right?

Please advice

[confused]

I like the idea, there are a few time I'd like to have had that option on ebay, for example "is this the same product that you can get at XYZ for £10 less". There is the "ask seller a question" option on ebay but I do like the idea of an "open forum" so to speak. As for the signing up, very difficult, I personally wouldnt pay just to be able to post, in fact, I think if I saw the site and saw that you had to pay, I think it would push me away. I think the way forward would be to have a free registration process, have your terms plain and clear and stop anyone posting that wasnt abiding by your rules.

[Andrew2010]

Yes i agree that the signing up fee would put people off. It would put me off also. How could i make money from the site? A % of the final sale price?

Any ideas?

[Andrew2010]

The reason behind this idea is that i have been on ebay many times and used the ask seller a question option. And its email, it could take a day or so for a reply, then if i have another question it will be the same again, whereas an open forum would be so much quicker and easier.

[confused]

Same as ebay I suppose, listing fee, charge for pictures, and final value. Of course ebay have a major advantage in the fact that they own Paypal and there is the paypal charge as well !

[Andrew2010]

Is there anyway i could approach ebay with this idea, say i set up a site that could have an open forum. Where i could be on their site for their members to use.

This could happen somehow? Its getting it right.

What do you think?

[confused]

Is there anyway i could approach ebay with this idea
You could, but whats to stop them nicking your idea and just using it? Im sorry to sound so negative, its just that I cant see a way round it - not that there ISNT a way, hopefully someone on here can come up with one for you.

[Andrew2010]

I have just thought of this idea as if this option was available on ebay it would be better in my opinion. I need help on how to make this idea work and build on it. I understand what you mean about them nicking the idea.

If anyone has any ideas on how i could make this work please post it.

[mattk]

They already have a very active community section on eBay, which, although not as nicely formatted as some forums, offers pretty much the same functionality.

The advantage of eBay is it's simplicity. The majority of stuff you buy on their doesn't need a conversation with the seller. It's just bish-bash-bosh, bid, pay and Bob's your unkle.