A new website - needs help/partners

[adam2804]

Hello all,

I'm the owner of a new website called wikicatalogue.com, it's aim is to catalogue everything ever made by man, from televisions to cars to space shuttles. This will be structured like wikipedia (allowing anyone to edit and add to the items).

The proposition is two fold, one to be the number one source for product information on the internet, much like what wikipedia is for reference information. The second is to secure revenue through ppc (pay-per-click) marketing and redistribute it to the contributors.

The content on the website will cover every angle of a product, from its design to its pricing, and will rival review sites by being totally interactive.

Now I've started down this road I'd like to setup a small working group to take this project on further, as I have now realised that it's a mamouth task and I'm not going to be able to make this a success on my own. So please get in touch with me if you'd like to be involved.

Many Thanks,

Adam

 

[Deleted member 27344]

Why would I go to your site (with ads all over the shop) and not wikipedia?

 

[adam2804]

Thanks PointandStare,

Wikipedia is an encyclopaedia. WikiCatalogue is a catalogue, and doesn't aim to duplicate any of the content that is shown on wikipedia. The aim of WikiCatalogue is to show specific product details for each item created. The ads won't be 'all over the shop', they'll be specific routes that users can take relevant to the item on the page.

Thanks for raising this as it's important to clarify the differences, does that answer your question?

Adam

 

[helenfizz]

The content on the website will cover every angle of a product, from its design to its pricing, and will rival review sites by being totally interactive.

So if I'm thinking of buying a Vauxhall Astra, I search your site and get everything I want to know about a Vauxhall Astra including technical data, prices, opinions and purchasing options?

If this describes your idea then I think it's a good one but a mammoth task and, in my humble opinion, rather ambitious?

 

[adam2804]

Thanks helenfizz,

Yes, I would agree it is rather an ambitious idea, but with enough traffic and active contributors I think it would expand relatively quickly. I believe it is a worthwhile project on the internet, as the content itself is fundamentally unbias and non-commercial. I think my big challenge at the moment is to give it that boost it needs. I'm unsure whether to spend my time maturing the content and adding items or to form a community in which it can be expanded from the outset.

Is there anyone with any experience of anything similar on this website?

Thanks,

Adam

 

[FireFleur]

It is shooting a little too high. Wikipedia and About are fairly well understood business models, and their effect on the web is also understood, so unlikely to ever get something of that magnitude of collaboration again.

And if you think about it objects have to exist somewhere, and that place has to be described, and they have to be made from something so those elements have to be described and you are back at an encyclopaedia but you have to maintain minute information on each object as well.

The only way to do this, is to get in contact with all the manufacturers and see if they will sponsor their data being included but there you will probably need to have something to show. And then there is the hosting, that bill can mount up quick on a project like this.

If you want to gain credibility then the first thing you do is build a DTD that describes objects, and do some examples in XML, that is something one person can do, but it will probably make you see the project as being even larger then you may currently being see it.

 

[SLF]

well when you look at how ebay started out, it's possible. It will just take a lot of years to come to fruition but eveything has to start somewhere.

 

[adam2804]

Thanks FireFleur,

I agree with the comment about 'about', the business model of that site is something that WikiCatalogue would try to emulate in the sense of its content, although I still think there's a place for more of a 'wiki' interface.

Sponsered datafeeds from the manufacturers is a really good idea and one i'd thought about, but I would think like you'd say they'd want something from it, and probably want protection of the data itself, which goes against the 'wiki' platform.

I'll spend some time developing a basic framework in the time being.

Thanks for the post,

Adam

 

[helenfizz]

Thanks helenfizz,

I think my big challenge at the moment is to give it that boost it needs. I'm unsure whether to spend my time maturing the content and adding items or to form a community in which it can be expanded from the outset.

Have you considered starting out in a niche area (ideally on a subject you know something about) then at least you can test out the idea without biting off more than you can chew?

In my experience I've found that you often finish in a place that you never first considered. I started off in internet marketing by selling wedding stuff and now 98% of my income comes from selling laptop computers.

The path to this was organic but impossible to explain to a bystander. The important thing is to at least try something and who knows where it will lead you?

 

[luckyg]

HI Adam

if you want the descriptions to be non-commercial, whats is it for someone to post about/describe an item?

for example, what woudl persuade me to write good content for the particular product i sell if i cannot get traffic from it?

every mountain is climbed with just one step, not a bad idea you have, a few steps and you'll be on your way.

 

[luckyg]

HI Adam

if you want the descriptions to be non-commercial, whats is it for someone to post about/describe an item?

sorry-just read your site, users will get monetary rewards.

i think thats offputting. the type of people who write wiki articles are geeky type people, imo, who like the reward of being the one who writes the article and is master of knowledge in that area.

am in wrong there?

i think financial reward is actually offputting, for me it would be anyway.

 

[adam2804]

Thanks luckyg,

Yeah I was toying with the idea about monetary rewards and think I agree with you about that, but then I wanted it to be a community based project where people felt part of the site, and any revenue that was earnt as a result of the content, otherwise if it wasn't commercial I'm not sure the idea works as well. What do you think? Maybe offer minimal ad marketing to cover the running costs and further development, rather than working as a charity like pedia, for me on a 'products' type site like this then the ads are actually of benefit than a hindrance of the content, as long as they're delivered in the right way (i.e. no banners or popups).

Thanks,

Adam

 

[edmondscommerce]

take a look at the open icecat for product information

http://www.icecat.biz/en/menu/services/index.htm

I have done a bit of work with this system.

I'm not interested in becoming a partner but would be happy to freelance for you.

 

[wood1e2]

Who would use this website?

If I am searching for product information I go to the producers website, or search google for the information...for example 'fly wheel on peugeot 205' which brings up lots of places to hunt out/find and learn about the Peugeot 205 flywheel.

And if the producers website is a pile of poo, then maybe set up a website in competition to the producers website.

Your design may be in breach of copyright...wikki may be a little annoyed.

Where would you get the information from, if there is none there no-one will ever come back.

I think your idea is somewhat to wide, of course I will be happy to eat my hat or anyones elses.