[Ridemonkey]

Remember that dude from our 51st state up North that had that online used parts store? That got me thinking.....

Who would be interested in starting online used parts store if all the hard stuff was taken care of? The biggest challenges to running an online store are creating and updating a good site, and marketing that site. What if I took care of all that and offered the following:

-Product catalog with admin
-Automatic add to cart/checkout sequence via Paypal (you only have to supply a Paypal account).
-Traffic for your store

This would all be here on RM of course. You could even expand beyond used parts and offer things like your own shirts, stickers etc. There would be a small monthly fee to operate your store.

I'm looking for a few people that would like to be beta testes for free for a few months. SERIOUS INQURIES ONLY. For now I am only looking for US based peeps with Paypal accounts and good member standing at RM.

Thanks.

 

[stosh]

You typed all that so you could spam Trascend?

 

[Ridemonkey]

You typed all that so you could spam Trascend?

Maybe, did you do it?

 

[stosh]

Maybe, did you do it?

Can I be a mod if I did?

 

[Ridemonkey]

Can I be a mod if I did?

Maybe. Do it and find out.

 

[stosh]

Maybe. Do it and find out.

Shouldn't you be able to tell if I did it or not?

 

[biggins]

well, i might be interested. will there be a minimum inventory status or something like that?

 

[stosh]

well, i might be interested. will there be a minimum inventory status or something like that?

Dude, I had this thread derailled in one post and you come along and F'up all my work.

















J/K I was just trying to keep this sticky on top for all to see.....

 

[Toshi]

fwiw it's almost ridiculously simple to add paypal purchasing to any old site, provided you use dreamweaver. so i'm not sure how much allure this service would have, especially since every ol' hosting plan throws in miva merchant or the like, seemingly

http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/dreamweaver/articles/paypal_ext.html

 

[Smelly]

well, i might be interested. will there be a minimum inventory status or something like that?

i like this idea. what kind of format are you thinking of for it? in what ways would it be different from the current buy/sell forum(which i'm rather fond of)?

 

[Ridemonkey]

fwiw it's almost ridiculously simple to add paypal purchasing to any old site, provided you use dreamweaver. so i'm not sure how much allure this service would have, especially since every ol' hosting plan throws in miva merchant or the like, seemingly

http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/dreamweaver/articles/paypal_ext.html

Most people don't have the know how to do this. Even if you do - the coolest site in the world won't sell anything without traffic.

 

[Ridemonkey]

i like this idea. what kind of format are you thinking of for it? in what ways would it be different from the current buy/sell forum(which i'm rather fond of)?

I'll have more info soon.

 

[snowskilz]

i am very interested. have alot of parts to get rid of. Please keep us updated!

 

[Serial Midget]

I've already run two on-line stores into the ground so I'd have no problem thrashing your format as well. I have at least twenty items in good condition that I would sell for reasonable prices and I have over two thousand verifiable postive transactions on eBay so... I'm not like to screw anyone.

 

[genpowell71]

I could probably find you a few used frames and a few parts that people want to get rid of...

 

[Incubus]

I don't think that everyone is getting what RM wants to do. You're basically opening up a mailorder business leveraging RideMonkey's existing traffic. You pay him a small fee for the services he'd mentioned. It's not about selling a spare used part that you have lying around, it's about continually gathering spare, used parts and reselling them through this store.

 

[Ridemonkey]

I don't think that everyone is getting what RM wants to do. You're basically opening up a mailorder business leveraging RideMonkey's existing traffic. You pay him a small fee for the services he'd mentioned. It's not about selling a spare used part that you have lying around, it's about continually gathering spare, used parts and reselling them through this store.

This is true although I plan on having different levels of membership that allow users to post a certain number of items for sale at one time. Should work for casual sellers too.

Update to address some questions I have had:


What will the monthly fee be?
I'm not sure yet but there will be different levels of membership based on how many items a seller wants to list at one time. All the plans will be very inexpensive. The premium banner-free membership I plan for next year will include use of the new market for free at the most basic level.

Approved beta testers will get to use the market for free for at least 3 months.

When will the market testing begin?
Sometime in February.

 

[Tully]

This sounds pretty good. Do you plan to limit the amount of stores, though? If there are too many, I would think it would sort of undermine the point.

 

[Ridemonkey]

This sounds pretty good. Do you plan to limit the amount of stores, though? If there are too many, I would think it would sort of undermine the point.

It's only going to be open to RM members with a certain number of posts that are in good standing, agree to the terms (common sense eSelling stuff), and are able to pay for the service with Paypal. This should result in only mature people who are responsible and courteous having a store.

In addition there are going to be separate sections for mail order closeouts for mail order companies, and a section for manufacturers to show off their goods (no selling). Once I give manufacturers a place to show off their stuff at little cost, I'm gonna start busting balls over spam because there will be no more excuse for spamming all the time and never contributing to the site.

 

[Tully]

Sounds like a good plan, IMO.

And I really like the idea for manufacturers.

 

[DHracer1067]

id test it out

 

[snowskilz]

sounds great im up for it

 

[brake_and_bleed]

it would be cool if you could pull in a few small companies where it is harder to get hold of their components, possibley due to poor importing/distribution?

it does sound a pretty good idea though!

 

[spincrazy]

How might this be different than an ebay store? Example: http://stores.ebay.com/SpeedGear-Bike-Shop_W0QQsspagenameZL2QQtZkm

 

[Transcend]

How might this be different than an ebay store? Example: http://stores.ebay.com/SpeedGear-Bike-Shop_W0QQsspagenameZL2QQtZkm

Basically in that it is a niche market, and you will be leveraging one of the largest user bases on the web for this market.

 

[Ridemonkey]

How might this be different than an ebay store? Example: http://stores.ebay.com/SpeedGear-Bike-Shop_W0QQsspagenameZL2QQtZkm

What Transcend said and it will be cheaper than Ebay.

 

[Morryjg]

I'm looking for a few people that would like to be beta testes for free ...

Wow..........You are asking to be a beta Teste?

 

[SkaredShtles]

Wow..........You are asking to be a beta Teste?

Testes, testes......

One........
Two......
Three??

-S.S.-

 

[BMXman]

well you definitely have my attention so far...D

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

interested......

 

[Transcend]

so when do i get to start selling my testes? UHHH i mean kidneys.

 

[Tame Ape]

Would you be able to host a unique URL? Or is everything going to be RM.blah.com?

 

[BMXman]

any more info yet?....D

 

[Transcend]

hey RM, you went offline, hit me up for that help you need.

 

[Ridemonkey]

Transcend has been doing some initial testing. I could use a couple beta testes that would be willing to upload text and photos in some test ads.

 

[Transcend]

i got 2 testes for sale! Get your hot, salty testes!

 

[dlb]

I would love to try this out, I go through frames and parts all the time, seems the river of parts never runs out and my search for the perfect ride leaves me with a large supply of high-end, sometimes used once stuff I have a 100% rating on ebay, a verifed paypal acount as well.