Author Topic: Question for those who know what's involved in building CL / Etsy style website  (Read 2517 times)

J Boogie

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I am toying around with the idea of starting a browser and mobile platform that will help a certain group connect and transact (though not through my platform).  Planning on starting locally and hoping to have 200-400 active users.

I am good at excel, know some SQL, and I've made a wordpress site before.  So I'd say I'm at about a 1.5 out of 10 level in regards to the expertise required to build this platform well.

I'd obviously rather build this myself (and invest my time rather than my money) but I fear it's too daunting for someone with a family and a full time job to try and learn to build in my limited free time.

Those of you who have done things like this, what do you recommend?


CowboyAndIndian

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Not enough information.

If you want to start a forum similar to this, quite easy. If you can install SMF (the software on which this forum is built with) on your website, you are done.

Want to create your version of Facebook/Linked in, not as easy. Lots of development etc.

If you want an online store (Etsy) then I have used OpenCart to roll my own, but this quite complex, so would suggest some others where you do not need any development skills.

dandarc

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a certain group connect and transact (though not through my platform)

How are you going to make money if they're not transacting through your platform?

Anyway - you've done a wordpress site, so maybe this will do the trick for you - https://wc-marketplace.com/

Custom software development is very expensive.  It can be worth it - you can dial things in to work exactly how you want after all - but if you care about quality, nothing about the process, whether you do it yourself or hire it out, is easy.

J Boogie

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It'd be an advertising model, I wouldn't be selling anything on this platform.  It'd operate similar to facebook marketplace, except for a small niche market.

The site would allow users to create profiles, upload photos, and create postings.  Then it would allow users to search other users' profiles and postings and send them messages related to those postings.

I don't care a whole lot about how it looks as long as it enables these functionalities.

From the sounds of it, developers will be required.  Any recommendations about where to find them?

This is a very mustachian-friendly business idea, so I'd very open to working with someone from this network.

dandarc

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So you want to make a forum.

https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/forum/ give many options for a wordpress powered forum.

Or use SMF as CaI recommended.

Or use a facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/help/community/question/?id=10204888931197862

J Boogie

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Thank you!!

jamesbond007

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Did you validate the idea before you decided to build? What is the problem that you are trying to solve? How do you know the problem you think is actually a problem? Who is your target customer? What is the approximate market size? What's the key customer/user benefit that your solution provides? How do you measure the benefit in an objective way to make sure you are actually helping your customers/users? What's your competition like? How do you define your minimum viable product (MVP)?

Sorry if this is intimidating. But, if you can answer all of these questions, then you'd be in a very good place. It becomes easy to articulate your idea to anyone. You might even find that the idea is not worth pursuing (Don't mean to be discouraging). Sound business decisions happen not only when you know what you want to do, but also when you know what you don't want to do.

This is not an answer to your question. Just a thought to help you thinking in the right direction, if you haven't already done this.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!