This is basically being an online personal shopper, right? I think the reason people don't use personal shoppers more is the cost. Add $20 to the price of nearly any consumer item to pay a personal shopper, and you've made that item a lot more expensive.

Personally, the one thing that I think would make online shopping a whole lot easier for everyone is a website that has already done broad research and makes clear recommendations. I subscribe to Consumer Reports, but their site is a bit difficult to navigate and still geared toward 1960s housewives. And most other product review sites are too narrow and too cluttered with things other than product reviews or rely too much on testimonials from buyers, most of whom are idiots.

Last edited by Zarban (2011-09-29 17:41:01)

I make less than 80k a year, and would probably be willing to go as high as forty or fifty bucks if I'm buying something north of a grand. A new computer or something, sure. Absolutely.

Zarban: Yeah, I guess I am basically describing an online personal shopping assistant.  Think about this though: I can't tell you how many times I've gotten the wrong thing in the past, because I failed to do the research, I was too cheap to get the right thing the first time, or I didn't have someone to get a second opinion from.  In those cases I wound up having to get a second item, to replace the first one, and got stuck with something I didn't need.  I'm a big fan of getting the right thing the first time, not waiting to get it home before you realize it won't work.  I'd have rather spent that money on a second opinion.

My top three recommendations for an iPad case for my sister ran from between $40 - $60.  The least expensive option that I could recommend was around $30, but I only listed it as a budget option, I wouldn't actually recommend it unless that was all you could afford.  But say you went ahead and got that one anyway, got it home, let the little one smack it around a bit, only to find that it's not really that good.  Now you've spent $30, and you'll have to spend more to get a better case.  I'll charge you $20, and tell you which ones to look at before you buy.

Admittedly this does make more sense for higher end products, but it certainly doesn't have to be limited to that.  I may not know anything about washing machines, but give me a couple hours and I can learn enough to offer an opinion.  How about cars?  Fortunately I'm a bit of a gearhead, so it wouldn't take me long to brush up on the latest models.  For my local clients, I think having someone to go to a store or a showroom who isn't there to push a sale could be a big selling factor.

iJim: Am I looking for a new TV or computer?  Well no, but I did recently brush up on TVs because my roommate was thinking of upgrading.  TVs are one of those technologies that is always evolving, so by the time someone is ready to buy a new one they usually have some catching up to do.  Sometimes all you need is someone to go to the store with you and keep the salespeople at bay.  An unbiased second to bounce questions off of.  My roommate did not decide to get a new TV, but he did get his first laptop.  He got it home, and realized it didn't have enough power to play Netflix, one of the main reasons he bought it.  I went back to the store and helped him pick out one that would do what he needed it to do.  Did it cost more?  Of course, and if I had been charging him it would have cost maybe $20 on top of that, but it would have saved him a trip back to the store.

Heck, I even helped Teague pick out the mixer DIF has been using for the last year, and when the roommate who owned the TV moved out, I helped him pick out a new one.  How those working for you buddy?

As far as the "Rottentomatoes for review sites" idea goes, I like it, but I don't want to spend a lot of time or money on updating and maintaing a website, not yet anyway.  If it could be done in such a way that I can do it myself fairly easily, sure, but that'll be between me and my web guy, whoever that winds up being; I know a guy who knows a guy who I need to get in touch with about it .  For now all I'm thinking about in terms of the site is a place to get more information about what I do, give folks an idea of who I am and why I'm qualified to do this, an e-mail form, and eventually testimonials.

Keep 'em comin' guys, I appreciate it.

Agree that the business model really makes sense for the more expensive stuff. But maybe you could build up a portfolio of research/opinions on less expensive stuff like iPad cases and then offer that at a lower rate. Don't know if you'd get enough volume of that type of business to warrant the overhead, but if it's something you already have "in stock" so to speak, it might get you some money on the margins.

Great ideas guys.  I have ideas about how to cater to lower end markets; like Brian said, offer the less expensive stuff at a lower rate.  Going back to the iPad case thing, I've already done that research; sure I'll brush up on it now and then, but be it parents with a little one, or a guy who wants to take the thing rock climbing, there is a spectrum of the market that are looking to protect their iPad, and the same recommendations will still apply.  I won't need to spend 2-3 hours researching that anymore, just call up my last recommendations, do a quick search to see if anything new is on the market, and I'm done.  In the future it's the kind of thing I could offer for next to nothing as a downloadable PDF or something, and eventually I could indeed offer a section on free suggestions.

I had a thought that once I received, say, 100 requests for the same sort of thing, I'd make a YouTube video or post  the list on the site for free.  Not sure as to the degree of business sense that makes, but that's why I'm here asking questions.

I'm definitely thinking more in terms of tech than clothes, lol (though there are still certain niche markets, folks going on their first camping trip, etc.)  I like the consultant idea, but part of the appeal of this idea is that I'm not focused on any particular area; it's my ability to research based on individual needs that's attractive.  I may have to revise that however, so thanks for the input.  I can always bill myself as catering toward the high end stuff, and have a little asterisk on the website to the effect of "And that's not all...".

Zarban mentioned Consumer Reports; that's another area I could tap (and as a business expense no less).  I'd like to have access to that stuff anyway, it's a great data point, but I don't buy enough stuff to warrant a yearly subscription.  I'm not sure what the CR TOS has to say about that kind of thing, but it's worth looking into.

I think what Brian is describing is scaling; charging more for the high end stuff, and just a few bucks for the low end stuff.  That makes sense to me, the trick being to figure out what that is worth.  Offhand, the highest end product I can think of that I know I could consult on would be a car.  Cars go for thousands of dollars, so maybe a couple hundred to have someone do some research and then spend the day going around to dealerships would be worth it to some folks.  Computers are another area I can definitely consult on, but don't go for nearly as much as cars.  Teague suggested $40-50 for something like a computer or a mid-high end TV, which sounds about right.

Obviously I can't depend on spending everyday at a dealership (wouldn't want to anyway), so the little stuff, once researched, can just sit there generating a few buck per download as a PDF.

I'd like to reach a point where I can give some of that stuff away for free, but until then I had another thought; a series of tips and walkthroughs based on things I've bought for myself.  Sticking with my iPad case senario, I walk folks through how I determined what I needed out of a case, how I went about choosing the one I have, and my opinion based on my experience.  Heck, if I'm real lucky I might even get to where companies are sending me stuff to review, but I don't see that happening for quite a while.

So, we're at consumer goods consulting and reviews.  Maybe if I'm aiming at higher end markets a little stuffiness would be called for.

iJim: could you elaborate on your last points?  I doubt I'll be looking at any corporate accounts, but if they come knocking I don't want to get caught with my pants down.  I'm sure I'll be looking into an LLC or something like that, and maybe even an accountant, but how do you know it's time to look for a lawyer?

I know I keep saying it, but really, thanks guys.

You could also check out Choice, a consumer advocacy and advice service started in 1960.

There is a market for this, but first you need to establish some credibility. Customers want to engage with a person, not data points. What about some free advice on a youtube channel?

Was it murder for hire? Don't even answer! I've already decided it was murder for hire.

A Consumer Reports online subscription costs $26. And computers and TVs are exactly what I use CR for because their differences are not readily apparent. Advising people on connecting up their A/V equipment or programming a Harmony remote, tho... that's worth money. I'm just sayin'.

I agree 100%. I haven't bought any of the Podcast Answer Man's video tutorials or consulting services, but I keep going back to look at the free stuff, so it's probably just a matter of time. Plus, I've now mentioned him at least twice on this forum.

/Note to self: To kidnap Brian for sci fi marathon, lure him close with neat plastic doohickey
//IMPORTANT: Wear stab vest