(similar message also posted to seed trading forum with short questionaire).
Good morning fellow DGers. I sometimes wake very early in the morning and have difficulty getting back to sleep. During those times, I have had a "hare-brained" idea or two, but this morning I wondered if there was an online service that allowed users to order SASEs. In other words, they would be able to type in the two addresses, choose the envelope (bubble or plain, box), leave a message for the recipient (e.g. trade list) and pay by paypal or perhaps credit/debit card, and the website owner would do the rest (mail the sase to the designated person). I posted this on the seed trading forum with some questions related to sasbes but did not include that the website could also conceivably offer postage...maybe the option of printing plain paper labels with both addresses and postage vs mailing the already printed labels where needed, or even boxes with preprinted labels.
I wondered if you all thought this service would be popular enough to support a small online business or if you knew whether it had already been tried or was currently available. I realize that most of us would not be trading seed/plants if we were not trying to economize in some fashion (more garden for the investment) so I am not sure if this service would be utilized by sufficient members either here or in other "umentionable" sites (I really don't have time to visit them anyway since I spend so much time on DG). I know that there are times when none of us want to make that trip to the post office no matter how badly we want those seeds or plants, but objectively is there a large enough market that can be readily and inexpensively tapped into?. I'd have to do some investigating to determine what the overhead would be to set price of the service but I would appreciate any input you could offer including; is this service currently available? (stamps.com charges $15.99 for online service and postage and labeling suppies are extra, but you cannot print postage to send to others as it is barcoded for the account address),. Can you think of other possible sites where I could find customers? What would you consider to be a reasonable charge for the service? Also, do you think that USPS priority mail service meets the need for boxed items since plants usually need to be shipped quickly or if less expensive options would be utilized (e.g. bulbs or other less perishables)?
Thanks bunches to all,
Deb
CLOSED: small business idea needs input
I currently use stamps.com and have an account with the usps site but with both of our business's we do alot of shipping and mailing. When printing postage right on the computer my mail lady just picks up packages and mail on her daily route bigger packages she will come back to the pit to retrieve and we are in a very rural area here. I have not heard of an online business that offers that service but we do have a local service in town you can take anything to and they will box it and ship it for you. I personally feel it is a good idea but with the economy being what it is most people opt for the cheapest method they can find. My one mail program saves all previous addresses if I tell it to and all mailing or boxed materials from priority are free. I order it in advance and have a large inventory of boxes and envelopes in the back room.
All businesses depend on supply and demand so would it take off? I really don't know but have seen alot of businesses I never thought would make it and they do great. Usually start up costs are the biggest problem for a new business and it can take 3 years to really tell if it will make it. Retail businesses seem to have the roughest time.
Good luck
Kim
I think it is a great idea. I see the economy thing too, but boy I bet there would be a market for printing up labels for people to stick on envelopes that have the address of say their cell phone company sorta like return address labels. I hate to sit down and do all that. That is why I love my banks free bill pay.
Blessings,
Sandy ^8^