Making money at Off Times

[AC123]

Hi Guys

As someone who have been unemployed at times, I came across this idea of how people like us that have a talent can make money during those down times and even after work.

After all, people call us all the time with questions like: "can you help install this?" or ?can you help me do that??.

So, I thought what if I could only press a button like a ?Cab Meter? and start charging them per minute.

Well since I have some time on my hands, I decided to try and implement the concept.

I am interested to get some feedback from you guys about the idea.

Does anyone think it makes any sense?

Would you take advantage of such a web site if you had some time-off, or after hours?

You may contact me directly if you like, as I said I have the time.

Thanks
AC123

 

[olds]

Do you charge them travel time?

 

[AC123]

lol, I had to see this coming.
No, but I try to speak in foreign accent

But seriously, what do you think, you seem like someone who spends many hours posting notes of this forum, I am sure people value your opinion sufficiently to pay don?t you think?

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Originally posted by: AC123
I am sure people value your opinion sufficiently to pay don?t you think?

this is incorrect

 

[axelfox]

What about charging a minimum of 1 hr?

 

[T9D]

I think yahoo or someone has something like this already set up. You can go work for them from home. Some big company started it a while back. Cant remember the name right now though.

 

[Descartes]

Professionals (lawyers, accounts, consultants of almost any kind, etc.) have been doing this for decades, although it isn't web-based.

It's also possible that I don't understand what you're talking about or you need to articulate it better.

 

[pyonir]

If i have a question about something, i post it here. It gets answered and i don't have to pay a cent for it.

Thanks AT community!

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: pyonir
If i have a question about something, i post it here. It gets answered and i don't have to pay a cent for it.

Thanks AT community!

You're going to pay for that!

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: pyonir
If i have a question about something, i post it here. It gets answered and i don't have to pay a cent for it.

Thanks AT community!

You're going to pay for that!

:Q

Do you take Paypal?

 

[BCYL]

In all honesty, I dont think this would fly... and here's why:

- People who are technically knowledgable enough would not use your service, they would simply google for their answer (or find something similar on the web that is free)
- People who aren't technically knowledgable enough who not even KNOW to use your service, but take their problem to the local computer store or call GeekSquad

You are trying to target a pretty small market to be worthwhile

 

[AC123]

How about other (than comuters) interest domain? Sure you can search for information. And sure you can wait for people to answer questions on different forums. But few things can be done differently.

For instance if I want to buy a Digital camera for $500 wouldn't I spend 10 minutes for say 2$ per Min with an expert who will tell me what I need for my specific circumstances.

I know that if I go to my local store the Seller will sell me what he/she makes most on. (Which answers the "Local Store" Coment?)

And there are tons of other things. I plan on using video. Now imagine you go to Yahoo answer and you ask for a second opinion on some legal issue (car accident, Traffic ticket, insurance?). Would you know if you got the answer from a teenager, or would you like to see who you talk to?

As for the per minute, once you got the person you talk and you see that he is not what you expected, well you disconnect with minimal damage.

If anyone wants to talk to me, or get more info on becoming a seller once I have it working, please write to me at alonc@netvision.net.il Subject: MME

Thanks

 

[AC123]

Descartes wrote:

Professionals (lawyers, accounts, consultants of almost any kind, etc.) have been doing this for decades, although it isn't web-based.

It's also possible that I don't understand what you're talking about or you need to articulate it better.

-----

Ok I will try.

It is true, it has ben done before, people did bill by the minute. But three things were missing:

A) not everyone could do that from home (now you will).

B) As a seller, you usually don?t get immediate gratification. i.e. you have to wait for the money for a month or so until the site you work for, as an expert, pays you. I think I have found a way to circumvent that problem. So payment will be instant and ensure payment as well, so if you gave the service you will get paid. and you work for yourself.

C) On the same token I think I know how to solve another problem for the buyer, the pre-pay problem. In my idea there will be no pre-pay required, so if you did not get the service you don't have to pay. (The Cab analogy).

And again I am looking for comments from people like you respectable in the community, with many posts, that will tell me what they think and potentially would like to try and become sellers, once I have it up and running.

Comments are welcome.

 

[AC123]

Yes, why not use PayPal?

With the forum concept you don?t really know who is answering, plus the timing is not predictable. I saw some forums now adding Chat so when you see someone online you can chat with him. This makes it faster but still you don?t know who you talk to.

And why not get paid for what we do best?

 

[Injury]

This will fail miserably due to lack of interest.

Like it's been said already, it's too easy to get help other places. With the power of google, advice is free, fast, and only as biased as you allow it to be.

 

[AC123]

Originally posted by: Injury
This will fail miserably due to lack of interest.

Like it's been said already, it's too easy to get help other places. With the power of google, advice is free, fast, and only as biased as you allow it to be.

I appreciate your comments.

I am very enthusiastic about this project.

As much as I like say "Google answers", they don?t give you expert advice, they give you "Expert Searchers" advice. Yahoo answers have a nice concept they have turned the answering to a game, but the issues are so full of non-relevant content and many kids answer just to answer. I still like them, its fun.

But imagine if they paid the people who answer, not points but $$, wouldn't people who so far gave advice for free want to be there? And for more complex topics where you can spend hours searching Google wouldn't you like to talk to someone who did it.

Also notice the convergence. I ask a question people ask more questions to clarify the question before they can answer. All that can happen in real time.

Still not convinced?

If it will cost you nothing to become a seller wouldn't you do that? just in case you can make some money, doing what you do anyway?

Do you know that people pay 6$/Minute for Chat Astrology? Imagine what they would pay for you to save them a lost MS Word File they spent an hour writing.

 

[T3C]

Flat rates are the way to go.

 

[xospec1alk]

isn't expert-exchange a pay service? isn't that similar to your idea? or even rent a coder?

 

[AC123]

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
isn't expert-exchange a pay service? isn't that similar to your idea? or even rent a coder?

Rent-a-coder is for project biding. I used it and its great. I am looking for something more private, where I can ask an expert a question in non public forum.

Expert Exchange is a nice forum I have been on it since 1999. It is for expert helping less-experts and you earn points for answering - great source for knowledge, code and so on.

And yet it is public which makes it hard for say a company working on some technology to ask a public question.

But still as an expert answering questions on any of those forums, answers that save valuable time to other people, wouldn't you like to get paid with real $$ ?

 

[AC123]

Originally posted by: T3C
Flat rates are the way to go.

True flat rate is simpler in some ways, but requires more trust between the parties. You know the old problem of what comes first the money or the service.

Now, we know that computer problems or homework for that matter can take different times to resolve so I was looking to make sure that people will get paid according to the time spent.

Yet I am planning on providing a way for two people to say "listen this will cost you X and time is a non issue".

Guys, if any of you are interested, please PM me or send me a note to alonc@netvision.net.il subject: "MME" and I will let you know when I have something up for you to help you sell your time.

Thanks

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: AC123
If it will cost you nothing to become a seller wouldn't you do that? just in case you can make some money, doing what you do anyway?

Do you know that people pay 6$/Minute for Chat Astrology? Imagine what they would pay for you to save them a lost MS Word File they spent an hour writing.

If you are so desperate for money that you need to sit around all day waiting to give people advice on things for a few non-guaranteed bucks, it's time to suck it up and flip burgers. That's why I say it'll fail due to lack of intrest. Not just from customer base, but from "seller" base. It could be a couple of years before this thing hits big and has the support to get advice you need on anything at any time... or even just to have enough information to spark intrest in more sellers. The internet is not a 9-5 thing. This is also why forums work so well.

Also, how are you going to verify the seller's expertise? Could I sell medical advice and just spout bullcrap to make a few bucks?

The thing is, when I spend my own time searching for information, I also find other topics of interest that I should know. I pay nothing for this. Why would I want the money that it takes me nearly an hour to make to get 10 minutes of advice that I could find on my own?

Also, why portion of the earnings will the site deduct? If you're expecting a video chat, you'll have to assume there will be large bandwidth bills. You will soon find that with running a website, if the website can't make you more than a couple hundred its first few months, it's not worth the time.

If you are assuming that everyone who "sells" must have a webcam, doesn't this limit the number of people that can help or people that would give this support, once again?

It's great that you are doing an interest check, but so far the responses haven't been too great and you should greatly refine your plan before launching even a beta test or getting too excited about it that you sell yourself on the idea without selling others on it.

 

[AC123]

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: AC123
If it will cost you nothing to become a seller wouldn't you do that? just in case you can make some money, doing what you do anyway?

Do you know that people pay 6$/Minute for Chat Astrology? Imagine what they would pay for you to save them a lost MS Word File they spent an hour writing.

If you are so desperate for money that you need to sit around all day waiting to give people advice on things for a few non-guaranteed bucks, it's time to suck it up and flip burgers. That's why I say it'll fail due to lack of intrest. Not just from customer base, but from "seller" base. It could be a couple of years before this thing hits big and has the support to get advice you need on anything at any time... or even just to have enough information to spark intrest in more sellers. The internet is not a 9-5 thing. This is also why forums work so well.

Also, how are you going to verify the seller's expertise? Could I sell medical advice and just spout bullcrap to make a few bucks?

The thing is, when I spend my own time searching for information, I also find other topics of interest that I should know. I pay nothing for this. Why would I want the money that it takes me nearly an hour to make to get 10 minutes of advice that I could find on my own?

Also, why portion of the earnings will the site deduct? If you're expecting a video chat, you'll have to assume there will be large bandwidth bills. You will soon find that with running a website, if the website can't make you more than a couple hundred its first few months, it's not worth the time.

If you are assuming that everyone who "sells" must have a webcam, doesn't this limit the number of people that can help or people that would give this support, once again?

It's great that you are doing an interest check, but so far the responses haven't been too great and you should greatly refine your plan before launching even a beta test or getting too excited about it that you sell yourself on the idea without selling others on it.

I think you nailed some of the problem faced by existing ?conceptually similar? applications, and it explains why others will not and did not make it big so far.

For instance none of them have scheduling that enables you to set appointments. If they had, you would have the option to be flipping burgers or watching TV, and come at the correct time for your meeting.

Bandwidth issue is a big problem I totally agree. I have found a no-cost bandwidth provider. Having said that what I am thinking is to give the first sellers to register, a no commission bonus for few months, which is a net gain on their behalf.

While today entertainment sites for example, take about half or more of your earnings as commission. You practically work for nothing. The reasons for the high commissions are: Credit Card fraud and Bandwidth cost. I think my solution eliminates both problems hence I plan to be happy with very low commission.

In terms of Webcams, it helps the seller. For instance I don?t know who I am chatting with over a forum or other answer sites. Potentially I am talking to a kid trying to pull my leg.

There are 25Milion webcams installed; I think they are at the point that they are not expensive and sufficiently pervasive, add to that the growing sales of MAC with built-in cams, and it?s a non issue.

 

[Blazin Trav]

I would be interested. Do you have a website for this already? PM me.

 

[AC123]

Originally posted by: Blazin Trav
I would be interested. Do you have a website for this already? PM me.

Thanks

I need as many as I can get.

If you know of anyone who has an interest to become a seller (not only in the computers domain) let me know.

You can write to alonc@netvision.net.il subj MME. or here on the forum.

It will take some time to get the site up, but I get good responses from people.

Thanks

 

[ElFenix]

bah, i already bill out at $150 an hour