Worst dot com busts?

[Hossenfeffer]

So my cousin is wanting to dump his life savings into a new dot com that he "swears will be frickin' awesome". As he hasn't ever had the best business sense, I'd like to talk him through some possible pitfalls.

As I'm no expert and he's not about to shell out cash to go talk with someone, I figured I'd lean on the utter joy and home-baked goodness of the ATOT brotherhood *cough* *cough*

What sort of dot coms were the worst? What'd they do wrong? What might they have done right?

Doin my googlin', but figured I'd drop off a post here and check in on the big ones you remember, or maybe the one that nobody remembered but should. Any intrestin' anecdotes? Fire em over.

 

[cjgallen]

What's his idea?

 

[StageLeft]

If you'd say what the idea is we could better dissuade him. Most are a bust because their expenses are high and profits are low. End result is a cash hemorrhage.

 

[LtPage1]

find some venture capital first, i say.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

If the idea is good, he should be able to find others who will fund this!

Business should NOT affect your personal money!

 

[Hossenfeffer]

Originally posted by: cjgallen
What's his idea?

I signed a non-disclosure agreement, a rather crude one at that.

Already mentioned webvan to him, though I want to come back with a bit more to back it up.

Will dump the facts on him, then slap him upside the head.

 

[Legendary]

pets.com

 

[UncleWai]

anandtech.com duh!?
tell your cousin to send all his saving to anand shimpo quick!

 

[vi edit]

Check out www.fsckedcompany.com

Not the *exact* link...but I think you can figure it out.

 

[ponyo]

Too many to list.

 

[CptObvious]

Value America

 

[Mo0o]

Is he going to do some focus research groups? He might as well pitch his idea on this board and we'll tell you if its a good idea or not

 

[bleuiko]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
If the idea is good, he should be able to find others who will fund this!

Business should NOT affect your personal money!

Wrong. VC and investors will not fund an idea that even the idea owner is unwilling to risk...

no risk = no gain

 

[WyteWatt]

 

[Baked]

Cornhole.com?

'Cmon, tell us what your cus is up to, he won't find out if you don't tell him.

 

[RossMAN]

Kozmo.com RIP

 

[stringcheeseincident]

www.niggastolemy.tv

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: stringcheeseincident
www.niggastolemy.tv

LOL, so wrong. I'm telling NFS4.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: stringcheeseincident
www.niggastolemy.tv

LOL, so wrong. I'm telling NSF4.

We have a member named NonSufficientFunds4?

Or did you mean NFS4?

 

[Baked]

Damn it, not fast enough. Got quoted red handed. :|

 

[Ozoned]

Originally posted by: Hossenfeffer
Any intrestin' anecdotes?.

Don't be afraid to be honest with your cousin if my sig comes to mind when you finally learn his "frickin' awesome" idea.

 

[Rudee]

Venture capitalists fostered the dotcom companies of the 90's. dotcom's didn't realize that they would need to turn a profit to pay the bills after the borrowed money is gone. They figured they could just ride on venture capital and company stock forever. Then boom! She burst.

 

[Steve]

Where are all the "Phase 3: Profit!" jokes?

 

[manly]

Webvan.

 

[Armitage]

Selling stuff at a loss is still a loss no matter how well you do it