Suggestions on my startup

[leostartup]

Good afternoon.

My idea is to launch an app that shows clothes to buy depending on the weather and season. Suggestions are more than welcome.

Have you got any problems creating your startup? Could be any kind of problem, such as: I don't know how to begin, I don't know any good webdesigner/app developer, need to create a business model......

I would like to hear and learn from you.

Sorry, I don't get it?

All online retailers have clothes by section and season.

What would your app be for?

Would aggregate dozens of retailers as well

Have you had any feedback? Test groups?

It's just; I do a lot of online shopping and I would just find something like this totally unnecessary.

But that's just me.

I haven't got any feedback so far. But it's always good to hear from who really does a lot of online shopping.

Yep, we always have to build something very necessary or sort problems and so, it'll stick to the users.

Thank you very much for your feedback.

But you'd still have to go to the retailers sites to check sizes/stick and purchase. Sounds a complete waste of time. I just don't get what this app would be for.

Sizes/stock

It'd be a kind of stylectapp. Stylect curates and shows shoes for you and if you like one of them, they redirect you to retailer website.

Things to consider:

• Where will you get the data from - by 'data' I mean the feed of clothes from various retailers (including item name, unique reference, link to purchase, photo, price) - this needs to be a feed to achieve any scale, and to ensure the content is up to date. You can not expect to do it manually.

• How will you monetise it? If you want to charge the retailers you're going to need to have a huge user-base of high-spend people that they want to target, so it's more realistic to use AdMob (Google ads for mobile apps) - but this will only drive revenue when you have a good number of users (as it's PPC) - one of our sites has over 500,000 users per month and we only just break even vs. build costs

• How will you drive users to your app, and how will you differentiate yourself from:
  ---- The retailers (this is the first place I go when looking for outfits)
  ---- The aggregate retailers (ASOS etc.)
  ---- Polyvore (bigger in the USA, but an established outfit building site)
  ---- Pinterest

• Have you ever project managed the build of an app before? I'd recommend getting experience in digital builds before you hire a company to build an app for you, it's almost impossible to correctly brief an agency without any experience of web builds

I'm not trying to put you off - but it's important to know that most apps fail, and there are a number of logistical considerations before you even get to sanity checking appetite for the app/focus groups etc.

Sorry, I just can't see the point of it. Would you have everything from every retailer? Price point? I really can't see how you'd manage that. So people may just as well look themselves.

I don't think I'd use this either, there of lots of sites and magazines that put together seasonal outfits and tell you what shop to buy them from if you like them.

Unless you offer something vastly different I'm not sure this would take off at all.

ThinkPinkStink:
Fortunately I'm from IT and have experience to build this app. Retailers very often provide access to their products, using some technical ways.
But as you said, the hardest is to get users and keep them using the app.
To monetise, I can affiliate with the retailers in the beginning, they usually give commission upon sales.

But listening to the feedbacks given by others maybe it's better to think another way or offer something different.

Tiggeryoubastard:
Technically speaking, it's easy to get every product from the retailers, they provide all what we need. But, the app should sort problems out and my idea isn't sorting any problem out.

ElsaAintAsColdAsMe:
True, it's not a vastly different app/website.

What if I could group together offers from stores close by your home? Sounds a better idea?

Why would I care that the stores are close to my home if I'm online shopping?

If I'm online shopping then it doesn't matter where the stores are.

If I'm going out shopping I wouldn't be looking at an app, I want to go out and see what's there and try it on.

Even so things might not be in stock, certain shops don't carry certain lines, there are so many variables it would be very difficult to get right.

Online shopping and going out shopping are totally different imo.

Yeah, if I'm online shopping then the store could be in Siberia as long as it has good delivery times!

Yes, I agree. It doesn't matter if the online stores are either close or far from our homes.

Thank you all for the sincere comments. I'll try to think in another app. Maybe one to help you easily choose the best pram/pushchair depending on some circumstances......

But again, the websites and apps of the retailers already do all that don't they?

First off I wouldn't post what ideas I have on a public forum as just about anyone can pinch your ideas.

You definitely need to do some more research into this before starting because I'd think that the fashion industry would already have similar apps (I'm not into clothes much so I wouldn't know).

I've been sitting on an app idea for the best part of two years and I know for a fact that nobody is doing it. I am currently wondering if I could attempt to develop it myself or I might even just put all my ideas together and pitch them to a company.

You also need to make sure that there is a market for your idea because sometimes even ideas that seem brilliant to you might not be brilliant or even useful to the public.

Waltermittythesequel: I'm always hearing mums with doubts about what's the best pushchair to buy, how to choose......loads of options and I've never seen any app/website to guide you in a very easy way and show options filtered by your personal choices.

2nds: I think is a good idea to share your ideas. Of course anyone can "steal" your idea, but you are continuous improving your idea and whoever stole your idea is thinking about other things.....When you share it, you "feel" the reactions, how good or bad your idea is, if it will work, if your future users really have a problem and need your product....have your read about "lean startup"? Launch fast, test the market, get future users and continuous improve your product....Of course this is my point of view

If you have a look at any website which sells pushchairs they have options to refine by various choices - height, weight, colour, brand, forward facing, customer ratings etc.

What would you do differently?

Because I'm a dad-to-be and have no idea what pushchair best suits me. Too many options, but what is the best one for me? I went to John Lewis and they asked me about my lifestyle in general. Am I walking every day? Commuting? Do I drive? Will I buy a carrycot? Am I intend to have a second baby?

Reading mumsnet, there are always mums-to-be who have no idea what to buy.

Which is why they come to MN, I would imagine.

I'm just saying: it's already being done. Maybe not in the form of an app but it's very easy to open a discussion online and get the opinion of consumers which is better than the marketing spiel of the retailer, IYSWIM.

Plus, there's not much longevity in it. Yes, people are always going to have children and need pushchairs but would anyone download an app that they'll use maybe once?

Chances are, for your next kid you'll be more informed and have preferences.

I have so much data on my phone that I'm careful about what apps I 'waste' space on. I'm sure I'm not alone.

I hope I'm not coming across as critical! Just giving my opinion :)

It just sounds like you're clutching at straws for an idea for an app. I'm sorry, not being bitchy though reading it rather than hearing it said will possibly sound that way. None of them are 'goers 'for want of a better word. Why not try a new tack?

Hi there! Prior to launching any project, start its promotion. You can try social media or SMS marketing along with some offline marketing tools. I even used the help of event agency (proektainc.com/) to arrange some promotional exhibitions. They helped me land a few loyal wholesale buyers and a partner. Anyway, I wish you good luck!

leostartup...

Don't be to worried by the thinking that the secret is in the idea (and therefore the idea should be secret). Don't be worried by the thought that it has been done before either. Almost no-one who is first ends up winning the market. It is the development of the idea that matters. I think Dyson said it is 1% idea and 99% development. What you need more than anything is taste. If you can make your app a better experience, then you can win. Having said that it is a huge challenge but you'll know that. My thoughts are this;

o your idea is worth next to nothing so don't expect people to beat a path to your door for that alone
o software developers and other experts will always try and solve problems in the most efficient way (for them); your job is to stop them and force it to be the most effective instead
o every question has a range of answers and the app has to reflect this
o if you give advice (through the app) then users have to believe in the app - A LOT
o it can feel like you are answering a simple question but in reality this same question will get asked in a thousand different ways, ways which can be really hard to embrace