As I was scouring the web for a website that had a revolutionary new concept, I came across an idea I had several years ago. In a two week span of time I developed a website similar to Thumbtack, a marketplace for local services, and as I neared completion, my computer crashed. I had to completely reformat my hard-drive and I lost all my work in the process. I was so frustrated that I just let it go and I have not worked on it since.
According to Thumbtack.com, "Thumbtack is a trusted online marketplace for local services, from handymen and cleaners to tutors and errand-runners. For service providers, Thumbtack offers a virtual home, verifiable reputation, transaction support, appointment management, and marketing tools. For consumers, Thumbtack provides a central marketplace to easily find, compare, and purchase local services."
I must admit that the site design that Thumbtack has developed is much better than I had intended. I had intended to develop a fully automated, low-maintenance site, because this type of website will take some time to gain traction.
Craigslist started in 1995 and did not start charging for posted material until 2004, in two of the largest cities in the United States. The original purpose of Craigslist was to email Craig Newmark’s friends and anyone that joined the mailing list about local events. Therefore, the primary motivation was not for profit and Craigslist could have charged for services long before 2004. A lot has changed over the past 15 years with regards to the internet, but an angel investor or venture capitalist isn't going to allow 9 years to make their money back.
According to Vator.tv, Thumbtack has between 6-15 employees and to coincide with their business model , I don’t think Thumbtack has the legs to carry itself because the resources that need to be allocated until it gains traction will cripple the company before it is successful.
Though my opinion appears to be negative, I wish the Thumbtack team the best of luck!
Form your own opinion by going to their website…
Website: http://www.thumbtack.com/
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