Crazy Auctions

In March I posted an article about South Africa's answer to EBay. You can read it here.

Each Wednesday is Crazy Auction day. These auctions start at R1 with no reserve. If you are prepared to wade through the numerous e-books offers and other junk, you may find some real value-for-money items that people are selling off as excess stock from their businesses.

It is worth spending 30 minutes each week taking a browse through what is on offer - you never know what you might find!

This is the feed from the Crazy Auctions listings - it is a live update so if you access this page after today's date you needn't worry, you are looking at the current listings.

Bid or Buy - South Africa's answer to EBay

DVD Vending Machine business opportunity

Vending machines have been around for a number of years. Usually the content consists of fast foods, junk foods and cooldrink. Lately there has been a rise in vending machines offering a number of new services. The latest I have come across is from ARL Trading.

Their offering is a DVD Rental Vending machine. What a novel concept! I would love to able to pick up my DVD at my place of work on my way out rather than have to go out of my way to visit the DVD store on my way home. Imagine a chain of these at townhouse complexes, office parks, golf courses, convenience stores and so on. This is a great investment opportunity for those willing and able to invest the R185 000 needed upfront.

Income is generated in four ways :

1. The rental of DVD’s and video games
2. Late fees from overdue movies
3. The sale of advertisements (onscreen and positioned within the DVD jewel case)
4. The sale of previously viewed DVD’s

I am meeting with the folks who have brought this concept to South Africa and will be able to report further on this opportunity once I know more. At first glance though it does look like a great gap for an entrepreneur!

Ideas, ideas and more ideas

Imagine a website where creative / fun / original / profitable business ideas from all over the world were gathered together with contact details for entrepreneurs so that they could investigate taking the ideas to their own countries or contexts.

Imagine a website where a team of over 8000 spotters from all over the globe report their findings of new business ideas and have their findings reported on the site. Imagine that you could be part of that spotters network.

Enter SpringWise. Filled to overflowing with new and original business ideas, this site is well worth a visit. You can spend a few hours browsing the ideas database and there is the option of a newsletter subscription.

The genius of this site is the spotters network known as SpringSpotters which consists of individuals sending in new business ideas they have spotted. This is an awesome idea as it gives the site a truly international feel and the ideas are literally from all over the world.

Anyone can join as a spotter and be part of this network. Of course the next question is "What's In It For Me?"

This is how it works :

1) Sign up as a spotter

2) Be on the look-out for new / original business ideas in your country / town / neighbourhood

3) Submit the idea

4) You are paid 10 points per accepted idea (1 point = $1 USD)

5) For every idea featured on SpringWise or Trendwatching.com, you are paid an additional 15 points (a total of 25 points)

6) When your points tally is 50 points or more you qualify for a gift ranging from iPods to Amazon.com vouchers

7) You are also able to claim bragging rights to your friends about your business savvy when you name is published with the idea you submitted!

I encourage you to take a look and sign up!

Online Auctions

Ebay - a name synonymous with online auctions. There cannot be any people in the digital world who have not heard of or used their services.

Here in South Africa we are faced with a problem. While we are able to purchase from Ebay, we are not permitted to sell despite the fact that we have a thriving economy using First World banking technologies and infrastructure and despite the fact that our stock exchange is the 5th largest in the world! This causes a huge amount of frustration to those wanting to use online auctions as a hobby and to those who wish to make significant profits as a home business.

Fortunately we do have our very own online auction site - Bid or Buy. Simple, safe and reliable, this company offers South Africans and others the opportunity to experience online auctioneering from a South African perspective.

Some obvious advantages are :

1) Local currencies
2) Local delivery therefore speedier
3) Local telephonic support

I invite you to take a look at this South African internet success story. I have found it to be a great tool in my business.