Alternative Fuel Vehicles - My Potential Web Start Up

[djs13]

I've built a few web sites in the past and some of them have profited a small amount, but now as college is coming closer I've decided to get serious. I've "shopped" around for web site ideas and niches while I have studied real estate, and I've realized that selling shippable products like what I have done in the past is really slow lane. But now I've stumbled upon an idea that isn't just an interest of mine but will soon be a reality for everyone. My idea is to make a niche site for alternative powered cars which offers average people information about this subject - as well as classified ads for these cars from private and public owners alike.

The backbone of the site would be the car facts and information for each model that is considered a fuel efficient or alternate energy powered car. Electric, hybrid, plug in hybrids, and biodiesel powered cars would be the most popular. This section would consist of two parts: the car's specifications and customer reviews. This page would resemble something like this from Edmund's:

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j220/djsamson1313/site1.jpg

The information would be basic and concise and would include pictures of each car. But unlike Edmunds.com, I would have car owner's leave their own reviews similar to Amazon.

This could produce a small profit from advertisements on these pages, but the majority of the site's earnings would be from the classified ad sales. The ads would be broken up into new and used categories. Each ad would cost a fixed amount and would resemble this page from Cars.com:

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j220/djsamson1313/site2.jpg

The ads would be arranged based on the users search requirements: max/min price, model year and location (based on zip code).

I'm still not completely sold on this idea and I still have a handful of others I'm looking at before I make a decision. But I have a few questions below

1.) Do you think this site has potential?

2.) How much would it cost to build this site?

3.) Is it possible for me to add/manage content by myself after the site is completed without html knowledge?

4.) If you think this idea is sound and has potential, and the costs to build it are reasonable, where could I find a web builder to create this?

Thank you! :smxB:

 

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[G_Alexander]

Great thinking djs13!

I'm very sorry to burst your bubble...but it has been done.

Electric Cars & Hybrid Cars | Green Car .com

They even have the classified section you were hoping to create on the left hand side.

You are on the right track though. Just keep brainstorming and researching your niches.

You are young, the ideas will continually come to you and when the time is right you will capitalize on one.

-Alex

 

[djs13]

Wow! What a bummer. But thanks for pointing that site out Alex. I just read a pretty cool post from Peter on another thread and he's basically saying that its not really the idea that would make my site successful but the marketing. I liked this idea because I thought it hadn't been done before. But I have another web site concept that I'm working on and if I can fix a few things I'll post about it back here later.

Thank you!

 

[Kung Fu Steve]

Many things have been done..

the real question is, can you do it way better than them?

 

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[G_Alexander]

Right, improving and making these things more functional and more efficient is where the real money lies. Just as real estate properties are mismanaged, websites are as well.

If you can come up with a new idea that is spot on, of course it can be very profitable though.

As I said, keep your other ideas coming. One of them could turn out to be a gem for you.

One of the sites that I am helping my friend with right now (he is 25)...has been done in many ways. But he has on average (no exaggeration) 15 to 20 people walk up to him each day asking him about this product, and he doesn't even sell it. Once he met me, I just gave him a way to market it and soon you guys will be seeing a new website up an running.

Just use your gut. If you think you can do the website better than "Green Cars" has...then by all means give it your best shot. If you have other ideas in the loop that you have a better feeling on, go with those.

The key is pulling the trigger. Just do it.

I let so many ideas marinate in my head when I could have been out there DOING THEM.

I have been DOING rather than CONTEMPLATING lately, and I swear...the benefits are ten-fold.

-Alex

 

[fanocks2003]

I have one idea that is pretty whacked, that relates to cars. But not a car in an ordinary sense. I have had this idea since I was 15 (though I quickly got interested in Herbalife so the idea went into the drawer). I even drew some sketches of it. I wonder where I have those sketches by the way. The design is very simple. Nothing complex at all, but the way you use the "car" is a little bit unique to say the least. And the energy system is rather interesting as well.

I can with 96% accuracy say that I don't think there is any kind of similar "cars" out there like the one I designed.

But as Peter said, marketing. If you can get a good website design up and a nice (if it is a conceptual car) conceptual sketch that shows the car and then if you have a good sales copy getting visitors interested in giving you an order for one example of their own, then the only thing that's missing is a targeted marketing campaign to car lovers.

When selling cars the way I was thinking (like Ferrari does), you can set a higher price due to the customized production. Hence reaping a higher margin on each car you manufacture. I really like Ferrari's manufacturing process. Ferrari is more quality than quantity. I like that structure. It seems less stressful having it structured like that.

The marketing is essential to succeeding in business. Marketing gives leads, leads begets orders (hopefully).

I have romantic dreams about building a Ferrari kind of company someday. But not only with cars, but also boats. Manufacturing the "Boat of the future" or the "Fishing boat of the future". Or why not "The floating city of the future"?