5 ms·

Ask HN: Feedback for the idea

1 points by rukshn 12y ago

Hi guys, I was thinking about making an app that will allow people to order food online from the restaurants that don't allow online ordering and don't have websites But there are some roadblocks I've met. First I can't deliver the food. So if the buyer and seller will meet then they can bypass the money they will be paying us and take food at a lower price. If I take a delivery service then it will increase the price of the food where it will be easier to buy it from places closer to them. Finally I don't think delivery services will deliver all kind of food. And the margin of profit will be low or negative if we're to deliver food by using a delivery service at a price closer to the price the restaurants original sell. Do you guys have any idea in how I can tackle these problems? Thanks

valarauca1 12y ago
I like this a lot, and I would use it a ton. I order a lot of take out because I hate cooking. One thing you could do is make it subscription based, instead of transaction based. While it will lower your income, it will make sales slightly easier, as most people just like a simple flat rate (makes mental books easier telling people 1% of sales makes them do math). Offer a printer, and cheap-o computer. Printer prints off the orders. cheap-o computer is attached to the printer and connected to your service. $300 set up, $30 a month. Also this removes the need of invoicing, delivery, local laws, etc. You offer web/app based advertising, and extra business. They get an order, they make the order, you get paid at the start of every month regardless of volume. Lets you push the advertising arm a bit more. :.:.: The real difficulty will be order customization I think, you could just include a "NOTES" field which each item, while sloppy it would work to get an MVP out the door.
- rukshn 12y ago
  I was thinking of a way more of providing a standered list of food and like you said a note if they wan't additional customisation. The problem of subscription based thing is people in the country I live in doesn't like to take subscription based services. Although the number of places that doesn't allow online ordering is high the delivery and if the buyer and seller meeting bypassing my app.
  - valarauca1 12y ago
    Automatically putting restrictions on the business you are attempting to help is a failing business model. The goal is to empower, not limit. If you want to limit cross interaction (customer/store). Do the charge via the app/website. Then pay the restaurant.
    - rukshn 12y ago
      Well I was thinking of charging via the app and then pay the restaurant because the advantage that they will get is reaching a large audience. But the problem is what stops the people from directly contacting the store that they've discovered using the app next time they want to make an order? Like through a phone call -- Since we can't guarantee a large increase in orders at the start of the service will businesses be willing to pay a subscription fee?
      - valarauca1 12y ago
        The subscription model makes it easier to sell as advertisement. Like paying monthly for an online billboard, you get to be on the App + Website (or custom domain paulsresturant.startup.com). User can immediately go home and see their webpage (idfk), but they get something tangible for the money. >Since we can't guarantee a large increase in orders at the start of the service will businesses be willing to pay a subscription fee? Depends. If you could dig up the change and a few restaurants willing. You could do a pilot program with say 10-15 restaurants, even nation wide (thanks to the internet). Then use this as "market research". To help increase the strength of the pitch/see if the idea is viable. Then you can pitch to VC/customers with actual solid world tests marketing figures.
simkus9 12y ago
Hi, take a look at justeat.com
- rukshn 12y ago
  So what prevents people from not calling the restaurant next time that they've discovered using the app?

1 points by rukshn 12y ago

valarauca1 12y ago

I like this a lot, and I would use it a ton. I order a lot of take out because I hate cooking. One thing you could do is make it subscription based, instead of transaction based. While it will lower your income, it will make sales slightly easier, as most people just like a simple flat rate (makes mental books easier telling people 1% of sales makes them do math). Offer a printer, and cheap-o computer. Printer prints off the orders. cheap-o computer is attached to the printer and connected to your service. $300 set up, $30 a month. Also this removes the need of invoicing, delivery, local laws, etc. You offer web/app based advertising, and extra business. They get an order, they make the order, you get paid at the start of every month regardless of volume. Lets you push the advertising arm a bit more. :.:.: The real difficulty will be order customization I think, you could just include a "NOTES" field which each item, while sloppy it would work to get an MVP out the door.

rukshn 12y ago
I was thinking of a way more of providing a standered list of food and like you said a note if they wan't additional customisation. The problem of subscription based thing is people in the country I live in doesn't like to take subscription based services. Although the number of places that doesn't allow online ordering is high the delivery and if the buyer and seller meeting bypassing my app.
- valarauca1 12y ago
  Automatically putting restrictions on the business you are attempting to help is a failing business model. The goal is to empower, not limit. If you want to limit cross interaction (customer/store). Do the charge via the app/website. Then pay the restaurant.
  - rukshn 12y ago
    Well I was thinking of charging via the app and then pay the restaurant because the advantage that they will get is reaching a large audience. But the problem is what stops the people from directly contacting the store that they've discovered using the app next time they want to make an order? Like through a phone call -- Since we can't guarantee a large increase in orders at the start of the service will businesses be willing to pay a subscription fee?
    - valarauca1 12y ago
      The subscription model makes it easier to sell as advertisement. Like paying monthly for an online billboard, you get to be on the App + Website (or custom domain paulsresturant.startup.com). User can immediately go home and see their webpage (idfk), but they get something tangible for the money. >Since we can't guarantee a large increase in orders at the start of the service will businesses be willing to pay a subscription fee? Depends. If you could dig up the change and a few restaurants willing. You could do a pilot program with say 10-15 restaurants, even nation wide (thanks to the internet). Then use this as "market research". To help increase the strength of the pitch/see if the idea is viable. Then you can pitch to VC/customers with actual solid world tests marketing figures.

simkus9 12y ago

Hi, take a look at justeat.com

rukshn 12y ago
So what prevents people from not calling the restaurant next time that they've discovered using the app?