|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Based—where else?—in Sweden, I LOVE IKEA is a new online marketplace for consumers looking to buy and sell secondhand IKEA furniture. Buyers can search by region and city to find items nearby, or by category: bathroom, kitchen, office, etc. Product descriptions include the usual: photo, price and contact details, but are generally brief—after all, buyers can easily find more information in IKEA's catalogue. Placing ads is free until August 1st. After that, the site will charge sellers a small fee per ad. On every general classifieds site, from Craigslist to preloved.co.uk, there's an abundance of secondhand IKEA goods on offer. According to I LOVE IKEA, they're included in over 20,000 ads per month in newspapers and online marketplaces. And that's just in Sweden. So it makes sense to create a marketplace dedicated to IKEA's wares, making it easier for consumers to locate items by name or type. I LOVE IKEA isn't affiliated with the object of their affection; as they put it, they're "a tribute to IKEA's amazing range, and a response to recent developments towards a more sustainable society." Following its launch in Sweden, I LOVE IKEA aims to expand to the rest of Europe soon. Enduringly popular around the world, IKEA will no doubt continue to spawn businesses that offer complementary goods and services. Need more inspiration to start an IKEA 'feeder business' of your own? Check out slip covers for sofas by Bemz, delivery to Nasheville by ModerNash, decorative adhesives by Grippiks and add-ons by Parts of Sweden, all of which have built successful companies on an IKEA foundation. Website: www.iloveikea.se Spotted by: Robert Olzon |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
The use of crowdsourcing for graphic design is a controversial one, as evidenced by all the debate our stories about SitePoint and crowdSPRING generated when we posted them. A new Seattle-based contender is taking a slightly different approach, however, by creating a virtual marketplace for ready-made print designs. More along the lines of IncSpring, which allows graphic designers to find buyers for unused brand concepts, Seattle-based Inkd is a portal where graphic designers can upload and sell their designs to business users who lack the time or resources for a custom consultation, yet want something more attractive and original than the cookie-cutter designs found in their office software. Designers begin by registering with the site for free, selecting a template and uploading their brochure, business card, letterhead or other graphic design. After review by the Inkd team, designs accepted for inclusion on the site then become available for browsing by business users, who can also search by industry or item type. Buyers can purchase and download the designs they like in a variety of popular formats—including Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop as well as CorelDRAW—and can tweak or customize as needed, even hiring the designer on a freelance basis for help if they want. For each sale, meanwhile, the designer of the item receives a royalty fee of at least 20 percent. Thousands of designs are currently available on the site, with prices ranging from USD 29 for letterhead to USD 99 for a brochure design. A few free designs are also available. Given the many iterations most designs go through in a custom assignment, it seems likely that pretty much every designer under the sun has some leftovers on hand. Business users, meanwhile, will surely welcome the convenience and affordability of a ready-made approach. It's another win-win for both sides, and—given that the market for business print materials is at least USD 28 billion annually, according to Inkd—that can add up to a lot of joy all around! ;-) Website: www.inkd.com Spotted by: Miriam Brafman |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Charcoal is notorious for its undesirable effects on the environment and human health, but for backyard grilling, there have been few alternatives. Just in time for summer in the northern hemisphere, a Wisconsin-based company has now launched a greener alternative. Sologear's uGO FlameDisk is an eco-friendly grilling option that employs solid ethanol as its fuel source and lights instantaneously with the touch of a match, no lighter fluid required. Users simply peel off the device's protective film, place the disk in their grill and light it. The aluminum disk is ready to cook on in less than a minute—saving roughly half an hour in time that would ordinarily be spent waiting for charcoal to heat up—and will continue to burn for at least 40 minutes. Heat output from the FlameDisk is similar to that of charcoal, but it creates no ash or soot and it cools to the touch in just minutes. Perhaps best of all, the FlameDisk’s ethanol fuel produces 99 percent less carbon monoxide than charcoal does. For die-hard fans of charcoal-grilled flavour, there's even a “Smoker Plate” available to recreate that taste. The uGO FlameDisk is available for about USD 4.99 online, via the Home Shopping Network and at select supermarkets and hardware stores across the US. In addition to rolling out the FlameDisk nationwide, Sologear is also working on a small, portable FlameDisk Grill, according to an article in the Wisconsin State Journal. Time to get involved and bring some grilling innovation to enthusiasts in your part of the world...? (Related: Beach barbecue on call.) Website: www.ugogrill.com |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
A German laundry service has teamed up with DHL to offer convenient pick-up and delivery. After signing up with Cleenbox, members receive a starter pack consisting of a laundry bag, a plastic box, a manual and an address label. They fill the bag with dirty laundry—no colour separation required—put it in the box and arrange for pick-up (Monday through Saturday). Alternatively, they can drop the box at a post office. After 2 to 5 days, the clothes are returned clean, ironed and folded. Boxes come in three different sizes; the smallest one holds one smallish load of laundry, while a ‘megabox’ holds two larger loads. Payment works through a credits system, and prices depend on how many credits a customer buys in advance. One credit, or ‘Waschmarke’, pays for one box of laundry, including shipping. Based on advance purchase of 10 credits, prices range from EUR 19 for a small box to EUR 40 for a megabox. Shipment can be tracked online, and delivery addresses and dates can also be changed via Cleenbox’s website. Cleenbox is currently available in Germany and Austria—where it works with the Austrian postal service—and is planning to expand to other European countries. According to CEO Harry Hohoff, the service is targeting singles, families, internet-savvy seniors and SMBs. Busy consumers will continue to outsource household chores, especially if it’s convenient and affordable to do so. Which spells opportunities for service providers. Staying with the laundry theme, how about adding garment repairs, dry cleaning and alterations for a one-stop solution for clothing? (Related: Laundry service by the locker — Private banking by shoebox.) Website: www.cleenbox.de — www.cleenbox.at Spotted by: Aniel Sriram |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
People like knowing what they're getting before they open their wallets. For those looking to get a new haircut, MopShots offers an online lookbook of real cuts on real people, with details on the salons that created them. Snapshots can be submitted by anyone (including hairstylists showing off their latest work), but not every photo is accepted. Before being featured on MopShots, photos are approved by the website's 'Dictators'—a group of 25 fashion bloggers, stylists and tastemakers. Engaging users as they contribute, and commenting on each cut, the Dictators look for models with character rather than ones cut from a glamour magazine. MopShots stresses that its curators aren’t sponsored by hairdressers or hair product companies. Each hairstyle has its own page with up to four photos, and lists the name and location of the salon. Styles are searchable by hair colour, type, style, length or salon. The site works both as inspiration for people looking for a new style, as well as those seeking a salon based on its real-world results. Which makes sense, given that the site was created by web veteran Citysearch, which is battling Yelp for domination of the local business search arena. One to copy to other service industries? (Related: Hotel search: video completes the picture — Mapping restaurants by photos of their dishes.) Website: www.mopshots.com Spotted by: Judy McRae Update: following Mopshots, Citysearch has launched lookbooks for four other categories: Sugar Bomber (make sweets, not war), 3 Buck Bites (cheap eats for food lovers), Lucky Toes (where'd you get those shoes?) and Veggie Thing (vegan eats for food lovers). |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
We may live in a world of fast food, fast fashion and fast-moving change, but it's starting to look like things may be slowing down. Earlier this year we wrote about Welsh brand Howies and its line of clothing intended to be passed down through generations, and since then we learned of Brikolör, a brand-new Swedish company that designs its furniture to last 300 years. Debuted last month at the International Furniture Fair in Milan, Brikolör aims to manufacture furniture "with a guaranteed emotional and technical durability of 300 years." A variety of colourful pieces created from ash and larch make up Brikolör's current six-prototype line, with prices ranging from EUR 500 for a varnished Älta-Älta stool to EUR 8,000 for a pattern-stained Hägg cabinet. There's nothing like a recession and a focus on environmental sustainability to make consumers value longevity. Fast, you're history; lasting value, you're here to stay! ;-) Website: www.brikolor.com — twitter.com/brikolor |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Much like the characters played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in The Bucket List, most people have a set of experiences they hope to have during their lifetime. We've already seen two websites aimed at helping consumers track and realize those dreams—Eons and 43things—and recently one of our spotters alerted us to Diddit, a similar but expanded version. Diddit, which was recently launched into alpha by California-based Ludic Labs, allows users to discover new ideas for life experiences as well as track the ones they've already had. More than 300,000 experiences in 20 different interest areas are currently listed on the site—including movies to see, foods to eat, travel destinations and more—available for browsing and inspiration. To participate in the community, users sign up for free and list the experiences they've already had. They can then look through the site's list of other ideas and add the ones they like to their list of goals. As each one gets accomplished they check it off on their list, with the opportunity to network and share stories and photos along the way through Diddit, Facebook and Twitter. A video on Vimeo provides a short introduction to the site. It's not yet clear what Diddit's business model will be, but we'd bet ad support will be involved. After all, whether it's baby boomers or twenty-somethings using them, sites like Diddit promise a highly directed way for advertisers to target specific groups of consumers with particular goals and interests in common. One to try out, partner with or localize for your neck of the activity-seeking woods...? (Related: A public incentive to stick to one's goals.) Website: www.diddit.com Spotted by: Todd E. Bryant |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
If fire protection kits can be upgraded with a splash of style, then why not first aid kits too? Canister UK's new OW! brand does just that with an assortment of all-in-one kits cutely packaged for various purposes. Four OW! kits are available for GBP 5.99 each through Boots stores across the UK as well as online. The Home Sweet Home kit, for example, includes forehead thermometer, washproof plasters, wound pad and bandage, antiseptic wipes, safety pins, burns dressing and finger bandage, all in a cheerful silver and orange container. The silver and purple Cheeky Monkeys kit, on the other hand, adds children's plasters, cooling gel sheet and star stickers "for being brave!". Also available are kits for travel and sports. All four are "robust, recyclable and reusable"—as the site puts it—and "a far cry from one of those big old dusty kits you never use, which lurks at the back of your kitchen cupboard." Ready for another rendition of one of our favourite refrains? Here goes: everything—yes everything—can be upgraded! Take a tired old product, add some modern convenience and stylish packaging, and you too could end up in a chain of 850 stores nationwide! ;-) Website: www.owhealth.com |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
It's no longer uncommon for companies to turn other companies' used goods into something new—Worn Again's recrafting of old airplane seat covers comes to mind—or to donate used products for a charitable cause. One we hadn't seen, however, was a jewelry company that takes back its customers' worn items and transforms them into new designs. Sure enough, though, last month Canada's Foxy Originals announced a new jewelry recycling program that it says is the first of its kind in North America. How it works: customers send in their old, well-worn pieces of the company's design, and Foxy will melt down the metals from those items and turn them into brand-new designs. In exchange, consumers receive a 10 percent discount on their next Foxy purchase. As the company's website explains, "Foxy’s recycle program is a great way to refresh your personal collection of Foxy Originals while reducing waste and helping the environment." Toronto-based Foxy's other socially minded efforts include producing all its designs locally in Canada and using lead-free materials and water-based sprays instead of toxic solvents in all production. Already endowed with (still) made here appeal, Foxy will only add to its eco-credentials with the new recycling effort, encouraging green-minded customers to come back for more. (Related: Retailers recycle customers' used clothes — From Wal-Mart, jewelry with a traceable story.) Website: www.foxyoriginals.com Spotted by: Sarah Tindle |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Riding the Twitter tidal wave, a Dutch marketing agency is asking job applicants to apply in 140 characters or less. Utrecht-based Energize is looking to hire an account manager and a strategic planner, and has designed an application form that looks exactly like a page on Twitter, including an empty text field. Candidates enter a short message—their "twillicitatie", or twapplication—describing why they're the person for the job, plus their email address and Twitter username. Uploading a resume is optional. For privacy reasons, Energize won't publicly tweet the applicant's message. While it might seem like a gimmicky way to recruit new staff members, the process highlights that Energize is looking for people who actively use social media. More importantly, by forcing them to be both engaging and succinct, it's the perfect way to test a candidate's writing skills. Quite the time-saver for the hiring manager, too ;-) (Related: Dating profiles in 140 characters or less.) Website: www.energize.nl/twillicitatie Spotted by: Dutch Cowgirls |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
At the baggage claim area of Jože Pučnik Airport in Ljubljana, Slovenia, travellers can pick up more than just their luggage. Using the Bluetooth feature on their mobile phones, they can download tourist information and coupons for their stay in Slovenia. Through a campaign devised by the Slovenian Tourist Board in cooperation with Aerodrom Ljubljana and Creativ Interaktiv, arriving passengers riding on the airport's buses from plane to terminal are invited to turn on the Bluetooth feature on their mobile phones. That invitation is repeated as they pass through customs to the baggage retrieval area. Within baggage claim is the so-called Bluetooth Zone, where users who have turned on Bluetooth are asked if they want to receive information about Slovenia. Users who say yes receive a free SMS text message with instructions on downloading the information, which is presented in both Slovene and English and includes tips for a hassle-free stay in Slovenia, recommended tourist attractions and events, and mobile coupons from partner organizations. Following the positive response to a test in December and January, the Bluetooth service is in place at least through the end of this month. While Bluetooth proximity-marketing efforts elsewhere have met with mixed success so far, the fact that travellers are already accustomed to receiving text messages from local phone providers when they land at a foreign airport makes this one seem like more of a natural fit. One to test out in the tourist destination of your choice...? (Related: Tony Player brings online playlists to the dance floor — Brick-and-mortar kiosks sell mobile content — Digital billboards revive empty storefronts.) Website: www.slovenia.info/en/Tourist-Guide.htm?_ctg_guidebook=0&lng=2 |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Bees seem to be capturing an increasing proportion of the virtual ink on our pages of late, playing center stage as they have in our recent stories about urban beekeeping at Fortnum & Mason's and Toronto's Fairmont Royal York hotel. Adding to the buzz—so to speak—we just came across yet another bee-focused hotel. In honour of Earth Day a few weeks ago, Paris-based Pullman Hotels & Resorts partnered with Bee My Friend to sponsor a beehive on behalf of each of its French hotels. The "Pullman Is Bee Friendly" campaign, as it's called, aims to help maintain honeybee populations and protect biodiversity in general. It's also created some sweet new opportunities for guests. Specifically, customers at each hotel now have the chance to sample three different honey varieties from Burgundy produced by the sponsored bees: a delicately flavoured acacia honey, a spring flowers honey and an all flowers honey from Morvan, the taste of which is said to reflect the sunny conditions and acidic soil of that region. Offering eco-credentials along with (still) made here appeal, Pullman's Bee Friendly campaign is sure to win over many a green-minded (and sweet-toothed) consumer. One to emulate locally in your own specialty shop, restaurant or hotel...? (Related: Honey without the mess — Sweet snobmoddity.) Website: www.pullmanhotels.com |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
When it comes to monitoring the workings of democracy, there's no such thing as too much information. Helping involved citizens stay well-informed, LegiStalker filters US legislative news 24 hours a day. Created as an entry for the Apps for America contest, LegiStalker allows users to search for legislators by name or location, and view live streams of their votes, Twitter posts, YouTube videos, favourite words and more. The website's database is updated every 20 seconds using Yahoo Search, GovTrack.us and other services. Plans are in place for additional features like voting histories and grouping politicians mentioned in the same news articles. As LegiStalker says: “an accountable government requires an informed citizenry.” One to duplicate for dedicated citizens in other nations? (Related: Tweets from parliament seats — Crowds make parliament videos searchable.) Website: www.legistalker.org Spotted by: Judy McRae |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
For people who think online dating questionnaires are just too much work, Montreal-based Radaroo offers something much, much simpler. Created by web entrepreneur Roberto Martínez, Radaroo is a free service that lets users send a tweet to create a dating profile in 140 characters or less. Users sign up by sending a tweet to @radaroo, specifying their gender, the gender(s) they’re interested in, and which activities they’d like to participate in on a first date. People can find out if a fellow Twitterer is single by searching that person’s username, and can also search for all single members in their area by entering their zip code, or country code if outside the United States. Users have the option to keep their dating status private or announce that they’re currently on their first date, second date, third date, or getting married. Simplicity is definitely the charm here, and it’s a fun example of how to use Twitter to forge new connections. The possibilities are endless: how about a similar service for finding a tennis partner, or fellow entrepreneurs interested in meeting up to brainstorm about new business ideas? ;-) Website: www.radaroo.com Spotted by: Susanna Haynie |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
After noticing that many customers dropping off cars for service chose to use their own bicycle rather than their courtesy loaner car, Clive Brook, a Volvo dealership in Yorkshire, came up with the idea of offering bicycles instead of cars. The scheme started in April 2009 with two mountain bikes, complete with safety gear. The initiative has advantages for both parties. Bicycles are cheaper for the dealership to buy, service and insure, and customers get that little nudge that might convince them to travel by bicycle more often. And within its community, there are green points to be gained by the dealership. Is it new for automotive businesses to promote alternative transportation? Not on a global scale: loaner bikes are fairly common in bicycle-savvy countries like the Netherlands and Denmark. But now that bicycles are gaining popularity for day-to-day transportation in other parts of the world, opportunities abound for companies that add two-wheeled options to their offerings. In this particular example, it seems like an easy and relatively cheap win for Volvo to offer its dealerships a few eye-catching, Volvo-branded bicycles that communicate and enhance brand identity. (Related: Tuned-in garage for hybrid vehicles.) Website: www.clivebrook.co.uk Spotted by: Susanna Haynie |
|||
|
|||
|
| |||
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
