

An (may be dumb) idea that stroke me. please tell me what you think. - elvirs
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1mG3AWD3YK5xvjjAs75X2BmSyqdSPVyUzA53XvU5cHDc

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elvirs
Project Description:

A website that will collect donations of used clothes and deliver them to
people who really need them. Please contact me: elvirs /at/ gmail /dot/ com

Givers:

    
    
       1. Will have to:
    
       1. Register on the webpage
       2. Submit new donation. Mentioning name of each item, best date/time to pick up.
    
     
    
       2. To stimulate motivation and satisfaction will be able to:
    
       1. Monitor which of their items have been requested, shipped to where.
       2. Receive anonymous thank-you note from the buyer.
       3. Mention special notes on where the items can go to.
    

Takers:

    
    
       3. Will have to:
    
       1. Register on the webpage filling out their contact info and physical address.
       2. Enter their sizes and type of clothing they need.
       3. Confirm if the shipping has arrived or no.
       4. (Optional) Leave feedback/thank-you for the items they have received.
    
     
    
       4. To prevent abuse and ensure fairness won’t be able to :
    
       1. Browse among all of the available stock and request anything they want.
       2. Request more than a certain number of items per person.
       3. Request more than a certain number of items for certain period of time per person.
       4. Request items that were not mentioned as needed.
    

We:

    
    
       1. Notify a cargo company to pick up the items and ship them to the storage
       2. Dry clean arrived items, take photos of items and enter full description of items to the website
       3. Notify eligible takers about new relevant items.
       4. Ship the package when request has been approved.
       5. Notify the giver and taker about the shipment.
    
     
    

Alternatives to cover shipping, dry cleaning and operational costs:

    
    
       1. Ask cargo companies fully or partially sponsor the shipping
    
       1. In return put their banners on the website, on packages, etc.
    
       2. Ask dry cleaning companies fully or partially sponsor the dry  cleaning
    
       1. In return put their banners on the website, on packages, etc.
    
       3. Charge small amount of money for most requested and/or valuable items available
       4. Sell advertisements on website
       5. Accept money donations
       6. Ask takers to cover their shipment costs.

~~~
barrydahlberg
"A website that will collect donations of used clothes and deliver them to
people who really need them."

This makes it sound like a kind of charity but your description does not, who
is the target audience here?

~~~
elvirs
actually it is a kind of charity. the purpose is to establish an efficient
channel of distribution of clothing to people in need. target audience is
people who can not afford to buy new clothes at boutique stores but have to
wear something and people who buy new clothing constantly and have clothing
that they do not wear anymore. btw, it is not a business idea, nobody is
trying to get rich. it just stroke me and i wanted to check if the world
really needs something like this.

------
mikecane
As far as I know, there are bins for that in a lot of places as well as just
calling Salvation Army and other existing groups. Solution for problem that
does not exist.

~~~
JacobAldridge
_Solution for problem that does not exist_

Yup - that's my reading of the situation as well. I'm moving to London in a
few weeks so have been cleaning house for months. Both my beautiful wife and I
have rounded up a LOT of clothes in good condition that aren't useful to us
anymore - these were put into bags, and I did multiple runs to nearby charity
bin _at a time when the motivation struck me_. Five minutes from thought to
being rid of the clothes.

It was easy as pie to do so, and those clothes will be sold for cents on the
dollar to people who need them _who can go to any number of thrift stores and
take immediate possession_. Easy browsing, no shipping costs or time or web
access to consider.

Good to see someone chasing charitable projects online. This one doesn't
strike me as being practical, but perhaps the next idea will be.

~~~
elvirs
thanks for your comment, made many things clear.

