Ask HN: Review my Startup, Online Classified

[bpick]

A few months ago I got fed up with the general state of online classified sites. They suck. They really suck.

I started YourGrounds.com as a way to remedy this travesty. Yourgrounds takes the ambiguity out of searching, and you no longer have to spend hours searching through postings.

Here's what we did - you can create a wishlist that searches even when you aren't on the site - if the site matches what you're looking for to something someones posts, it will notify you.

Simply put, I want you guys to tell me what you think.

Use the code: hackernews during your registration, there are 100 slots open right now.

There's still work to be done, and I want to know how I can make this the best possible site for everybody.

Enjoy!

If you have personal thoughts, questions or comments, you can direct them to brendan@yourgrounds.com

[wgj]

People have diverse complaints about Craigslist, although it's free and in general, it works.

My complaint with CL is it's not open enough. I truly wish Craig would drink the Jack Dorsey kool-aid, and have an open API for CL allowing independent developers to innovate around it.

Having said all that... your site is even more closed than CL. I understand private betas, but it's a classifieds site, and you're competing with CL, and the message is: even if I logged in and created an ad, no one would see it.

you no longer have to spend hours searching through postings.

That is admirable, and I hope it succeeds. But the problem right now with online classifieds is centered around whether distributed innovation is possible. I'd love to place an ad in a way that doesn't result in one company controlling it exclusively.

[bpick → wgj]

Thanks for your reply, and I can definitely see what you mean.

To clarify, our site can be searched by anyone, but to create a post or message someone through the site you must be signed up. I see what I'm doing as bringing the classified space into the 21st century by streamlining the process!

Still, what you have said demands consideration. Interesting.

[wgj → bpick]

Thanks. I didn't realize it could be searched by anyone, although on a second look, it clearly can. I think I was distracted by the sign up form.

I still think an open API is the key.

[RobinWinslow]

This looks like something that could potentially reinvigorate the classified space.

I, for one, am all for it.

[bpick → RobinWinslow]

Thank you, but was there anything specific you would suggest so that we could improve it?