Terrible business ideas where everyone will loose everything
Discussion
Pay as you gym. Currently burning through some VC funding doing TV advertising. Targeting half a dozen people hat travel on business, need a gym but dont stay in hotels with a gym. Totally stupid concept and annoying that there will be some really good businesses out there that could have made good use of the funding.
Any more you have seen?
Any more you have seen?
So many business ideas are not businesses at all, merely an ephemeral internet-based middleman putting the price up. I can use a 'smartphone app' to order a takeaway from... my local takeaway (keeping said middleman in business and the takeaway slaving at a discount) - or - wait a minute! - I could just phone the takeaway using the number on the handy menu they post through my door every six months!
'Takeaway Direct'. Now there's a business idea
'Takeaway Direct'. Now there's a business idea
Simpo Two said:
So many business ideas are not businesses at all, merely an ephemeral internet-based middleman putting the price up. I can use a 'smartphone app' to order a takeaway from... my local takeaway (keeping said middleman in business and the takeaway slaving at a discount) - or - wait a minute! - I could just phone the takeaway using the number on the handy menu they post through my door every six months!
'Takeaway Direct'. Now there's a business idea
The middleman, eg. just-eat, surely act as free advertising as well though, unless there is some upfront cost in order to be listed on their site? Sick of the crappy local take-aways in my area I went on there and discovered a couple of other places within delivery range which I didn't even know existed and I use both quite regularly now. Had it not been for the just-eat middleman it's very unlikely they'd have ever had me as a customer. I do order through just-eat rather than direct and always choose 'pay cash on delivery' which is the same price as they have in the shop, so not sure where just-eat take their cut unless they take a small portion of the 50p card payment fee.'Takeaway Direct'. Now there's a business idea
On the topic of truly terrible business ideas, how about Baltia Air Lines? They've only been starting up for 20 years now and "investors" still keep pumping money into them.
I wonder how the investment into African start-up airline FastJet has worked out for a number of PHers on here. I remember reading the thread on here about 5 years ago where some members had invested. They are still bumbling along but half of their fleet has since been scrapped into coke cans.
Old Tyke said:
The middleman, eg. just-eat, surely act as free advertising as well though, unless there is some upfront cost in order to be listed on their site? Sick of the crappy local take-aways in my area I went on there and discovered a couple of other places within delivery range which I didn't even know existed and I use both quite regularly now. Had it not been for the just-eat middleman it's very unlikely they'd have ever had me as a customer. I do order through just-eat rather than direct and always choose 'pay cash on delivery' which is the same price as they have in the shop, so not sure where just-eat take their cut unless they take a small portion of the 50p card payment fee.
From watching a TV programme about this recently, I understand that although it varies between restaurants, Just-Eat take a percentage of the meal cost; the figures quoted were quite high at up to around 25% - if these figures have any basis, it must destroy profit margins.Just googled and found this: https://restaurants.just-eat.co.uk/benefits.html
Seems to be 14% - of course, subject to negotiation - but still quite high.
number2 said:
Old Tyke said:
The middleman, eg. just-eat, surely act as free advertising as well though, unless there is some upfront cost in order to be listed on their site? Sick of the crappy local take-aways in my area I went on there and discovered a couple of other places within delivery range which I didn't even know existed and I use both quite regularly now. Had it not been for the just-eat middleman it's very unlikely they'd have ever had me as a customer. I do order through just-eat rather than direct and always choose 'pay cash on delivery' which is the same price as they have in the shop, so not sure where just-eat take their cut unless they take a small portion of the 50p card payment fee.
From watching a TV programme about this recently, I understand that although it varies between restaurants, Just-Eat take a percentage of the meal cost; the figures quoted were quite high at up to around 25% - if these figures have any basis, it must destroy profit margins.Just googled and found this: https://restaurants.just-eat.co.uk/benefits.html
Seems to be 14% - of course, subject to negotiation - but still quite high.
-Monkey tennis?
-Chauffeur driven track days. Pay money to experience a track day from the comfort of the back seat of an S-class, 7 series, lexus etc. Piloti driving shoes available to hire on the day. Free DVD (to watch the on-board Tv screens).
-Starting a F1 team. Think how BAR did it in 1999. Then think bigger...better...bolder. Why claim to win a race in your first season, when you could win the whole F1 championship.
-Chauffeur driven track days. Pay money to experience a track day from the comfort of the back seat of an S-class, 7 series, lexus etc. Piloti driving shoes available to hire on the day. Free DVD (to watch the on-board Tv screens).
-Starting a F1 team. Think how BAR did it in 1999. Then think bigger...better...bolder. Why claim to win a race in your first season, when you could win the whole F1 championship.
williamp said:
-Chauffeur driven track days. Pay money to experience a track day from the comfort of the back seat of an S-class, 7 series, lexus etc. Piloti driving shoes available to hire on the day. Free DVD (to watch the on-board Tv screens).
If you read the business concept really quickly without engaging the brain, it sounds great. 
number2 said:
From watching a TV programme about this recently, I understand that although it varies between restaurants, Just-Eat take a percentage of the meal cost; the figures quoted were quite high at up to around 25% - if these figures have any basis, it must destroy profit margins.
Just googled and found this: https://restaurants.just-eat.co.uk/benefits.html
Seems to be 14% - of course, subject to negotiation - but still quite high.
14% should be easily manageable for any hot food business. I expect they would much sooner sell the meal on that basis than not sell it.Just googled and found this: https://restaurants.just-eat.co.uk/benefits.html
Seems to be 14% - of course, subject to negotiation - but still quite high.
"I've always wanted a little shop".
You see these small independent shops open, possibly with a good idea, but always in a terrible location, signed up for a multiyear lease, no traffic thro the door, it's always going to end in tears.
I knew a man who took a pub lease, one day he took £1.50 at lunchtime, and that was when £1.50 was worth something.
You see these small independent shops open, possibly with a good idea, but always in a terrible location, signed up for a multiyear lease, no traffic thro the door, it's always going to end in tears.
I knew a man who took a pub lease, one day he took £1.50 at lunchtime, and that was when £1.50 was worth something.
singlecoil said:
14% should be easily manageable for any hot food business. I expect they would much sooner sell the meal on that basis than not sell it.
Maybe, maybe not; in these internet days it's easy to end up 'w
king for coins' - and there comes a point when it's not worth it. If you can't market your business maybe you shouldn't be doing it. What the smart business might do is put their prices up to retain margin - and so you see, all the middleman does is put the price up to the consumer - just as it does with Compare the Comparison Website Comparison Site.comSimpo Two said:
singlecoil said:
14% should be easily manageable for any hot food business. I expect they would much sooner sell the meal on that basis than not sell it.
Maybe, maybe not; in these internet days it's easy to end up 'wking for coins' - and there comes a point when it's not worth it. If you can't market your business maybe you shouldn't be doing it. What the smart business might do is put their prices up to retain margin - and so you see, all the middleman does is put the price up to the consumer - just as it does with Compare the Comparison Website Comparison Site.comp4cks said:
An ice cream parlour in the North East.
Oh and you've spelled 'lose' wrong in the title. It's a pet hate of mine.
Talking to the owner of an ice cream parlour in the north east, we had to book to get in, she had plans to close in January and February for maintenance and holidays but it was so busy she couldn't shut, if you provide a good product they will come.Oh and you've spelled 'lose' wrong in the title. It's a pet hate of mine.
Old Tyke said:
number2 said:
Old Tyke said:
The middleman, eg. just-eat, surely act as free advertising as well though, unless there is some upfront cost in order to be listed on their site? Sick of the crappy local take-aways in my area I went on there and discovered a couple of other places within delivery range which I didn't even know existed and I use both quite regularly now. Had it not been for the just-eat middleman it's very unlikely they'd have ever had me as a customer. I do order through just-eat rather than direct and always choose 'pay cash on delivery' which is the same price as they have in the shop, so not sure where just-eat take their cut unless they take a small portion of the 50p card payment fee.
From watching a TV programme about this recently, I understand that although it varies between restaurants, Just-Eat take a percentage of the meal cost; the figures quoted were quite high at up to around 25% - if these figures have any basis, it must destroy profit margins.Just googled and found this: https://restaurants.just-eat.co.uk/benefits.html
Seems to be 14% - of course, subject to negotiation - but still quite high.
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