Comments on: An open letter to Craigslist http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/ Traditional classifieds are broken. Help us reinvent them. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Peter Williams http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-15916 Peter Williams Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:11:19 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-15916 Here's a new twist for you to consider. For 400 years the newspaper has been pretty much the same product, there's been nothing to make it better as a product, you hold it out in front of you or lay it on a table to read it, not the most comfortable experience, especially if it's a broadsheet. How about a product that transforms the reading experience for the newspaper reader, a product that takes up little space and holds the newspaper up in front of the reader, it could be a table-top product or attached to a floor mounted stand, with a moveable arm to swing the newspaper in front of the reader as he/she sits in an armchair. If the product works and it enhances the reading experience and costs just a few dollars it might offer a lifeline to the industry.. if you've got the product on your table/desk then you've got a daily reminder/link/loyalty to a newspaper. If you're given one for your birthday /similar you might be tempted to go out and buy a newspaper (possibly after a long absence) and you might find that you enjoy the whole experience.. you might remember what it was like to read the newspaper, you might even enjoy the activity and return once more to buying a daily/weekly paper. I've been working with a colleague on such a product, it's been well received and ticks all the right boxes and we're about to launch it. It might be a commercial flop and disappear as quickly as it appears, or it might be the answer the industry needs to rejuvenate itself, pick up new customers or regain lost customers. It's a different spin on the content issues but I think it's got some mileage. I won't mention the product by name (just yet) I'm hoping you'll be reading all about it soon enough in the paper. (But I welcome feedback on the idea and the potential for my claims/aspiration for the product). Here’s a new twist for you to consider. For 400 years the newspaper has been pretty much the same product, there’s been nothing to make it better as a product, you hold it out in front of you or lay it on a table to read it, not the most comfortable experience, especially if it’s a broadsheet.
How about a product that transforms the reading experience for the newspaper reader, a product that takes up little space and holds the newspaper up in front of the reader, it could be a table-top product or attached to a floor mounted stand, with a moveable arm to swing the newspaper in front of the reader as he/she sits in an armchair.
If the product works and it enhances the reading experience and costs just a few dollars it might offer a lifeline to the industry.. if you’ve got the product on your table/desk then you’ve got a daily reminder/link/loyalty to a newspaper. If you’re given one for your birthday /similar you might be tempted to go out and buy a newspaper (possibly after a long absence) and you might find that you enjoy the whole experience.. you might remember what it was like to read the newspaper, you might even enjoy the activity and return once more to buying a daily/weekly paper.
I’ve been working with a colleague on such a product, it’s been well received and ticks all the right boxes and we’re about to launch it.
It might be a commercial flop and disappear as quickly as it appears, or it might be the answer the industry needs to rejuvenate itself, pick up new customers or regain lost customers.
It’s a different spin on the content issues but I think it’s got some mileage. I won’t mention the product by name (just yet) I’m hoping you’ll be reading all about it soon enough in the paper. (But I welcome feedback on the idea and the potential for my claims/aspiration for the product).

]]> By: info product http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-13470 info product Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:14:49 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-13470 These are some great ideas! I love the idea of newspaper websites feeding ads into Craigslist. This could go a long way to helping the struggling small business owner, especially in this economy. Small business owner's who have an information product could use their local newspaper to an even greater effect. This has got me thinking of my local paper... think I'll contact them with your idea Steve - love it! These are some great ideas! I love the idea of newspaper websites feeding ads into Craigslist. This could go a long way to helping the struggling small business owner, especially in this economy. Small business owner’s who have an information product could use their local newspaper to an even greater effect. This has got me thinking of my local paper… think I’ll contact them with your idea Steve - love it!

]]> By: CLhandbook http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-9557 CLhandbook Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:02:02 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-9557 What would we do without newspapers? I agree with the author that newspapers should be supported so it can continue to survive these modern online times right now where most advertisers prefer to post on Craigslist and other online sites instead of supporting the good ol’ newspapers. The thing is, we need local newspapers as it hits close to home and you’ll learn about the latest events in your area. This is not that easy for online sites and newspapers are more relevant source of information and it needs to be kept running. What would we do without newspapers? I agree with the author that newspapers should be supported so it can continue to survive these modern online times right now where most advertisers prefer to post on Craigslist and other online sites instead of supporting the good ol’ newspapers. The thing is, we need local newspapers as it hits close to home and you’ll learn about the latest events in your area. This is not that easy for online sites and newspapers are more relevant source of information and it needs to be kept running.

]]> By: Five Things Google Could Do For Newspapers « iannhungry http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-4144 Five Things Google Could Do For Newspapers « iannhungry Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:08:12 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-4144 [...] program, so it’s not exactly the bad guy.  Scott Outing from Reinventing Classifieds wrote an open letter to Craig and Jim Buckmaster last summer with some suggestions on an intervention, and later posted one to Google which [...] […] program, so it’s not exactly the bad guy.  Scott Outing from Reinventing Classifieds wrote an open letter to Craig and Jim Buckmaster last summer with some suggestions on an intervention, and later posted one to Google which […]

]]> By: Technology Blog » Blog Archive » Five Things Google Could Do For Newspapers http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-3844 Technology Blog » Blog Archive » Five Things Google Could Do For Newspapers Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:43:47 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-3844 [...] so it’s not exactly the bad guy.  Scott Outing from Reinventing Classifieds wrote an open letter to Craig and Jim Buckmaster last summer with some suggestions on an intervention, and later posted one to Google which readers [...] […] so it’s not exactly the bad guy.  Scott Outing from Reinventing Classifieds wrote an open letter to Craig and Jim Buckmaster last summer with some suggestions on an intervention, and later posted one to Google which readers […]

]]> By: Five Things Google Could Do For Newspapers : indianportfolio.com http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-3814 Five Things Google Could Do For Newspapers : indianportfolio.com Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:48:54 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-3814 [...] so it’s not exactly the bad guy.  Scott Outing from Reinventing Classifieds wrote an open letter to Craig and Jim Buckmaster last summer with some suggestions on an intervention, and later posted one to Google which readers [...] […] so it’s not exactly the bad guy.  Scott Outing from Reinventing Classifieds wrote an open letter to Craig and Jim Buckmaster last summer with some suggestions on an intervention, and later posted one to Google which readers […]

]]> By: akzero http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-2533 akzero Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:29:17 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-2533 To Janet DeGeorge, Of course Utah's KSL Radio is not dead... it's a mormon owned station!!! All of the church owned properties do very well. To Janet DeGeorge,

Of course Utah’s KSL Radio is not dead… it’s a mormon owned station!!! All of the church owned properties do very well.

]]> By: Craigslist Proxy http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-2247 Craigslist Proxy Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:14:34 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-2247 Great post, I\'ll keep coming back to check on updates! Great post, I\’ll keep coming back to check on updates!

]]> By: De nieuwe reporter » Blog Archive » Craig Newmark: nagel aan de doodskist van de krantenindustrie? http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-1188 De nieuwe reporter » Blog Archive » Craig Newmark: nagel aan de doodskist van de krantenindustrie? Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:56:12 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-1188 [...] te makkelijk van de kritiek af, vindt Internet-columnist Steve Outing. In juli publiceerde hij een open brief aan Newmark en Buckmaster waarin hij hun vroeg samen te werken met de krantenindustrie om de [...] […] te makkelijk van de kritiek af, vindt Internet-columnist Steve Outing. In juli publiceerde hij een open brief aan Newmark en Buckmaster waarin hij hun vroeg samen te werken met de krantenindustrie om de […]

]]> By: henry pollson http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/2008/07/11/an-open-letter-to-craigslist/#comment-582 henry pollson Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:09:37 +0000 http://www.reinventingclassifieds.com/?p=91#comment-582 Definitely use Angie's List rather than Craigslist if you're looking for local services. Here's a <a href="http://gabwith.us/angies-list-better-alternative-to-craiglist-for-finding-local-contractors/" rel="nofollow">good breakdown of the service</a>. Definitely use Angie’s List rather than Craigslist if you’re looking for local services. Here’s a good breakdown of the service.

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