Dating Site ASP

Would You Use It?

[cabbagehead]

I've been contemplating building an ASP (application service provider) for the dating World. This would essentially provide a private label soluition as well as an XML API for anyone who wants to build a front end website but doesn't want to commit to building all the backend functionality, or have to deal with the catch 22 of getting people to sign up for a new community, when there aren't yet any members etc. The service would essentially be similar to what TravelNow (IAN) provides to the Travel folks out there.

Today however my idea was turned on its head when someone pointed out to me that you can buy the code for a complete dating website backend for between $200-500 (depending on functionality). So my question now is, would anyone pay for an ASP service when they can just buy and own the code and their own community for dirt cheap? I'm not sure I have a value proposition any more.

If you were a potential dating site owner, would this ASP service be of use to you? Please let me know any thoughts you may have. I'm desperately trying to put the picture together of how to proceed from here.

Thanks in advance.

[Eltiti]

As you say, buying the code does not get buyers an existing member community.

If you offer it as an app service, you'd first have to seed it with, say, a few hundred or thousand people, but after that, your value proposition may be much better than that of the code seller.

[cabbagehead]

Yeah - that was the one thing I thought of as well - the community is really the one advantage I can offer. That and of course not having to mess with teh code etc on the backend at all. I would also take care of billing etc. So there are some services there that are of benefit I suppose.

BUT - I guess the part I'm having a hard time with is ...even with all of that, it seems to me that most webmasters would want to own their own code and own their own community, if they could.

Am I wrong? Please offer any opinions/insight that you can...I'd really appreciate it.

Cheers.