Cool idea! I suppose Couchsurfing is a bit of a philosophical predecessor here, but with more of an outdoor/camping bent to it.
Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
11–20 of 236 posts
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#12So it's kinda like Couchsurfing.com and Warmshowers, but expensive ($100/yr) and only for vanlifers? Interesting. I like the community peer to peer model, but it kinda feels exploitative to put an expensive business layer on top of it. What does the $100/yr provide that Couchsurfing's $30/yr doesn't, aside from a feeling of exclusivity? Or is that the point, to weed out poor vanlifers and allow only rich vacationers…
> Or is that the point, to weed out poor vanlifers and allow only rich vacationers to swap hosting with each other?
I'm gonna go with "yes" purely based on the website's design.
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#13What happens if nobody wants to use your spot to stay in? Presumably you never build up credits and can't use the service effectively.
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#14This has the feel of a site someone set up to gauge interest based on signups, rather than something that actually exists. I've never been quite sure how I feel about those: smart product testing or disingenuous bait-and-switch?
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#15So it's kinda like Couchsurfing.com and Warmshowers, but expensive ($100/yr) and only for vanlifers? Interesting. I like the community peer to peer model, but it kinda feels exploitative to put an expensive business layer on top of it. What does the $100/yr provide that Couchsurfing's $30/yr doesn't, aside from a feeling of exclusivity? Or is that the point, to weed out poor vanlifers and allow only rich vacationers…
"rich vacationers" ? Most American adults can afford $100/year.
Edit: I'll even add: most american adults spend $100 per month, not per year, on frivolous stuff. Fast food. Cable TV. Unnecessary high-end phones (instead of mid-range phones). All these people could definitely afford $100/year.
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#16So it's kinda like Couchsurfing.com and Warmshowers, but expensive ($100/yr) and only for vanlifers? Interesting. I like the community peer to peer model, but it kinda feels exploitative to put an expensive business layer on top of it. What does the $100/yr provide that Couchsurfing's $30/yr doesn't, aside from a feeling of exclusivity? Or is that the point, to weed out poor vanlifers and allow only rich vacationers…
> Or is that the point, to weed out poor vanlifers and allow only rich vacationers to swap hosting with each other? I'm gonna go with "yes" purely based on the website's design.
It does have that country club, "no need to park with the peasants" vibe to it, doesn't it?
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#17I'm interested but $100/yr kind of sounds like a lot. Is it free to host? I wouldn't mind building up credits for a road trip later if I didn't have to pay. Also maybe a monthly price would make more sense as I tend to be on the road only for periods at a time. (or maybe even a per-booking fee?)
Anyways, yearly sub is kind of a non-starter for me though I like the concept.
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#18Nice design. One big thing though, when making an MVP, make sure the Product is actually Minimally Viable, because if it's not, it's just deceiving, which starts you off in a position of negative trust with the prospect. Trust is difficult, sometimes impossible to earn earn back.
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#19What happens if nobody wants to use your spot to stay in? Presumably you never build up credits and can't use the service effectively.
Probably an interesting business challenge. I could see a few options:
1. Add the ability to buy credits. Hurts the "community" aspect, but gets around that problem and acts as a revenue stream.
2. "Joe Smith is a new host! Camp at his place for zero credits in exchange for writing a review!"
3. Just accept that people in undesirable locations don't get to use the tool.
Re: Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
#20We've gone from SNL making a skit about "LIVING IN A VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER" to people on instagram doing #vanlife influencer stuff about how trendy it is to live in a converted van.