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Startup idea: short, paid email

diegobasch.com

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Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#11

Post by chimeracoder »

diego wrote: post #4
carlsednaoui wrote: post #2

Something like this? https://shortmail.com/

Yes, I wonder why it hasn't taken off. Perhaps lack of word of mouth, or the fact that it's lacking the "paid" component. I would feel bad about telling people to email me at shortmail.com, but a VC who receives tons of unsolicited pitches wouldn't. Some would love charging a fee to get pitched over email. If it takes 30 seconds and they pay you 20 bucks, why not.

I love the concept and I've been trying to use it for over a year now. I see two issues:

1. No native Android application. They try to sell themselves as a replacement for both SMS and email combined, which would be great, but if I'm limited to IMAP, there's no way it can replace email.

2. Yet another email address. Sometimes someone does need to send me a long email, and I do need to read it. The process needs to be possible but mildly painful (to discourage them from doing it). Quarantining/bouncing the email (their current solutions) aren't quite right. But they're on the right track.

However, I'm holding out hopes for one reason: they're implementing this as an open protocol - ie, within the extant email headers, so the functionality isn't limited to Shortmail-hosted email.

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#12

Post by melvinmt »

The truth is that only the Robert Scobles in this world are affected by head-aching e-mail management problems. For the rest of the 99% it simply isn't that MUCH of an issue. That's why I don't think it will catch on. But nice idea though.

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#13

Post by jiggy2011 »

This is pretty dumb and reflects the increasing mentality of "it's like X with the useful functionality removed".

Email is nothing like twitter at all, twitter became popular because it allowed celebrities and the like to share their thoughts with their fans without feeling like they had to maintain a longform blog.

Email is used for 2 way communication, yes companies like to build email lists and use it for push marketing but that's usually seen more as a nuisance to email users.

If somebody is going to charge me in order to send them an email the message I read into that is "My time is so much more valuable that if yours that if you want me to read what you say then you better make it worth my while".

And sometimes emails need to be long, am I supposed to maintain 2 separate email accounts?

In reality, legit commercial mass mail usually does have to pay to send because if you want good deliverability you are probably using mailchimp or a similar service.

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#14

Post by jbigelow76 »

skizm wrote: post #9

How about an app that donates the 20 bucks it costs to send someone an email to charity? Seems like it would have a built in marketing strategy.

This is somewhat orthogonal but am I the only one that usually finds businesses built on "do X and help charity at the same time" as pretty weak? It's strikes me as though the business operator doesn't believe in the value they are providing so they piggyback off the value of donating to charity.

There are exceptions, things like the Humble Bundles, but I tend to buy those primarily as call to actions for charity donations themselves. Out of two bundles I've only ever played one game. I never got the sense of the value piggybacking (maybe determining how things get split is part of it).

I just get wary when charities are thrown into the mix with these things. It seems like something bolted on at the last minute to boost conversions.

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#15

Post by jiggy2011 »

mikle wrote: post #8
djensen47 wrote: post #3

What do you do when you're trying to explain a technical issue that can't be explained in 500 chars or requires code snippets? Maybe move to a different medium? A different email address? A codepaste might work for snippets as long as it's not sensitive. You still might need a way to explain how to reproduce a problem. Maybe these are all just add-ons for such a service.

I don't think he means you replace your email with this, just have this as a public email. You will still give coworkers or collaborators your regular address and they could send you long code and messages, but strangers wouldn't be able to. And obviously if you are in a position where strangers should send you random unsolicited code or long messages you should just not use this.

The problem is that it's difficult to know if a stranger might send you a long unsolicited email. Perhaps one of your friends meets somebody who might have a job for you and gives out your email address or whatever.

The majority of the spam I receive is under 500 chars anyway so it wouldn't really help in that regard.

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#16

Post by diego »

jiggy2011 wrote: post #13

This is pretty dumb and reflects the increasing mentality of "it's like X with the useful functionality removed". Email is nothing like twitter at all, twitter became popular because it allowed celebrities and the like to share their thoughts with their fans without feeling like they had to maintain a longform blog. Email is used for 2 way communication, yes companies like to build email lists and use it for push mar…

"In reality, legit commercial mass mail usually does have to pay to send"

The point is that they don't pay you. It's an externality:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externality

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#17

Post by corin_ »

diego wrote: post #7
a5seo wrote: post #5

Linkedin has sort of tried this w/ premium accounts. 3 InMails for $20/mo. Not sure if premium accounts are really driving their revenue as much as recruiter solutions.

In Q2 premium generated $43M. Not the $121M that Hiring Solutions made, but still not chump change. http://press.linkedin.com/node/1223

Worth noting that "InMail" credits aren't the only benefit of a LinkedIn premium account, and in fact of people I know with paid accounts very few of them care about this particular aspect.

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#18

Post by drumdance »

melvinmt wrote: post #12

The truth is that only the Robert Scobles in this world are affected by head-aching e-mail management problems. For the rest of the 99% it simply isn't that MUCH of an issue. That's why I don't think it will catch on. But nice idea though.

Hmm... but Robert Scobles, and more to the point, Beyonce, Jay Z, Lady Gaga etc might be willing to use the service as a screening tool for all the promo pitches they get. Or at least their agents & publicists might.

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#19

Post by jiggy2011 »

diego wrote: post #16
jiggy2011 wrote: post #13

This is pretty dumb and reflects the increasing mentality of "it's like X with the useful functionality removed". Email is nothing like twitter at all, twitter became popular because it allowed celebrities and the like to share their thoughts with their fans without feeling like they had to maintain a longform blog. Email is used for 2 way communication, yes companies like to build email lists and use it for push mar…

"In reality, legit commercial mass mail usually does have to pay to send" The point is that they don't pay you . It's an externality: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externality

I don't really see how paying me would help though.

Either I want to read your email or I don't, paying me $1 a time to read all my viagra spam isn't going to help anyone.

Plus what happens if I really want to send you an email but I don't want to hand my credit card info over to whatever payment provider you use is?

Re: Startup idea: short, paid email

#20

Post by drumdance »

jbigelow76 wrote: post #14
skizm wrote: post #9

How about an app that donates the 20 bucks it costs to send someone an email to charity? Seems like it would have a built in marketing strategy.

This is somewhat orthogonal but am I the only one that usually finds businesses built on "do X and help charity at the same time" as pretty weak? It's strikes me as though the business operator doesn't believe in the value they are providing so they piggyback off the value of donating to charity. There are exceptions, things like the Humble Bundles, but I tend to buy those primarily as call to actions for charity don…

I this case it's more about the relative value of time for the recipient vs. the sender. It comes across as a little snotty to say "pay me if you want to talk to me." But charity still conveys the value discrepancy.
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