market study, need your help :)

**information.fd** · 12-04-2007 01:05 AM

Hi all,

I am thinking about starting a business similar to this one: 1800-got-junk.com in my country (france).
Have you heard about it?

I have started my market study to see the potential of such a business and I need your advice, experience.

I am wondering if this kind of business could work in my country. I think the mentality is different and I am not sure if people are ready to pay money to get their junk removed.

In addition, in france, If you have a bulky item to remove (less than 1 m3), let's say a sofa, you can call the city council and they will remove it for FREE within 1 week if you put your item on the sidewalk.
Also, they are a few organizations like emmaus who remove your items if they can resell or give them to anybody else.
And I think that the dump fees are more expensive in France.

What do you think?

I am a bit discouraged but I love this idea and i don't want to renounce

If you have any information about this business, any experience or anything else, please let me know !!!

Cheers,
Steph

**MikeAnd** · 12-04-2007 09:26 AM

There is an interesting post on PartnerUp's blog about this:
So youâ€™ve got a business ideaâ€¦ Now what? » The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp

Hope this helps.

**radreality** · 12-04-2007 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by information.fd

I am a bit discouraged but I love this idea and i don't want to renounce

I think that right there is more of a problem than the market. When you are doing a Business Feasibility study, you need to take the emotions out of it. If something looks like it will work, then great. If it doesn't look like it will, then there isn't much you can do about it; just move on to the next idea and start over. It can be the difference between a businesses success and failure. Would you rather start every idea that you love or start successful businesses?

______________________________
Robert Falk
Business Developer / Investor
Self Help Forum | Business Resources

**ltressel** · 12-05-2007 10:17 AM

I'm with rad. You've already answered your own question. It doesn't seem feasible to start something that your government already offers for free. Not to mention your dumping fees being so high.

Go back to the drawing board and start another idea. You're looking at a dead horse.

LT

**2gould** · 12-05-2007 12:35 PM

I agree with all of the above. Ask yourself, would I pay for something that the government will do, just as well, for free?? I sure wouldn't. It is a great idea but apparently not in your market/country. There will be other ideas, keep on exploring! Good luck.

**BusinessAdviser** · 12-05-2007 12:58 PM

If I had a dime for every idea I'VE loved...

Unfortunately, you MUST drop this project, regardless of your emotional ties to it. That is the reason that so many people waste unGodly amounts of money trying to get an idea to float that has no option but to sink. Try something else, maybe a garage cleaning service. HUGE potential there, and it's in the same line of work.

Originally Posted by information.fd

Hi all,

I am thinking about starting a business similar to this one: 1800-got-junk.com in my country (france).
Have you heard about it?

I have started my market study to see the potential of such a business and I need your advice, experience.

I am wondering if this kind of business could work in my country. I think the mentality is different and I am not sure if people are ready to pay money to get their junk removed.

In addition, in france, If you have a bulky item to remove (less than 1 m3), let's say a sofa, you can call the city council and they will remove it for FREE within 1 week if you put your item on the sidewalk.
Also, they are a few organizations like emmaus who remove your items if they can resell or give them to anybody else.
And I think that the dump fees are more expensive in France.

What do you think?

I am a bit discouraged but I love this idea and i don't want to renounce

If you have any information about this business, any experience or anything else, please let me know !!!

Cheers,
Steph

**information.fd** · 12-05-2007 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by jmenq2

If I had a dime for every idea I'VE loved...

Unfortunately, you MUST drop this project, regardless of your emotional ties to it. That is the reason that so many people waste unGodly amounts of money trying to get an idea to float that has no option but to sink. Try something else, maybe a garage cleaning service. HUGE potential there, and it's in the same line of work.

Thanks all for your answers,

Maybe you are right, I shoud renounce.
I know this business is working in UK (anyjunk.co.uk) as well.
And from what i know (it depends of the city council) if you have a bulky item to remove you can do it for free or almost free (something like 10 pounds per item).
That's why i wanted to push my market faisability further.

Do you guys have any idea how it works in US?

Cheers.

**BusinessAdviser** · 12-05-2007 07:00 PM

I think here there are certain items that are not allowed to be thrown in the trash. Some companies here make money hauling such items.

**consumertreehouse** · 12-06-2007 02:52 PM

I call the city all the time here in Los Angeles, because there is such a huge problem with illegal househole dumping. People dump things everywhere here, so whenever I am out running around and see something I make a call. The city comes and picks it up within a week or so, for free. So I don't think you will make anything off of an idea that they city or government already does for free.

Maybe you can pick up old computers, or something else that the dumps don't take because the inside components are considered too toxic for regular trash.

Good Luck

**CDRamming** · 12-12-2007 04:00 PM

Building off the idea of throwing away "junk". There are many companies in the U.S. that will clean out houses, buildings, apartments, of junk and debris before construction companies come to renovate. My brother uses these services for properties that he renovates. Also, landlords use these services when tenants leave stuff in the apartments and don't wish to clean up themselves. Another idea would be construction cleanup. My brother usually rents a dumpster and places it in the front yard and has two guys work 2 hours extra at the end of the day to clean up the scraps and debris left over from the days work. If there is contruction being done downtown there is no place to have a dumpster, and you could haul the debris off with your truck at intervals for the company.