Loogle is a web service that automatically builds shop sites for anyone on-the-fly. All you need is a webcam and a browser and you are set to sell anything with a bar code (maybe even without a bar code in the future).
Loogle sets up a customizable Amazon-ish type site for you automatically, registers it with search engines and its own product search engine, along with your zip code, so that people can FIND YOU EASILY.
Loogle – what’s in a name
Local Google... Loogle. Ok its a bit obvious and may not be useable for legal reasons but it captures the general idea. Google is great for bringing the world to you but you live in a town somewhere... a place and have to pay the tax of shipping and delivery delay every time you tap into the worldwide marketplace... Loogle is about encouraging local people to let each other know what is handy, nearby to fill your need. Who said the net needs to be everywhere but here?
How Loogle came about
Back in 1997 I looked at patenting a system that allowed a product page (ie a Nike Air boot page) to have a little icon that linked to a site that coordinated all the inventory of all the local sellers of Nike shoes to allow users to find their size and color on a local basis and send a hold request to the merchant to give them a chance to come see it and make a purchase.
The idea fell through at5 the time because a big trusted name like Ernst & Young was needed to make something like this work. Since then things have changed. Barcode sites are incredible repositories of product information, people are proving time and again that they can do better for themselves what corporations try to charge people for so the twist on Loogle is to make it all FREE. Inventory management, data storage, everything.
How do we make money? Well thats an easy one, but for the moment it's our little secret, but resta assured the shop front, inventory system and search are all going to be free, gratis.
Current development status
Sat May 1, 2010: A basic development plan and component collection is in place and a lead developer/ project manager has been interviewed. Based on past experience this means that a basic alpha site should be available for limited testing in late June. If you re interested in being a tester please make a comment say so and we will make contact with you in due course.
Public Milestones
As we have stated above we are in alpha development and research at the moment but things are firming up for a targeted beta date probably within 6 weeks.
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