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- zestyhedgehog, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13010 Totally Stupid Online Business Ideas That Made Someone Rich
Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Sat, 2007-02-17 12:57.
Posted in: Online Niches
Massive Free Internet Marketing Software Giveaway ($497 Worth Of Free Software)
1. Million Dollar Homepage
1000000 pixels, charge a dollar per pixel – that’s perhaps the dumbest idea for online business anyone could have possible come up with. Still, Alex Tew, a 21-year-old who came up with the idea, is now a millionaire.
2. SantaMail
Ok, how’s that for a brilliant idea. Get a postal address at North Pole, Alaska, pretend you are Santa Claus and charge parents 10 bucks for every letter you send to their kids? Well, Byron Reese sent over 200000 letters since the start of the business in 2001, which makes him a couple million dollars richer. Full Story
3. Doggles
Create goggles for dogs and sell them online? Boy, this IS the dumbest idea for a business. How in the world did they manage to become millionaires and have shops all over the world with that one? Beyond me.
4. LaserMonks
LaserMonks.com is a for-profit subsidiary of the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank, an eight-monk monastery in the hills of Monroe County, 90 miles northwest of Madison. Yeah, real monks refilling your cartridges. Hallelujah! Their 2005 sales were $2.5 million! Praise the Lord. Full Story
5. AntennaBalls
You can’t sell antenna ball online. There is no way. And surely it wouldn’t make you rich. But this is exactly what Jason Wall did, and now he is now a millionaire. Full Story
6. FitDeck
Create a deck of cards featuring exercise routines, and sell it online for $18.95. Sounds like a disaster idea to me. But former Navy SEAL and fitness instructor Phil Black reported last year sales of $4.7 million. Surely beats what military pays.
7. PositivesDating.Com
How would you like to go on a date with an HIV positive person? Paul Graves and Brandon Koechlin thought that someone would, so they created a dating site for HIV positive folks last year. Projected 2006 sales are $110,000, and the two hope to have 50,000 members by their two-year mark.
8. Designer Diaper Bags
Christie Rein was tired of carrying diapers around in a freezer bag. The 34-year-old mother of three found herself constantly stuffing diapers for her infant son into freezer bags to keep them from getting scrunched up in her purse. Rein wanted something that was compact, sleek and stylish, so in November 2004, she sat down with her husband, Marcus, who helped her design a custom diaper bag that's big enough to hold a travel pack of wipes and two to four diapers. With more than $180,000 in sales for 2005, Christie's company, Diapees & Wipees, has bags in 22 different styles, available online and in 120 boutiques across the globe for $14.99.
9. PickyDomains
Hire another person to think of a cool domain name for you? No way people would pay for this. Actually, naming domain names for others turned out a thriving business, especially, when you make the entire process risk free. PickyDomains currently has a waiting list of people who want to PAY the service to come up with a snappy memorable domain name. PickyDomains is expected to hit six figures this year. Full Story
10. Lucky Wishbone Co.
Fake wishbones. Now, this stupid idea is just destined to flop. Who in the world needs FAKE PLASTIC wishbones? A lot of people, it turns out. Now producing 30,000 wishbones daily (they retail for 3 bucks a pop) Ken Ahroni, the company founder, expects 2006 sales to reach $1 million. - aliengoods, on 10/11/2007, -2/+83Well, at least there weren't any 'Jump to Conclusions' mats.
- fpssledge, on 10/11/2007, -6/+69Million-Dollar homepage isn't a stupid idea if you ask me. It's pretty clever actually. It pisses me off someone else thought of it before me, but it's not a stupid idea.
Now doggles? That's a stupid idea. I would never have believed I could ever make money off something like that. - Walker2323, on 10/11/2007, -6/+45They said *stupid* ideas.
- Zippo, on 10/11/2007, -0/+27SANTA CLAUS
NORTH POLE
H0H 0H0
CANADA
http://www.canadapost.ca/business/corporate/about/newsroom/letters_editor/letters-e.asp?l=belleville
And yes, he'll write back. I got letters back when I was a kid. All for free.
Santamail.org doesn't even look like it's trying to be from the real Santa. Any kid who saw the site would know it's just some guy sending out letters and pretending to be Santa. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -5/+28http://nichegeek.com.nyud.net:8080/10_totally_stupid_online_business_ideas_that_made_someone_rich
- openaddy, on 10/11/2007, -1/+23So stupid I wish I had thought of them.. Too smart for my own good, I guess. ;)
- loveandrockets, on 10/11/2007, -0/+21ePotatoes.com
Delivering potatoes online since 1992.... - Ajjah, on 10/11/2007, -8/+28Seems like this list has been made before... and mentioned on Diggnation...
Just throwin' it out there. - c5mjohn, on 10/11/2007, -0/+191. North Pole is the name of a city in Alaska. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Pole%2C_Alaska
2. The North Pole is a disputed piece of geography. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Pole#Territorial_claims_to_the_North_Pole_and_Arctic_regions
3. You are a moron. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moron_%28psychology%29
edit: 4. I am really slow - binaryspiral, on 10/11/2007, -0/+19Labeling an idea "stupid" is an opinion... generating a handsome profit off said idea is fact.
And FWIW - LaserMonks does a great job with refilling laser carts for printers and copiers.
1. Good service
2. Good price
3. Good company
And they're more likely to do something good with the profits and not go out and buy fourteen homes, three yachts, and whatever else rich people buy now adays... What's stupid about that? - JFuller07, on 10/11/2007, -3/+17Hey now, doggles are a good idea. I have a little dog who loves his face in the wind, but it hurts his eyes at over 25mph or so. He's been using doggles for like a year now and he knows what it means every time I take them out now, and is fine at 50+. Plus he looks really cute when he wears them.
I think you are just jealous you didn't think of it first. - lordigor, on 10/11/2007, -4/+17a lot of those are perfectly fine ideas. million dollar homepage, fit deck, diaper bags, picky domains, hiv+ dating site, they're all perefectly normal (and good) ideas. not at all stupid.
- Timmmm, on 10/11/2007, -3/+15It is a stupid idea. I'm sure many people thought of something similar, and then made the assumption that people weren't complete idiots and wouldn't waste money on pixels.
Unfortunately people are stupid, and continue to buy useless non-real things (e.g. facebook's gifts, deeds to the moon and stars, etc.) - RUFiO006, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13Whilst this is a clear rip-off of DuggMirror, it worked; so I'll give ya a little diggy.
EDIT: Actually it doesn't work, and I can't take my diggy back, bah. - vertinox, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13But dog goggles? Dog Goggles?!! My god... Perhaps they should send these people free forms to give their bank accounts to Nigerian royalty.
- Scruffydan, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11Santa Mail... what a ripoff.
Since the real north pole is in Canada the Canadian Post office has an address for Santa (not sure what it is, but the postal code is H0H 0H0). You can send letter there for the price of postage and they are answered by an army of elves... or volunteers. - Comatose51, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10To paraphrase Murphy's Laws on Combat Operations: "If a stupid idea works, it's not so stupid now is it?"
- surfing, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10The guy made a million dollars! Y'know… I had an idea like that once.
- khyberkitsune, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9@lulzfactory.
Correction. RICH white people. Us poor white people aren't stupid enough to waste our money on senseless ***** like clothing for dogs. The goggles I can understand. Ever see a boston terrier some back from a country ride in th back of a pickup with bugs splattered across his face? Imagine if that hit in the eye. OW! - unknownsoldierX, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9"online business ideas"
Virtual Pet Rock. It'll be the next Tamagotchi, or whatever. Don't bother trying to steal it, I'm leaving for the patent office right now. - ElliotShoe, on 10/11/2007, -3/+11no ***** sherlock, I'm jealous too
- Dundasbro, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7Popup Advertising
- Jarodd, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7People even buy nothing.
- lulzfactory, on 10/11/2007, -3/+10@vertinox
why is it such a crazy idea? you realize there are already people who buy clothing for their dogs, right? these people are usually known as 'white people' - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6Herb, you know those little balls you put on your antenna so you can tell which ones is yours in a crowded parking lot? EVERY car should have one of those!
Some of these are not dumb ideas at all. Just because hte author of this piece thinks so doesn't make them so. $19 for 52 (or more if they used jokers) exercise routines/tips is not a lot. And considering how much moeny is spent on exercise/diet in the US alone, it was a good idea. - migbike, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6is it sad that I know three people who own pairs of doggles?
- neko6, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Most ideas are cutely stupid (Dog goggles?!), and the million dollars homepage is ingenious (It is actually the stupidity of the idea that made it work - people went to visit it BECAUSE it sounded stupid, which made people buy pixels)...
But positive dating is actually logical, simple and important. If ur HIV positive, u probably wouldn't date people - and sure as hell won't hit on a girl with a "hey babe, I'm HIV positive, r u 2?"... So it's the perfect solution. - pault107, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Check out the wishbone site. On the homepage there is a photo of a wishbone that states 'actual size'. I feel like setting my monitor to 640x480, ordering one and then making a complaint about false advertising.
- Rhino2, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6
Maybe you shouldn't let your stupid dog stick it's stupid head out the window and it won't get hit in it's stupid eyes with stupid bugs?
stupid doggles... I'll go.. I'll make stupid millions... with my stupid Coggles.... that's right, googles for cats. - philippbock, on 10/11/2007, -10/+15No, Duggmirror didn't get it
Google did though: http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fnichegeek.com%2F10_totally_stupid_online_business_ideas_that_made_someone_rich - compu73rg33k, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5"This is just proof that capitalism is broken."
You mean this is just proof that it's working? The whole idea is that anybody can become rich with an idea. Anybody can sell whatever they want for whatever price they can get. Plastic wishbones for $3? Looks like it's working to me. - Burgerman851, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7Sure, but I'll charge you for it.
$-) - Synthos, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Easiest way to get stinking rich?
1. Create a cult.
2. Call it scientology.
3. Profit! - shakestheclown, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6pyramid schemes work very well for the creators
your problem was that you didn't start your own.
also, I hear there is a lot of money in creating your own science-fiction religion - theone3, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4"Perhaps they should send these people free forms to give their bank accounts to Nigerian royalty."
Pfftt.. give stuff away for free? Someone should set up an entire business based around charging for them. - atomicflare, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Buried. Although some of the items are interesting, it is a biased list. The author owns the pickydomains business.
- digboy99, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5@RUFiO006
No worries. I dugg it down for you. Consider your vote nullified. One more and you'll be set. - drewskyjones, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3If you are a boater and the wind bothers your dog's eyes, it can be a good thing...or so I've heard. Also a great conversation starter at the beach if you're single...so I've observerd. My dog doesn't mind the wind up to about 20mph...and she hates crap on her head. But I know people who swear their dogs are happier with them...and are hangin with some cuties at the beach.
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2c5mjohn
Nah, not considering you actually backed it up!
- i wish all claims was documented! - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3"online business ideas"
- fubes2000, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I'd like to think that I am a well-reasoning person, capable of making good decisions, however I didn't realize how bad of an idea Doggles were until I actually tried to put the things on the dog.
Goodbye $30. T.T - Spooner, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Most of these aren't horrible ideas. And I don't see what's wrong with an HIV+ dating site. Considering most people would be unnerved dating someone who's HIV+, it sort of thins the pool of people they can possibly date to people who already have HIV. Why not help them find someone they can be with, then?
Dugg down for lameness. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3My dog wears her doggles when we're on the highway and the top is down on the convertible. A bug hitting your eye at 70 mph is not fun.
- tech42er, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@lulz
I was going to you up until you injected irrelevant and stereotypical racism into your post. - Ocelot13, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2shouldnt there be a ? somewhere
- ninja0, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2can i pay someone to think of a stupid idea for me to get rich too?
- bookishboy, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1This list is incomplete without Truck Balls
http://www.bullsballs.com/
If you have no idea what these are, then god bless you. - savingaurora, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1recycling stories....(at least a year old)
- ronaldinho, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Actually I think some of these ideas are pretty decent, especially the pickydomain one and the HIV-positive dating service. Cool domain names will have a demand as long as there are dumb people who can't come up with their own and are willing to pay to get it. And is the author stupid to ridicule the HIV dating service? That's like one of the smartest idea I have ever heard!
Think about it. Who the hell would want to date someone with AIDS? Honestly! I hell wouldn't even if I get paid a boatload of money. This service sure comes in handy, huh? Because you know you won't be rejected due to your physical situation, since the other person is the same as you. I think the author himself is stupid. Just because he has no use for the services, doesn't mean these ideas are stupid. Granted, I have no use for fake wishbones and dog goggles myself, but if people are able to make money because of it, good for them. -
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