School Uniform Exchange

GreyPilgrim

Wondered if you wouldn't mind giving me some feedback on an idea thats bouncing around my head. I do a bit of web development at work and I also like to spend the evenings 'doing' or 'learning' something new - currently I'm getting down to taking the web development thing to a more complex level (having something to do in the evenings keeps me out of the pub therefore helps me not spend money and also keeps my brain active). I find it easy to sit and read books, but to really 'learn' something, I like to create a dummy scenario or problem that I have to accomplish that lets me put everything I've learned into practice. I mentioned on a previous thread setting up an auction site like eBay, but where where there are no sellers fees, maybe covering operation costs via advertising etc, but sadly its been done lots already.

My wife suggested an idea of uniform exchanges...Our daughter is currently in Year 7 (first year comprehensive) - we've shelled out loads for a school uniform for her, only to have her sprout up a foot over the past couple of months and so she's ready for a whole new set now. The school has a 'preferred outlet' for uniforms so we're kind of tied in to that shop alone.

I wondered if you think a site exclusively built for parents to advertise / sell / exchange school clothes that their children have outgrown would be a goer? There are probably sections on eBay and other auction sites that cover this, but maybe one that is focused exclusively would require less searching? Anyone know of anything similar that exists? I'll probably built it nonetheless, just for the practice but if anyone has any thoughts, i'd love to hear them, either via the forum or via private messages.

I hope this doesn't sound like an advert - all I have at the moment is an idea and it would probably take me months to have anything tangible - all I'm asking for at the moment is a bit of inspiration and reality checking. If it does come to fruition then I'll certainly post it in a more relevant section.

GP

wishingonastar_3

i think its a fantastic idea, its not so bad if you have younger kids uniform could be passed on to, but a lot of people (myself included) only have the one, and I hate seeing good uniform go to waste.
I say go for it.

lynzpower

might be an idea, although how much wo0uld it cowst to set up & run. Personally, ebay would be my first choice for buying or selling.

GreyPilgrim

lynzpower wrote:

might be an idea, although how much wo0uld it cowst to set up & run. Personally, ebay would be my first choice for buying or selling.

Have a site already which I use for family photos, and I'll need SQL Server support for the development work I'm doing anyway, so there won't be any real cost involved in it. Just my time (which is pretty cheap anyway..:rolleyes: ). I suppose the challenge would be pulling people away from eBay, which is where you get into marketing the idea and advertising, which falls outside anything I know about (and of course thats where the additional costs come in).

QueenB.

I think its a good idea, uniforms can be very expensive. Especially for secondary school age, like you we are tied into a certain outlet for buying certain pieces of our eldests school uniform.

The other challenge you may face is that many schools actually take in second hand uniform and then other parents can buy it at a much cheaper cost.

Good luck

GreyPilgrim

QueenB. wrote:

The other challenge you may face is that many schools actually take in second hand uniform and then other parents can buy it at a much cheaper cost.
Good luck

Thanks for that - I wasn't aware that happened. When I were a lad my mum got assistance with our uniforms (vouchers I think) which meant we had to buy it at one specific shop, and stand in a single line (with a single a assistant ) with all the other 'poor' people, while the rich bods all got fastracked through. Bad memories.