Social travel network TripUp has announced the launch of CouchSwap, a new social travel application developed specifically for Facebook.
CouchSwap gives Facebook users the ability to offer their couches to friends and other travellers, as well as being able to find available couches offered up by other members.
CouchSwap features include a ratings service that allows users to rate couches like a hotel room, and a credit system for swapping couches. Users must offer a couch in order to take advantage of other people’s couches; a Bartercard style system of sorts for cheap accommodation.
CouchSwap will compete directly with the Couch Surfing Project, a stand alone site that has over 270,000 members.
Counchswap’s parent company TripUp was acquired by Sidestep July 9.
A similar (simpler) facebook app is already out there – it’s named “Couch”
Lame.
I am definitely not the target market here.
I am. This is fantastic. I tried the other app but like this one better. Once people start getting into it I’m sure they’ll have some rapid adoption.
Thats a great idea. There are a lot of worthless facebook apps, but this one makes a lot of sense on that platform.
You guys need to hire a copyeditor cause every day there seems to be like 4 or 5 errors.
if i remember correctly, couch surfing project’s database took a major dump one day and the guy lost all his data and decided to shut down the site. how he was able to get from that to an exit with sidestep is interesting. anyone know anymore?
Not quite sure how this actually made news…Another stupid facebook app that will be installed by 500,000 people then removed over night and never used again.
Advice to all developers: Don’t build facebook aps, build an actual product with utility, f8 is an illusive dream. All of the launch partners are riding on a wave of exploitation and everyone else is either lucky or sucking their thumbs in the comfort of lost hope!
Pizzed
as Bob says (comment 5) this app makes a lot of sense of Facebook.
Hello Duncan,
With all due respect, how does this app differentiate from the marketplace facebook launched in May other than it focuses entirely on pissed stained couches that students normally leave on the sidewalk for scavengers and sanitation engineers. Once again I am not trying to be a hater here, but I am not a believer in the facebook api nor rubbish apps as such. Real value will be found in services which converge the physical world with the virtual, i.e lending group and such, not piss couch swap and zombies. Facebook is brilliant at marketing and building hype and exploiting the greed and neccesity that developers alike aspire in that it provides a new platform and false hope for striking it rich. I can only hope that one day I can eat my words and that businesses can thrive off of this application,
couches are ok i guess, but where’s the facebook app for what we *really* want to swap – spit!
oh wait that app exists already – it’s called myspace
tee hee hee
If these guys would work with furniture stores like IKEA, Lazy-boy, etc. perhaps they could get some advertising $$ out of this, run some contests, and build a niche around this area.
The also need to expand to Futons and Recliners – with a more encompassing name. Heck what about the coffin hotels coined in Neuromancer or those PodBeds in Japan and airports.
Personally, I will take a LazyBoy Recliner over a couch any day.
The App could be quite interesting and is def a niche area – also needs more expansion to keep it from being removed in a few days as @Pizzed stated.
@pizzed
i think you missed the point dude, it’s for finding a free place to crash…not to get a couch to take home. but i would be happy to take a piss on your couch if you want.
Oh wow, what do you know…it’s duncan on facebook again.
Pizzed
this is like an accommodation service, it has nothing to do with selling or physically exchanging couches, ie: the act of sleeping on someone’s couch. Think back packing/ hostels but cheaper again.
Guys
your link to couchswap doesnt work..
http://www.tech...t&post=7891
WTF??? come on sort it out
Duncan
The ‘Couchswap’ application link is actually directing everyone to the TechCrunch WP login page. You’re just asking for someone to pick ‘n’ mix Mike + Arrington login combinations. Change it quick!
Talk about some safety issues with some unknown guy crashing on our couch… seriously, I don’t care a friend of a friend knows the guy, facebook’s full of people who are adding people who they’ve never met to their nets.
Where is the link? A search on Facebook just reveals “Couch”, a different application.
I thought MIZPEE was the worst idea for a website. This couch bullshit takes the cake.
Quite funny that pizzed didn’t get the concept. That would be a stupid app – physically swapping couches! Lol.
Having said that, the app is rather pointless – you could create a group for this sort of thing, inviting your actual friends and their friends. That way, the strangers on your couch are only friends one step removed, and therefore more trustworthy
I might do that actually…
Pleeease post a link to the application in these posts. I’d like to try it, but it’s not coming up on Facebook searches.
Wondering if this might be a TC joke (but it’s not April 1st)….hmmm.
Apologies as I didn’t have a link prior to the post, odd that it’s not in Facebook search. Link here
I’m going to develop an app that lets you urinate on people. You piss on them when you are “pissed” at them. I’ll probably get 1,000,000 users in a few weeks.
Who wants to invest?
It’s time for our daily dosage of Facebook press on TC. Open up………..
Carolyn, which other app are you talking about? the couchsurfing thing?
Competing directly with the CS Project? From the sounds of the features so far it doesn’t sound like they know how to make a great rating system. Personally I don’t think it’d go too well with Facebook; now that it’s well known and open for all, spam just comes up way more often.
Besides, it sounds much more similar to Global Freeloaders rather than Couch Surfing.
I’ve been using CouchSurfing.com for a bit now and love it. I wasn’t around for the DB crash but whatever happened from then till now is quite amazing. The site is very robust and there are people all over the world sharing the couches.
surely this is asking for trouble? i saw this on X-ray last night. im scratching my head as to why you would invite a complete stranger into your home not knowing their previous background.
the guy interviewed on last night’s show who regularly has strangers in to sleep on his couch dosent even take payment for it! not even a gift!
this is just asking for trouble – personally i wouldnt be able to sleep at night with some random stranger in my house. thats just nuts!
especially if the home owner has some nice personal belongings or expensive kit (e.g. macbook pro laptop worth £2,500). what with the recession and people having little money this could turn into a right nightmare and dont bank on your home contents insurance to pay out either.
What about the other way around aswell? you go into a house and late at night you find the home owner standing over you and find out he or she is nuts!
this sounds as stupid as when during 2 years ago during the housing boom when people were actively encouraged to take out a mortgage with a complete stranger on a website in order to buy a property! and look whats happened there! Doh! common sense has gone out of the window!