Comments on: Rasba Brings Social Shoppers and Retailers Together

By: Rasba - Music Industry Responds to Illegal Downloads - Flickr Video game - Free Line Report 4.4.08

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:22:01 +0000

[...] is a site that’s part online store and part social network. Shoppers can make friends and also earn affiliate commissions on Rasba. Rasba can even notify you [...]

By: John

John — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:24:17 +0000

Is this article an ad?

By: sugar daddy

sugar daddy — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:11:14 +0000

I know the guys who built a company called usuggest.com for social shopping a long time ago with their own money and without being in SV or having a yahoo sugar daddy. There are hundreds other start-ups in the same space like crowdstorm, mypicklist, ……….etc all funded by big VCs.
So yahoo employees are moonlighting for kids now ……… shareholders of yahoo – you have one more clause to add to the yahoo – MS lawsuit. Hope Rasba gets funding before he/she gets fired for working in his free time and violating his non-compete agreement.

By: NDL

NDL — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:56:17 +0000

some harvard guys launched what (I think) was the first social shopping site a few years back and sold it to Buy.com…it’s now called YUB. the idea was cool (it was novel at the time), but users just didn’t have an interest in mixing the shopping with socializing and there was little uptake…plus Scott Blum & co didn’t really seem to know what to do with the concept (and still don’t).

This startup is Dead on Arrival, but the concept could have legs if appropriately incorporated into a FB app or a FB+(enter e-tail giant here) partnership that leverages the social networks already created to incent users to write product reviews and add recommendations for commission.

Anyhow, not a new concept and this attempt is going to be DOA.

By: ajay

ajay — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:34:48 +0000

most people go for these site to connect their friends not for shopping
let’s see what happen to this concept most people prefer ebay or any other site for shopping

By: Paul..

Paul.. — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:24:52 +0000

If you read the FAQ, your ‘commission’ isn’t actually real money. It’s ‘Rasba Bucks’ which you can use as credit towards more purchases on the site.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:58:28 +0000

@10 I’m going to guess the answers:

-She is 16, so I guess hip and awesome is pretty standard for a california 16 year old.
-money? daddy I’ll guess
-1 site is enough to be labeled one
-Yahoo employee? Daddy again
-Linked in? Daddy again
-Doesn’t look like they are reputable retailers, looks more like street vendors sending their own tshirts from the back of their truck
-the TC angle is a mystery. Could be anything, but most likely again daddy’s connections.

At least there is no 50 million in VC funding like the rest of hair brained ideas like this

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:23:54 +0000

Is this an April Fools thing? What’s with the abundance of the word “hip” and “awesome” on the site? I’m 22, and kids do not talk like this – anywhere. Perhaps in the 80’s from what I understand, from watching movies and such.

Mark, could you elaborate on this a little more? It’s confusing. Where did the money come from? What else has the girl done to earn the title of “entrepreneur”? Who hooked her up with a Yahoo! employee to work on the site for her? How did she even know about LinkedIn? How does a 16 year old child get reputable retailers to meet with her? How does a site that has absolutely no internet presence get on TC? And I have so many more…

Is this kid your niece or something? Anyone else as confused as I?

By: doodles

doodles — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:50:07 +0000

@Paul .. umm her name is Miriam Brafman …

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:40:45 +0000

I’m confused. Where did she get the money to pay for others to develop it for her? The idea doesn’t seem particularly original…could this be a PR thing? Something doesn’t add up.

What exactly did she do?

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:36:03 +0000

@chris The site has a section for electronics. They have one retailer that sells really trendy watches. Looks like you can sign up your store.

By: Mark Hendrickson

Mark Hendrickson — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:17:07 +0000

@andrew – she grew up in SV

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:12:47 +0000

question: is she a 16 year old SV entrepreneur(i.e. moved to SV to start the company) or is she the daughter of a ______ who lives in SV?

By: chris (trade2save)

chris (trade2save) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:37:40 +0000

This is a great idea, look forward to them expanding into electronics – if they do I’d have my store front there. Word of mouth speaks volumes and encourage reputable trading too.

By: Alaska Miller

Alaska Miller — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:29:48 +0000

she is adorable

By: Jollyjo

Jollyjo — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:12:55 +0000

Not sure I want to be shopping and socialising at the same time but as you say others like Kaboodle are doing it…the question is, how successful?

By: Everett

Everett — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:08:55 +0000

Very cool idea!