Press Release Author: Brian Solis / FutureWorks, Inc.
Industry: Internet & Online
Press Release Summary: Combining the visibility of Yellow Pages, the local community of Craigslist, and the unique long tail market that defines eBay, GenieTown connects specialized service providers to consumers
Press Release Body: PALO ALTO, Calif. - Feb. 20, 2008 - GenieTown, www.genietown.com, is officially opening its doors to an online marketplace where people will be able to offer and find practically any kind of local service, that in many cases, are very difficult to locate. GenieTown is initially targeted for the San Francisco Bay Area and is live in public beta.
GenieTown enables thriving niche service markets by facilitating opportunities for people to demonstrate their capabilities and passions and connect them with those looking for their help. Customers in need of specific services can create a project and service providers (Genies) can then respond directly and tailor their offer based on the opportunity. Services that define the GenieTown community include everything from home improvement and personal chefs, to music lessons and help with computer networks. Genies could be inspired by earning extra money or simply because they want to help others within their community.
"Specialized local services are the last frontier on the Internet," said Hassan Chafi, CEO of GenieTown. "Much in the same way that eBay created a new market for collectibles and hard to find items, GenieTown is creating a new marketplace that matches unique services, referrals, and the consumers looking for them." GenieTown allows customers to easily browse through a broad range of specific service providers or post a job request and invite qualified responses. The next step is to simply negotiate a bid and then get the work done. Completed transactions help build and encourage word-of-mouth recommendations, community connections, and create a trusted network. In addition to completed transactions, Genies are encouraged to build their online reputation to gain exposure within the community and earn credibility and trust by contributing articles, sharing tips and tricks, and answering questions. Genies earn a rating based on the value of information they contribute within the community as well as the overall quality of services provided to customers. Customers, in turn, also earn ratings too, which keeps the community engaged, accountable and interactive.
Hassan Chafi continued, "The Long Tail of niche services usually can't be outsourced, they don't fit the standard categories of the Yellow Pages, and they're almost impossible to find on the Web. GenieTown is the first dedicated community and marketplace for unique, but still valuable, services."
About GenieTown GenieTown was founded in 2006 by a group of Stanford entrepreneurs. The company is located in Palo Alto, CA.
GenieTown is a marketplace where people with common interests connect to buy and sell local services. A comprehensive service solution, customers find everything they need for their projects, from information and answers to their questions to people who can actually get the job done.
For more information and to join GenieTown, please visit http://www.GenieTown.com.
Brian Solis FutureWorks PR brian@future-works.com 408-720-8228