Get moving quotes online - What do you guys think of this business idea? (relocation, moving company)

[PakBrain]

I am into online quotes business already (have three websites serving Life Sciences industry as ***MOD CUT***

Recently I planned for a move and found there are no websites you can submit your move information and get incoming quotes online to compare and pick a moving company online. Yes you can submit requests for moving quotes but everyone calls you. I dont want that. I want to have all quotes on one webpage I can see and pick mover by the click of mouse button or communicate with them online

For this purpose let's say I have a website called Best Moving Website (I own this domain by the way ) Now think about the following:

Users of website - You as moving party
Visit Best Moving Website and submit a new request for moving quotes. You'll be asked to define your move (in town, out of town, out of state or international). You will provide move details (what you are moving: household items, vehicles, office, etc.) and select/define QTY along with additional move details.

Users of website - Moving Companies
I will have moving companies signed up on the other side who have been verified to have insurance and license to operate). They can login and see all incoming requests for moving quotes, apply desired filters, etc. and submit a quote for you that you can login and see.


All incoming moving quotes from all moving companies appear side-by-side for you to pick. There will be additional tools to communicate and protect your move, etc.

Where the money comes from?
Moving companies will be charged a monthly subscription fee or certain percentage of the moves they receive from our website.

Current State & Concerns
We are pretty close to launch (three weeks or so) but I was reading some of the posts and felt a need to get feedback from City Data community what do you guys think about this idea and what kinds of challenges are there. I am not sure if this website is going to replace moving brokers? Or if this is capable of doing so?

Biggest issue thus far (from my research) seems controlling access and allowing only legitimate moving companies submit quotes not uninsured part-time folks who have formed a company.

Anything else I need to plan or think about?
***MOD CUT***

[Alaskapat528]

Actually I was given quite a few quotes online and all I had to do was compare each quote to the other to see which was the best deal, etc. Not really sure about what you're planning but good luck!

[PakBrain]

Originally Posted by Alaskapat528

Actually I was given quite a few quotes online and all I had to do was compare each quote to the other to see which was the best deal, etc. Not really sure about what you're planning but good luck!

Are you saying there is a website where you can submit your move information and companies can submit their quotes for you to see all at once and pick the company you want? If so I would be very much interested in knowing the name (might save me from what I am trying to do and take the excitement away )

[RikkiTikki]

There are literally hundreds of virtual marketplaces, online bulletin boards, and find-a-mover websites that allow consumers to submit their shipment information so that movers "can compete for your business". Most require that the user relinquish a good deal of personal information to participate.

That's because the Federal regulations that govern the interstate transportation of household goods restrict how a licensed household goods common or contract carrier can provide a cost estimate to a potential customer. Part 375: Transportation of household goods in interstate commerce; consumer protection regulations - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Several regulated states have similar requirements for intrastate and local moves.

You idea isn't new. Those that have tried it previously aren't around anymore because they couldn't generate enough interest among ol' school movers. The only advertisers they attracted were the unscrupulous companies that didn't follow the rules.

[PakBrain]

There are literally hundreds of virtual marketplaces, online bulletin boards, and find-a-mover websites that allow consumers to submit their shipment information so that movers "can compete for your business". Most require that the user relinquish a good deal of personal information to participate.

Exactly the point why my model is different: other websites ask you to submit your personal information and bunch of companies will call you to give you quotes where as in my case you stay anonymous with quotes coming to you online. You can communicate online with any company you want but you don't reveal your identity. None of this exists except on uShip which has its own issues we are aware of.

You idea isn't new. Those that have tried it previously aren't around anymore because they couldn't generate enough interest among ol' school movers. The only advertisers they attracted were the unscrupulous companies that didn't follow the rules.

I am not convinced. This idea is different and is new. Only one competition which is uShip but they are on bidding model not quotations model with everybody able to see every one else' bid. That is not going to be successful in moving we know that. So we have taken care of that part as well.

I am going to submit a link tomorrow to my test server and hopefully members can play around if they let me do so and dont delete this thread saying I am soliciting/promoting my website. That way you can see what I am trying to develop.

Regards,
PB

[jkwing]

Originally Posted by pakbrain

i am into online quotes business already (have three websites serving life sciences industry as ***mod cut***

recently i planned for a move and found there are no websites you can submit your move information and get incoming quotes online to compare and pick a moving company online. Yes you can submit requests for moving quotes but everyone calls you. I dont want that. I want to have all quotes on one webpage i can see and pick mover by the click of mouse button or communicate with them online

for this purpose let's say i have a website called best moving website (i own this domain by the way ) now think about the following:

users of website - you as moving party
visit best moving website and submit a new request for moving quotes. You'll be asked to define your move (in town, out of town, out of state or international). You will provide move details (what you are moving: Household items, vehicles, office, etc.) and select/define qty along with additional move details.

users of website - moving companies
i will have moving companies signed up on the other side who have been verified to have insurance and license to operate). They can login and see all incoming requests for moving quotes, apply desired filters, etc. And submit a quote for you that you can login and see.


All incoming moving quotes from all moving companies appear side-by-side for you to pick. There will be additional tools to communicate and protect your move, etc.

where the money comes from?
moving companies will be charged a monthly subscription fee or certain percentage of the moves they receive from our website.

current state & concerns
we are pretty close to launch (three weeks or so) but i was reading some of the posts and felt a need to get feedback from city data community what do you guys think about this idea and what kinds of challenges are there. I am not sure if this website is going to replace moving brokers? Or if this is capable of doing so?

Biggest issue thus far (from my research) seems controlling access and allowing only legitimate moving companies submit quotes not uninsured part-time folks who have formed a company.

Anything else i need to plan or think about?
***mod cut***

very inaccurate, you will end up screwing the customer, because no can tell you how much it cost to move with out see what they are moving.

Any one who books a move this way deserves what they get. !!! A very bad move !!!!

[ukiyo-e]

NPR had a story last week about just such a service and it got very high marks from users. I'm trying to find the url, but can't remember the name of it. Users could post reviews of the companies they used, and some of the people they interviewed were very satisfied with the smaller movers they used.

[RikkiTikki]

I think the piece that you're referring to, Angelbug, was part of a Marketplace podcast (http://marketplace.publicradio.org/www_publicradio/tools/media_player/popup.php?name=marketplace/pm/2009/08/14/marketplace_cast1_20090814_64&starttime=00:07:23.5 00&endtime=00:11:24.0 - broken link) that was produced by American Public Media and reported by NPR's Lenoro Chu entitled Online competitors move in on shippers.

I'm working on a series of articles in which we investigate some of the advantages and pitfalls of using virtual marketplaces, online bulletin boards and internet chat rooms to arrange to move your stuff. If interested, you can listen to the podcast and/or read the APM report while you follow the discussion at the Moving and Relocation page at the national edition of Examiner.com. ~ Rick

[tilli]

I am trying to plan a local move and encountered the same annoyances.

Look moving companies, don't act like I can request a quote online but then insist on calling me. If I wanted to talk to you on the phone I would have called you instead of using the "online quote" feature. I would rather that you be honest on your website that you will have to talk to me on the phone instead of pretending that you do online quotes when you really don't.

[RikkiTikki]

Tilli, check this info published by the Florida Dept of Agriculture, Division of Consumer Services, regarding how local and intrastate movers are required, by law, to operate and provide estimates. Household Moving within Florida - Division of Consumer Services, DOACS (http://www.800helpfla.com/moving_text.html - broken link)

Most of the online quote features refer to interstate relocations. Unfortunaltely, like most virtual marketplaces, many of these online quote features are designed simply to collect your personal infomation so someone can call you.