AceBucks Stores are live. AceBucks Stores is a peer-to-peer trading platform using AceBucks. Users can open a store and sell items — real, virtual and services — to other users. They can accept AceBucks or any currency they choose (US dollars, Canadian dollars, etc.). If they want AceBucks, we handle the transaction. If they want other currency, the buyer and seller handle that privately using PayPal, check, credit card of any other form they choose. Shipping is handled in either AceBucks or any currency specified. (We’re planning an integrated payment system in the next phase, FYI, to make payment processing easier).
So why is this important?
AceBucks Stores are important for AceBucks users because the system lets them trade-in any item they don’t want for AceBucks and use those AceBucks to buy real items they actually want. The process is really easy. You open a store, you list your items and AceBucks promotes your items through the AceBucks network applications to other AceBuckers looking to spend their AceBucks. The Stores are important for Buddy Media as they help off-load a large chunk of the “Burn ‘Em,” or benefits portion of our loyalty program, to the members. We now can offer AceBuck users tens of thousands of items rather than the few dozen we can secure ourselves. And in the process, we make it much, AceBucks much more valuable for those who earn them.
We launched the stores about an hour ago. We already have 45 items listed for sale. It’s interesting to see what’s being uploaded first:
William Li of Sacramento opened a store called “The Android’s Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop.” He has listed some really cool items for sale, including an autographed photo of Dirk Nowitzki, a signed Chicago Cubs Mark Prior Jersey, a signed SF 49ers Alex Smith jersey, autographed baseball cards of Kevin Tapani, Jeff Reardon and John Olerud and a $10 Gift Card to the Corner Bakery Cafe.
I think William priced the items too high. But we’ll let the market determine that. William is an econ major, so he probably knows much more about market dynamics than I do.
Teresa Oldridge of Chilliwack, BC, has opened a store to sell custom avatars and desktop wallpapers.
Lisa Zebb of Los Altos, CA, is selling her old iPod among other items. Lisa listed the iPod for $45,000 AceBucks. My prediction: she will sell it before the week is over. More than 1.5 million people have signed up for Buddy Media applications and more than 50,000 new users install each day. This store system will ensure they always have great items to buy with their AceBucks. The AceBucks economy is alive and well!
Here’s a screenshot:
