Yikes. Lisa (our new DropSend manager) just came across a project on GetAFreelancer.com asking someone to build a DropSend clone.
In a way I’m flattered, and in another way, it creeps me out.
I guess someone has seen all the figures I’ve been publishing for DropSend and has decided they could do it as well. I probably shouldn’t be surprised.
I’m not worried though - ideas are a dime a dozen. It’s all in the execution.
Wanting to “build a DropSend clone” is one thing. Actually doing it and being successful is another thing entirely.
For a great post on this subject, head on over to Dick Costello’s blog and read Strategic Advantage (part II).
Austin Hallock
March 29th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
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And the funny thing is he wants to pay just $1500 for it…So obviously the site won’t be anything spectacular so you have nothing to worry about ;)
Jeff Lewis
March 29th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
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There are already a lot of DropSend clones - or DropSend is a clone of a lot of other sites whichever way you want to see it.
You are right that execution is the key. You guys have done it better, for less than your competitors. Unless you completely drop the ball, you’re fine.
Alex Rudloff
March 29th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
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$1500, you should be flattered.
It seems once a week we see an ad for an Emurse.com clone in the range of $300-500 on the bid.
You have to welcome it with open arms though.. In our case, I mean, if our “competitors” are operating on systems created for a few hundred dollars, then chances are it’ll just make us look that much better ;)
Marc Köhlbrugge
March 29th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
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“Wow, a DropSend clone! What a great idea! We can build it with our eyes closed and you will make millions. Please hire us! Please get in touch with me at ryan at dropsend d o t com”
LOL
Chris Schultz
March 29th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
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Ideas are a dime a dozen. Other peoples ideas are even cheaper. Try a search on there or eLance for “Digg clones”. You’ll find hundreds. The fact that people want to clone DropSend is flattery, pure and simple. :)
Ted Rheingold
March 29th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
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Though serph.com I see about one “I need a Dogster clone” a month on some contractor site or another. I’ve yet to see one completed. Honestly, I really do want to see one do just to see how badly a $1000 version of our site looks like.
The easiest part of any web endeavor is writing the ad trying to get something done ;>
Jackson Fish Market
March 30th, 2007 at 12:15 am
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[…] I love how open they have been. But… “In a way I’m flattered, and in another way, it creeps me out.” Posted on March 29th, 2007 in Uncategorized […]
Ryan Allen
March 30th, 2007 at 12:29 am
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Have you seen the ‘Shopify Clone’?
http://www.rentacoder.com/RentACoder/misc/BidRequests/ShowBidRequest.asp?lngBidRequestId=606430
So much of your strategic marketing comes in forms of your blog, your speaking engagements, your conferences.
Even if they did build a clone they can’t buy that kind of exposure (well maybe they can, but not for peanuts).
David Myers
March 30th, 2007 at 2:06 am
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That’s funny, I ran across this the other day as well while looking for some freelancers for a new project of mine. I would take it as a hint of dropsend’s popularity. You should be happy.
Garri
March 30th, 2007 at 6:03 am
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Weirdly, someone was even requesting a clone of the free open source forum Vanilla.
As for a digg clone there’s already a free one called Pligg
Ryan, why not pitch in less than $1500 and deliver a dog pile of nonsense? Just a thought.
Garry Truman
March 30th, 2007 at 6:14 am
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Didn’t dropsend start as a clone? Didn’t you also outsource the task of building the site? What is this person doing so far that is different to what you did?
There are tons of these services, and I have to say most of them are much more popular than dropsend
Ian Lloyd
March 30th, 2007 at 7:21 am
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“I guess someone has seen all the figures I’ve been publishing for DropSend and has decided they could do it as well. I probably shouldn’t be surprised.”
You’re probably right, so maybe the lesson is to be a bit more obscure regarding the figures. But then again, you do put this particular blog forwards as one regarding entrepreneurship, so maybe that’s an essential part of it? Who knows. Bottom line - if you tell someone that you’re making money doing whatever, that someone will also try doing that very same thing.
Ryan Carson
March 30th, 2007 at 8:04 am
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Thanks Jeff
Alex - great point.
Ted, thanks for chiming in. Glad to know we’re not alone in this!
I agree Ryan. We’re lucky that we have our conferences where we can expose DropSend to the right people.
Gill and I got a good laugh out of that. We like your terminology. Thanks Garri :)
However, the idea didn’t come from them. It was born out of FlightDeck, our first app. We decided to simplify the app and make it more affordable.
YouSendIt, Xdrive and Streamload were in this space when we launched. There’s been quite a few new ones since we launched.
True :)
Mike Hedge
March 30th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
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Ryan!!!!! that is pretty funny…. well dropsend rocks….
Fredrik Wärnsberg
March 30th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
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For $1500 they’ll get what they pay for. You can’t expect to create an app that generates huge revenue if you don’t plan to invest in it.
However, if you see a successfull app that’s badly built and you believe in the idea in the first place, then I say go ahead and take their idea and improve upon it. “If you are the first one to have an idea for a company and no-one has done it yet - it’s probably because it’s a bad idea in the first place”.
James Deer
March 30th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
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Love your post Ryan “Wow, a DropSend clone! What a great idea! We can build it with our eyes closed and you will make millions. Please hire us! Please get in touch with me at ryan at dropsend d o t com”. Haha.
Ted Rheingold
March 31st, 2007 at 1:16 am
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Found today. I see so many of these it get boring.
http://www.freelancersnet.net/listings/projects/clone_of_site_2
I need a clone of Dogster.com It needs to have all the same functions and a backend where the site can be admined. It also needs to have an original graphic design. It can be written in any programming language and can use any type of database.
Ryan Carson
March 31st, 2007 at 7:44 am
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Apparently, we got awarded the job. LOL!
That’s funny. As if he/she has even seen the backend of Dogster ;)
alex zang
September 7th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
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Couldn’t understand why people want to do that… To build a fast and secure application is absolutely different from making money from it… Just so much factors beneath the surface.