GSBowl.com for templates

tswartz

I put together http://www.gsbowl.com as a GS template marketplace. (Get it? Salad...bowl.) We've talked about this idea on the forums, but no one's jumped to the initiation stage. Here are my thoughts:

- GSBowl.com can be one central location where anyone can go to look for paid templates. One location to buy paid templates, manage updates, and download again if you need to.

- Right now, the seller uploads the file, sets the price, and it appears on the site after approval. Someone buys the template using PayPal and the full purchase price, minus fees, gets placed into the payout section for the seller. The seller can request a payout at any time and I just pop the money into the PayPal account of the seller. Easy on everyone - only drawback is it isn't immediate for the seller. Maybe I could allow you to place your own PayPal buy now button on the site instead?

- To support the site, I'd like to make it an OPTION to allow x% of each item sale to go back to the site. This would wholly be up to the seller and changeable per item. I think this is the only way a template marketplace will work - seller initiative and seller decision on whether to pay a commission back to the site as "thanks." To those considering a marketplace, would you do this?

DimensionGames

You want all the money to go into your paypal..? Not going to happen :L I would suggest no fees and paypal buttons for the sellers.

Ask for free template or one off commission?

Or you could be a lad and do it for free

StormyStudio

This has some real potential... (And should be done by GameSalad themselves)

If you set it up, so it has buttons linked straight to our own PayPal I think you'll get more users willing to sell there wares.

I've got a few bits I'd happily turn into templates and upload. And I would willingly pay around $20 - $30 to be able to upload each item. Or maybe a monthly membership of $5 a month to add as many items as you like.

Obviously as 'Possesive Gaming' says it would be great if you did it for free. But then you'd have less incentive to keep improving the site and advertising it. You are offering it for free by letting us decide what commision we pay. But I'm not sure how much you'd get paid, or how much people will like the idea the money goes into your PayPal first.

Defintely up for contributing though. Are there any examples on the website so we can see what the layout might look like for an item, image, description,... etc.

Edit: found your test item
http://GSBowl.com/items.php

Edit:
Be nice to have some listings on the front page, newest projects, project of the week, project of the day, editors favourite,

RH

That does look wicked and has great potential! Yes, it should be something GS are doing but they aren't, and I'd way rather improvements to the GS tool first so I'm not bothered! I'm sure MagoNicolas said he might be doing something like this in another thread, maybe you should contact him and share ideas/ combine to get the best of both.

Can't add much other than repeat what the others said. Having templetes listed on the main page might be good as well.

FanStudioUK

This is what I was talking about here but no one answered!

massali

Interesting.

StormyStudio

FanStudioUK said:
This is what I was talking about here but no one answered!

yep...sounds similar...who ever gets it up and running first wins..

Photics

stormystudio said:
who ever gets it up and running first wins..

You were right the first time...

stormystudio said:
This has some real potential... (And should be done by GameSalad themselves)

Something like this would be best handled by GameSalad.

johnzzl

stormystudio said:
yep...sounds similar...who ever gets it up and running first wins..

No-one wins as no-one will use their service to sell their templates when they can sell on here and not give the middle man anything.

These services dont contribute anything and gain alot through profit.
I aint saying what you doing is bad im saying it will be hard to catch on.

all the best

DreamLab

This has potential definitely.

Photics

johnzzl said:
No-one wins as no-one will use their service to sell their templates when they can sell on here and not give the middle man anything.
all the best

I don't know. I think I could build a GameSalad store. I wasn't interested in something like this. I believe it's something better handled by GameSalad. Yet, your words against the idea are like motivation for me. Heh, I'm starting to feel like I should do it, just because people think it can't be done. HA HA.

As an example, developers can make and sell Mac Apps themselves, but the Mac App store is appealing.

Although, I still think this matter is best handled by GameSalad. Perhaps they don't realize the potential of such a store.

FanStudioUK

I already have everything, I just need a domain name and it will be up and running in 2 days. Just go to bizoo.co.uk and sign up for an account - you will see how easy it is to add a template and sell it

I just want to know how many of you will sign up and sell through my website even if it will be a free service and all I want is to attract traffic to the website...

MagoNicolas

Lol, a lot of us has similar ideas of creating a site for this, The need is there, just have to figure it out the best business model.
Wish you luck with this, I didn`t keep it going because there where no template makers interested in it.. just Users.
But you can have great success with this.

quantumsheep

johnzzl said:

These services dont contribute anything and gain alot through profit.

Welcome to the app store support system!

johnzzl

Photics said:
I don't know. I think I could build a GameSalad store. I wasn't interested in something like this. I believe it's something better handled by GameSalad. Yet, your words against the idea are like motivation for me. Heh, I'm starting to feel like I should do it, just because people think it can't be done. HA HA.

As an example, developers can make and sell Mac Apps themselves, but the Mac App store is appealing.

Although, I still think this matter is best handled by GameSalad. Perhaps they don't realize the potential of such a store.

haha, maybe i was not clear, its not that i dont think its a good idea im just saying the person who does make it, and all respect to them for their hard work, if they decide to start taking a cut for themselves then i dont think contributors to the site via templates will agree. not at first anyway.

quantumsheep said:
Welcome to the app store support system!

agreed, but they are the big boys and can do what they like as they have set up this marketplace.

tswartz

Didn't expect this to get so many posts early on. Here are my ideas, addressing concerns and feedback above:

- I'd like to set it up where all money goes to the seller right away, but that brings up the issue of item delivery. The site can't track payments and give out downloads if the site isn't being notified of payment. I'm still looking into how to make this work, since I really don't want to be responsible for payouts (and I hear above that most people would only participate in such a marketplace if they know they'll get payout right away).

- This idea is of course best handled by GS, Photics, but they've got enough on their plate right now with GS itself. I'd like software improvements before GS took on a marketplace. Unless they announce a marketplace soon, it won't happen for some time and I almost guarantee you they'd be taking an automatic cut like Apple does.

Anyway, it sounds like there is some interest so I'll continue to improve the idea. Will report back.

Incredibo

I HAD THE SAME IDEA BUT I ALREADY FINISHED IT YOU ALL SHOULD TAKE A LOOK
GSMarketPlace.co.cc
Has every single thing yall asked for haha
& this is my 1st time reading this

Regards,
Bo

The charge is your offer there is a contact form on there & if the seller wants them to download on the website so they dont have to send out all those nasty e-mail i can do that to just put a passcode on the download file that will be given to buyer once paid by paypal.

(:

UtopianGames

Thanks for the mails guys but we will wait and see if GameSalad do something similar.

Darren.

tswartz

Thanks Darren. Sounds good.

I'm still working on this site with the goal of having an automated system with direct secure downloads and payments being sent to the seller's PayPal. I'm also making an iOS friendly interface for mobile devices. The problem with Bo's system is the fact that it's 1) in Flash and therefore can't be viewed anywhere that has no Flash support, and 2) it's solely dependent on Bo making manual additions (i.e., what happens when you want to release an upgrade or edit to your template? You wait for him to post it.).

I understand the frustration with multiple "marketplace" threads, so consider this my last post on the subject until I have a final product to share. If GS comes out with something beforehand or Bo can get something going that doesn't rely on Flash and his manual additions to the system, I'll stop working on this.

My goal has never been monetization, but instead is an attempt at forum cleanup and simplicity for users/sellers. I'm still working towards these goals and hope to offer something soon. Input is welcome at info@lexionmedia.com - I'd like to stop clogging the forum up.

Until then...

tenrdrmer

See this is a problem. now we have users competing for Member support and business. the only competition on this forum should be between user apps Competing for who can setup the best marketplace of who can win or lose at building sites that ultimately are going to send traffic away from gamesalad.com.

You are bad mouthing another's marketplace and saying hey look over here i'm taking your suggestions for his marketplace and applying them to mine so come here instead.

This type of crap is going to rapidly destroy this community.

Incredibo

I YOUR SITE TSWARTZ MAYBE WE SHOULD COMBINE 2 MASTER PICES & CREAT A HUGE MASTER PIECE(:

REGARDS,
BO

jonmulcahy

Turn off your capslock

Incredibo

@jonmulcahy sorry ):

Scoots

tenrdrmer said:
See this is a problem. now we have users competing for Member support and business. the only competition on this forum should be between user apps Competing for who can setup the best marketplace of who can win or lose at building sites that ultimately are going to send traffic away from gamesalad.com.

You are bad mouthing another's marketplace and saying hey look over here i'm taking your suggestions for his marketplace and applying them to mine so come here instead.

This type of crap is going to rapidly destroy this community.

+1

JohnPapiomitis

http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=15966

There will now be a dedicated marketplace on the forum, so none of these sites will matter anyway

Incredibo

woohoo loving the new market place??