I need an idea for...

[fleetwood]

I have a great idea that is almost guaranteed to make you a millionaire if not a billionaire, and I'm willing to share it for just 1p plus postage.
Worldwide applications welcome...

[kathynewman]

How much is P&P, who do I make the cheque payable to and what address do I send it to - I love the idea of a bargain!!!

[pinbrook]

Martin will release his idea once he has 100,000,000 applicants who sent said penny

[Tricky]

Garlic bread, it's the future, I've tasted it........

[chris ashdown]

New idea which has no real startup costs and as you could be the first to try it could make you millions, you send the following letter and when people reply to the letter you keep claiming a small fee to progress their claim. whatever you do don't send out the full amount or you will loose your profits

Letter to send

Friendly greetings to you.

I work with a Corporate Financial Service Provider in UAE. We had a customer who deposited a
huge sum of money with us and eventually died without any reference to a next of kin.

In accordance with the Trust and Federal Laws, at the expiration of 6 (six) years, his investments
with our Financial Trust shall revert to ownership of the government of the country of the said
investments if nobody applies as the next of kin to claim the investments.

I am writing to you because I want to present you to stand in as the next of kin so that you and I
can benefit from this investment equally (i.e. 50% for you and 50% for me). I guarantee that this
will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect us from any breach of the law.

If this proposal is acceptable to you, kindly indicate your full names, your private telephone, fax
numbers and location where the money will be remitted. I will instruct you on the next step to take.

With friendly greetings,

[fleetwood]

Postage is just 34p (I could even email it post free).
The idea is available for mailing straight away (although I think Jo has the right idea ) - get those penny's rolling in (cash only).
With the proceeds, I'll be off to Egypt to build myself one of those triangular sided houses - neat!

[george]

With the proceeds, I'll be off to Egypt!

*hurredly puts 1p in the post*

[Mike Hughes]

I'd forget the idea of shipping stuff and move into the digital download area. Just imagine, no stock to hold, no parcels to post, no 'lost' deliveries, go on holiday when you want to, no-one undercutting you on ebay, etc.

The big question, though, is what to sell? Here I'd be looking at creating my own content. Maybe local stuff for tourists? What about something like:

- The 10 best distilleries to visit
- The best views in the Grampian Mountains
- Best Beaches in ....
- Restuarants you must visit in ....
- The top 10 castles to visit in ....
- Where to walk in ...

With more and more people planning and booking their own holidays, there must be a decent market for people looking to find out what there is to do in various places.

You could write some yourself, get local walking clubs to contribute, etc.

Mike

Edit: Some market info to help you size the opportunity:

14 million tourists trips are made to Scotland each year, worth £2.5 billion. Visitors to the Highlands spend £400 million per year in the region.

[pinbrook]

Hah Yes good idea Mike.

I was in Skye this summer, whilst we ripped out pages from our GB roadmap and stuffed them in our bags on the plane to edinburgh, we omitted the page that included Skye.

No tourist info had a roadmap so we ended up buying a postcard and used it.

How can you manipulate that oversight and make money when we were looking for free maps?

[edit] sell local roadmaps to car hire peeps, so they can put them in cars

[Mike Hughes]

How can you manipulate that oversight and make money when we were looking for free maps?

'tourist' maps would be another good idea. You could make them a free download and then charge local 'destinations' a small fee for links from the page and to have an ad on the map.

Mike

PS. Another sure fire winner:

- 50 things to do on a rainy day in Aberdeen

[chris ashdown]

50 things to do on a rainy day in Aberdeen

1) Go out south of the river and keep going South for 600 miles

2) Go to Dyce and Fly South 600 miles

3) Enjoy the rainy day at the beach untill it starts snowing

Give up on rest of 47

[fergusw]

50 things to do on a rainy day in Aberdeen

1. Sell Umbrellas to everyone
2. Watch "Singing in the Rain"
3. Be thankful it's not a rainy day in Basra you're in!
4. Sell dirty rain macs!
5. Think up another 45 things to do..

[grantglendinnin]

5. Think up another 45 things to do..

Seems they don't make Aberdonian jokes like they used to!

How about selling books on ironic storylines? Like the good Bervie Chipper being in Stonehaven, not in Inverbervie, like the two crap ones?

On the other hand, one thing the web truly lacks is a retro sweet store - one that sells what it says on the tin (retro! I'm not talking about selling Wispa's and calling them retro) without a postage cost 3 times the cost of the actual sweets! Apologies to any Actinic'ers if they've got an online sweet shop and meet the above criteria - if you do, let me know...I could do with some sweets while I'm off on holiday next week

[chris ashdown]

Ohh!!! I see a certain sweet shop on actinic getting upset at that comment

[TraceyHand]

aww..poor Wesley!
As a recent (and very satisfied) customer, I'll stick in a link for him right here!!

www.treasureislandsweets.co.uk

*chants to self...don't click on the link...don't click on the link...*

The rest of you can, obviously