Lackluster ideas

This is what I wrote in my recent email to my groupmates:

Hi everyone,

I found an interesting business idea (just in case Dr Cheng doesn't favor our first one). It's quite simple actually, but I found it novel. It's about a product called Umbrolly, originally from Britain. The company places umbrella vending units in public spaces, selling advertising space alongside umbrellas. Its compact size allow it to be placed where customers are most likely to need an umbrella (usually near an exit).

I think this is a great business idea firstly because Singapore's weather is quite unpredictable. This will solve people's problems of being stuck inside a building or a bus stop because of a sudden downpour. Even if people already own an umbrella, what if the person left it at home because the weather seemed fine when he/she left, or found it a hassle to carry around a bulky umbrella, oblivious to the fact that he/she may be needing it later? Having a ready umbrella around may also indirectly prevent diseases brought about by being soaked in the rain, such as having flu or catching the cold virus. It's not only when there's rain that one would need an umbrella...also when the sun's glaring like nobody's business and you need some shade..

Like other vending machines, RainOrShine Vending Machine (or whatever name we want to call it) can be placed virtually anywhere with human traffic: shopping centres, MRT stations, bus stops, office buildings, schools (this would be a relief for concerned mothers of primary school kids I think).

In Singapore, one competitor could be Giordano, which is renting umbrellas to the public. But it is less convenient because you would then need to return the umbrella, so it's quite a hassle. Or, people could just buy umbrellas in normal stores, but again, we are offering convenience for people in a stuck-in-a-bus-stop-and-it's-raining-cats-and-dogs scenario or something similar.

Aside from getting revenue through selling umbrellas, we can also earn money through selling advertising space in our compact vending machines, so it's a double revenue kind of thing.

The target market can be virtually anyone also, it's just that the means of promotion will differ.

For more info about Umbrolly, you can visit www.umbrollys.com.
For more business ideas, this site is very helpful: www.springwise.com

This is all for now. What do you think?=)

Cheers,
Korinna

But based on their replies, it seems that this business idea is now being thrown inside the rubbish bin. I just realized that all my ideas are being rejected.

The initial business idea that we all agreed upon is about a cafe for diabetics and health-conscious people. However, I think that the restaurant business is already quite saturated, and based on what we've already discussed so far, we haven't really come up with something so novel that would make our cafe unique compared to other ubiquitous cafes.

I also tried to suggest some high tech business ideas, but my group is quite hesitant to pursue any of them because none of us are that technically inclined. But actually, I think it can still be done if we just do our research about the existing technologies and how we can make use of them in new ways. For instance, the GPS-enabled vouchers sent via sms to customers. We could partner with telecommunications companies and retail stores or other establishments. If a participating store decides to have a promotion at this certain time, an sms will be sent to customers around that area telling them about the promotion. Since they are already within the area at that certain time, they are more likely to participate in the promotion. Thus, there will be an increase in the store walk-ins, and of course whenever there's discount and you're at the right place at the right time, you being the consumer will be happy.

Or do something similar like what my father suggested to me last vacation. It's about a delivery service via sms, whereby we could partner with telecom companies and retail establishments again and set up a 'menu' that can be accessed via mobile phone, and people could just sms their orders of whatever that's on the menu.

Hmm...I don't know...I'm not too excited about the food business idea. Maybe it stems from the fact that I am from Engineering faculty and I want something more high tech. However, I am still not that persuasive enough, and I still need to improve on how to get my ideas across to other people.