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Need Buying Advice? Ask an Owner

by Tom Conlon on May 8, 2007 at 10:32 AM

Need Buying Advice? Ask an OwnerWho do you go to for advice the next time you're wondering if the digital camera you're about to buy is any good? The salesman? Hopefully not. In an ideal world, a friend or relative would have the exact same model and could tell you all about what he or she likes and doesn't like about it. That's the conceit behind the new buying advice site, AskAnOwner.com.

Type in a question about a product, and within hours you'll receive an e-mail from someone who owns it, there to answer any questions you'll have in order to make an informed purchase. And it's not just tech products -- or products at all, for that matter. According to the site, "Parents are finding out whether strollers fit in cars, prospective homeowners are asking questions about city neighborhoods and executives are double-checking track records of potential business partners."

The idea is simple and smart. However, to be helpful, the site needs an enormous database of products and owners, which it simply doesn't have this early on. To make matters worse, the site is based in the Netherlands...and you know the Dutch. No joke: A search for Airport Express comes up with zero results, but type 'marijuana' into the search bar and what do you get? 'How to pass a drug test.'

Verdict: We love the idea behind AskAnOwner.com, but will definitely wait for the site to build up its user base before seeking its help.

From Red Ferret

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Tags: advice, online, retail, shopping, web

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