BeforeTheStores.com lets shoppers buy the latest "As Seen on TV" products before they hit traditional retail outlets, and get discounts and freebies in exchange for giving their feedback about what they purchase. Working directly with companies who develop the new items, BeforeTheStores offers them customer research in exchange for a deep discount on products and exclusive rights to sell them on Web sites like eBay (getitfirst723) and Amazon.com (Before the Stores), as well as BeforeTheStores.com.
Founder Amar Khubani says he started BeforeTheStores in March 2008, and they did sales in excess of $1.4 million for the year. "Our sales have been growing every month since we started, but it really depends on the products that our clients come out with," he said.
Shoppers use PayPal to purchase the products and are required to fill out a comment survey in order to receive freebies, such as a free tube of "Miracle Foot Repair" lotion for giving feedback after purchasing the "PedEgg." Khubani says the company is working on offering customers discounts on future purchases in exchange for filling out a survey. "We also created a dual-dial type of program where people can watch a commercial online and rate how they feel about it in real time. This is a promising new technology to advance online market research. We call it the "View 'N Rate,"" he said.
BeforeTheStores.com's home page showcases the newest product releases and best sellers, including a video of the "Slap Chop" chopper machine, as demonstrated by Vince Offer of "ShamWow" fame. More items are available under the "Products" tab, with prices currently ranging from $9.99 for the "Pink Breast Cancer Research Edition PedEgg" to $39.99 for the "Iron Gym Extreme."
Khubani says that although they are focusing on "As Seen on TV" products now, they may expand to other product categories in the future. However, "My aspiration is to eventually create and market my own products," he said. "That is a real passion of mine."
About the Author: Julia Wilkinson is the author of "The eBay Price Guide" (No Starch Press, 2006) and "eBay Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks" (Wiley, 2004-6); Her latest ebook, "Over 500 Books that Sell for $50-$5000 on eBay," is available at http://www.yardsalers.net/500Books.asp.
