A few months ago, a rash of Web 2.0 start-ups had put their projects (and assets) up for sale on eBay (EBAY). Some of them actually sold - like Kiko (for $258,100). Now it is the turn of Facebook App developers to put their wares under the hammer. Michael Zhang is selling his Logbook Facebook App. So far he has 21 bids and the top bid being $172. Why do I get a feeling that this isn’t the last Facebook app to list on eBay. Is this a sign of a coming top in the Facebook market?
3 trackbacks so far
4:13 AM PT
[...] a whole new world out there for Facebook developers. According to GigaOM, in an eBay first, a Facebook Application is up for sale on the [...]
3:16 AM PT
source of prox/express candidates ? (facebook related)
Interesting this one. People are building facebook apps and then selling them on ebay. one of them just recently went for $280,000 - so we’re not talking pennies here. What you could glean from this is which apps are popular, what niches they are in, …
3:40 PM PT
[...] Om Malik pointed me to the “first” of what will soon be many Facebook applications for sale on eBay. Logbook, is a new and fully functional Facebook application that allows Facebook users to document movies, music, books, and more. The site looks to monetize its user base through integration with the Amazon.com affiliate program - smart move. With a little over 100 users, Logbook certainly is new and is not a high profile application, but is interesting to see the Facebook economy evolve from one of making cool applications to show your skills, to making applications to get lots of users to sell for lots of money, to creating and application and immediately selling it. [...]
11 comments so far
11:20 PM PT
I didn’t expect to see a facebook application up for sale on ebay, but hey I guess people sell websites all the time, and if you get good enough at developing a facebook app and don’t want to personally run it then it seems like a good idea.
12:18 AM PT
A self-funded startup with an exit strategy you can execute before you need to support any users. Awesome.
8:40 AM PT
Can’t wait to see the cost of the most ridiculously over-priced app!
9:06 AM PT
I’m not surprised by this. Call me pessimistic, but Facebook has lots of flaws…especially the applications. Granted, Facebook is an amazing platform with lots of potential. There are just a lot of crappy apps. If you haven’t noticed, there are many apps that copy off the same themes. How about creating something truly useful instead of allowing me to trash other people. Oh by the way, Facebook self service advertising does not work. I tried it and got a terrible response. I contacted their ad support group via email and they essentially said sorry better luck next time. Hopefully Facebook figures out how to filter out the bad apps and create a truly self service ad platform complete with analytics. When that happens, I’ll be eager to advertise again.
9:41 AM PT
There is another one now.
Facebook Application: “I Am Hungry” - No Reserve!!
Get access to 258,273 users + 30 hours consulting
(link)
Asking $5,000.
10:47 AM PT
Why does selling on eBay equate to a “top” of the market? The fact that it’s possible to sell something like this on eBay suggests that there’s a market, not that we’ve hit the top of the market.
11:21 AM PT
“Hopefully Facebook figures out how to filter out the bad apps”
Who gets to decide what apps are bad and what aren’t? Granted, “You have been punched by X, add this app to punch them back” may seem pointless to you and I, but people still like and use them. If Facebook chooses to filter out such apps, some users won’t be happy and it makes the platform less open.
3:45 PM PT
applicationcreations.com is also a site where people can sell their pre-built apps. Doesn’t look like they have any for sale yet.
What is the AdSense type ad platform for Facebook apps? I know I saw a company that was doing it someone but can’t find it again. Can you use google AdSense on Facebook apps?
5:28 PM PT
Facebook’s apps are silly, but wildly popular. The initial asking price of these applications may seem cheap at first, but as larger companies realize the potential of the Facebook user-base and Facebook applications, prices are sure to increase. Even a goofy “x slapped you, slap back!” has potential… they could obtain so much information on demographics, etc.
India Web 2.0 News
8:10 AM PT
What a great story of an entrepreneurial team knowing how to focus their time on areas which make them more money. This is really a story on focussing on other applications which they are developing which have more traction and jettisoning those that are underperforming.
Great growth strategy.
11:06 AM PT
This app just sold for a whopping $2,550! What’s interesting is the application only has an estimated 120 users or so, which means this seller got $21.25 per user!
There were 3,047 views of the auction as well. It will be interesting to monitor sales prices of Facebook applications on eBay over time to see what apps fetch per user for different niches. I suspect we will begin to see “made for sale” Facebook applications in the near future, even businesses with this as their primary revenue source.
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