▲ 2 points

Ask HN: Does this idea of favor-tracking sound viable?

by bozho·14y ago·8 comments·view on hn ↗

Today I setup the launchrock page for an idea of mine: http://launch.favorb.com/

The idea is simple: you track favors that your friends are doing for you.

Do you see this as complete nonsense, or do you find it a viable usecase many people have?

Note: I have a lot of code already written, but before I proceed I need check if people are positive about it.

8 comments

IMHO the idea won't work. I don't see why someone would use the application - saying "I owe you one" doesn't sound particularly engaging , and the overall purpose of the app still remains too cold and calculating. Even if people did use it, favors between friends don't work like transactions - that's why they're favors and not paid services.

That said, I think you should still finish the app. Startups pivot a LOT, and you might stumble across an awesome idea once you start looking at feedback and trying to figure out what people really use the app for.

If i used this it would make me depressed. I find if I run my life like a anal accountant I get bummed out fast. For some this may work but for me it's something I'd end up asking a friend to do for me :).

That all said I don't do facebook and this is something that would bolt on there easier than most. Maybe look at g+ as a interface platform.

Good luck, and nomatter what people say, see if it floats would be the way as you have already done all the work etc.

Assuming this is an app that tracks favors for the sole reason of saying "you owe me one", I wouldn't use it for friends. gives off a cold & calculating vibe. Maybe track something else like "help me do this": you say you need help with X and your friends pitch in. I'd feel much better helping my friends out. just don't keep score.

The idea is reverse. It's not about saying "you owe me". It's about "I owe you", so that you don't have to many unreturned favors.

For myself, I don't have too many outstanding favors at any one time. I tend to know who has helped me out. Even had I forgot, I'm sure just talking to the person (or at least when they redeem their favor), I'd remember.

That being said, some people might still find it interesting.

I might actually use the service in reverse to, but more in a business context. So and so owes me 1, because I did this for them. A sales rep I worked with once gave me 15% on a future order (I could call in that favor whenever), because of some screw ups, so I would definitely record that.

thanks, that seems like a good scenario. People that are not actually friends do favors to each other just for that: to get them some day back in return.

if you have the code, then just put it out there. What's the worst that can happen?

the code is not 100% complete. I will put it once it's ready.