Add-on Crowd-funding proposal for classifieds add-on.

Mr. Goodie2Shoes

Well-known member
Hello everyone,

I have started my work on creating a classifieds app for XenForo around the first week of December 2014 when I saw a thread over at TAZ and created a thread showcasing most of the admin facing sections for the app.

Quite a lot of members (at least according to me) have showed interest which gave me the motivation to work on this project even more and add new features that have been suggested. This in turn took more time for me to finish the project and do unit testing and now it’s March 2015 :). Even though the public facing part of the app is less than half-way done I was planning to finish up a working build by 14th of this month.

I have been doing all my work on my only workstation that I bought over 7 years ago and I was actually planning to buy a new one from the funds I was going to make from selling the product. But unfortunately, my computer died two days ago and now all my works are on hold.

So I now plan to start a crowd-funding for this project so that I can buy a new workstation as fast as possible so that I can kick start my work. My target is USD 2000 which is actually flexible as I will be running this campaign for 5 to 7 days (depending on your inputs) and buy something with what I can gather. Please do note that I am a “tech freak” and anything but high-end stuff deeply de-motivates me so I hope I can achieve my goal with your help! :)

I am planning to do the campaign manually, without using any third-party service like KickStarter or Pozible to save as much cash as possible. But if you guys want I can create a campaign there. :)

About the app
I have plans to make the app as much future proof as possible without bloating the code. So that’s a win-win for everyone. :D

Some of the “back-end” things are still under construction but here is a full list of all the features the initial release will have:

The main parts of the classifieds app:
  • Advert Types – Admins can create different advert types that the classifieds section will provide. Three basic ones are added on installation and these are:
    • For Sale
    • Wanted
    • Exchange
This will be used to classify the adverts that will be posted: those who are trying to sell things or if someone is looking to buy something. And once the item is marked as complete, the text entered in the advert editor will be used:
  • For Sale – Sold
  • Wanted, Exchange – Completed
All the texts are phrased to enable multi-lingual support for the advert types.
You can also selected a color for the badge (if enabled) so that users can distinguish them easily.​
  • Packages – When a user creates a classified, they have to select which package they want to use. This will determine how long the classifieds will be active, how many times the advert can be renewed and the price they have to pay to activate the advert.
  • Custom Fields – This is the same as what you’ve seen in XenForo Resource Manager with one more option: you’ll be able to select if the field will used to filter the classified lists and this is only available for option-type fields only.
  • Classified Prefixes – The classifieds can be prefixed, selected by the user creating it, for filtering and classifying the items.
  • Multi-level categories – This is the center of the whole application: you can select which advert types, prefixes, fields, packages are available for this category or if the category will be used only for hierarchy tree. You can also select if the user has to enter a location (via Google API) for their advert. This works the same as XenForo Resource Manager also.
  • Feedback System – For a successful classified site, users need to build trust and this can be achieved with the feedback system. Both buyers and sellers can write reviews which will be shown on both their profiles and on the relevant classified pages. This is help weed out the frauds and low quality ads.
For the payments, I am creating another add-on that will do the job as I’ll need a similar payment system for my other upcoming applications and it’s not a good idea to just recreate the whole thing again and again: that’s a waste of time and space. This payments system can be integrated into virtually any third-party add-on through its APIs and this will enable users to select any currency (the admin make available) to make the payments; starting from real currencies like USD, GBP, BDT to virtual currencies for your community if you are using [AD] Credits or any other third-party add-on that does the same thing. This will also support any online payment processors that have support for REST APIs like PayPal, Stripe, 2CO, etc. You’ll also have the ability to create tax and fraud rules (will support minfraud in the near future) along with support for coupons, bundles and invoices (kind of like IP.Nexus, and of course will be provided for free with these apps). :D

Now a little bit more bullet points for full feature list:
  • Full integration with XenForo Likes
  • Full integration with XenForo Alerts
  • Full integration with Moderation Helpers
  • Blocks for adding classifieds widgets to any part of the site using XenForo
  • Image Gallery for showcasing the advert item
  • Watch Items & Categories
  • Find New Items
  • Full integration with XenForo search engine
  • Content Permissions for individual users or groups
  • Item description edit history (with reason)
  • Contact seller – kind of like XenForo’s private conversation module.
  • Fees (as described above for the packages)
  • Item Location
  • Multiple Payment Gateways
  • Multiple Currencies
  • Support for virtual currencies
  • Invoices and Billing Information
  • Agree to TOS to create classified
  • Feedback System
  • Per item comments
  • Per item discussion thread
  • Featured Image
  • Detailed permissions
  • Filterable and orderable classified list
  • Related user criteria
I am unable to post any screenshots, but you can still take a peek of the admin interface on my other thread: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/working-on-a-classifieds-add-on.89552/

In the future, I have plans for:
  • Adding auctions
  • Creating vendors/shops
  • Resolution center
I might have missed a point or two and if I so, do knock me to add them. :)

This will hopefully be a very powerful and stable system and I look forward to creating and supporting more awesome stuff for this app. :D

Contribution
Now if you are willing to contribute to crowd-funding this project, this is how you do:
  1. Start a private conversation with me; something like this in the subject: “GFNClassifieds Crowd Funding” (already added if you click the link) and anything can go on the body.
  2. I’ll send you my PayPal address.
  3. Once the payment (any amount) is complete, reply to the conversation with the Unique Transaction ID and the PayPal email and I’ll add you to the associated tier.
I apologize for the trouble :)

The Tiers
I am going with four tiers and these are:
  1. USD 30 or more – Discounted license, you will get the package as soon as the public beta is started. Includes support for 1 year from when the public beta is released.
  2. USD 70 or more – Discounted license with branding free, you will get the package as soon as the public beta is started. Includes support for 1 year from when the public beta is released.
  3. USD 100 or more – You will have early private beta access along with a branding free license, and access to a private forum over at XFU for dedicated support during the private BETA stage. Includes lifetime support subscription once the add-on is released publicly.
  4. USD 200 or more - You will have early private beta access along with unlimited licenses (you'll have to be the owner of the domains), including branding free, and access to a private forum over at XFU for dedicated support during the private BETA stage, and will be added to ‘Sponsors List’ on the product page. And also feature requests will be given a higher priority except for those which will take time to create. Includes lifetime support subscription once the add-on is released publicly.
My target is USD 2000.
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There is a dedicated forum over at XFU (thank you @Sheldon ) for better communication with you and hope to see you there as it’s really tough to keep track of everything on a single thread.

And please note that I will be setting up my own forum for discussion and support once I get a new workstation, so the support forum over at XFU is temporary.

Again thanks for reading this and hope you’ll help me achieve my goal. :)
 
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Forgot to mention that since my work is on hold till I get a new workstation; that's till March 19th, I am pushing my deadline to first week of April. (Though this might change a little depending on how old the backup is)
Thank You :)
 
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Last question and you have your 1st sign up/payment.
Content Permissions for individual users or groups
I want to be able to give permissions by group for each of the following: For Sale, Wanted, and Exchange. This going to be possible? Or will the system have only one check mark for them all?

EDIT: Also auctions when it is put in.

EDIT AGAIN: With the packages, can you use points from a credit mod?
 
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I want to be able to give permissions by group for each of the following: For Sale, Wanted, and Exchange. This going to be possible? Or will the system have only one check mark for them all?
The content permission (that's XenForo's permission system you see when setting group permission) is only available for categories. For packages, prefixes and advert types you can only select which groups can use it. :)
 
EDIT AGAIN: With the packages, can you use points from a credit mod?
:)
This payments system can be integrated into virtually any third-party add-on through its APIs and this will enable users to select any currency (the admin make available) to make the payments; starting from real currencies like USD, GBP, BDT to virtual currencies for your community if you are using [AD] Credits or any other third-party add-on that does the same thing.
 
Will be possible to import feedbacks from xentrader?

I think that auctions or fixed price have to be selectable per classified basis and not per category.
 
Each classified has its own price is what he is saying. Maybe a better outline of the packages/prices is in order.
 
Yes, I'll be adding importers for some widely used add-ons and system :)


I didnt get you :/
As I understood auctions will be in a separated category. Can you confirm that?

I think that auctions and fixed prices have to be mixed.

Another thing is this, it will be possible to assigns to a classified "sell or exchange" for example?
 
And once the item is marked as complete
If user selled item, will he has option to mark it completed, or only Admins will have permission to do that?
Will be good option that user who open advert (sell/buy/change), could change his advert to closed or something like that

and the price they have to pay to activate the advert
Please make an option for free too. I just need option that some usergroups can open advert (buy/sell/change/...) without pay for opening advert on forum.

For the payments, I am creating another add-on that will do the job
Consider option free, or payment with check, payment on deliverment, payment with post office...

reply to the conversation with the Unique Transaction ID and the PayPal email and I’ll add you to the associated tier.
I will donate with Paypal account of my wife, so it is important to me that after I send you Unique Transaction ID and the PayPal email, you associated my tier with another e-mail, not my wife paypal email. Is that be arranged or not?

  • USD 30 or more – Discounted license, you will get the package as soon as the public beta is started. Includes support for 1 year from when the public beta is released.
  • USD 70 or more – Discounted license with branding free, you will get the package as soon as the public beta is started. Includes support for 1 year from when the public beta is released.
  • USD 100 or more – You will have early private beta access along with a branding free license, and access to a private forum over at XFU for dedicated support. Lifetime support.
  • USD 200 or more - You will have early private beta access along with unlimited licenses (you'll have to be the owner of the domains), including branding free, and access to a private forum over at XFU for dedicated support, and will be added to ‘Sponsors List’ on the product page. And also feature requests will be given a higher priority except for those which will take time to create. Lifetime support.
USD 30 - will not have dedicated support, or not support at all?
Where ("lite")support will be, on XFU forum or here on xenforo forum?
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And let me clear something. After I install this addon, users from usergroup which have permission, will be able to create adverts for buying/selling/change/gift/... their goods?
 
As I understood auctions will be in a separated category. Can you confirm that?
No, not separate categories, what I was talking about is that there can be an option in the category editor where there will be a checkbox to allow auctions to be created.

Another thing is this, it will be possible to assigns to a classified "sell or exchange" for example?
nopes... at this moment you can select only one advert type. But you can create a new advert type and naming it "Sell or Exchange" ;)

If user selled item, will he has option to mark it completed, or only Admins will have permission to do that?
The creator and moderators will have the option to mark an item complete. :)

Please make an option for free too. I just need option that some usergroups can open advert (buy/sell/change/...) without pay for opening advert on forum.
Yes, you can create "free" packages

Consider option free, or payment with check, payment on deliverment, payment with post office...
didn't get you...

I will donate with Paypal account of my wife, so it is important to me that after I send you Unique Transaction ID and the PayPal email, you associated my tier with another e-mail, not my wife paypal email. Is that be arranged or not?
The XenForo (and XFU username for tiers 3 and 4) will be associated with the tiers and transaction id and email address is to just confirm the transaction.

USD 30 - will not have dedicated support, or not support at all?
Where ("lite")support will be, on XFU forum or here on xenforo forum?
By dedicated, I meant support forum for the 3 and 4 tiers during the "private beta" stage. I'll have my site set up so when a the product reaches public beta, everyone will get equally prioritized support (y)

And let me clear something. After I install this addon, users from usergroup which have permission, will be able to create adverts for buying/selling/change/gift/... their goods?
Yes! Users with the right permission can create classifieds :D
 
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