Dawdle The Gamestore Marketplace
Dawdle just came out of beta stage with the announcement of four partnerships to make it even more “moronically easy to buy games.” The site’s slogan, along with the company’s gamer-focus, are what sets it apart from other software sites and online game stores.
The site focuses on games and accessories and nothing else. It uses a combination of integrated point-of-sale and inventory management and a buyer bidding process similar to Priceline. Small business sellers can integrate their brick-and-mortar store’s inventory with the site, allowing for easy product listings. Buyers can set conditions of purchase, such as price and seller credentials, then wait for a seller to match their conditions.
Dawdle handles the transaction, collecting the money and depositing the payment into the seller’s checking account automatically. There is no listing fee and shipping is included in the purchase price. Buyers can, of course, just purchase items they see while browsing immediately. Dawdle collects a 12% commission from the seller for their service, which is roughly in line with eBay/PayPal and other sites.
Dawdle states its goals are to undercut Gamestop, Amazon, and similar sites. With that kind of competition, Dawdle is in for a real fight. Now it’s just a question of whether their unique orientation and marketing will give them the pebble they need to sling at those giants
