Website Review and Suggestions

**Andy_Wilson** · 11-09-2007, 05:52 PM

Hello I have recently had an offer for my site www.surfaceripple.com (which i was originally selling) to be merged with another social network site faceladder.com

Brief history to put it into context: My site has been alive for over 2 years now and has a successful place google along with a nice pr of 4. I have personally put 100's of hours work into achieving the preferred designs (of old and new website as the site has gone through 3 different variations of design since it started).
I have built up a steady 650 members and some 12k posts and have maintained a friendly atmosphere for my users to post.

Now recently with on going costs I decided (tough it may be) to attempt to sell Surface Ripple in hope of someone who would be willing to take on the project and leave me to my college work.

I just received a new contact on msn who didnt want to buy the site but wanted to declare a partnership instead.

This is what he is offering:

* To keep the surfaceripple.com domain and forward his faceladder.com domain.
* Change the faceladder design to coincide with surface ripple's current template
* Merge the database of mine and his site.
* Host it all on his account.
* Split everything 50/50 including hosting and software costs but halving the profits.
* Offer me $150 if I chose to opt out.

I can do this and it would indeed benefit the site having 2 admins doing the work however I do not know the guy well and there is nothing stopping him with current proposals taking the database and doing a runner.

What do you recommend I do? I thought maybe in exchange for the database I host his domain faceladder.com on my account then that kinda ties him down to something. SR is starved of new people at the moment so I think this would be a perfect opportunity so consider both sides of the argument please.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Andy

**mjfdesigns** · 12-19-2007, 03:20 PM

I see that you have not taken him up on his offer. I personally would not have either. Not knowing the guy well is a good reason to wait.

Your site is pretty cool. I am involved with the youth at my church and have often thought about creating a site similar.

I hope the site continues to do well for you.

- mjfdesigns

**j.bojan** · 12-19-2007, 04:00 PM

Hi my name is Bojan and I really don’t now what you should do. You have pretty good site and I don’t doubt that you spend on it 100’s hours of work. Way are you selling that site anyway? Ok maybe you don’t have a time for admin it but you can do that once a week it’s not so a big dill. I now that I would not take that offer you don’t now that guy and who now what he is up to. I hope you will choose the writhe chouse.
I am sorry because of my spelling or grammar mistakes I do not speak English weary well.

**sbtemp** · 12-20-2007, 03:26 PM

Hi there, I just came across this post - nice site you have there by the way. I run a website for Christian youths and I know how much work goes into gettting things right. I don't think you should merge with a guy you don't know. What I do with my site because of limited funding is look for volunteers to come onboard and its working well so far so why not try that? That could maybe take some pressure off and you wouldnt feel like you were doing this alone - just my two cents.

**seolman** · 12-20-2007, 03:36 PM

If you move the code to his server, basically he has your site, your code and your database. Good luck suing if he locks you out over a minor difference. Legal costs trying to recover the site would far outweigh any potential site revenues. He can quickly put all that back end behind his domain and have more members.

Why not simply work out an arrangement where he tells his members about your site and visa versa. You can both get cross memberships and help each other maintain both sites. If things go well after a period of time (say one year) you may take it further.

**iammarcus** · 12-20-2007, 03:44 PM

I only really went about 2 pages deep on both sites.
Here is what i see... a good ammount of members on both sites.
I find that yours has a stronger layout than his.
It looks as if both of you have put alot of time into.

What i think it breaks down to, is what do you really want to do.
You could sell it maybe make a quick buck or two... i dont know what you profit from this site but as you said profit margins are falling correct? So how much is it worth to you?
Now look at what could happen
you could combine....maybe fail and make no money, or him just run...and u make no money....or maybe it works and profits of current are doubled.....or maybe he doesnt run but it fails anyways....I am going to say it wouldnt fail right away unless tons of technical problems in the merger....so atleast it would be standing for awhile...
Now is it worth more to you to sell the site make the quick buck and not have to worry about it anymore.....or take a chance divide up the work and see what happens...
how much do you have to lose is the question its boiling down to. Either way in selling or combining the site could be ruined, and your so far good project that i assume you are very proud of is lying in the ****s.

Think about what you want to do

Good Luck
Marcus