Site Helps Moms Unload Unwanted Toys and Work at Home

With two young boys and lots of spare toys cluttering up her house, Shetal Patel thought she’d create a Web site where other young mothers could sell toys and other products they no longer needed. She also sought to create an online community for young mothers.

The idea came about after she had tried unsuccessfully to find sites where she could unload toys her four-and-a-half year-old and 19-month-old no longer wanted.

So last March, she put to use some of the skills she learned as an MBA at the University of Austin and founded www.momsspace.com, a Web site that attempts to do that and more.

On the site, mothers list their products, like toys, car seat covers, clothing and furniture that other moms can buy and sell to each other through the site, much in the manner of eBay.

In the site’s product catalog, users can find what they’re looking for. And by entering their Zip codes, they can see what is available in their areas. Individual buyers and sellers negotiate their own prices.

The site does not take any cut from these transactions but makes its money through the selling of ads.

So far, the site has been able to attract about 300 mothers in the local area, “and we’re adding three or four new members a day,” says Patel.

Most of the products come from the U.S. but Patel has even gone to Mumbai, India and Zambia, Africa to look for products.

“Some of the mothers in Africa have some really beautiful carvings,” she says.

At present, Patel publicizes momsspace.com through word of mouth, and through listings on Google, the Austin Business Directories and PR.

In addition to the selling site, Momsspace.com has a “Jobs for Moms” section, which features ads from firms that allow people to work from home, and a drop down menu so people can apply for them.

For now, Patel isn’t making any revenue projections. Besides the more commercial aspects of the site, monsspace.com features a discussion forum for mothers and a Baby of the Week contest.

“When you can go to one site and make financial transactions as well as personal interactions, you’re likely to revisit that site,” Patel said. “On Momsspace.com, you can purchase a gently used diaper genie, post your baby’s photo, browse through job listings or share a story about breastfeeding. It’s one-stop shopping for motherhood.”