Looking for honest feedback on my startup idea
I'm thinking about building a website where users earn points simply by staying active. They would need to check in at least once a day to keep their points valid.
As users collect points, they could enter prize draws or redeem them for vouchers, discounts, or even free products.
The main goal is to build an active user base. Later, if the platform grows, I'd like to partner with companies that are willing to provide vouchers or free products in exchange for exposure and potential new customers.
Do you think this idea has potential? Is there anything you think I'm overlooking or should improve?
One thing worth stress testing alongside partner validation is who the daily check in habit actually attracts. Points programs tend to pull in people optimizing for the points themselves, not people who plan to buy anything from the partner companies, so a brand running a pilot could see plenty of redemptions with almost no real purchases behind them. Building in some signal of purchase intent, not just check ins, would make the exposure pitch to companies much stronger once you get to that conversation.
That's true, and I don't think companies should be expected to offer huge discounts. Each company would decide what rewards make sense for them. Bigger discounts or exclusive rewards could be given to users who have built trust over time, for example by being active for a long time or having a good reputation on the platform.
Reputation based tiers make sense as a longer term layer, but early on that history does not exist yet for anyone. The purchase intent signal is still the harder problem to solve first, tenure alone will not tell a brand partner whether a redemption led to a real sale.
Honest feedback — the biggest risk is building before validating whether companies will actually pay for the exposure. Have you talked to any potential brand partners yet? That conversation will tell you more than building the platform. I actually run a startup idea validation service if you want a proper research report on this.
That's a good point. My initial idea is to start by collecting publicly available vouchers and discounts in one place, making them easier for users to find. If the platform gains traction, I'd then approach companies about offering exclusive rewards and partnerships.
That's a smart way to start — prove the aggregation value first before asking companies to pay. I'd love to research this idea properly for you for free. Market size, competitors, honest verdict. Just DM me if you're interested.