I started this thread because I think Open Bazaar is not viable in its current form. I think I have a more profitable, self-funding, design for achieving the same thing they are.... only better.
1) Users shouldn't have to keep their computers on to "serve" their ads. That is a non-starter for the masses.
2) Users want auctions as well as fixed price sales / ads.
3) Users want a solid filtering system for items.
So you implement a DAC that allows users to post ads, start auctions, and implement "buy it now" functionality. The DAC would execute the auction and natively support a local BitUSD / other currencies.
Merchants looking to sell to this audience now have a central place to list their products and get paid in BitUSD....
Implemented properly this DAC would grow far faster than Open Bazaar.. especially with the marketing it could fund to bootstrap.
Not that I want to "compete with everyone out there"... but you have to do it right and Open Bazaar is missing some critical design points.
Last I heard we were short of developers, and OpenBazaar was working hard on their project with no idea how to make it profitable.
Rather than launching a competing project we don't have the time to support, I suggest showing them how to make their project profitable, why they should support bitUSD, and why they should honour PTS and AGS if they use the toolkit to support the profitability model.
This - why not offer to help them build a DAC if they agree to honour the social contract for AGS/PTS holders?
Utilize the OB dev team that is in place, leverage the existing market awareness and supply high-level oversight from the I3 team.
Minimal resource input for I3 but maximum returns for the development kitty.
Plus, if sucessful there is a perfect case-study on how the Bitshares can empower businesses.
Win win for the whole world.