MySandbox.com Review
Written by Cedric Solidon on June 1st, 2009 at 10:35 PMThere’s a new website in town called Sandbox at mysandbox.com. It’s rare for a local website to be advertised on TV and the radio so I decided to check out if it’s really worth the buzz. But before that, let me tell you what the site is about.
According to their site:
“Sandbox is a portal that brings all content and services you love on the web all in one place.
“In Sandbox, you can create your own profile and update your status for your friends to see. You can upload and view photos and videos, write a blog or join a forum discussion. You can also go shopping on line. You can send and receive email and download music, games and various other content.”
So basically, it tries to bring together everything that you do on the web into one place. Which begs the question: do you really need a new website to do everything that you’re already doing on the web?
Do you need a new website to download your music from when there’s already iTunes and other similar services?
Do you need a new site to watch videos when there’s already YouTube and others?
Do you really need a new email account?
Do you need another forum to join?
To answer these questions, I decided to create an account at Sandbox. It didn’t take long for me to find the answer: no I don’t need a new account for the same services I’m enjoying now.
The problem with the site is that it tries to be everything to everyone. Because of this, it tries to be like all the websites it’s competing with. Which, as Seth Godin says, makes it unremarkable. I don’t want another website just like YouTube. I don’t like another service just like iTunes. I’m already happy with what I have.
I’m pretty sure several millions of pesos have been spent on advertising this site alone. But that money could have been well spent on producing a more unique website with a more unique service that doesn’t try to ape everything that’s already there.
Sandbox is still in its beta phase so some things may still change along the way. But I’m pretty sure that it won’t include changing its core service: to be something to everybody.
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2 Responses to “MySandbox.com Review”
By migs on Jun 2, 2009
“But that money could have been well spent on producing a more unique website with a more unique service that doesn’t try to ape everything that’s already there.”
- i’d have to agree with you on that. I found their site boring and won’t be interesting for users to use it or buy stuff from them. They should provide something unique (aside from having an all in one website).
By Cedric Solidon on Jun 2, 2009
Yep, users are least likely to patronize the site, much less buy stuff from them because they already have these things on other sites/services. And although it might cater on to subscribers of other networks later on for their music downloads (currently they’re only supporting Smart subscribers), but do you really want to download music so that you can listen to it ONLY on your mobile phone? I guess not.
It all goes back to their basic problem, they’re trying to market to everyone by giving them practically every services possible when those things are already covered by numerous sites. They could have saved tons of money by having a more focused site.