It pays to visit a start-up founded by city youth K. Ravi Kumar Kommisetti. “Parkpays.com” gives a credit bonus of $2 as soon as one signs up.
After that for any photo or video upload, like or comment, the account-holder gets incentives.
“My idea is that when one visits a park one just enjoys the ambience and gets relaxed. But by visiting our website he gets incentives. That's why I called it ‘Parkpays,’” Mr. Ravi Kumar explains.
The company wants the website to be user-centric and leverage it for driving its business. However, the credits are virtual money and can’t be withdrawn. The users can buy gifts from an online shop.
“We see to it that once the member orders the gift, it is delivered to him,” he says. But nothing is available for less than $35 and unless one gets credits proportionately, it can't be used.
Mr. Ravi Kumar did his M.Sc. (Electronics) and together with his wife Durgadevi founded the private limited company with an investment of ₹10 lakh.
Since the website gets ads from Adsense of Google, it is able to meet the expenses relating to account-holders, he says. “Whatever the company gets, it wants to share it with users through gifts so that the base increases bringing more advertisements,” Mr. Ravi Kumar elaborates.
Besides, the website has been able to attract ads on its own by contacting some online business, travel and real estate companies.
Mr. Ravi Kumar says he is planning to tie up with gaming companies.
“Some of the members visiting the website may buy games through us after using the trial versions and that increases revenue for us,” he says.
With around 1,200 users now it has plans to expand its reach.
Alerts
However, if any of the member’s profile is being continuously viewed the website has a mechanism to send alerts, protecting user privacy. Such visits can be blocked at once by the member or he can contact the administrator, Mr. Ravi Kumar says.
On the other hand, the site encourages members running blogs etc. to air their views. But the administrator will have the last word if the content turns objectionable.
