Working on market place for Tribal People.

[BTCIndia]

"…India is virtually the only country in the world today which stands with one foot still firmly planted in a handicraft era reaching back over a time cycle of five millenia…"
~ Ruth Reeves

Indian handicrafts are well known over world and are manufactured by tribal artisans living in interior villages not accessible by Bitumen roads. What actually happens is, due to limited market exposure, those illiterate, hardworking and skilled artists are forced to sell their products at very low price to nearby local landlords and business man who have buying power throughout year. They can’t even afford to stockpile their work in order to negotiate and sell bulk in city. They manufacture and sell on daily basis striving for daily bread. Then those local people stockpile and sell to brokers in big/small nearby city at double price. It’s amazing to know that those brokers in city further sell to exporters/art galleries are double or triple price. Then people importing in foreign countries distribute to their local art gallery with their own margin. And we dream of removing poverty? This is our capitalist society. What else they are supposed to do? They can’t even speak ‘hindi’ local language of country and speak only tribal dialect like Gondi or chhattisgari. In spite of knowing, actual price of their sweat they can do nothing about it. They’ve no other option with them but to get exploited by greedy people. Exporting particular products abroad requires specific licenses and documentation which they’re not capable of doing on their own. But, with Bitcoin I see hope for them.

I’ve been thinking a lot how Bitcoin can benefit them, but I can’t find any solution. One solution for them is to sell online directly, but using computer and internet is rocket science to those people who don’t even know counting more than 100 perhaps 200 Rs. I almost cried when I discovered that art show above takes 14 days to manufacture. Their manufacturing technique called " Lost Wax Art" is almost extinct and only <170 local families practice those art.  And here Silk Road inspired me to provide same solution.



I’m planning to develop Silk Road like interface so that, they can sell their art at better price. Problem is--they don't even use mobile phone so accepting Bitcoin is distant dream. Even if they start accepting then it would be next to impossible for them to liquidate and export into international market. On proposed Silk Road like website, it won’t be possible for them to make account and operate them. Therefore, I’ve decided to maintain account for them with their product profile and receive payments on their behalf. Once I've received Bitcoin. I plan to give them them money is native currency. It would help us all three- them (better price), me (accumulation of digital gold) and country (boosting exports). But there are some problem’s that I’m currently facing. I want those helpless people to have ultimate benefit. If they benefit, they can raise living standard, they can learn to read and write, thereby contributing to country progress. I'm facing problem with execution of project.

We’ve seen those people who bought anything with Bitcoin regretted later. Because we all know its price will increase in future. Remember a person who bought pizza? If I invest time, energy and take risk. Is it going to be worth? Are people going to buy stuffs with Bitcoin? Frankly speaking, I won’t like to buy anything in Bitcoin until and unless it’s very very necessary. I've read news Overstock selling $1,30,000 stuff with Bitcoin, but they had large user base and thousands of products. What response you predict for "my silk road" like portal?

P.S: I've done research in website development and stuffs related to it and project is initiated here (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=434855.new#new). Please provide possible help by voluntary programming.

Or I’d like to receive tip for project development(TIP: 1NMFJPVYbx72XHwSsxretiwDKbu6bvJrwa)

Or contribute by buying products here https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=434818.new#new
Other 200+ Artworks: http://www.flickr.com/photos/115640716@N07/

Look forward to comments, guidance and valuable inputs.

Kind Donators:
1. LostDutchman(Sr. Member)- 0.02 btc

[guybrushthreepwood]

Why does it need to be a Silk Road-like site? Can't you just create a normal marketplace?

[BTCIndia]

Why does it need to be a Silk Road-like site? Can't you just create a normal marketplace?

Bitcoin is still to complex for those people to accept and use. If everything goes well then, in future they'd be able to accept it. And, I want to develop a self run system in long run with minimum middle man to take advantage. You're right... I will have to start with 'normal marketplace' before switching to other model.

[mtnminer]

You have a great idea, I think as of now you would be better off creating a web site/web store to start selling immediately for them.  Them much later as they develop the skills in reading, writing and computers you could create something more like a craigslist or silk road for them to use.

Mtnminer

[jongameson]

sure.  but why not sell on Silk Road?  they do have an Art section  

after all the *real* Silk Road was used for MUCH more than narcotics back in the day.  spices, pottery

maybe this is our chance to take back Silk Road, for what it REALLY is.  an ebay for Bitcoinz  

[guybrushthreepwood]

Why does it need to be a Silk Road-like site? Can't you just create a normal marketplace?

Bitcoin is still to complex for those people to accept and use. If everything goes well then, in future they'd be able to accept it. And, I want to develop a self run system in long run with minimum middle man to take advantage. You're right... I will have to start with 'normal marketplace' before switching to other model.

You'd be better creating a normal online marketplace. Putting it on the deepweb just seems to be pushing it further underground and making it more obscure. And as jongameson, you can still sell legitimate goods on these marketplaces.

[BTCIndia]

sure.  but why not sell on Silk Road?  they do have an Art section  

after all the *real* Silk Road was used for MUCH more than narcotics back in the day.  spices, pottery

maybe this is our chance to take back Silk Road, for what it REALLY is.  an ebay for Bitcoinz  

When I couldn't understand operating Tor. How are they going to work in tor mode? No possible!  

[BTCIndia]

You have a great idea, I think as of now you would be better off creating a web site/web store to start selling immediately for them.  Them much later as they develop the skills in reading, writing and computers you could create something more like a craigslist or silk road for them to use.

Mtnminer

Thanks Mtnminer! Look forward to your contribution in any possible way.

[slowlyslowly]

I think your aims are great but not sure bitcoin is the answer other than at the margins.

It seems like you need to set up a structure like Fair Trade did for coffee ie the actual people producing the goods get a predetermined set price for their work. This may be just 10% more or several times what they currently get - the situation varies by place and by product.

You need still though a "middle man" that takes the buyers money and pays the workers, organises freight etc and that middle man ideally needs to be paid a salary for the work  ie their salary is known ahead and is built into the fair price.  The organisation running it all (and it will have to be several people who will also need salaries) could accept bitcoin just like they could accept credit cards etc. bitcoin should be cheaper for them as less fees.

But yes start off slowly with a website to see if you get traction. I suggest though you do not refer to your efforts as 'silk road" type as that will turn off a few buyers/potential sponsors. 

[LostDutchman]

Why does it need to be a Silk Road-like site? Can't you just create a normal marketplace?

I take it that you haven't been following the punitive and arbitrary efforts against those in India who seek to own gold, do own gold and those who have bank accounts.

For example, did you know that in India Paypal users may only send money to their bank accounts and cannot use Paypal direcetly for the purchase of services or products?

Seems that tax evasion in Inida, like utility theft, is a national sport and the guvmint don't like it!

LOL!

Kudos to the OP!

My $.02.

[BTCIndia]

I think your aims are great but not sure bitcoin is the answer other than at the margins.

It seems like you need to set up a structure like Fair Trade did for coffee ie the actual people producing the goods get a predetermined set price for their work. This may be just 10% more or several times what they currently get - the situation varies by place and by product.

You need still though a "middle man" that takes the buyers money and pays the workers, organises freight etc and that middle man ideally needs to be paid a salary for the work  ie their salary is known ahead and is built into the fair price.  The organisation running it all (and it will have to be several people who will also need salaries) could accept bitcoin just like they could accept credit cards etc. bitcoin should be cheaper for them as less fees.

But yes start off slowly with a website to see if you get traction. I suggest though you do not refer to your efforts as 'silk road" type as that will turn off a few buyers/potential sponsors. 

Thanks! Yeah! I never realized that "Silk Road will give bad impression. I've changed Subject as per your guidance. Thanks again!

[Phinnaeus Gage]

It’s amazing to know that those brokers in city further sell to exporters/art galleries are double or triple price.

Don't know how it is now, but back in the early 90's, one could buy gold jewelry in India at damn near the price of the gold content due to the underground trade movement of US dollars, read one dollar bills, to Iran.

I was adviced to bring with me as many singles as possible to be used as trade and purchasing rupees at a more favorable exchange rate directly from the hotel managers. I returned to the US with two suitcases full of silver, spices and peacock feathers, all unbeknown to me to be illegal to bring back quantities of said commodities. Luckily, my duct-taped suitcases weren't checked when I reached NY due to getting into a conversation with the custom's gal about the PB book I was carrying. When she finally got around to asking me if I had such and such and such and such in my bags, I looked straight into her eyes and replied, "Goat made me do it!" "No!"

BTW, I paid ten cents each for the peacock feathers and sold them for a buck fiddy per.

I've been in the villages you spoke of and seen some of those artisans first-hand. What I witnessed is that they weren't depressed, in both meanings of that word, and simply were working for a daily/weekly wage exactly what normal people in the middle class do in developed nations. Come the weekend, we have a couple days off, then start the grind all over again come Monday. Perhaps, the only thing different for those artisans in India is that they don't/can't take a day off, but that doesn't mean they're not that less happy.

~TMIBTCITW

[BTCIndia]

It’s amazing to know that those brokers in city further sell to exporters/art galleries are double or triple price.

Don't know how it is now, but back in the early 90's, one could buy gold jewelry in India at damn near the price of the gold content due to the underground trade movement of US dollars, read one dollar bills, to Iran.

I was adviced to bring with me as many singles as possible to be used as trade and purchasing rupees at a more favorable exchange rate directly from the hotel managers. I returned to the US with two suitcases full of silver, spices and peacock feathers, all unbeknown to me to be illegal to bring back quantities of said commodities. Luckily, my duct-taped suitcases weren't checked when I reached NY due to getting into a conversation with the custom's gal about the PB book I was carrying. When she finally got around to asking me if I had such and such and such and such in my bags, I looked straight into her eyes and replied, "Goat made me do it!" "No!"

BTW, I paid ten cents each for the peacock feathers and sold them for a buck fiddy per.

I've been in the villages you spoke of and seen some of those artisans first-hand. What I witnessed is that they weren't depressed, in both meanings of that word, and simply were working for a daily/weekly wage exactly what normal people in the middle class do in developed nations. Come the weekend, we have a couple days off, then start the grind all over again come Monday. Perhaps, the only thing different for those artisans in India is that they don't/can't take a day off, but that doesn't mean they're not that less happy.

~TMIBTCITW

Ignorance is bliss and they continue to be in stage of ignorance. I never said, they're less happy. In fact, they're much happier then we are due to limited needs. Here, I'm trying to give them what they actually deserve- a reorganization and appropriate price for their work by eliminating middlemen.