Options to Add Classifieds to Site?
Shooter: Several companies have come out with what you describe (and variations thereof), but I don't know of any companies that have been able to achieve enough success that they were able to maintain a business doing it for very long.As with almost everything else, there are a few companies that own US patents that cover some of the basic processes involved.  As long as business method patents still cover this type of stuff, it's a legal risk.  The payment aspect, while obviously beneficial, just adds another layer of headaches.EdgeIO probably got the most coverage of companies that were working in this area because they had an interesting model.  They no longer exist, but another company bought their assets/IP.  There were also several companies that concentrated on specific verticals (jobs, autos, etc.) and some of those are still around...none are exactly setting the world on fire.