I'm excited to see you're actually doing this, John. I remember, years and years ago, you floated the idea of doing something called AnHourOfMe that sounds just like this. I'm guessing this is the evolved version?

How about this as an idea for rewarding efficiency?

Three levels of skill, as somebody mentioned above: hobbyist, experienced, master craftsman. (Or beginner, intermediate, expert. Whatever you want to call them.) For a hobbyist, one hour is worth one point. For experienced, one hour is worth two points. For master, one hour is worth three points. That might actually reflect time taken to reach that skill level more accurately. That would also reward efficiency (because the more experience someone has at doing something, the faster they tend to get at it).

In order to make this fair, the moocher and the giver both have to agree which "level" the giver is in this particular skill. They might have, on their profile, an average ranking for each skill (so that the prospective moocher understands what this person's skill is usually valued at).

This could be put in the initial mooch request. (I want you to use ____ skill at ______ level to do this project: ________. Preferred time range: ____ hour(s) to _____ hour(s).) I think something like that would work nicely, and be aboveboard and reasonably easy to tweak for all people concerned.

If shipping costs are involved, that could be factored in in the mooch request, as well:

I understand that you would have to pay for shipping in order to send this to me. Therefore, I will also factor in a bonus of ____ to reimburse you for your expense in shipping it.

Or there could be a pull-down tab for a giver to put on their profile, something like this:

For items that must be shipped physically to the recipient, I would like shipping costs to be covered by:

NA (if they're just sending digital, or the moocher will pick it up in person, or the giver is willing to send things for free)
Money
Points
Either money or points
Other

I think this would be important, because what if a person's hobby is woodworking? You can't send a chair through the mail without significant postage expense, or even a small whistle (especially if sending internationally).

I also think it would be important to have some kind of system in place for what to do if the giver runs way over the amount of hours agreed upon. Because that is *going* to happen sometimes, especially if the giver is trying something new for the fun of it, and doesn't yet know how long it will take.

One thing that might help would be for the mooch request to have an agreed-upon hour range. (1-2 hours, for instance, or 30-40 hours, or even "however long it takes," for a case where neither person knows how long it will take, but the giver is willing to pay whatever it takes.)

In your "inventory," perhaps we could have a space after each thing for the giver to talk about their experience in doing it? For instance, "I started crocheting last year, and I have crocheted 10 things now," or "I took a class in school about this," or "My mother taught me this recipe," or "I've been drawing comics for eight years now."

I think the most important thing is to create a community that encourages all three levels of skills to be present (beginner, intermediate, and expert). This will make for a healthy variety, and encourage everybody to keep getting better in their respective things!

Three levels of skill, as somebody mentioned above: hobbyist, experienced, master craftsman. (Or beginner, intermediate, expert. Whatever you want to call them.) For a hobbyist, one hour is worth one point. For experienced, one hour is worth two points. For master, one hour is worth three points. That might actually reflect time taken to reach that skill level more accurately. That would also reward efficiency (because the more experience someone has at doing something, the faster they tend to get at it).

That's a really unusual idea, and I like it!

I can think of a few ways this could work:

1) everyone starts out with "hobbyist" status, but as they do work, and people like it and review the work at the higher level, their status goes up (if the moochee wants to be so considered)

2) the moochee (ie, the supplier) could simply say "I am a hobbyist, no matter what you think of my work" or the reverse "I am a master, even though i'm new here"

Personally, I like the idea of rewarding people who are mooched out and who do good work, with an increase in the value of their work. That also helps avoid the fiverr.com effect, where anyone good quickly gets too much work and burns out.

On the shipping costs (and in general, any out-of-pocket costs), I agree with you that it's a really important topic to get right. I'm not yet convinced that people paypaling each other money is a good idea, because that makes the relationship much less "gifty" and much more "free labor, I paid for materials" and thus transactional.

On possible solution is an "out of pocket" counter, which is part of a member's profile. If I am out of pocket $10 to make some pottery, when I mooch a knit cap from someone and they're out of pocket $6, then my "out of pocket" goes down to $4.

I also think it would be important to have some kind of system in place for what to do if the giver runs way over the amount of hours agreed upon. Because that is *going* to happen sometimes, especially if the giver is trying something new for the fun of it, and doesn't yet know how long it will take.

That's tricky, but perhaps that's where a "tip jar" or a "smooch" comes in?

In your "inventory," perhaps we could have a space after each thing for the giver to talk about their experience in doing it? For instance, "I started crocheting last year, and I have crocheted 10 things now," or "I took a class in school about this," or "My mother taught me this recipe," or "I've been drawing comics for eight years now."

Good idea, me likes.

-john

A tip jar or a smooch system would be a good idea. Just like the way BookMooch allows people to gift credits or smooch.

Interesting thought, being considered more advanced the more work you've done. That would also reward contributing to the community and provide more incentive to stay. It would also prevent people from joining and calling themselves "masters" when they really aren't. You would essentially be rewarded, not just for skill you've gained before joining MoochMe, but also for your track record. That's a good thing.

I think I can see a wrinkle in this plan, though. Different people will get better at varying paces, so I'm not sure how to allow people to increase fast enough if they really are that good at something when you join.

Maybe you have to have a minimum of three feedbacks saying the moocher considers the work to be of ______ level, and then you can have the option of placing that as your preferred skill level for it in your "inventory"?

I like your idea, and I really would like to see this community exist and run beautifully!

I agree with you about the "wrinkle" namely that some people might do a lot of work for others, but still not be very good at it. It seems to me that the system would give you the option, as you do more work, of upgrading your mastery level, but that you wouldn't be forced into it.

But then again, that's what you suggested too :D

-john