Is this Legal?

[Hazo]

This isn't what I'm looking to do, but will use it as an example as the concept I'm looking to do.

Let's say you want to run a website selling something - like how flippa.com sell websites.

Would it be legal for me to make my own website selling websites (could be selling anything) and scrape those listings from Flippa?

The purpose might not necessarily be to sell anything to begin with, just become known as a place where you can buy/sell websites.

In the actual thing I'm looking to do, I would slowly start contacting the agents and saying "Hey start listing your xxx here, we get tons of listings now etc."

Hope this makes some sort of sense.

[Matt Geer]

If I understand you correctly, I don't know if I'd scrape them. But I don't see anything wrong with contacting the owners of the listings directly and asking if they'd like to post their listings on your site.

Alternatively, you could order some cheap designs/templates and resell them on your site (assuming you need/have an agreement in place saying it's ok to do so).

Another thought is to create some of your own listings and say that the "auctions" (or w/e they are) have ended. You could have a couple that are still legit/running, but than have quite a few that have "ended" to give the illusion that your site is busy selling left and right.

[pokerprop]

Nick, I'm having trouble reading what your trying to do. If your saying scrape listings and and present them as own, nope for sure not. If you're saying something to the effect websites for sale and post Flippa, Sedo, and different categories of what's already been posted on the web as just the sites name and maybe title to their tread while putting in your own scraped fed content about sale Page Rank, Compete, Alexa, Keyword Volume, whatever and then maybe adding your own description of comments I think you can do this fine. I guess you need to be a little more clear or use a more detailed example as your question now it is hard to make out exactly what you're asking.

[Hazo]

Hey Jim, talking about the first thing in your response.

You know the domain I'm talking about.

Looking for a way to build up listings/make a name for myself without trying to do it with nothing on the site. I figured if new visitors see tons of listings that they'll think the site has been around for a while and is worth checking regularly for new listings. Whereas if I started from scratch people would just leave because not many xx for sale, or being bought.

Sorry if this is unclear.

[pokerprop]

Ok, yeah you couldn't scrape others listings for that imo. I'd consider starting off maybe as a portal with the best articles period related to that niche rather than trying to start a directory (maybe reporting on big sales, or certain sellers: again not my market I am clueless). Build up traffic, sell advertisements to the sites that are massive (reinvest to make your site better?). Then from there down the road figure out who those doing large volume are and get them to list and update with you? That's just an idea I don't know that market at all. I'd imagine if you took over the serps it would be pretty easy to show the big players it makes sense to work with you, so perhaps the best strategy. Again I have no idea the price anything where talking. Let's just say for example it is $10 to post a listing and your site is new with lots of feeds. It is tough to then go tell the big client we've grown a lot this was an intro it is now $100. Instead you have an awesome site with the traffic at start, maybe feature the sellers here as the best in the business and then charge them $300 per month for unlimited listings. Of course the figures might be 27 times this and maybe there are no best sellers, am just guessing and give you a rough idea.