Ask YC: Advice on shutting down startup

First, you need to write up a post for HN, detailing what niche it was that you were trying to fill, some of the obstacles you overcame, and why you think you failed. It will be educational for you to do it, and for us to read it.<p>Second, I think you just pull the plug. You can put an announcement on your homepage, giving your users notice, and email them, as well, if you have their emails. You could even send them the post detailing your journey and why it is ending, to give them a bit of a feeling of closure, and not feeling just left out in the cold.<p>Take the code. A lot of that back end stuff that you've written, you'll build off of for your next site.<p>Good luck in your next venture. 2010 could be your year.

I think your site has to be worth something on Sitepoint.

Some questions: - Would you turn the service over to other people? - How many would you ask? - Would the service be easily translatable? - The video about how it works doesn't work. I would like to see some more information about the inner workings of the system. - Is the code easy to pick up and go on, or does it demand a lot of study? - Do you have manuals/documentation about the inner workings?<p>I have been thinking about creating such a site like this, but in Esperanto (I know, small market BUT a lot of people from a lot of places who know a lot of languages). We do have a great working of a non-auction working marketplace ("Marktplaats") in the Netherlands (now bought by eBay) and as I am good with languages (I speak 9 languages to several extents by now) I would love to have such a service in an international fashion, and eBay just doesn't fit for me (for one instance, it's waaaaay to messy).<p>I have to warn you however, I'm 20 years old and have more ideas than money, so don't trust I will do everything you will profit from. It's just that I like the idea of the site as I see it now because of personal preferences, and I would love to make it something great if I get the chance :).

I remember you telling me about Onista at the YC offices back at Startup School '07.

<a href="http://www.onista.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.onista.com/</a>

I think it would greatly benefit the HN community if you write up a lessons learned and share it.<p>How long did you guys work on it (post-launch marketing/promotion time) before deciding to pack up?

I think you probably should put a huge message on the site, saying you're shutting down, so that those who still go there occasionally, wouldn't be surprised too much. After all, they are your users, so you've got to respect them till the end. Also make sure you prevent new users from signing up.