PORT ST. JOHN, Fla. – When Cynthia Burke was looking for a highchair for her 8-month-old son Liam, her first thought was to search for one on her local Facebook group. When that didn't work she tried Craigslist and eBay as well.
The only thing she found was frustration and disappointment.
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"Whether you're looking for a crib or a car seat you have to literally scroll through hundreds of posts and maybe you'll find what you're looking for," she said. "But there's a good chance that you won't and it takes a really long time."
It seemed every site she tried was either difficult to navigate, too time consuming or just didn't give her much faith in who she was dealing with on the other end of the transaction.
A computer programmer by trade, she saw a problem and began working on a solution. She teamed up with her business partner and friend Nick Fuller. Together they designed MommyMarket.net.
"With my experience in programming, I was just sitting there thinking one evening, there are so many better ways to go about this."
She created a one stop site for parents looking to make a few bucks and clean out their closets by selling items they no longer use or finding deals on just about anything a child might need at deep discounts over new.
MommyMarket is designed to be a quick, efficient, time saving alternative to other classified service websites. The site also caters to the niche market of kids items, where you can find anything from new and slightly used clothing to toys and furniture.
Burke said she designed the site for the busy mom. Daily email updates allow you to monitor your items without spending hours sifting through old posts or items listed by other sellers. The search function lets you find just what you're looking for.
Erin Pocock joined a few weeks ago to try to sell a few items her daughter Sophia has outgrown. Some of the clothing has never been worn.
"It's brand new, she never got to wear it." she says, as she holds up an infant bathing suit. "It kills me because it's so cute."
Pocock says she hopes the streamlined site allows her to spend more time with her daughter and less time online. The user profile gives her comfort in knowing who she's dealing with.
The site is broken down into regions where members are encouraged to meet, network and build friendships.
"It's not just about having a business or making money," Burke said, "it's about helping people in my community."