Here is the case,
There is a market that we want to enter as a vertical search engine (think of indeed.com). It is a classifieds search engine. However, the market's biggest classified site that we want to enter, (which has about 60% of the online classifieds listed in this country) doesn't allow you to collect data form their site?
Actually; 1) They legally don't have the rights to manage where those are classifieds are listed or not, since the owner of the classified has the real right to manage their classifieds.
2) They would gain new visitors, but they dont care since they know they are the market leader and they will be since there is not a big competitor for them.
3) They don't work fairly. They don't want you to grow.
4) They don't have vision. How a real market leader wouldn't want to have their listings listed in a vertical search engine ? All others (like %40 of the total market) will be listed and it would be a REAL competitor for them in terms of numbers of classifieds.
5) Ethically, a visitor to our site can only see the classifieds contact information when they click the link and go to the original site. So there is not any ethical issues with the project. It is 100% similar what google does. And ironically, they let people to share those classifieds listed via facebook,twitter and etc.
6) They are sending warning message from their lawyers if you collect classifieds from their site to remove these content.
Question is, What you would do in this case ? Not enter the market ? Focus on another market or what strategy you would follow?
