We are happy to announce that as of today, Commuto has taken off the beta label.  What does it really mean?  Not much, I guess.  I just always promised to myself that Commuto would not be one of those startups which is in perpetual beta.  At some point we would need to grow up and meet the real world.

It’s actually quite amazing to see how much has changed since we first launched Commuto, and much of it has to do with our active and vocal users.  So thank you for voicing your opinions, providing suggestions and in some instances, crapping all over our service.  It’s helped us improve the functionality, the look and the over all experience and I hope you continue to provide us with whatever thoughtful and not so thoughtful advice you may have.

Since our beta launch we have made some great progress and have released a couple of very neat applications to compliment our service:

Facebook application: We developed one of the most robust FB apps available.  It has some amazing functionality with almost all the options of Commuto with very little lost.  Now users can show others in Facebook everything that they own and want.  Not only is it a wonderful way to let your friends who aren’t members of Commuto know what you have to trade, but it also allows people to see what it is you want, which can come in handy when your girlfriend is trying to figure out what to buy you for your birthday.

Barter Buddy widget: It’s a widget that sits on the left side of the site and shows you all the users in your communities which are most similar to you based on what you own, want, and like.  It’s actually a really cool widget, and once we get more populated I think it will help users build local specific communities with ease and be able to find users in their cities who fit exactly who they want in their communities.  It will make it really easy to find hundreds of other members in your city who all own Xbox 360s, Blu Ray movies, or vintage clothing.  Very cool.

Aside from that we have done tons of changes, from graphical to functional, that have all made the experience easier to use.  I’ve learned a lot since the launch, and have realized that just because I know how to use the site doesn’t mean it’s friendly and even though the beta is removed from the logo, we still have a lot left to do, and are working on some creative additions which will make the communities, and Commuto, more interactive and fun.

However, now it’s truly the time to get the word out on Commuto.  Not only are we ready to launch (I hope), but we are ready to help people in these tough economic times.  We build the philosophy of Commuto exactly for this reason, and we believe it stands as a much needed application now more than ever.  There is no other bartering site that helps you to trade with others, locally, without incurring any costs whatsoever while minimizing fraud and making friends.  I really hope we are able to help people get what they want over the holidays, and be able to trade what they got and don’t want (thanks mom for that sweater….).  So if you haven’t visited Commuto lately, or haven’t shared it with your friends, now is the time.

Thanks for all the support,

Stephen