exactly what I came here to say.. What happened to all the virtual buttons? Whoever currently had a dress keeps it and those who didn't ended up with nothing? Or did she pay them out for their buttons?
'She says the site was so beloved in Australia that women still email her asking when it will be back up, “I’ve proven the model in Oz."'
If it was proven in Australia, why shut it down? Did she need to shut it down for investors to take a look? Is there some YC criteria that wont let you have a successful product already?
She may not have been making a lot of money, and I'm sure she did the best she could for her customers (returned dresses or money). If it was her full-time job, Y-Combinator isn't going to work well for her if she has to also manage a company in Australia. I'm all for her giving it a good go in a bigger market and either a competitor will spring up in her place in Australia or she'll come back with better tools and support to her home country.
'She says the site was so beloved in Australia that women still email her asking when it will be back up, “I’ve proven the model in Oz."' If it was proven in Australia, why shut it down? Did she need to shut it down for investors to take a look? Is there some YC criteria that wont let you have a successful product already?