18 October 2005

Free online trading revolution launches

Forget fees. Online trading revolution Sellmefree launched today to take the sting out of buying and selling online.

The brainchild of ACP Media's Trader Group, Sellmefree allows people to list, buy and sell online for free.

The website - www.sellmefree.co.nz - is a first for New Zealand and reflects a growing global trend to open up the online market to more people, says Trader Group General Manager Lee Williams.

"Sellmefree embraces the growing internet culture of free-to-use. On a worldwide stage free online classifieds and listings have made an astounding comeback."

Craigslist.org is the biggest free online trader and is regularly in the top 10 of most visited US websites. The company grew market share so rapidly that online market giant eBay saw the potential and purchased a stake.

Sellmefree launches with over 70,000 free private seller listings across New Zealand. Listings include a wide range of goods and products as well as community notices, events, and lost and found items.

"Private sellers can sell anything from property to plants or stereos to spaghetti without incurring any fees. Already, the feedback from customers has been overwhelming," says Mr Williams.

"Ever wanted to join a Chinchilla club? Lost your favourite fishing rod? Found someone's beloved teddy bear? Wife nagging you about the rusty cars in the drive? You can find it or get rid of it on Sellmefree without having to worry about the cost. The website opens up a whole world for consumers that are sick of all the hidden costs inherent in other online markets."

The website is aimed at small to medium-sized businesses as well as private sellers. Private individuals can list and sell for free and small businesses and retailers pay just minimal fees; they can list up to one hundred items for as little as $20 per week.

"The Trader Group recognises how tough it can be for small to medium-sized businesses to get an edge over bigger companies in the marketplace. We're helping to take the sting out of buying and selling through Sellmefree," says Lee Williams.

"We also hope that Sellmefree will help to build a sense of community. Anyone can post a picture of their newborn baby or enquire after long lost friends and family on the site."

Sellmefree embraces the growing popularity of other forms of technology. Sellers can text their ads, receive text alerts, or upload video and audio clips to their item listings.

Sellmefree builds on Trader Group's free advertising brand heritage, such as the Buy, Sell & Exchange. Around two million free advertisements are placed in the Trader Group's publications and online each year.

The launch of Sellmefree follows on from Trader Group's successful relaunch of www.autotrader.co.nz in July, which saw a 30 percent rise in sales. Over 100,000* people accessed the site in the year-ending August 2005.

* Source Nielsen Net Ratings August 2005

ENDS