Bringing The Internet Closer To Home

A New Zealand search-engine has just been launched, aiming to bring the internet closer to home and give many local businesses the kick-start they’ve been waiting for.

Localfind.co.nz is a website where internet users can search locally for a business, product or service. Director Geoff Kidd says New Zealanders will no longer have to trawl through lists of irrelevant overseas sites turned up by global search engines. “Google says its aim is to give people the answer they are looking for in the minimum number of clicks of a mouse. We’ve done it in one.”

People can search by category, business name or the type of product or service they require, with the option of narrowing the search by region.. Customers can rate businesses and post reviews, which the site uses to order the list of search results. “It’s about finding what the customer wants. Businesses aren’t ranked by how much they spend on advertising.”

Anyone can list their business and upload two images for free. Further options include adding as many as 1000 photographs, a link to the company’s own website, product specifications or any other user information. Although there is a joining fee, this will be waived for the first 2000 businesses to sign up.

Mr Kidd initiated the project in 2004 after realising how difficult it was to find product information online. He has spent the last three years developing the site, saying his business background helped him identify what was needed. “A lot of knowledge in New Zealand is held by people in small to medium-sized businesses who don’t have the resources or the technology to retain prices or imagery. This site has been built from my own knowledge of what a business needs and what a consumer wants.”

But Local Find is not an online shopping site. “Outside of travel, books and music, e-commerce has a limited appeal to New Zealand customers. People generally don’t have great distances to go to get what they want. I’m trying to develop a link between the electronic world and bricks and mortar.” The result will be more customers who buy than look, as people will be able to decide what they want before they set foot in a store. “The sale is made at home – they only need to go through the transaction.”

Mr Kidd has also launched an integrated entertainment site, www.funfinder.co.nz. It allows users to upload their own photos, participate in forums, download free software or open a Fun Finder email account. The site also has dating, news and classifieds sections as well as other free services. He hopes to further develop the site over time by adding more features.

Ends