Finda.co.nz re-launches with APN backing

Finda.co.nz re-launches with APN backing

Australian Provincial Newspapers (APN) has put its weight behind finda.co.nz by purchasing a share in this increasingly popular New Zealand built local search site. APN negotiated a 50% share of finda in July 2006 and this investment has directly contributed to the re-launch of the new look finda on Thursday the 5th of October. The founder and managing director of finda, Shane Bradley, used the funding to accelerate development of new features and these are abundant in the rebuilt site.

Shane is understandably thrilled about the partnership with APN and the opportunities that it presents. “When we launched finda in September 2004 we knew we had a great concept and a business model that worked both for consumers and advertisers. APN saw what we had done and bought into our vision, which has allowed us to fast forward the development of finda.co.nz. The result is a clear, concise, high quality content site."

“As one of New Zealands leading digital publishers, we immediately saw the potential of Finda. Finda is an important part of our digital strategy and we look forward to working with the Finda team to help realise the full potential of a truly world class product."

APN currently owns and operates a number of websites, including the Herald online, UBD and Wises. However finda.co.nz fills a valuable role in the APN portfolio by offering a user friendly website with business, real estate, automotive, recruitment listings and general classified listings all on one site and with advanced search and mapping facilities. finda.co.nz offers a completely free classified service for people that love to trawl the net for a bargain without having to pay a commission to list or buy products. This unique combination means that whatever someone may need to find they can genuinely find it in one place with finda.co.nz.

The finda philosophy is about more than just offering users the ability to search for a wide range of services it is also about making sure they get top quality information, and this is what really sets finda apart. With finda.co.nz you don’t get pages and pages of alphabetical listings, you get the information that best suits your search. This has been achieved by making the “standard” free business listings very comprehensive, including significantly more information per business than the competitors. This commonsense approach obviously appeals to businesses as the site has in excess of 140,000 listings with the number growing by the day.

The revenue model for finda.co.nz from the outset has been based on providing a free site for consumers with display advertising being the main source of revenue. This is the model that many of the large off shore sites such as Yahoo and Google currently use.

With consumers and advertisers in New Zealand screaming out for top quality local content and online spending climbing faster than any other media in New Zealand, finda.co.nz is in an ideal situation to capitalise on increasing online growth.

“We are really happy with the new features that we have added to finda.co.nz and we believe that it’s a great tool for New Zealand web users to find whatever they need” says Shane. So save a tree by chucking out your Yellow Pages and add www.finda.co.nz to your favourites lists like the other 150,000 Kiwis a month who are already using the site.

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You search. We find.

When you are looking for a plumber do you really want to wade through the alphabet (AA Plumbing, Aardvark Plumbing, Acme Plumbing….) just to find that the company you have found details for actually specialises in installing water tanks when all you want is the sink unblocked? Fortunately, finda.co.nz believes in linking you to clear and concise results so you can find exactly what you are looking for.

On Thursday the 5th of October, finda.co.nz is being re-launched with a new look, more content, and the most commonsense features of any online search website in New Zealand. So whether you want to find Thai food in Christchurch, a new job, a Subaru or you just want to sell your collection of Pop Idol CD singles, finda.co.nz can help you out.

When Shane Bradley, the Managing Director of finda.co.nz, started the site he wanted to the take the best features of sites he had used overseas and apply some Kiwi ingenuity to create the ultimate online search tool. Two years later and finda provides a totally free service for the following –

Finding a business – with an excess of 140,000 business listings with comprehensive details
Finding a job
Finding a vehicle
Finding a flatmate
Finding a house to buy, sell or rent
A totally free classifieds section for buyers and sellers where no commission or fee
is paid by either party

But possibly the best feature of the site will be the reviews, where users will have the ability to rate the suppliers and say whether the service they received was sublime or substandard! That means you can have your say if you have had a memorable experience with a tradesman, restaurant, mechanic or basically any business. Each shop, tradesman or business can be rated and comments can be added. All comments and ratings will be vetted by finda.co.nz to ensure that the feedback is balanced and not just the ravings of a bitter shopper or positive plug placed by the business.

In addition to this finda.co.nz shows you where to go via simple, clear, concise maps.

The re-launch and accelerated development of finda.co.nz has been made possible by the backing of one of Australasia’s largest media companies Australian Provincial Newspapers (APN) who own and operate the NZ Herald, Woman’s Weekly and The Listener amongst other media interests. APN negotiated a 50% share of finda.co.nz in July 2006, which has further allowed the finda.co.nz team to bring their ideas to life.

“We are really happy with the new features that we have added to finda.co.nz and we believe that it’s a great tool for New Zealand web users to find whatever they need” says Shane. So save a tree by chucking out your Yellow Pages and add www.finda.co.nz to your favourites lists like the other 150,000 Kiwis a month who are already using the site.

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Finda Background Information

About Finda

COMPANY PHILOSOPHY finda.co.nz aims to be a battler for small business by providing all New Zealand businesses, no matter what size, with clear, concise, high quality content on the internet at little or no cost.

THE IDEA BEHIND FINDA.CO.NZ To create a website that is the complete tool for finding whatever you need and connecting you to it. The aim was to provide Kiwi’s with the ability to find practically anything they may need in one commonsense easy to use website.

THE FINDA.CO.NZ TEAM Shane Bradley, Managing Director of finda.co.nz, is a forward thinking entrepreneur, and he and the finda.co.nz team are passionate about providing a quality product that helps consumers and business get in touch with each other in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. Since Shane started finda.co.nz the team has grown to include some of the best programmers, designers and marketers in the business.

CURRENT PERFORMANCE finda.co.nz currently provides in-depth listings for over 140,000 businesses nationwide.

On average 40,000 unique users browse finda.co.nz weekly.

Company History/Timeline

FEB 04 Shane Bradley returns from the UK to NZ and searches for a new flat. Shane is frustrated by the online services for finding flats and decides to start finda.co.nz to solve the problem

SEP 04 Up and running! finda.co.nz launches with property, employment and motoring sections

OCT 04 One month later and the finda.co.nz team start building the business directory, taking on the biggest names in the business, by providing top quality listings

JUL 05 finda.co.nz goes from strength to strength, hitting 2,500 thousand business listings

SEP 05 finda.co.nz starts utilising a call centre to help register free business listings. Business listings jump from 2,500 to the 140,000 current business listings.

APR 06 The word about finda.co.nz is out and negotiations begin with APN

JUL 06 The APN deal is signed and APN takes a 50% share in finda.co.nz. Shane reinvests in finda.co.nz and shifts up another gear in the development of finda.co.nz

SEP 06 The new look finda.co.nz site is launched with more listings, features and products available to consumers

Why use finda.co.nz?

CONSUMERS
• Intelligent search giving users the best quality information – not just alphabetical or paid listings
• Free classifieds for buyers and sellers – making online selling even more accessible
• The ability to submit, and view, reviews on businesses listed on the site
• The ability to access the best mapping technology currently in New Zealand

BUSINESSES
• Free standard directory listings or if you prefer to appear above your competitors there are Enhanced
Listings available.
• Use finda.co.nz as your company presence on the web
• Intelligent advertising placement
• Fair and measurable advertising models
• Access to a top quality online audience

ENDS

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