New Online Marketplace Giving Something Back

New Online Marketplace Giving Something Back To Kiwis

18/10/2006

Why Is This Newsworthy? Until now, New Zealanders using any of our online marketplaces are accustomed to the money used to pay fees flowing in one direction only - into the coffers of the often large, foreign company that owns their marketplace of choice.

This is set to change with the growth of a new hybrid marketplace curiously called Dizzle, which is giving a healthy proportion of any fees paid by market participants back to those members who help grow the user community.

The website's owner says the scheme is designed to encourage New Zealanders to support one another and other New Zealand businesses, especially now that the most popular online marketplace in New Zealand, Trade Me, is owned by a large foreign company.

Who Is Behind This? Dizzle Ltd is a company run by one person that develops and operates www.dizzle.co.nz. Damien Bateman is the General Manager of the operation.

What Is This All About? Concerned by the acquisition of Trade Me by a foreign company, the subsequent loss of its profits from the New Zealand economy, and escalating fees faced by users of Trade Me, Dizzle Ltd created a compelling marketplace to give New Zealanders an alternative place to advertise a wide variety of new and used products.

To encourage a strong sense of ownership of and loyalty to Dizzle, a scheme called dizzle loves me has been developed to give something back to those members of the community who help grow the marketplace by referring their friends and associates.

Through the scheme, members can earn between 20% and 60% of the fees paid by the members they introduce to Dizzle. Commission is in the form of actual currency and is paid monthly. Trade Me offers no such rewards scheme.

Where Is The Website? The official Dizzle site can be found at: www.dizzle.co.nz

When Did This Happen Dizzle was launched three weeks ago following a 12 month development period. The rewards scheme was introduced at the same time and is ongoing.

More Information Dizzle is an online marketplace that differentiates itself from Trade Me by not being an auction site. Instead, Dizzle brings together new and used products from both retailers and everyday kiwis that are offered at a fixed price, which can be negotiated if the seller agrees.

Significantly, Dizzle also encourages a wide range of classified listings not supported by the likes of Trade Me - from products for hire, to free community notices and general classifieds. Unlike Trade Me, contact details are allowed to permit buyers and sellers to more effectively agree a price and to help avoid any disputes that might arise.

"Being a new marketplace and offering a rewards scheme means we must continually strive to strike the right balance between charging advertising fees where appropriate, so that there is an incentive for those members involved in the scheme, and not discouraging new members from using Dizzle. Currently, we charge a small fee for professional sellers, which represents exceptional value when compared to the competition. Private sellers can list for free, and all general classifieds are also free" Bateman explains.

"It's quite a novel concept for those used to the Trade Me model, especially in the face of escalating fees since the acquisition by Fairfax. Dizzle is a very lean operation, and we want to give as much back to our community as possible so that it continues to grow Dizzle into a marketplace with the greatest selection of product and classified listings."

"It can be a very hard life for those trying to make a living online in New Zealand - I want to help those people as much as possible because they work exceptionally hard. The dizzle loves me scheme provides them with an additional source of income so that hopefully they don't need to be so worried about being able to afford life's essentials."

ENDS

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