Strong farmer uptake for RD1.COM

Media Release
For Immediate Release 14 December 2000

The country’s new generation rural supplies and services business RD1.COM has encountered an enthusiastic response from farmers early in its second phase of trialing of its integrated ‘clicks and bricks’ retailing and farm management services.

Less than a fortnight after all New Zealand Dairy Group suppliers with AnchorMart accounts gained access to the RD1.COM website, thousands of farmers have been quick to take advantage of its services.

Chief executive Neal Murphy said that, as of yesterday, 2,817 farmers had joined the service, and the number was growing by between 100 – 200 a day.

The company expected to comfortably meet its target of 3,000 suppliers for its second phase of trialing, but Mr Murphy stressed that all farmers with access to the site could use the service regardless of whether they became trialists.

“We would encourage farmers to join the trial so that they can help further shape and refine our services to accurate meet farmer needs,” he said, “but it’s not a pre-requisite for going online and joining up.”

Mr Murphy said that his team at RD1.COM was ‘stoked’ by the response from farmers. “We knew there was strong demand, but it’s a great Christmas present after an intense year of development.”

Mr Murphy said that the company’s development programme was on track to launch RD1.COM to all rural New Zealanders at the end of the first quarter 2001.

RD1.COM integrates New Zealand Dairy’s chain of 27 AnchorMart stores with e-commerce channels including a national, 24-hour telephone call centre and its Internet portal RD1.COM.

ASB Bank and New Zealand Post have joined New Zealand Dairy Group as equity partners in the venture.

“Our web site offers not only greater levels of service and convenience for farmers, but potentially whole new ways of doing business,” he said.

“The over-riding demand from farmers in the first trial was ‘more and better’,” said Mr Murphy. “Farmers know the value of the Internet. They want someone to help them better-harness its productivity and power.”

Mr Murphy said that e-commerce solutions had considerable potential for the $5 billion rural supplies and service market.

“New Zealand’s farms are, in fact, each a significant business in their own right – and businesses whose health is vital to this country’s success.

“Our goal is to provide new and better services to help farmers reduce costs and improve productivity,” said Mr Murphy. “We think there’s enormous business scope for us in doing that.”

For further information: Neal Murphy
Chief Executive
RD1.COM
Tel: 07 8580606
Mobile: 025 285 7056

Paul Hewlett
PasswordPR
Tel: 09 3766163
Email: paulhewlett@clear.net.nz

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