Wheedle.co.nz: experiences, comments

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Reply # 692232 27-Sep-2012 13:40

freitasm:
davidcole:
Zeon: I don't think these guys are experienced enough in this type of field to be able to do it. Need the critical mass and I'd hardly call mainfreight groundbreakingly innovative...

But if they were smart, they'd offer integrated packaging/shipping as a value add, I mean they have the distribution system already.

You mean their logistics? Sure, but then they failed at not thinking of it.

Bollocks, you mean I should have started a distribution company and then a trade me competitor, rather than telling you lot about it?

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Reply # 692236 27-Sep-2012 13:46

I think I read that it will be free for 60 days from go-live and then $1 success fee if the auction gets over $20. I think they have a small chance IF the web site and systems are as good or better then Trademe's however from the short look I had yesterday it looked OK on the surface but the shine was only skin deep. Any empty categories came up with a generic 404 error and if there are account issues as described by freitasm then I would say it is doomed.

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Reply # 692242 27-Sep-2012 13:51

davidcole:
Zeon: I don't think these guys are experienced enough in this type of field to be able to do it. Need the critical mass and I'd hardly call mainfreight groundbreakingly innovative...

But if they were smart, they'd offer integrated packaging/shipping as a value add, I mean they have the distribution system already.

Mainfreight are into heavy items rather then courier type packages I think. Not set up at all to handle the type of thing sent by Trademe/Wheele users.

davidcole

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Reply # 692245 27-Sep-2012 13:52

Nety:
davidcole:
Zeon: I don't think these guys are experienced enough in this type of field to be able to do it. Need the critical mass and I'd hardly call mainfreight groundbreakingly innovative...

But if they were smart, they'd offer integrated packaging/shipping as a value add, I mean they have the distribution system already.

Mainfreight are into heavy items rather then courier type packages I think. Not set up at all to handle the type of thing sent by Trademe/Wheele users.

Mainfreight also aren't into online trading websites either (and it shows) :D Don't they own a courier company?

freitasm

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Reply # 692246 27-Sep-2012 13:53

davidcole:
Nety:
davidcole:
Zeon: I don't think these guys are experienced enough in this type of field to be able to do it. Need the critical mass and I'd hardly call mainfreight groundbreakingly innovative...

But if they were smart, they'd offer integrated packaging/shipping as a value add, I mean they have the distribution system already.

Mainfreight are into heavy items rather then courier type packages I think. Not set up at all to handle the type of thing sent by Trademe/Wheele users.

Mainfreight also aren't into online trading websites either (and it shows) :D Don't they own a courier company?

ROFL.

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Reply # 692258 27-Sep-2012 14:14

davidcole: Don't they own a courier company?

As far as I can tell from their website, no. They do have a small fleet of cans by the looks, but it doesn't seem to be a market they have much of a presence in (Much like online auctions)

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davidcole

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Reply # 692260 27-Sep-2012 14:19

ajobbins:
davidcole: Don't they own a courier company?

As far as I can tell from their website, no. They do have a small fleet of cans by the looks, but it doesn't seem to be a market they have much of a presence in (Much like online auctions)

Maybe while the in the new business mode, they should become a pharmaceutical as well....

freitasm

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Reply # 692261 27-Sep-2012 14:20

Wheedle have just changed their web page from "Under maintenance" to a "launching on 1st October"

Just look at the source for the page and you will see the placeholders for email subscription for notifications, etc - all commented out.

Mauricio Freitas (Geekzone Admin, Devil's Advocate, my blog, technology disclosure)

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Reply # 692271 27-Sep-2012 14:31

freitasm: Wheedle have just changed their web page from "Under maintenance" to a "launching on 1st October"

Just look at the source for the page and you will see the placeholders for email subscription for notifications, etc - all commented out.

I noticed that earlier - all the commented out code.

What an odd way to do it.

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davidcole

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Reply # 692273 27-Sep-2012 14:32

ajobbins:
freitasm: Wheedle have just changed their web page from "Under maintenance" to a "launching on 1st October"

Just look at the source for the page and you will see the placeholders for email subscription for notifications, etc - all commented out.

I noticed that earlier - all the commented out code.

What an odd way to do it.

So is there commented code that says

//Auctioney stuff goes here....

richms

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Reply # 692283 27-Sep-2012 14:48

ajobbins: People whinge about Trade Me and their fees, but they all still use it.

Fact is, they actually have an excellent site in terms of usability. It's world class in my opinion.

Really? Everyone I know finds it somewhat crap to use compared to eBay.

lack of auditable onsite messaging is a joke IMO. eBay wins there.

Search is useless on trademe only allowing to search the whole advert.

Richard rich.ms

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Reply # 692288 27-Sep-2012 14:51

My normal reaction, as I have written about plenty of times, is to discard the idea of competing with TradeMe as completely and utterly ridiculous.

Plenty of people have come to me wanting to develop "a better trademe" (where better usually = cheaper), each and every one I turn away, because I have no interest in projects that are doomed to a rapid failure, and also, these people are typically dreamers.

The only caveat I have here though is money, that is, the people behind this site have a LOT of it. Which is what it will take to even attempt to make a dent in the Trademe monopoly. Massive amounts of marketing expenditure.

I give it about 1% chance of success. Which is 1 better than the 0% I have given any other attempt.

---
James Sleeman
I sell lots of stuff for electronic enthusiasts...

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Reply # 692291 27-Sep-2012 14:53

richms:
ajobbins: People whinge about Trade Me and their fees, but they all still use it.

Fact is, they actually have an excellent site in terms of usability. It's world class in my opinion.

Really? Everyone I know finds it somewhat crap to use compared to eBay.

lack of auditable onsite messaging is a joke IMO. eBay wins there.

Search is useless on trademe only allowing to search the whole advert.

One of the biggest problems is eBay seem to let you put HTML in your listing description, and people make stupid layouts that are really hard to read and follow. The page uses white space poorly and you end up having to do a lot of scrolling around.

Every time I use eBay I really have to work hard to find something and then validate where it is and if I can get it to Oz and at what cost. It's a very frustrating experience.

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Reply # 692296 27-Sep-2012 14:58

sleemanj: My normal reaction, as I have written about plenty of times, is to discard the idea of competing with TradeMe as completely and utterly ridiculous.

Plenty of people have come to me wanting to develop "a better trademe" (where better usually = cheaper), each and every one I turn away, because I have no interest in projects that are doomed to a rapid failure, and also, these people are typically dreamers.

The only caveat I have here though is money, that is, the people behind this site have a LOT of it. Which is what it will take to even attempt to make a dent in the Trademe monopoly. Massive amounts of marketing expenditure.

I give it about 1% chance of success. Which is 1 better than the 0% I have given any other attempt.

I think the problem is the time it will take. Even if they make an amazing, free site - they won't get critical mass overnight. They will have to throw a crapload of money at this for a long, long time before they were able to get to a point where they had a stable user base that had the critical mass of Trade Me. As all of the other attempting sites have found, there is only so long you can do this...

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Reply # 692298 27-Sep-2012 15:00

I have a slightly different opinion.

I think with the TradeMe API it can be very easy for trademe to shoot themselves in the foot. A new site which offers cheaper listings and at the same time includes trademe auctions in their searches can be hugely competitive.

Just my 2cents ...

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