Wheedle is back - anyone using it?

[cube]

Your never going to know how a server copes until it goes live, and there will be on going issues for the next few months, unless they have magically solved all the issue of a computer.
The fact that the site looks feels and smells the same is a major issue, when you put a ad in to sell you car with a paper do you find the cheapest smallest circulated paper or the knowin go to paper with the biggest circulation, its just human nature.

You do, well you should, know to test the security of the site - their issues are load-related.

The shutdown comes after technology blogger Ben Gracewood tweeted instructions on how to change reserve prices on other people's Wheedle auctions.

It was even possible for a person who did not set up an auction to set a "buy now" price.

[Glizzle]

Trademe went live around the same time eBay went live in America, it took years before eBay made it to Aussie and by then kiwis knew what ebay was and thus wanted to trade online, and hence trademe being the only option.

[Maccachic]

Oh dear, not a good start? Bit of a rush to launch in time for the TM price increase maybe?

[donna]

Trade Me is a public listed company with Fairfax (Australian) having a majority share holding - not APN. APN owns Sella. (I think they still own it).

[Bob Kane]

Im unsure what world you were living on but that wasn't that case, trademe had major issue for years,

Click on Real Estate, Select from 3 dropdown menus, click on Search.
May have taken you years to get your head around that but at least you've now mastered it.

and only took off because they were the only one. They were the ones that got there foot in the door, plain and simple, it had nothing to do with speed or features on there site because they have been crap compared to other sites, trademe has one pure thing going for them, they have the buyers.

More rubbish - in that politest of ways.

Ebay was and still is a hideous website to use. It's ugly and is about as user-friendly as a penny-farthing bicycle.

Most websites were 10 years ago but Trademe stood out because it worked. Even kids could use it. They were years before their time because they had some smart cookies running it.

Remember that early fad which all websites used?
The 'theme movie' which ran for 45 seconds whenever you went to their home page?
Every time you visited the home page you had to endure this 45 secs of advertising pap.
Then someone had a bright idea - add a 'skip intro' button to bypass the movie.
Then every website had a 'skip intro' button.
God, what were the website designers thinking back then.

[essence]

I received this today from TradeMe.

Hi XXXXXXXX

We've been busy making some improvements to the Trade Me homepage and we'd like to share them with a small number of people to try out. We're pleased to say you're one of the chosen few who get access to the Sneak Peek - welcome!

You don't need to do anything special, simply log in to Trade Me as you usually do. You'll notice a new and improved homepage, as well as changes to the top and bottom of every page. You can find out some more about the improvements on our Sneak Peek page, but the best way to really experience the difference is to just try it out.

We think the improvements are pretty exciting, but we also understand that you may not be ready to try them out just yet. If you'd prefer to wait a while, you can simply opt-out of the Sneak Peek by clicking the link in the yellow bar at the very top of any Trade Me page. Don't worry, you're still eligible and can opt back in at any time either from the yellow bar or from the Sneak Peek page.

We hope you enjoy the changes. If you'd like to let us know what you think, you can contact us by email to [email protected]

Thanks,

The Trade Me team
www.trademe.co.nz

Jeez, I hardly use TradeMe!! And now they want my opinion of their website??

I politely told them that their PR needs a lot of work and they need to drop their prices.

[Maccachic]

Hahahaha essence. I saw that email in my junk box this morning. I see Wheedle is down indefinitly due to technical issues that will probably cost them.

[Glizzle]

Most websites were 10 years ago but Trademe stood out because it worked. Even kids could use it. They were years before their time because they had some smart cookies running it.

You have no idea what your talking about, do a little reading, i think your find trademe wasn't the mecca you think it was in the start. I hate fan boys. Let me guess you also think apple computers are also the best.

[donna]

Hahahaha essence. I saw that email in my junk box this morning. I see Wheedle is down indefinitly due to technical issues that will probably cost them.

Quite a major issue too around anyone being able to change the reserve price of other users so they said on TVNZ

[voxburger]

I think Trademe are ripe to fall.

To date, I think their competitors have been taking knives to a gunfight.

The latest 2 competitors are singing a similar tune to all the other players that have come before them. "We are really cheap to list and deal with."

This is not what people care about. They care about "Am I gonna get top dollar for my stuff?" and Shoppers are shopping because they want to believe they're getting great bang for their buck.

The right idea will bring last years nightclub, 'Trademe'... to it's knees. It's 1 billion dollar value slashed. What is the asset? A brand name and band width. Fashion could kill it in 6 months.

"List free for 4 weeks!" It's fact based.

The auction site that takes down Trademe will have their USP and primary thrust based on an emotional platform. Something that appeals to our hearts, not pocket.

eg: It's the workers and battlers that have created the beautiful and shiny thing that the Fairfax fat cats go marlin fishing on.

Workers and Battlers, lets create our own Fairfax competitor. All of our family getting a kickback from our parent auction site.

Those that make the website fly, from the little guys to the mega listers. Initially, we all enjoy the profit to be had from selling our stuff. Beyond that, we all benefit from the market we create by all coming together.

PS, I ain't no stinkin Commie. I just like it when a bunch of blokes lay another bloke's driveway and that bloke puts on a BBQ and beers.

The website that topples Trademe will be that driveway.

Gotta love Kiwis.

[donna]

Wheedle is back - anyone using it?

Wheedle is back online - I have just had a look around - it has a few properties to rent and buy. I was switching between categories and it hung on me so I'm not sure if that's another issue they're having? For example when I load this page - it's not showing property.... http://wheedle.co.nz/#property - very odd especially as the site's been offline for months getting fixed - they have my sympathies as we know it's definitely a challenge having all systems working all the time online especially in their space.

cheers,

Donna

[Davo36]

The tabs along the top only seem to change the search box below it, i.e. click the property tab and the search box changes to a search within the property area, quite confusing.

To go to the actual property page, you need to click on the left hand side.

I might do a listing and see how it goes.

[eri]

when i click your link

i get webpage not available

way to burn through someone's money...

[Davo36]

Have no idea what that means eri.

Well I've created a listing.

The account creation process was pretty hard. Their form that you use to create it comes up with all sorts of errors, like it wouldn't accept my mobile phone no., removed my home address no. and then asked for it etc. Took like 10 mins just to create an account. So this will put people off.

[donna]

It's a good live case study - is money and name alone enough to succeed online?

The venture has been bankrolled by Mainfreight co-founder and NBR "rich lister" Neil Graham. Rees said Wheedle had "retained solid financial backing and support".

source

With $1M investment you'd really expect a bit more aye especially as the site was offline 6 months - why didn't they look at all their processes and website pages etc and sort them out before launching again. Maybe I'm being a bit unrealistic?

It also seems pointless to me to drive eyeballs to the site if it's still broke in my humble opinion but then again I don't have pots loads of $$ and they do so it's watch and learn I guess.

cheers,

Donna