Comments for Trade Me Success Secrets - The Blog

Comment on Where’s The Money? by Michael Carney

Michael Carney — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:19:02 +0000

Oops — typo well spotted. Now corrected, thanks!

Comment on Where’s The Money? by Allan

Allan — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:57:49 +0000

Shouldn’t Farming & Forestry products be at No.2 ?

Comment on Selling your home on Trade Me by Jillian

Jillian — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:24:20 +0000

As a potential buyer, I’ve been keeping a close eye on trademe property listings on and off for several years now (obviously I’m not in a desperate hurry to buy a house!)

I’m not sure what the book covers but I have some hints of my own for people listing their own properties:

1. I don’t want to see a nice photo of your bed. People who take their own photos seem to forget that the aim of the photo is to show what the room looks like, not to sell furniture. Please frame the image so I can get an idea of how big the room is and where the windows/wardrobes/doors are.

2. I don’t want to see a nice photo of the local beach. If I’m looking to buy a house in Cockle Bay, chances are I already have a fairly good idea of what the beach looks like. I’m just going to assume your house is ugly so you’re showing me the beach instead. Likewise with shopping malls. I’ve been to Sylvia Park. I don’t want to buy it.

3. Please let me see the kitchen, bathroom and back yard. Living rooms and bedrooms are usually pretty much just empty rooms with (hopefully) 4 walls – your kitchen and bathroom are what really give me a feel for the house.

4. Please don’t waste my time by selecting “price by negotiation” and then choosing a really low price so that your house shows up first when I order the search results by price. I filter them like that for a simple reason – so I can get a ballpark figure of how much you expect to sell for. (Ray White agents are particularly guilty of this one, and after attending 2 open homes for places listed at $300K only to find the owners want $470K, I no longer bother with any of their listings.)

5. Please include a map. I’m going to go look at it on google maps anyway, and it’s annoying to have to open a new window and find it myself.

I guess it could be argued that I’m just picky, having looked for years and still not found a place I want to buy. But for me anyway these 5 things make a lot of difference in whether I bother going to the open home or not!

Comment on Twelve Top Trading Tips by now21

now21 — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 23:14:56 +0000

Lots I didn’t know; e.g. % items that sell in a category and how to find what others paid without watcing for months and keeping my own record. Thanks.

Comment on Twelve Top Trading Tips by bricky

bricky — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 03:17:56 +0000

Brilliant for first timers, and a timely remnder for those of us who think we know it all!!

Comment on How to be a Great Trade Me Buyer by Chris

Chris — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 09:43:21 +0000

Just a point about NZ Post tracking. “Track and Trace” actually only records when an item has been delivered. It does not record the movement of the parcel from the time of posting.

If you want to track the progress of the parcel beginning from the point of dispatch, you have to buy the more expensive “Courier Post” service, which is also offered by NZ Post shops, but is a separate company from NZ Post’s “Track and Trace” service.

Comment on Check that Feedback before you click by Chris

Chris — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:38:18 +0000

If you are a bidder in the same town and plan on picking up the goods in person you can afford to take a more charitable view of a seller’s poor feedback.

For example, several PC/electronics traders in Auckland with 30,000+ trades but 2,000 negative feedbacks are quite safe to buy from if you intend to pick up as you get to examine the goods before parting with your money.

As a seller, I have removed a leading bidder if their negative feedback consistently relates to failure to pay for the goods.

Michael, how about a future article discussing sellers who refuse to allow pick-ups? I understandsome women sellers refuse pick-ups, but unless its a commercial trader, I will not buy from a private individual who will not allow a pick up – to me its a trust thing.

Comment on Customer Feedback by Charlie @ Snag Man Queenstown

Charlie @ Snag Man Queenstown — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:42:02 +0000

The original book was great, and am looking forward to getting my hands on the new edition and getting stuck into the e-course. Thanks Michael.

Comment on Seven Smart Trading Tips for 2011 by Michael Carney

Michael Carney — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:09:10 +0000

To add a Buy Now, go to your auction listing and click on the “edit” button (within the “Seller’s options” box near the top of your listing). That will take you back through the listing process and you can add a Buy Now price into the appropriate box. Please note, though, that you won’t be able either to edit your listing or add a Buy Now price if there are any bids on your auction.

Comment on Seven Smart Trading Tips for 2011 by Chris

Chris — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:23:24 +0000

Yes I agree with you Michael, last minute auto-bidding is the most effective means of winning. I attribute most of my successful wins to this strategy, but I think it is equally due to some bidders forgetting the closing time of the auction and that has left me the only man standing with no competition at closing time.

Auctions that close during the day (not weekends) can be easy pickings but after midnight and there is almost no competition at all.