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The Real Estate Agents Act 2008 (REAA) came into full effect today November 17, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : trade me, trade me property, trademe , add a comment

The  new REAA 2008 came into full effect today.

All real estate agents (including companies licensed as agents) must be licensed under this Act. It requires agents to ensure certain information is displayed on all advertisements, including the agent’s name and the fact that they are licensed under the Act.

When agents list property on Trade Me, the words “Licensed Agent (REAA 2008)” will be included beneath the agent’s company name.

Some other facts you should know about real estate advertising under the new Act:

When you appoint a real estate agent to help sell your property, the agent (or salesperson(s) who work for the agent) will generally give you a number of advertising and marketing options. These are usually presented in the form of a written marketing plan or plans, with an associated budget.

Do you have to pay for advertising?

You do not have to pay for advertising if you do not want to.

Agents generally undertake a certain amount of advertising and marketing as part of their service to you. Before you commit to paying extra advertising and marketing costs, ask the agent or salesperson what marketing and advertising they will provide without charge.

Your agent or salesperson may suggest that your property would benefit from advertising and marketing over and above any “free” exposure. They may suggest local or regional newspaper advertisements, or the placement of larger or full-page advertisements in specialist property publications.

You should not agree to pay for any additional advertising without first receiving a written proposal, and an itemised breakdown of the costs involved.

You also need to consider whether the cost of advertising will provide you with any additional benefit. Will this additional advertising bring you a higher price or a faster sale?

What sort of advertising could you expect to get free of charge?

The sorts of things usually included, without additional charge as part of their service (although these may vary) are:

• Putting details of your property on the agency’s website.
• Putting details of your property on other real estate websites (eg Trade Me Property).
• Advertising your property in specialist real estate publications.
• Displaying a photo or photos and property details in the agency’s office.
• Possibly providing a “for sale” sign outside your property.

When does advertising have to be paid for?

Unlike commission, which is only paid towards the end of a sales process, advertising expenses generally have to be paid upfront, and they have to be paid whether or not your property sells.

Do you still have to pay for advertising even your property does not sell?

Yes you do. If you have agreed to pay for advertising you still have to pay for this even if your property does not sell.

Finding Better Car Deals on Trade Me Motors November 12, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : trade me motors , add a comment

On Tuesday Trade Me announced

We’ve tweaked our vehicle categories to return more relevant results and hotter auctions to the top of your search results. We now also show the exact dates that classifieds were listed, in order to give buyers more transparency on the age of listings.

For now, we’ll just concern ourselves with the second part of the announcement, the news that Trade Me will now be displaying “the exact dates that classifieds were listed”.

THE BACKGROUND

If you list your vehicle for sale on Trade Me Motors, you’re given the option of listing it as either an auction or a classified listing. If you choose “auction”, as around half of private sellers do, then the normal protocols apply: you choose start price and closing date, season liberally with dazzling description and enticing images and post to Trade Me, there to await the pleasure of the bidders. The end date is displayed (and the listing date can be calculated easily enough based on the 14-day maximum duration of the listing). If the motorised conveyance fails to sell within that time, you can relist it for free (apart from any promotional extras you may choose, which are billed anew with each relisting). If your horseless carriage does sell, the final price may be the same as the starting price — or much higher, if more than one eager bidder is in hot pursuit.

If you choose “classified” (favoured by the vast majority of dealers, as well as the other half of those private sellers), the same protocols apply — except for the price, which remains fixed (unless negotiated otherwise, off-site). Relisting remains free (except for extras).

The main difference between the two options: price. In auctions, the final purchase price is determined by the market; for classified listings, the price is set by the seller on a ‘take it or leave it’ basis.

UNLEVEL PLAYING FIELDS AND THE POWER OF INFORMATION

Until the arrival and widespread adoption of the internet, most retail and commercial transactions were unbalanced. The seller typically knew a whole lot more about the product or service he or she was offering than the buyer,  at least in terms of where to source it and at what cost. As a result, products typically carried a higher profit margin than would be possible in a truly transparent marketplace.

Enter Al Gore’s creation, the Interweb. With the aid of a Google or two, would-be purchasers can quickly establish the going rate for most any product, and use that information to their advantage when negotiating with sellers.

TRADE ME AND TRANSPARENCY

The wide-open market that is Trade Me has long fostered transparency. Looking for a widget? Just search the site and you’ll find all the widget sellers and what prices they’re asking. If you want to know the final prices actually achieved on widgets recently sold, click on the “More Options” link on Trade Me’s search bar and you can prowl amongst up to two months worth of recently-closed widget auctions to identify selling prices.

In the used car market, not typically the most open and sharing of environments, information remains the jealously-guarded treasure of a few. You can search through closed Trade Me Motors auctions to see what sold or didn’t — but (until now) you couldn’t easily identify whether that 1999 Honda Accord was first listed 14 days or 14 months ago.

And, of course, that’s a major competitive advantage when negotiating. If you know that we’ve had that Honda sitting on our forecourt for six months, you’ll have a different view of the pricetag than if you thought it has just been listed for the first time (and other eager buyers are sniffing around).

THE LONG TAIL: MOSTLY DEALERS

We carried out a quick sortie on Trade Me Motors, zeroing in on the Honda category (so our findings are not necessarily representative of TM Motors as a whole — but they probably are).

What we found was that, of the 3593 used cars currently listed under the overall Honda category:

• Around 2000 were listed more than 14 days ago (and thus have been relisted at least once)
• Around 600 have been listed on Trade Me for more than three months
• Around 300 have been up for sale for more than six months
• 60 lucky listings have been up for more than a year
• The single oldest listing we found under Honda on Trade Me Motors was this one, proudly displayed on the site since the 1st of June 2007!

Needless to say, all the old listings we found were placed by dealers. Who else has the patience? Private sellers would long since have flicked their vehicle on some other way, or sold it for spare parts.

DOING THE DEALS

So, next time you’re in the market for a motor, check out the date of first listing. Oh, a word of advice: listing dates shown are ‘day and month’ only (eg ‘Listed Fri, 1 Jun’). Given that a small number of vehicles have been listed for more than 12 months, that “November” listing date could be November 2o08 or earlier. So double-check by reviewing the Listing Number. You’ll find it on the top right hand side of the listing.

If that number is below 1,947,000,000, the listing is from 2008 or earlier.  If it’s below 1,350,000, you’re looking at a gem from 2007 or older. And if that listing number is below 1000, congratulations, you’ve got yourself a collectors’ item from pre-millennial 1999!

PS For sellers: if you want to avoid the ignominy of having your failures so conspicuously displayed on Trade Me Motors, there’s a simple workaround: don’t simply relist your vehicle. Create a whole new listing instead, so that the new creation date takes precedence. Yes, you will have to pay a new listing fee, but that’s a relatively small cost in the context of vehicle prices. And besides — if your old listing was working, you’d have already sold the vehicle. So rework the words and pictures before you relist [you'll find plenty of helpful advice on the subject of effective vehicle listings in Chapter Twelve of Trade Me Success Secrets].

Striking Gold In Online Auctions November 11, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : auctions, eBay , add a comment

It’s a favourite fantasy of those who buy stuff through garage sales, school fairs and on Trade Me: that we’ll one day stumble upon a hidden treasure that will make us rich (or at least famous).

“Madam, that is indeed a Picasso long thought lost. It is difficult to assign an exact value until the assessors have examined it closely  — but the most recent Picasso sale was of his 1969 “Buste D’Homme”, sold at Sotheby’s last week for $10.4 million. So perhaps we should move this painting out of your spare bedroom and give it a slightly more secure home.”

Oh yes, we can dream. And TV series such as Antiques Roadshow encourage our imagination in such directions. But does it ever happen, especially on online auction sites?

Yes, it does. Film collectors are buzzing about the recent discovery on eBay of a lost Charlie Chaplin film, purchased as part of a collection of nitrate film bought for US$5.

Morale Park from Henham, Essex, purchased the can of film simply because he liked the look of it. He was amazed to discover its fragile contents: a previously unknown seven-minute film Chaplin film called Zepped.

The film features footage of Zeppelin airships flying over England during the First World War, and out-takes from three pictures that Chaplin shot with the film company Essanay, with whom the entertainer had a contract in 1914, before falling out.

An animated scene shows Chaplin wishing he could leave America to join his British countrymen in the war, before being taken on a cloud and deposited on an English church spire.

It also shows him sending up the Zeppelin, and an animated sequence of Kaiser Wilhelm popping out of a German sausage. There is a certification from Egypt, dating the film to December 1916.

Mr Park got his neighbour John Dyer, former head of education at the British Board of Film Classification, to look at it, and they concluded the film had been put together as a piece of war propaganda.

It is not known whether Chaplin was involved in the project or whether various out-takes were spliced together without his knowledge or consent.

David Robinson, author of Chaplin: His Life and Art, believed the film could be worth anything from £3,000 to £40,000.

Mr Park and Mr Dyer are currently in California making a documentary about the find.

Could this sort of thing happen on Trade Me?

Absolutely. Probably already does, in fact. However not every lucky buyer will recognise the importance of their new purchase.  So all those potential goldmines will end up in someone else’s attic, to be stumbled upon by future treasure hunters.

Well, anyway, that’s our dream.

Mobile Internet: We’re Ready Now November 6, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : mobile , add a comment

Every year at the Web 2.0 Summit, Morgan Stanley Internet analyst Mary Meeker gives her view of the world, the Web, and the technology industry by quickly going through about 50 slides that illustrate the major trends she is tracking.

Late last month, Ms Meeker delivered her annual presentation as usual. What has she picked as hot for 2010?

Mobile Internet.

Mary’s mobile internet take away

1. Mobile internet is bigger than you think.
2. iPhone is becoming THE mobile platform.
3. Social media, mobile devices are changing communications and commerce.
4. Mobile internet trends in Japan show how the future will be.
5. Carriers will be crushed by demand.
6. The Walled Gardens collapse.
7. Apple wins, Google maybe wins, Research In Motion withers

View Mary’s presentation on Scribd here.

Why are we telling you this?

To explain why we’ve just launched a mobile version of this site. Access us via your mobile and you’ll automatically be served a mobile-friendlier version.

It may not get much use now, but oh boy, wait till next year.

Trade & Exchange to go online only November 5, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : ecommerce , 3comments

The publication that helped inspire Sam Morgan to create Trade Me is to go online-only from the end of this month.

Here’s how we describe the moment of creation in Trade Me Success Secrets:

There’s a wonderful company legend that goes something like this: in early 1999, 23-year-old Sam Morgan was looking for a second-hand heater to help him survive a draughty Wellington flat. Being computer-savvy (in fact, he was an IT consultant for Deloitte at the time) Sam turned to the Internet to help with his quest, but couldn’t find what he wanted among New Zealand websites. The closest was the website for Trade & Exchange, but listings on that site were held back until a week after they’d been published in the paper. By the time Sam found an appropriate listing and phoned up, everything had been sold. That experience inspired him to create Trade Me.

Well, times have moved on, and the Trade & Exchange website is a fully-functioning service these days. Here’s what the T&E press release had to say about the impending closure:

As from the end of November, Trade & Exchange plans to close its paper publications in Auckland and Wellington and concentrate solely on its online service.

Managing Director, Peter Whitmore, said that online traffic had been growing and paper sales had been falling for several years now. “It has reached the stage where around ten times more people visit the website each week than purchase a paper. And compared to the papers, they gain access to around 50 times as many listings.”

Launched in early 1981 by Peter and Jill Whitmore, the Auckland Trade & Exchange was the first free ads paper in New Zealand and also one of the earliest in the world. In 1989 the Wellington edition opened and for a period there was also an edition serving the Manawatu, Wanganui and Taranaki areas. All these papers grew from small beginnings to become major classified advertising publications in their markets.

The Trade & Exchange web site. te.co.nz, launched in 1998, was New Zealand’s first major online trading site. Despite the success of Trademe with the auction model, TE has stayed with an open classified approach that allows buyers and sellers to contact each other directly, and gives the opportunity to view goods before a purchase is made. In terms of listing numbers it is now the largest free advertising site in the country.

“If we could keep the papers open we would”, said Whitmore, “because although most people are now online. there is still a dedicated group of readers who use the papers regularly. However, unfortunately circulations have reached a point where the papers are no longer economic to produce.”

It’s always sad when a publication closes. We wish T&E well in their new focus.

Christmas for Trade Me Buyers – and an irresistible invitation for sellers November 4, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : Christmas, trade me, trademe , 15comments

It’s already Christmas on Trade Me, with thousands of items listed for the festive season (21,532 as we write this). In this article we’ll attempt to  show you how to use Trade Me to make this Christmas wonderful, whether you’re on a budget or just shopping for that very special someone.

Oh yes — and we also have a hot offer [free!] for Trade Me sellers, so keep reading.

So — When Should You Start Shopping For Christmas?

If you have to ask, you’re probably a guy. Three-quarters of those who leave shopping until the last minute are men. Incredibly busy, right fellas? Yeah, us too.

It won’t come as any surprise to mall visitors that retailers have been in Christmas shopping mode for some time. The ubiquitous Cameron Brewer, chief executive of the Newmarket Business Association, warned in late September that “for better or worse consumers can expect to see Christmas decorations and displays popping up in some New Zealand shops over the next few weeks.” Sure enough, tinsel is definitely in the air all over.

Kiwis usually do their shopping somewhat ahead of the Christmas rush anyway. A 2007 study by AMP Capital Shopping Centres found that:

• 25% of Kiwis have begun their Christmas shopping by September 25, three months out from Christmas
• 16% start shopping in October
• 21% hit the malls in November
• 33% wait until the last fortnight before Christmas
• 7% of us (you know who you are, guys) leave Christmas shopping until the last minute
• Meanwhile an impossibly virtuous 3% head to the Boxing Day sales with vim and vigour, buying their gifts for the following year 364 days early.

How Much Should You Spend?

When it comes to holiday spending this year, 36 percent of American consumers expect to spend between $100 and $499, 28 percent plan to spend $500 to $999, and 30 percent anticipate a holiday spend of $1,000 or more.

Fifty-three percent of U.S. consumers are planning to spend less than they did last year. Of those who are planning to spend less this year, 48 percent reveal that one of the reasons that they are spending less is due to an increase in prices (necessities, petrol, etc.), 45 percent cite lack of confidence in the economy, and 38 percent indicate making less money as a reason for spending less.

We don’t have any recent NZ data for Christmas spend levels, but a five-year-old study by UMR Research on behalf of Visa International found that:

• More than 50% of Kiwis expected to spend less than $300 on Christmas gifts
• 16% intended to spend less than $100
• One in twenty said they were planning to “splash out” and spend more than $1000
• Credit card holders were more likely to expect to spend over $500 than non-cardholders (22 percent compared with 12 percent)
• Men generally planned to spend slightly more than women
• The most free-spending age group was 30-44 year-olds

Those numbers will probably be about the same or even lower this Christmas, given the economy — which makes Trade Me a pretty smart place to buy as much of your stuff as you can.

Half New

More than 50% of the items up for sale on Trade Me last Christmas were brand-new. We expect that percentage to keep growing this Christmas, so don’t worry that you can only buy something secondhand for your nearest and dearest. Of course, if you’re shopping for collectables or antiques, “new” probably isn’t such a good thing …

TIP: When you search on Trade Me, you can select your options so that only “New” items are displayed. Click on “New” in the yellow bar partway down the page that controls your List options.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ON TRADE ME
PART A: IF YOU ALREADY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO BUY

Sometimes we know exactly what sort of gift we want to buy. Gives us a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. So buying that gift is more a matter of knowing exactly where to find it and how much to pay.

1. Search
   Start your quest by searching for the item (let’s be incredibly creative and describe it as a ‘widget’) on Trade Me. Make a note of who’s selling widgets and at what price they’ve listed each widget.
2. Browse
   Browse in the widget category for misspellings, products without pictures and other items that won’t show up in searches (for more details, read our earlier article on how to find bargains on Trade Me).
3. Verify
   Check out the feedback of the widget sellers. Look for any recent negatives. Cross out any sellers with poor reputations, highlight those with better than sterling customer service. Add the good ones to your “favourite sellers” list to be emailed details of their new listings.
4. History Check
   Go to the Trade Me Search Box and click on “More Options”. Use the advanced search facility (with “Expired Items” selected) to see at what prices those widgets previously sold (or didn’t sell). That will give you an idea of the actual value of the widget in the Trade Me marketplace. (NB If your widget is rare or obscure, there may be no recent auction listings).
5. Real World
   Don’t forget the non-virtual world. Check out widget pricing in actual stores or in printed catalogues. And see what the Recommended Retail Pricing is, perhaps by phoning up widget stockists.
6. Comparison Shopping
   More than ever, comparison shopping is on the forefront of consumers’ minds, with 70 percent of consumers internationally doing more research and comparison shopping online, compared with 38 percent last year. And fifty percent of consumers are planning to shop at discount or outlet stores this year, while only 43 percent did so last year.

   Product comparison websites are commonplace overseas, rather less so here in NZ. However there are a few:

Technology Ubersite www.pricespy.co.nz

This is the site to visit for technology products. Has just launched a website makeover, still a bit buggy, but their database is the most comprehensive around.

General product comparison sites

• www.priceme.co.nz
• www.beforeyoubuy.co.nz

Both these sites offer a limited range of product comparisons, but could be worth a look.

7. The Daily Deal Sites

Air New Zealand’s Grabaseat was the first to hit the headlines in NZ. Now the category has taken off in a big way. The listings are random, but when widgets do come up you’ll get further insight into pricing to help with your homework. Here’s the latest collection of One Day Sale Websites (tip of the hat to Sheldon Nesdale of Marketing First blog for doing the heavy lifting):

• www.1-day.co.nz (NZ’s most popular one day sale site)
• www.6shooter.co.nz
• www.OffTheBack.co.nz
• www.DealADay.co.nz
• www.FirstIn.co.nz
• www.3Deals.co.nz
• www.MightyApe.co.nz
• www.WineDay.co.nz
• www.SnatchADeal.co.nz
• www.1-DayTee.co.nz [T-Shirts]
• www.TodaySale.co.nz
• www.TheTShirtStudio.co.nz [T-Shirts]
• www.Ziwi.co.nz [Books]
• www.1DayFishingSale.co.nz
• www.735pm.com

And, of course, the newly launched Yahoo!Xtra shopping site (with its own daily deal listings):

• shopping.yahooxtra.co.nz

Other new 1 Day Sale websites launching soon:

• www.DaySale.co.nz
• www.EzyDeal.co.nz

NB: For the past year global auction giant eBay has been offering daily deals at Deals.ebay.com. It’s an unlikely development for Trade Me — eBay ends up competing with its own customer base.

8. Get ready to buy

Having down all your homework, you’ll now know what sort of price to pay for your widget. Identify target auctions, hurry up and wait.

9. Hold your breath – and your bid

As you move into Bidding Mode, may we respectfully point you in the direction of Chapter Six of Trade Me Success Secrets. It reveals the most important secret of buying successfully on Trade Me, and deals with the topic in far more detail than we can address effectively here.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ON TRADE ME
B. IF YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT TO BUY

1. Who

Who are you buying for? Christmas gifts can go horribly wrong if you don’t take into account the recipients’ Personality Types.

We’ve found this really cool personality profiler at www.gifts.com that brings demographics alive. You really must go to the site to check it out, but here’s a sneak peek

• Buying for a SENIOR WOMAN? Is she a Country Clubber, Domestic Diva, Thinker, Super Grandma or Active Retiree?

The Candidates:

Delicious character details at the site, but here’s a sample definition:

The Super Grandma

• Weekend Plans: Three generations around the table for Sunday dinner.
• Second Career: Spoiling the grandkids.
• Favorite Accessory: Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and milk.
• Guilty Pleasure: What’s there to feel guilty about — have another cookie!
• Bumper Sticker: If Mom and Dad say no, ask Grandma.
• Famous Examples: Marie from Everybody Loves Raymond.

SENIOR MEN:

• The Country Clubber
• The Thinker
• The Devoted Grandad
• The Active Retiree
• The Veteran

MEN:

• The Guy’s Guy
• The Geek
• The Devoted Dad
• The Achiever
• The Adventurer

WOMEN

• The Super Mom
• The Achiever
• The Hipster
• The Domestic Diva
• The Trendanista

TEEN GUYS

• The All-Star Athlete
• The Creative
• The X-Treme Dude
• The Student Leader
• The Tech Head
• The Class Clown

TEEN GIRLS

• The Activist
• The All-Star Athlete
• The Creative Spirit
• The X-Treme Dudette
• The Student Leader
• The Trendanista

BOYS

• The Smarty Pants
• The Jock
• Mr Imagination

GIRLS

• The Smart Cookie
• Miss Imagination
• The Girly Girl
• The Tomboy

Not sure what personality type your recipient might be? Take the test at http://www.gifts.com/finder

2. What

What types of gifts would your family/friends/significant others like to receive this holiday season? This is what American consumers told researchers last month:

• 72% of 18-24 year olds wanted Clothing or Accessories, as did 58% of 25-34s
• 40% of men (just 26% of women) wanted consumer electronics or compter-related accessories
• 55% of 25-34s wanted books, CDs, DVDs, videos or video games
• 26% of men wanted sporting goods or leisure items
• 26% of women wanted home decor or home-related furnishings
• 56% of 35-44s wanted gift cards or gift certificates, as did 53% of 45-54s and 49% of those 65 plus
• And 26% of women but just 7% of men wanted personal care or beauty items

This data from BIGresearch’s Consumer Intention & Actions study (October 2009)

3. Specifics

Want more specific advice? Google “most wanted gifts 2009″ and you’ll find a variety of lists of the Most Wanted, for men, women, kids, teens, you name it.

4. Use the Trade Me Christmas Gift Finder

If you’re still at a loss, check out the new and very helpful Trade Me Christmas Gift Finder.

There you’ll find

• Gifts for kids
• Gifts for Mum
• Gifts for Dad
• Gifts for your wife or girlfriend [best not to get the two confused, it can lead to unfortunate outcomes ]
• Gifts for your husband or boyfriend [also try not to mix up the two, not that they'd notice]
• Gifts for grandparents
• Gifts for babies
• Gifts for pets

[Not sure about that last one, especially in tough times!]

5. Go Back To Part A

Once you know exactly what you want, go through the processes described in Part A above.

And another thing

Oh yeah, one last thing. If after going through this process you still can’t find what you want on Trade Me, you could always check out the Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog. Highlights of the 2009 edition:

• His & Hers Gift Package, $250,000: An ICON A5 sport aircraft with custom trailer and sport pilot license training for two. The ICON A5 is from a world-class team of engineers and designers who helped create the groundbreaking Virgin Global Flyer, and features an amphibious hull and landing gear to take off and land just as easily on water as on land.
• Algonquin Round Table Experience, $200,000: Exclusive dinner party at NYC’s legendary Algonquin Hotel with guests including Christopher Buckley, Roz Chast, Nora Ephron, Malcolm Gladwell, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Adam Gopnik, John Lithgow, Anna Deavere Smith and George Stephanopoulos. Proceeds to benefit First Book, the 2009 Christmas Book Charity.
• 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition, $105,000: Limited to only 50 examples, the bespoke version of Jag’s new flagship features a supercharged 5-liter V8 that delivering 470 hp, a custom interior of butter-soft navy and ivory leather and Zebrano matte wood accents, and includes a five-piece set of matching Jaguar luggage in navy blue leather.
• Maker’s Mark Master Distiller Experience, $7,500: All-access, VIP experience with Maker’s Mark Master Distiller, Kevin Smith. Spend a day making whiskey, step by step and take home two bottles of the rarest Maker’s Mark – golden bottles etched with your likeness and dipped in gold wax with 24-kt gold flecks. Includes luxury accommodations in Louisville and a gourmet dinner hosted by Bill Samuels, the 7th generation of Maker’s Mark
• HALL Artisan Wine and Art Experience, $20,000: Learn organic, artisan winemaking firsthand, tour the estates in Napa and the art collection, and have the opportunity to create your own personal vintage in a private blending session with HALL’s Winemaker with a custom vintage bottled for you. Includes accommodations at Auberge and a private dinner party with Ambassador Kathryn Hall.

PS We almost forgot — that invitation for Trade Me sellers. If you have suitable Christmas gift items for sale, pimp our traffic. Comment on this blog post, use your seller name as your ID and tell us WHAT product categories you have for sale and TO WHOM they would best appeal. Be specific if you want to be helpful. Items as listed on Trade Me only, please — we do moderate.

PPS Note to buyers: if you’re looking for Christmas inspiration, make sure you read the Comments (and perhaps even come back more than once to do so). Entrepreneurial sellers will be strutting their stuff for your consideration.

Good Samaritan Award: Queenstown Motel Apartments October 26, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : auctions, charity auction, trade me, trademe , 2comments

One of the neatest things about Trade Me — and after five years of studying the site, it still blows us away — is the way the Trade Me community helps others. Apart from the Community Noticeboards, where you’ll constantly find veterans offering advice to newcomers, you’ll also find a steady stream of charity auctions flowing through the site.

One that just caught our eye — sadly, too late to help market the auction but certainly time enough to offer a well-deserved bouquet to the organiser — was this auction for a truly wonderful visit to our jewel of the South Pacific, Queenstown.

On offer: “Three days of pure pleasure, action and scenic packed days at Queenstown for 2 people”

All money raised to be donated to the New Zealand Red Cross Samoan Earthquake and Tsunami Appeal www.redcross.org.nz

Over $2,000 worth of accommodation and activities, valid for 12 months at a time suitable to the lucky winner subject to availability.

Thanks to the kindness of the following local Queenstown businesses for their donations the package includes:

• Three nights accommodation for 2 people at Queenstown Motel Apartments in their honeymoon suite with lake and mountain views, a spa bath and breakfast or brunch at their favourite cafe. www.qma.co.nz value $820.00.
• Milford Sound Coach and Cruise for 2 people with Real Journeys from Queenstown. www.realjourneys.co.nz value $460.00.
• Travel on the TSS Earnslaw Vintage Steamship to Walter Peak for 2 people with Real Journeys. www.realjourneys.co.nz value $136.00.
• Skippers Canyon Jetboat trip on the Shotover River for 2 people www.skipperscanyon.co.nz value $218.00
• Lord of the Rings tour for 2 people with Nomad Safaris www.nomadsafaris.co.nz value $298.00
• Voucher for Dinner at The HMS Brittania Restaurant, The Mall value $100.00
• * Voucher for Dinner at Prime Restaurant www.primerestaurant.co.nz value $100.00.

Queenstown Motel Apartments owner Dianne Smith was behind the whole thing. You can read her story here.

Bravo, Dianne. Outstanding effort.

Hot Toys for Christmas 2009 October 11, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : Christmas, top ten, top twenty, toys, trade me , add a comment

What? The School Holidays are still in their final few hours and we’re already looking towards Christmas?

Yep, if you’re a Trade Me seller, now’s the time to start rolling out your Christmas selling programme — you’ll see the big retailing chains throwing up the tinsel and dusting off those trees even earlier than ever in 2009, as they work hard on offsetting the lousy sales of earlier months and bidding a less than fond farewell to the recession.

And if you’re a Trade Me buyer, now’s the time to start planning your purchases — early bird gets the worm (not just a ‘Sold Out’ sign) at a hopefully healthy discount.

So, as a public service, allow us to tell you about the year’s hottest toys, as designated by US toy megaretailer Toys R Us:

THE TOYS”R”US 2009 HOLIDAY HOT TOY LIST

From Baby’s First Christmas to Big Kids, the Toys”R”Us Holiday Hot Toy List represents the top new toys for 2009 in each age group:

• BABY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS

3-in-1 Smart Trike from little tikes
From babies to beginning riders, even the tiniest tots will enjoy taking a spin on this adjustable tricycle. Featuring a full metal frame, handle and shade canopy, parents can push their little ones while strolling the neighborhood and then pop out pedals when a child is old enough to ride on their own. Two included seats can be swapped out to accommodate different aged riders, including a harnessed version to keep babies safely strapped in. A storage bucket also lets kids take their favorite treasures along on any neighborhood adventure. No batteries required. Ages 10 to 36 months.

Laugh & LearnLearning Farm from Fisher-Price
Babies and toddlers can have fun on the farm as they learn about animals, the alphabet, counting, opposites, colors and more in this double-sided role-play activity center. The magic begins when little ones open the barn door and crawl through, triggering sing-along songs, lights, music, sounds and fun phrases. In learning mode, kids are introduced to animal names, the sounds they make and the food they eat. While in music mode, a crop of songs will delight even the tiniest tots, with a selection of classics and fresh tunes. 3 “AA” batteries required (not included). Ages 6 to 36 months.

Little Superstar Jammin’ Band Musical Microphone from Fisher-Price
Young tots can get rockin’ with a musical activity center designed to prepare them for their first pretend concert. Filled with instrument play and other fun activities, this working microphone lets toddlers amplify their voices as they sing along to six songs and four karaoke tunes or explore their creativity with “build a song” mode. As budding superstars grow, the microphone can be adjusted from a sit-and-play activity into a toy where kids can stand and dance while proudly showing off their performance. 4 “AA” batteries required (included). Ages 6 to 36 months.

• 13 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS

Color Me a Song from Crayola Beginnings
Combining Picasso and Miles Davis, tots can strike up a band and create their own tunes while exploring their first artistic expressions. Toddlers can exercise their creativity by drawing on a blank sheet of paper with the eight included Crayola Washable Triangular crayons, while the speed of their scribbles determines the pace of the music. The faster kids color, the more the tempo increases, and toddlers can mix sounds from a piano, banjo, trumpet and drum, while switching between different musical styles such as salsa, rock, swing and country. Built-in storage for eight triangular crayons allows kids to take their masterpiece-making-band on road trips. 3 “AA” batteries required (included). Ages 24 months and up.

Little Momm Baby Ah-Choo from Fisher-Price
Baby Ah-Choo sneezes, wheezes and sniffles as kids squeeze her tummy in an attempt to nurse her back to health. Toddlers will love making Baby Ah-Choo “all better” with accessories, such as “a spoonful of medicine” and a thermometer that interact with this baby doll to elicit fun reactions. Featuring over 30 sounds and phrases, such as, “Can I have a tissue?” and “My nose is running,” Baby Ah-Choo comes with a box of tissues and medicine bottle, offering kids everything they need to “cure” the common cold. 3 “AA” batteries required (included). Ages 2 years and up.

Sesame Street The Original Tickle Me Elmo from Fisher-Price
After more than a decade of bringing laughter to kids of all ages, The Original Tickle Me Elmo is back, exclusively at Toys”R”Us. Tickle him once and he’ll giggle. Tickle him twice and he’ll laugh. Tickle him three times and watch him convulse with laughter! This classic toy started a phenomenon when it was first released and still brings smiles to little ones today. When Elmo’s tummy is squeezed, he’ll let kids know, “That tickles!” as he breaks out in laughter. 3 “AA” batteries required (included). Ages 18 months to 4 years.

Tonka CHUCK & FRIENDS CHUCK MY TALKING TRUCK from Playskool
Chuck is a friendly little dump truck with the gift of gab, chatting while he works on his construction projects. With more than 40 phrases, sounds and actions, kids can lift his dump bed, press his roof or push his bumper to hear Chuck say phrases such as, “Time to find some dirt!” Chuck is fully interactive, featuring sound recognition that lets him roll his tires when kids call him. An accompanying storybook, “Get to Work,” lets kids explore Chuck’s world, which includes his construction vehicle friends. 3 “C” batteries required (included). Ages 2 years and up.

• 2 TO 4 YEARS

Disney-Pixar Toy Story Interactive Buddies Talking Action Figures from Thinkway
Buzz Lightyear and Woody are back from their owner Andy’s toy box, and just like in the movies, they banter and bicker like real pals. With this Toys”R”Us exclusive, kids can choose between three different interactive modes to hear these buddies speak individually or with each other, using their actual voices from the movies. Between Buzz and Woody, the duo can say over 100 phrases, including lines from Toy Story and Toy Story 2, along with additional buddy interactions. 3 “AA” batteries and 3 “AAA” batteries required (not included). Ages 4 years and up.

Disney Princess: Just One Kiss Princess Tiana Doll from Mattel
Stepping out of this holiday season’s highly-anticipated animated theatrical release from Disney Studios, The Princess and the Frog, Princess Tiana is ready to find her prince, even if she has to kiss a frog or two first. Dressed to regal perfection, Tiana is a vision of loveliness with a tiara, necklace and blue ball gown adorned with firefly lights that sparkle and shine. She’s accompanied by the frog prince, who desperately yearns for a kiss to transform him back into a man. When girls bring the frog up to Tiana for a kiss, she will turn her head away and say one of the phrases from the movie. The fourth time the frog is brought up to her, Tiana finally agrees to kiss the prince. 3 “button cell” batteries required (included). Ages 4 years and up.

Imaginext Dragon World Fortress from Fisher-Price
With action at every turn, this fortress world allows kids to open gates, make lightning crackle, and unleash a powerful dragon with a fierce roar. Two medieval-themed action figures activate all of the castle’s secret abilities, including a launching cannon to ward off intruders and a boulder that can be released down the dragon’s tail to attack invaders. With fantastic accessories and battle sound effects, kids will believe they’ve been transported to the age of swords and sorcery. 3 “AA” batteries required (included). Ages 3 to 8 years.

Paperoni Deluxe Studio from Spin Master
With a dash of imagination and this Deluxe Studio, young artisans can create 3D artwork using tiny, colorful paper rolls. This mess-free set lets kids devise and craft animals, friendly faces and more using a child-friendly cutter that helps them effortlessly cut Paperoni paper rolls into six different lengths with the turn of a dial and the push of a lever. Offering additional depth to every work of art, crafty kids can design dozens of creations with 600 1/2-inch Paperoni pieces, 32 9-1/2-inch Paperoni pieces, one 2D self-adhesive template, one 3D template, Tweezers, eight gems and additional embellishments. No batteries required. Ages 4 years and up.

SCATTERPILLAR SCRAMBLE from Hasbro Games
Preschoolers can challenge their friends in a race to climb to the top of a giant Scaterpillar as it dances and grooves to its favorite music. As kids move their marbles, one at a time, into the Scatterpillar’s hands, it squiggles and squirms, dropping marbles and setting players back. The first player to get all eight marbles to the top wins. 3 “AA” batteries required (not included). Ages 4 years and up.

Text & Learn from LeapFrog
Because we all want our littlies to learn to get addicted to crackberries from an early age! Little learners can explore in a grown-up way by mimicking how mom and dad use their Blackberries with this oversized version that provides educational fun through three different modes. Whether exchanging text messages with their puppy pal Scout or checking Scout’s planner to see his weekly schedule in pretend browser mode, toddlers will learn the basics of communicating while using a real keyboard. Additionally, children can match letters, identify shapes, learn letter names and more. 3 “AA” batteries required (included). Ages 3 years and up.

• 5 TO 7 YEARS

BAKUGAN BATTLE BRAWLERS NEW VESTROIA Maxus Helios 7 in 1 from Spin Master
Fans of Bakugan Battle Brawlers beware – the Maxus Helios Mega Bakugan has arrived This ultimate fighter is formed by connecting seven different Bakugan marbles: Helios, Scraper, Klawgor, Foxbat, Fencer, Leefram and Spindle. Maxus Helios can battle as one united force, or individually, to give kids a variety of combat options to help them excel in Bakugan, which combines trading card game play with collectible marbles. No batteries required. Ages 5 years and up.

Barbie Fashionista doll collection from Mattel
Decked out in the best outfits, shoes and accessories, this collection of fashion-forward Barbie dolls each feature their own distinct fashion personality, including Glam, Cutie, Girly, Wild, Sassy and Artsy. With 12 points of articulation, these Barbie dolls can bend their elbows, twist their wrists, bend at the waist and roll their heads, allowing them to pose over 100 different ways. Each doll comes complete with one stylish outfit, and endless possibilities, for hours of fun. No batteries required. Ages 3 years and up. Each doll sold separately.

Battle Strikers Turbo Tops Tournament Set from MEGA Bloks
Battle Strikers Turbo Tops put a new spin on battling tops by letting kids launch without ripcords or pull strings, while offering unprecedented control. Kids rev up the handheld turbo launcher, which reaches speeds of 6000 RPM, and release their Striker top into the battle arena to compete against an opponent. Once the Battle Strikers are launched, kids can direct their tops with the flick of a fingertip through a magnetic controller that fits over two fingers. With 16 types of Strikers to collect, players can mix and match components to customize as they prepare for battle. The 17-piece Tournament Set includes two Turbo Launchers, two magnetic Controllers, two exclusive Strikers and one Battle Arena. 6 “AA” batteries required (not included). Ages 6 years and up.

ChixOs Pink Design-A-Luxury Loft from Spin Master
The ChixOs Design-A-Luxury Loft offers the perfect space for an amazing party, but the fun can’t begin before kids decorate their stylin’ pad. To prepare for the festivities, kids can dress and style three ChixOs dolls from 243 possible choices of mix and match body parts, then give them a dusting of glitter for the finishing touch. Junior interior designers can also decorate the loft by building 3D furniture and accessories when they join PixOs with water to create couches, tables or anything imaginable. No batteries required. Ages 4 years and up.

Egyptian Pyramid from playmobil
Kids can bring home one of the seven wonders of the world with the Egyptian Pyramid, available exclusively at Toys”R”Us. Featuring a 14-inch high pyramid, which kids can construct, young architects will be able to assemble tricks and ambushes with removable plastic walls, a collapsible staircase, chute, scorpion trap, secret treasure chamber and trapdoor with slide. Now, children have everything they need to help the Pharaoh safeguard his jewels against treasure hunters. No batteries required. Ages 5 years and up.

Harumika RUNWAY SHOWSTOPPER SET from Bandai
Future designers create fantastic fashions by folding fabric over a dress mannequin and locking the swatches in place. Once a new dress is formed, kids can capture images of their garment with an included USB camera before uploading them to the Harumika website where their styles can join an online fashion show. The set comes with everything needed to design runway perfect couture, including a pink dress form mannequin, stylus tool, several rolls of foldable fabric, accessories, rhinestones, stickers and two Harumika charms that hold special codes that unlock exclusive content on www.harumika.com. Even the handle on the display case offers fashion forward opportunities, transforming into a bracelet. No batteries required. Ages 6 years and up.

Matchbox Rocky the Robot Truck from Mattel
This hard-working, interactive dump truck is ready to roll with sensors, motorized movements and 100 phrases. Quickly becoming any child’s best friend, Rocky tells jokes, dances and flashes his headlights as he speaks. With a rugged design and a full-tilting bed, kids can even use Rocky for construction projects like loading up, moving out, hauling and dumping. When the work is done, Rocky even sleeps and snores. 4 “C” batteries required (included). Ages 3 years and up.

Moxie Girlz Jammaz dolls from MGA Entertainment
Breaking into the fashion doll scene, Moxie Girlz are ready to help empower girls to express themselves with courage, determination and energy. Since there’s no better place for kids to have fun than at a rock-themed slumber party, all dolls in the Jammaz line, Lexa, Avery, Sasha and Sophina, come decked out in their favorite pajamas with accessories guaranteed to help show off their inner rock stars. A wig, heart-shaped guitar, microphone, tiara and glasses complete the transformation from doll to pop princess. No batteries required. Ages 6 years and up. Each doll sold separately.

NERF N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 from Hasbro
Ready to take on any dart challenge, this NERF blaster has the capacity to hold up to 35 NERF darts at once, ensuring kids will have a blast long before ever needing to reload. Providing versatility, the NERF RAIDER can instantly switch from “single” fire mode to launch one dart at a time or “slam” fire mode to unleash a rapid stream of 35 darts. A removable stock and Tactical Rail System complete the package, allowing players to customize their blaster for every scenario. As an added bonus, the NERF RAIDER features a collapsible stock and a drum magazine that can be used with additional NERF products. No batteries required. Ages 6 years and up.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Clone Turbo Tank from Hasbro
When the Clone Army protects Jedi during a rescue mission or helps overcome an attack from the Separatist Droid Army, the Clone Turbo Tank is part of the action. This heavily armed and armored ten-wheel vehicle features a Tank Gunner action figure, cannon pods with firing missiles, a rotating gunner station, doors that can open and close, a removable command center and room for an entire squadron of Clone Troopers. To help the troops chase escaping droids, an included Speeder Bike can launch into action from the rear of the vehicle. Lights, sounds and Clone Trooper phrases complete the battle scenario for kids who are playing “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.” 3 “AA” batteries required (not included). Ages 4 and up.

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN CONSTRUCTICON DEVASTATOR from Hasbro
Kids can take control of the ultimate weapon in the evil DECEPTICON army with this monstrous TRANSFORMERS action figure that can be built by combining six different construction vehicles known as the CONSTRUCTICONS. Before converting into DEVASTATOR, children can pretend they’re waiting to ambush the heroic AUTOBOTS at a construction site with these Robots in Disguise, including LONGHAUL, MIXMASTER, SCAVENGER, RAMPAGE, SCRAPPER, and HIGHTOWER. After changing into its ultimate form, DEVASTATOR can unleash its weapons with lights and sounds that bring the excitement of this summer’s blockbuster film TRANSFORMERS: Revenge of the Fallen to life. 2 “AA” batteries required (included). Ages 5 years and up.

Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster from Cepia
These adorable, furry, interactive hamsters double as the perfect family pet and a best friend. With five hamsters to choose from, kids can select one that reflects their personality, including Patches, the flower-lover; Chunk, a laid-back surfer; Pipsqueak, a tiny titan of power; Mr. Squiggles, who loves to explore; or Num Nums, who loves to eat. With more than 40 different sound effects and artificial intelligence, these pets will dart around the house, play in hamster tubes, run on wheels and more. Zhu Zhu Pets also make fun sound effects, such as toilet-flushing, teeth-brushing sounds and sleeping noises. 2 “AAA” batteries required (included). Ages 4 years and up. Each hamster sold separately.

• 8 TO 11 YEARS

Barbie b-nails digital nail printer from Mattel
Young fashionistas can glam it up like Barbie with a spa-like manicure in the comfort of their own home. This new digital nail printer allows girls to select designs from over 1,000 available images or upload their own creations from their computer. Whether using the printer to add decals over polish or directly onto a nail, young manicurists can place their fingernail into the printer after using scaling and sizing tools to select the perfect style. Printing takes only a few seconds and the designs last for days. No batteries required. Ages 8 years and up.

Disney Netpal from ASUS
Available in Princess Pink and Magic Blue, this Disney-themed netbook computer was designed with Internet safety in mind, allowing parents to create a web-safe computing environment for their kids with more than two dozen parental controls. Once kids turn on the netbook, they’re logged on to the Disney Desktop, an intuitive software program that offers simple operation for children, along with easy access to the Disney web browser, which is preloaded with several kid-friendly websites. The Disney Desktop also comes with a “gadget tray” with icons for easy access to applications and a collection of 15 widgets, including a stopwatch and a digital memo pad. Rugged and durable, this has a spill-proof keyboard and a 16GB SSD drive that can withstand bumps. A preinstalled card allows the Disney Netpal to access networks wirelessly. 1 “4200mAh Polymer” internal rechargeable battery is required (included). Ages 6 years and up.

EyeClops Mini Projector from JAKKS Pacific
Children can create their own big screen entertainment with this pint-sized projector that can display an image up to 60-inches when connected to a DVD player, multimedia player, video game console or other video device. Once kids plug the unit into the A/V jacks of any home entertainment device, they can turn their ceiling into an arcade, the side of their house into an outdoor movie theater or the seat in front of them into a TV screen. Children can also take their big-screen experience on the road by plugging the projector into an outlet with an AC adaptor while inside or powering it with an included battery pack while outdoors. 4 “D” batteries required (not included). Ages 8 years and up.

Fast Lane JLX OVER DRIVE RADIO CONTROL ALL TERRAIN VEHICLE from Toys”R”Us
Remote control drivers can take the wheel of the ultimate R/C experience with this miniature ATV that reaches scale speeds of 225 MPH, performs awesome stunts with self-propelled flipping action tires and has the ability to drive on almost any terrain, including land, water or snow. Kids can even take this Toys”R”Us exclusive to the air with a ramp-assisted jump that can propel the JLX more than 6 feet. The JLX features a recyclable Nickel Metal Hydride battery pack, offering a longer battery life with each charge. 1 “9V” battery and 1 “12V” rechargeable Ni-Mh battery required (included). Ages 8 years and up.

Liv from Spin Master
This new collection of dolls, designed to look like real teenagers, merges the world of fashion play with an online community. Using a code provided with each doll, children can peer into the daily routine of the Liv girls, Daniela, Sophie, Katie and Alexis, when they visit www.livworld.com, which offers daily diary entries, virtual closets filled with fashions, webisodes, games and more. Beyond offering a real teen perspective, each Liv doll comes with realistic glass-like eyes, 14 points of articulation for greater poseability and wigs that allow children to switch their doll’s hairstyle or color easily. No batteries required. Ages 5 years and up. Each doll sold separately.

Mindflex from Mattel
Mindflex challenges players to test their mind-over-matter skills by levitating a soft foam ball in order to move it through an obstacle course, using only the power of their mind. Kids just strap on the included headset that contains sensors for the forehead and earlobes to measure their brainwave activity. With deep concentration, the ball rises on a stream of air, and when the mind relaxes the ball begins to descend. Players must master these mental maneuvers to guide the ball through an obstacle course that they design from hundreds of interchangeable combinations. Up to three friends can challenge each other with five unique game modes, including multiplayer games, to prove who is the most accurate mental warrior. 4 “C” batteries and 3 “AAA” batteries required (not included). Ages 8 years and up.

Star Wars Fan’s Choice Anniversary Edition Home One Mon Calamari Star Cruiser from LEGO Systems, Inc.
Modeled after scenes from Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, this 789-piece construction set contains enough pieces to build the classic Mon Calamari Star Cruiser’s command deck, briefing room and repair hangar. Developed after it was voted by fans as the most sought after Star Wars spacecraft never before produced as a LEGO model, this massive set also comes with an A-wing fighter that kids can build, featuring an opening cockpit, rear doors and two flick missiles. Six mini figures, including Admiral Ackbar, a Mon Calamari soldier, Mon Mothma, General Lando Calrissian, General Madine and an A-wing Pilot let builders take control of the ship by directing Admiral Ackbar on his command seat to plan an attack on the Empire with the Death Star hologram. No batteries required. Ages 9 – 14 years.

• FOR BIG KIDS

Bakugan Battle Brawlers from Activision
Now video game players can heed the “call to brawl” with the first Bakugan game developed for Xbox 360, PlayStation3, PlayStation2, Wii and Nintendo DS. Taking control of their favorite Bakugan characters from the animated series, players can participate in intense battles and create their own Bakugan Battle Brawler in an environment featuring cartoon quality graphics and multiplayer combat. No batteries required. Rated “E” for “Everyone.” Video game systems sold separately.

DSi from Nintendo
Building on the popular Nintendo DS platform, this updated system combines the fun of handheld gaming consoles with the ability to take pictures and search the Internet. Available in black, blue or pink, the Nintendo DSioffers dual-screen, touch-sensitive play, and comes with a stylus to help control in-game action. Users can play any of the hundreds of existing DS titles or grow their gaming library with Nintendo DSi-specific titles and downloadable DSiWare content, including games and applications. The sleek, folding design easily fits in a hand or pocket, so users can listen to music as they walk down the street, get directions to the nearest restaurant or snap pictures they can edit, send to friends or upload to Facebook. One “lithium ion” rechargeable battery required (included). Ages 6 years and up.

Reader Pocket Edition from Sony
With the capacity to store approximately 350 standard eBooks in a device that can easily fit into a pocket, this Reader lets anyone flip open their favorite books in the car, on a plane, at a restaurant or even in a library. Sporting a five-inch electronic display, and available in a variety of colors such as navy blue and rose, this device offers clear and crisp pages for easy readability. Users can also take the Reader on all of their trips, long and short, with up to two weeks of reading enjoyment on a single battery charge. The Reader comes equipped with a USB cable that can connect to a computer to download books from a variety of online sources, as well as public libraries across the country. One “lithium ion” rechargeable battery required (included). Ages 12 years and up.

Wii Sports Resort from Nintendo
This sequel to the popular Wii Sports takes the action out of the console and onto a virtual island resort, filled with a dozen fun activities. Using the Wii Remote and Nunckuk controllers, players can take control of their Mii characters to compete against the computer or their friends in archery, basketball, bowling, golf, table tennis, fencing, air sports, canoeing, cycling, Frisbee, power cruising and wakeboarding. Adding to the challenge, Wii Sports Resort comes with one Wii MotionPlus accessory that attaches to the base of a Wii Remote, enhancing players’ precision by recognizing the slightest twist or turn of the Wii Remote. No batteries required. Rated “E” for “Everyone.” Wii system sold separately.

A couple of final observations from TOYS R US:

• There is no ONE hot toy for every child – While attention may be paid to one specific hot toy each year, that item is not necessarily appropriate for every child. The hottest toy for a five-year-old girl may not appear on an eight-year-old boy’s wish list. The age and interests of a child are key factors in determining the perfect gift.

• Quality AND Value matter – Value has two components: what consumers pay for an item and what they get for that price. Toys that last for years to come and provide open-ended play are among the most sought-after items during the holiday season.

CHRISTMAS DOWN UNDER

From what we understand, most of the above goodies will be available in New Zealand. For those that are not — Trade Me sellers, you know an opportunity when you see one! Happy trading and a Ho Ho Ho to you!

Love me, love me not, love me … October 7, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : success secrets, trade me, trademe , 4comments

Sometimes, Trade Me auctions sell out in a flash. Other times, not so much.

You polish up your headlines, take some great photos and write sizzling words that (you figure) will have people bidding like crazy. You kick-start your auction with great hope and check back in a day or so later.

What? No bids? After all your good work, how could this happen?

If you find your items left at the altar, here’s a little advice.

First, look at the stats. There are three pieces of information you need to know about an item that’s just sitting there, apparently unloved:

1. Is your auction not getting any pageviews?
2. Is it getting views but no bids?
3. Or are people viewing it and then just adding it to their watchlist?

How do you know the answers to these questions? Go to My Trade Me and thence to your Items I’m Selling section. The three key auction numbers are there for you to see.

ON THE WATCHLIST?

If several people have added your auction to their watchlist, don’t change anything. They’re probably veteran Trade Me buyers and are saving up their energies (as well as their Auto-Bidders) for a sudden flurry at the end.

VIEWS BUT NO BIDS?

If you’re getting views and not bids, you know there is demand and interest in the item, but there’s something wrong with your price, your description or your photos. Tinker with the description, consider changing the photos — but don’t touch the pricing. Time enough for that if you have to relist your item.

NO VIEWS?

If you’re not even getting views, then either:

• There’s no demand or interest in the item;
• Your item is listed in the wrong category; or
• Your headline is letting you down.

WHATCHA GONNA DO?

First, head on over to the “more options” link in the Search box, and search for recent sales of similar items under Expired Auctions.

If you find a reasonable number of recent sales at acceptable prices, then you’ve established that there is demand for what you have to offer.

Dig a little deeper: click the most successful sold items and confirm if they were listed in the same category you’re frequenting. If not — and if you still have at least a day before the auction ends — change categories. If the successfully sold items were listed in the same category, probe even deeper.

How does your headline stack up? Is there anything you can learn from the headlines used by the successful sellers? Nothing that’s immediately obvious? At this point you have two choices:

1. Suck it in and wait for the end of the auction. To all intents and purposes, your listing stacks up. Take your chances on attracting attention as your listing moves into the endgame, passing through the Closing Soon pages on the way to temporary oblivion.
2. Tinker under the bonnet, trying some random changes to your headline and/or your choice of category.

We recommend choice #1. But that just might lead to…

COPING WITH FAILURE

No battle plan survives contact with the enemy. The same is true of online auction listings. No top seller on Trade Me achieves a 100% success rate, first time every time. We don’t imagine you will either. For some reason, those potential buyers out there have a mind of their own.

Sometimes, there’ll be no bids. Sometimes the bids just won’t reach your reserve. It’s a numbers game — and a game of perseverance. Even the professionals fail between 20% and 55% of the time. As for the rest of us: across the whole site, only one in four auctions closes successfully.

However, all is not lost. If your item doesn’t sell first time you can:

• Make a limited-time offer to any bidders or watchers. However you should note that because it’s so much easier these days to add an item to a Watchlist, you’ll attract many watchers who have only a mild interest in your item. So don’t get too disheartened if nobody bids.
• Relist your item in a different category. Your research amongst Expired Items might have unearthed appropriate alternatives. If not, just think creatively.
• Relist the item with a different description. Sometimes you can achieve success just by changing how you describe an item (refer the Trade Me Success Secrets book for advice on writing effective descriptions).
• Relist your product with a changed price offer. Maybe you were too ambitious with your pricing. Try again.
• Store it for now and try again later. Maybe this is a bad time to sell widgets.
• Add your item to a group of related products (ie, bundled together). Sometimes people don’t appreciate what goes with what (especially with fashion or design items). Combine and attempt to sell the new collection as a unit.
• Add extra value (such as a gift with purchase). The Gift With Purchase strategy is a tried and true sales tactic for retailers. It just might work for you.
• Add premium promotional options. Maybe enough people didn’t notice your listing. Add pictures and pay to have one featured as a Gallery image. Pay for your auction to be listed at the front of the category.
• Turn the whole thing into a publicity opportunity. We can see the headline now: widget that didn’t sell first time round on Trade Me now reaches record sales figures (see our earlier story “Five essential ingredients to make your listing famous” to see what can be done).
• Make the whole thing a learning experience! Use it to explore Trade Me in greater detail than you ever have before (and, ahem, may we suggest that a great way to master Trade Me is to read our Trade Me Success Secrets book).

Let’s not be gloomy about failure, though. It gives us a chance to learn new ways of doing things on Trade Me! Eventually, as winter turns to spring (soon, surely!) and thence to summer, failure will blossom into success.

Social Selling September 8, 2009

Posted by Michael Carney in : Twitter, auctions, facebook, new zealand, trade me, trademe , 4comments

Can you use Twitter to sell stuff on Trade Me? Is it fashionable or a complete social disaster to promote your auctions on Facebook?

The first answer, the purist answer, is ‘No’ – you shouldn’t use either service just to flog your auctions. And especially ‘No’ if you intend to turn your Twitter and Facebook presence into Spam Sausage Machines, churning out endless updates fixated on your Trade Me listings. Epic FAIL.

Of course, if ‘No’ was all there was to the answer, that would make for a pretty short blog post. So let’s quickly point out that there are circumstances under which it can be both acceptable and desirable to harness the power of Twitter or Facebook to promote your offerings [you probably knew we were going to say that].

A MATTER OF FOCUS

Regardless of whether we’re talking about Twitter, Facebook or any of the many other microblogging or social networking services, the key question is focus. What’s the purpose of your online presence? To keep in touch with your friends? Just to have an outlet for your rants and raves? Or to help with your business or professional ambitions, whether it’s to further your career or just help you earn a decent crust?

You may not have even considered the question before – most people haven’t. Now’s the time to do so.

If you decide that all you want to do online is hang with your friends or indulge in a good old-fashioned soapboxing from time to time, thanks, nothing to see here, move along please.

Otherwise, let’s talk about developing a new online focus – specifically, on those products that you sell on Trade Me. We’ll assume that they’re all part of a related product portfolio – in other words, you’re not selling car batteries today, dolls’ clothing tomorrow [if you do dabble in what we’ll charitably call a “diversified product range”, you either need to reconsider your overall selling strategy or else develop separate online identities* for each collection of products].

*EDIT: You can’t use multiple identities on Trade Me, of course, but you can and should have different  Twitter accounts and Facebook Business Pages for your various offerings. And thanks, Tim, for pointing out that this wasn’t clear in the original post.

Your focus can be reasonably broad (eg “Baby Clothing”) or very narrow (eg “Bronze Age Marvel Comics”). Either way, we’ll presume that there’s sufficient interest in the product category within New Zealand that you’ve been able to build a viable market niche selling such products on Trade Me.

Identified your focus? Great. The rest of the process can be simply described in four steps:

1. Ensure that your online identity reflects your focus (eg your Twitter User Name and profile details are all about your passion for Model Railroads of the Twentieth Century; you have a Facebook business page that talks about your comprehensive Swatch collection);
2. Start regularly posting useful information (eg to your Facebook wall or to your Twitter account) about your chosen topic: “Ten Worst Movies Available On BluRay”, “My Favourite Scrapbooking Technique”, “How Open Source Software Changes The World”;
3. Actively build a database of followers by seeking out other service users whose posts and profiles indicate that they are interested in your category;
4. Every once in a while (about every 15^th tweet, for example), in the midst of all the other useful information you’re posting, mention a relevant Trade Me auction that might appeal to your followers.

The guiding principle: provide an ongoing source of valuable information about your specialist topic (setting yourself up as an expert in the chosen field), attract those interested in your field and then interject with very occasional commercial messages (but don’t over-pollute).

These things take time, of course – don’t expect to be an overnight sensation. But once you build an enthusiastic following in your niche, you can significantly multiply the effectiveness of your auction listings.

GETTING SPECIFIC: TWITTER

Twitter is the flavour of the year. The service’s popularity has exploded around the world, and New Zealand is no exception. Twitter’s share of daily visits in Aotearoa increased 305% from the start of 2009 until mid-April (the latest data we have available), at which point, according to researchers HitWise, it was our 49th most visited web site.

Twitter’s most endearing feature is its ability to multiply messages exponentially. To paraphrase a (very) old commercial: with Twitter, “you tell two people and they each tell two people, and they each tell two people,  and so on and so on …” and before you know it, your message has been retweeted around the world six hundred times, reaching every person on the planet (okay, perhaps not, but certainly you can reach far more than just those on your own list, provided your message is of enduring interest).

So where do you start on Twitter? Returning to our four-step process noted above, start (STEP ONE) by claiming your online identity on the site. Go to www.Twitter.com and attempt to claim your Trade Me user name as a Twitter ID (we’re assuming that your user name reflects your product focus). Note that you can have no more than 15 characters in a Twitter ID (and it’s first-come, first-served globally), so you may need to modify or abbreviate to fit.

• If your Trade Me user name is too long or not available, consider using a descriptive name (related to your product focus) in your Twitter ID – that will help people find you and understand what you do.
• You also get to choose a thumbnail image to accompany your user ID. Choose or create an image that reflects your focus (but try to give it a personal twist – people like to follow other people, not corporations).
• Twitter also lets you include a single biographical weblink to let people click and learn more about you. If you’ve created a meaningful, product-focussed profile on your Trade Me member page, use that as your link (and if you haven’t already fleshed out that page properly, do it right now).

STEP TWO: Posting. You have 140 glorious characters within each tweet – not very much to provide useful, meaty information about your chosen topic (which is why many Twitterers tend to include links to more detailed blog posts in their tweets). Remember, remember, your role is to position yourself as an expert in your chosen field of endeavour, so post useful information on a regular basis. Also be aware that some will be receiving your updates on their mobile phones (and may be paying for the privilege). If they don’t think they’re getting value for money, they’ll quickly stop following you.

STEP THREE: Building a following. In essence, you want to attract a core group of (ideally Kiwi) followers who are very interested in your topic, as many people as possible with a mild interest in your topic and a smattering of others who might occasionally become prospects for your products.

How do you go about doing that? We won’t reinvent the wheel – Promo Magazine covers the topic in depth with a useful excerpt from “Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time” by Joel Comm (John Wiley & Sons, 2009):

How to Be Intentional about Creating Your Own Network of Experts

High quality followers can do different things. Some will be the type of followers who hang on to your every tweet, follow all your links, and buy your products.

You certainly want to have lots of those … but identifying them isn’t easy. Few Twitterers write on their bios that they’re looking to buy lots of products about Corvettes or football—or anything else.

What you can find very easily on Twitter, though, is experts.

This is really Twitter’s strength. The site is stuffed with people who have great information about particular subjects and are willing to share it.

Find experts on a topic related to yours and encourage them to follow you, and you’ll be giving yourself a massive and very valuable network.

Enter your keywords [in a Twitter search engine] and pull up tweets that contain that phrase.

You’ll then be able to see who’s talking about your topic and, by looking at the bios and reading their tweets, see which of those Twitterers are the leading experts. It’s much more efficient to identify the key Twitterers on the topic and get them to follow you.

If other people see that the expert is following you, they’ll assume that you’re also an expert and want to follow you too.

One way to succeed on Twitter is to hang out with the influence-makers. Find the top people in your topic on Twitter, and become a part of their circle.

When you’re one of the prominent Twitterers on the site, you’ll find it’s much easier to persuade people to read your tweets. In fact, you won’t have to do anything but make sure that your tweets are interesting, informative, and entertaining.

Read more at http://promomagazine.com/interactivemarketing/news/building-twitter-followers-0331/index1.html

STEP FOUR: Once you’ve built a useful following, you can afford to mention your auctions on an occasional basis.

AND WHAT ABOUT FACEBOOK?

Facebook overtook Bebo in April this year to become New Zealand’s most popular social networking site (Source: ComScore). Amazingly, Facebook has also (according to HitWise) overtaken Trade Me in the last month to become New Zealand’s second most visited website behind Google.

Facebook requires a bit more care than Twitter, because the site doesn’t allow you to register as anything other than an individual. However you can set up (free) a business page and populate that page with info about your products.

What to do next? John Marshall to the rescue:

Step One: Who Is Your Target Market? That’s the million dollar question. Lets say you were selling video games. You only want to add friends who play and buy those video games. Think of your target market.

Step Two: Find your target market. You ask how do I do that. It’s very easy if your target market is video games, you go to groups and search for stuff related to video games.  Once you find these groups of people you now have your target market in front of you.

Step Three: Build your following. It’s time to start adding friends and having fun. Here are a few things to keep in mind when building your following:

• Only add 50 Friends a day (If you go too fast FaceBook will tell you to slow down)
• Don’t use a program to add friends (Facebook will kick you out)
• Add a personal message when adding friends. (Draft a message, one that sounds professional, and keep it handy)
• Approve all requests for friendship from others.
• Join Groups in your target market (people will invite you from these groups)
• Join the conversation (Get out in the conversation and be seen)
• Write on your friends’ Walls.
• Link your FaceBook to other websites: your blog, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube.

Social Networking specialist Deltina Hay also provides some highly valuable advice for taking advantage of sites such as Facebook:

To avoid the scattershot approach, choose one or two social networking sites that fit your business well and invest the time to maximize your presence in them. Let’s explore what that might look like if Facebook is one of your choices.

Prepare your best information before you start.

Avoid the “I will go back and fill that in later” trap. Have all your necessary information on hand, ready to copy and paste on the spot. Complete a worksheet containing:

1. Key Terms:
Make a list of your best key terms and weave them into the rest of your worksheet items. Key terms are one, two, or three word terms that someone might use if they were searching for your business in a search engine.

2. General Information:
Your Name
Business Name
Email Addresses
URLs
Instant Messaging screen names

3. Biographical and Descriptive Information:
Short bio (50 words)
Longer bio (100 words)
Short company description (50 words)
Longer company description (100 words)
Business mission statement

4. List of Products

I based these worksheet items on a typical Facebook profile and page. If you choose a different social networking site, examine some completed profiles and base your worksheet items on them.

Create an account and thoroughly complete your profile

If you haven’t already, get a Facebook account. Completely fill out your profile using your worksheet. Under the relationships tab, choose “networking.” You can skip the personal and education tabs for business profiles, but there is no harm in filling them out. If you have an existing account, upgrade your profile information using your key terms.

But don’t stop there!

Facebook, like most good social networking platforms, offers many marketing opportunities for businesses, some for free. You can find these by clicking the “Advertising” link in the footer of the Facebook site, or by following this link: http://www.facebook.com/business/.

Since I can’t cover all of the marketing tools in one article, let’s focus on my favorite: The Facebook Page. It’s my favorite not only because it is free, but because it makes use of the many diverse Facebook applications.

Facebook pages are specifically for marketing a business or a product. They offer a way for a business to represent itself to the Facebook community in an authentic way. Facebook users can search pages the same way they search for people within the network community.

Create your page by going to “Page Manager” in the left sidebar of your Facebook profile, or by following this link: http://www.facebook.com/business/ and choosing Facebook Pages. Choose the best category for your business.

Use key terms in the name of your Facebook page!

It seems that the actual page name is the only text on a Facebook page that is used in a search. With that in mind, use at least two of your best key terms in your page name.

Populate your page with all of your best worksheet information. You may have only a few seconds to catch a reader’s attention, so put your best key terms forward.

Once your page is in place, add applications to help represent your company in your own unique way. To find applications for your page, click on “Applications” in the upper left corner of your page, or search for them here: http://www.facebook.com/apps/.

Applications are not difficult to install and are usually very easy to set up. Use this general rule of thumb when choosing an application: If you can’t figure out how to set it up after the second try, find another one. There is often more than one application available to accomplish the same task.

Applications Top Picks:

• My Flickr (http://apps.facebook.com/myflickr/): Display photos from your Flickr account using this application. These photos can include logos, product photos, photos from events, etc.
• Upcoming (http://apps.facebook.com/upcoming/): Add all of your events to upcoming.org, and you can easily display them on your Facebook page with Upcoming’s Facebook application.
• YouTube Box (http://apps.facebook.com/videobox/): Allows visitors to play your YouTube videos right on your Facebook page.
• Simply RSS (http://apps.facebook.com/simplyrss/): This allows you to display up to eight RSS feeds on your Facebook page and display the feeds from your business’s main site and newsrooms.

Implementing these applications creates an interactive page that also gives visitors a personable look into your business.

MORE READING

We’re really just scratching the surface of social network marketing in this article. We suggest you do your own additional homework as you go along (recommended tutor: Old Missus Google).

Anyway, back to the original questions: Yes, you can use Twitter or Facebook to promote your auctions, but only as a side-effect of your development as the Expert in your Chosen Field. BTW, you’ll find a few other useful side-effects along the way, as you develop and publicise your expertise. We’ll leave it to you to discover them!

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