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Thread ID: 137463	2014-07-11 06:46:00	Wheedle	Renegade (16270)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1378985	2014-07-11 06:46:00	Well, that venture really worked out well! ----- ANNOUNCEMENT 11 July 2014 Online auction site to close CHRISTCHURCH: Online auction site Wheedle, the only significant competitor to Trade Me in New Zealand, is to close after its sole funder Neil Graham decided against further investment in the company. “I’ve supported the company financially since its inception but, as part of a rationalisation of my investments, I’ve decided it’s time to move on,” Mr Graham says. “Ongoing health issues have also contributed to my decision. “Our aim was to create a commercially successful site where people could buy and sell online without costing users an arm and a leg. More than 80,000 members backed us and we’re very proud of that achievement. “I’m sad to see it go but the reality is we’ve taken the idea as far as we can. A managed wind down is the sensible option.” Graham said all auctions currently in progress will run their course, and all membership fees will be paid in full and are redeemable online. “We have no trade creditors and we will work through any contract issues with service providers. The Wheedle team today have received paid notice and are assisting in the orderly wind up of the company.” Mr Graham says the systems developed to deliver the service involve a state-of-the-art, secure e- commerce platform. Specialist transaction advisory firm Ocean Partners is managing the sales process and is in discussion with two parties interested in all or part of the company and its technology. This may hold out some hope for re-employment of existing staff. “I continue to believe,” says Graham, “that New Zealand should have a choice when it comes to online trading and that listing fees should be fair and reasonable. We also think the Wheedle business model of a paid membership and set fees has potential, but we’ve been unable to make it work within a realistic time frame.” “This has been a bit of a personal crusade for me – the name Wheedle come from a phrase my grandmother used all the time and I’ve invested millions into the venture. There were doubters from the start, but we’ve given it our best shot, created a large group of satisfied customers and built some very interesting technology. But I’m afraid the business has run its course in its present form,” Mr Graham says. NOTE: Wheedle members who wish to redeem their outstanding balances should go to www.wheedle.co.nz and a link will be available for you to register for a refund in due course.	Renegade (16270)
1378986	2014-07-11 06:49:00	:clap Took them long enough. :p	pcuser42 (130)
1378987	2014-07-11 07:13:00	A shame as TM needs some opposition. Many people hate them, but its very hard to beat an encumbant.	Digby (677)
1378988	2014-07-11 07:20:00	Rather use Ebay than TM. At least you don't pay anything extra besides what the item costs and freight/postage. If it isnt free	Speedy Gonzales (78)
1378989	2014-07-11 11:46:00	I wanted them to succeed but every time I looked there was such a tiny selection compared to trademe it wasn't worth using. I think trademe fees are out of control and need to be capped at a reasonable level, and if they are subsidising all the cheap sales with the bigger ones they need to stop that and introduce a fair minimum charge. If I advertise in newspaper it's a fixed cost, trademe want a percentage. Lets hope someone else does better competing with them.	dugimodo (138)
1378990	2014-07-11 19:45:00	I listed a car recently on TM, shocked to see what the fees had gone up to. So instead of $59 I chose the $39 auction option. Then the seller decided he'd changed his mind so I withdrew it. Then I discover the withdrawal fee is another $39! I complained and they refunded it to me...but I sure won't do that again. Getting a bit excessive there.	pctek (84)
1378991	2014-07-11 21:40:00	Find the markup on most items in NZ extortion ,just bought a part for a Rideon mower (chute) on TM which was about $20/30 cheaper than buying from the mower shop On Ebay the item was $20 but freight would have been about $56 plus all the other gouging costs before I got it. These could be stacked like plates if 10 were bought as they stack inside one another no wonder why people importing classic cars from the states stack a couple of pallets of Rideons in the container to bring back which I had the opportunity to do a few years ago but passed up	Lawrence (2987)
1378992	2014-07-22 06:36:00	Fed up paying too much auction and ads fees? visit [edited] its alternative to extremely priced auction & classified sites! - we are going live on the 28 July	mightybid (17270)
1378993	2014-07-22 06:40:00	I suggest finding a better advertising method than spamming forums.	pcuser42 (130)
1378994	2014-07-22 07:06:00	With a name like Wheedle I am not surprised...	Agent_24 (57)
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