Talk:TradeMe

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To-do list for TradeMe: edit · history · watch · refresh

Here are some tasks you can do:
  • Cleanup:
    • Remove most of the trivia sections and lists or convert to prose
      • Merge notable 'Recent enhancements' into History; notable 'Unusual sale items' into Culture (when created) and remove Prohibited items list and replace with a link and anything salvageable under Auction process (when created).
      • Expand:
    • Add sections on the Auction process and TradeMe in culture
    • A mention of the website 'Trade free' in the text is needed, which can replace the external link at the end.
    • NPOV: Remove or reference any weasel worded or unsupported statements
    • Other:
    A non-fair use picture of Sam Morgan is needed
Priority 5  

Contents

[edit] Edits by 130.216.191.184

whilst you may not agree with my changes, the content which i have added regarding the demographic and the content of the message board is both accurate and real. -- 130.216.191.184

Regarding your edits here[1] Wikipedia is not a soapbox WP:NOT. --Clawed 03:32, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

210.246.13.183: Where can I put this info then? So the public can be informed. this site is such a scam. poor frietasm cant get his pictures off trademe so he told us to spread it, so I am.

Rephrase your edit so it is less opinionated and more like an encyclopedia article. -barf

[edit] Under 18 Problem On Trademe

I notice that the user "Trademe" has edited this out. I consider this gross negligence due to the fact that the addition that trademe turns a blind eye to under 18 users is a valid and true comment. it is not just point of view, it is clearly a fact. if you would like i can post correspondance between trademe and myself that reinforce this.

Sounds like you need to read Wikipedia:No original research and Wikipedia:NPOV and Wikipedia:Citing sources several of our other policies Nil Einne 10:24, 12 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Trademe Syndrome

I do not find it credible that a term like "Trademe syndrome" gained usage among a large population independently and spontaneously. Either there will be a citable source, or the breadth of usage is being exaggerated. (I'm questioning the term, not the phenomenon). dramatic 09:20, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

Its the name of a phenomena, of course there isnt actually a scientific phenomena named as such, but it was a phrase coined in response to a worldwide trend of "Net Compulsions" as a localized form. I dont feel it needs a citation as its clear as to it what it is and is a name derivative of its meaning.--Subwaynz 09:58, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

In that case (and supported by the fact that the only google result for the phrase is this article) I'm removing the section as original research. You can't even derive it from "Ebay syndrome", because the top 10 hits from that phrase include six blogs which each use the phrase with a different implicit or explicit definition. dramatic 11:05, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

At least leave the notion (not trademe syndrome but the context) as an occurance, therefore relevant for the wiki.--Subwaynz 11:18, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Section about Clashes with Software Developers

I did not feel like this section was badmouthing TradeMe, as mentioned by 222.153.181.219.

It is reasonably well known that TradeMe's public stance is "no automated software". (However, this rule strangely doesn't seem to apply to sellers software -- see 'Auctionitis' and 'TradeTool'). TradeMe have indeed requested the immediate shutdown of several services released (e.g., 'TradeMe Sniper', 'HotBid', 'AuctionBar' and 'TraderContact') and have threatened legal action if this did not happen. I have personally seen two such letters, and have been at the receiving end of two phone-calls from TradeMe regarding such software.

I feel that, as the number of services being released is increasing quite rapidly, this issue is very pertinent and should be mentioned.

I've tried my best to add a little balance to this, although I think it would be good to add something about AuctionItis. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.97.188.148 (talk) 00:55, 21 October 2007 (UTC)


Yes, there is a lot of software that is actively used on TradeMe, including Auctionitis, TradeTool and OMINS. TradeMe doesn't seem to have a problem with these tools -- at least they haven't made any efforts to stop their use.

It's buying tools that seem to be the problem (such as AuctionBar and Snipe on TradeMe).

Unfortunately it's hard to expand on this issue as TradeMe don't make their stance on software publicly available.


All Trade Me users are bound by the site's terms and conditions (available in the 'help' section) which forbid using any automated tools to access the site. I'd say that was pretty clear 121.73.163.49 (talk) 12:10, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Messageboards

Trademe runs a messageboard which is amongst the busiest in New Zealand. However over time it has become abit of a haven for racists. Would a section about that be prudent here?

Perhaps a small section, though making a claim that it's a haven for racists is probably not going to be NPOV/verifiable. Richard001 04:57, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Edit: Moved to 'community and related sites' Richard001 06:03, 3 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Images

We need an updated screenshot of the site to show the newer links to smaps and stuff.co.nz. The main concern with the current one is that it's in a very lossy jpg format, a png would be much better. Richard001 07:52, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

I've uploaded one tonight, that's that taken care of. Richard001 08:27, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

Besides the screenshot, further images that would improve the article are

  • A good picture of Sam Morgan (I uploaded a small fair use one, but a bigger free one would be ideal)
  • A picture of TradeMe headquarters (perhaps a Wellingtonian could take one and upload to Commons?)
  • A typical auction on TradeMe to demonstrate the process

[edit] Removed section: Successive enhancements to the website

Most of this is fairly trivial and dated by now. The most notable changes/improvements should be placed in the history section.

  • 1 November 2005 - New icon for brand new listings
  • 11 November 2005 - "Buy now" price shown on category pages (obviating the need to go into the auction to see the "buy now")
  • 11 November 2005 - Local tag displayed in auctions (an icon displays in auctions indicating whether the item up for auction currently shares a province of New Zealand with the enquirer)
  • 21 November 2005 - Improved photo-page to make it easier to browse photos. When viewing an enlarged photo, users can see thumbnails for all images without having to return to the listing itself.
  • 28 November 2005 - Email to watchers when "Buy Now" added (watchers receive an e-mail if the seller of an item adds a "buy now" price to the listing)
  • 28 November 2005 - Date and time on answers and comments (questions and answers on auctions now get time-stamped with the times of asking and of answering)
  • June 2006 - Automated email introduced, whereby a seller may have an automated email sent to the winner of a completed auction; such emails can contain bank account details so that the buyer can instantly deposit the funds
  • August 2006 - Text bidding introduced: the system can send a bidder an SMS text message during the auction informing of the receipt of a higher bid, thus allowing the bidder ton text a still higher bid
  • September 2006 - Buyers can send a template email containing an address for sending the auctioned goods to
  • 20 November 2006 - New TradeMe front-end launched, with design input from the TradeMe community

[edit] TradeMe alternatives

I notice that one or two people (maybe it's just one person, I don't know) have been trying to add material on Tradefree to the article. This will of course be reverted as spam unless citations are provided. It is not that we are trying to keep information on competitors or alternatives out of the article, of course. A mention of Zillion is already provided, in fact. But for such material to be included some indication of the notability of the site is needed. If there was an article in major newspaper or something similar discussing an alternative website, it could certainly be added - and would improve the article. However despite searching for any such material on the web, I haven't been able to locate anything appropriate. If anyone can do so, please go ahead, but unsourced material will continue to be deleted on sight and stern warnings given. Richard001 07:05, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Needs slightly more explanation of why TradeMe beat off eBay

At the moment the article has is Morgan's comment:

"...I think there are big cultural issues there that are just not well understood. For example the Americans think that everyone has a zip code [...] they were a little late in and then they launched in US dollars."

I'm slightly sceptical that it was simply "cultural issues" that did for eBay, considering that their UK site is extremely successful, and we don't have zip codes or buy in US$ either! Surely there was more to it than "cultural issues"? 86.136.251.18 11:03, 15 October 2007 (UTC)

My theory is that auction sites are a variation of a natural monopoly - once one player gets a decent turnover they have too much inertia for anyone else to get a look-in in that geomarket. You need a large audience before people will bother listing, and you don't get an audience if there aren't enough listings. EBay was simply too late at attempting anything New-Zealand specific, and international shipping costs are a big disincentive to New Zealanders using the US and Australian versions of ebay that were around when trademe started. However, I'm not a notable source so we'd need to find someone citable saying much the same thing.dramatic 20:26, 15 October 2007 (UTC)

I thinks its due more to network effects rather than a natural monopoly. 210.54.238.182 (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 22:05, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

The quote mentions they got in a bit late too. Richard001 22:31, 15 October 2007 (UTC)