Performance
Design / Innovation
Entrepreneurship / Business
This news perked my interest ( from my start-up past). Yahoo is closing their US auction site (Yahoo are still the #1 auction site in Japan) . Yahoo has given up on being #2 in the US. No surprises really, Yahoo is getting caned by Google and it looks like they are focusing their resources on the challenges ahead.
Looking at the NZ market, it begs the question. Why the other the NZ auctions sites don’t get it? There is only ever one winner in each market for auctions. (They only market that isn’t true is China, they’re still fighting it out). You can’t have a marketplace without lots of buyers AND sellers. Its the old chicken and egg situation. Look at www.sellforfree.co.nz, there’s only about 50 items. (All the billboards have been put to good use!) Its going to have to work really hard to gain some traction against Trade Me!
If you’re thinking you want to build the next “trade me”. Stop! Buy some lotto tickets, its a better option. There is very little chance of real success.
OK OK that’s a bit harsh. If you still think you can do better, find a niche and become the dominant marketplace in that niche. That’s what the Hirething’s guys are doing and they are starting to get some traction.
Sphere: Related ContentYesterday was a blur of cardboard boxes, packing tape and miles of cable, as we moved offices from Creative HQ at 25a Marion St to Agriculture House. Despite the rather bucolic name, it’s actually right in the middle of the suity end of town, with the entrance at 12 Johnston St just around the corner from Featherston St.
We’re still in the process of getting everything unpacked and back to normal (and sorting out minor things like phones), but we’ll update our website and ZoomIn pages very soon with our new details.
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In probably the most bizarre news of the weekend, the register reports that MC Hammer has been selected to be on an expert panel for a tech start-up event.
Next we’ll be seeing Vanilla Ice as an interaction designer and Milli Vanilli as communication specialists !
Sphere: Related ContentThe full list of winners is now up on the Gold Awards website, but we here at ProjectX always like to think in terms of maps, so here’s a ZoomIn group map that I created to show all the winners and their locations throughout the Wellington region.
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Wellington-based international on-line mapping company ProjectX Technology
(www.projectx.co.nz) has been recognised for its bold ambition, technological
success and contribution to the community by being selected as one of four
finalists in the Cyber Gold category at this year’s Wellington Gold Awards.
Founder and CEO John Clegg say ProjectX is thrilled to be recognised in this way.
“We are proud to have been recognised and placed amongst Wellington region’s
best and brightest. To be one of four finalists is a huge boost for us as a young
start-up company and it’s a great incentive for us to do even greater things. Next
year we’re going for gold.”
The company, which is part of Wellington business incubator CreativeHQ, has
fingers in several pies. It specialises in developing online mapping tools for the
everyday person in the street.
Their flagship product is the free map website - zoomin.co.nz – which is about more
than just finding something on a map. Users can view or add photos and video,
read other people’s comments and reviews and add information of their own.
The company also created TradeMe’s Smaps product, which became the most
used mapping site in New Zealand within just three weeks of being launched.
ProjectX has already won two TUANZ awards (Telecommunications Users
Association of New Zealand) for craft and inspiration in 2006.
Here’s some pictures of ProjectX at the Gold awards.
