Trade Me is 20 years young

Trade Me is celebrating its 20th birthday this month after opening its virtual doors in March 1999.

CEO Jon Macdonald said this was a huge milestone for the local tech company. “This is a big moment for us, like any new business no one was sure we would succeed when we first started back in March 1999.

“What we were asking people to do was very strange at the time: buying something you’d never seen off someone you’d never met. In the early 2000s, viewing a car or a job or a property online was a foreign concept to most New Zealanders. Now it’s as normal as fish and chips.

“There was a combination of a great idea, New Zealanders’ inherent skill at picking up new technology, tons of hard work and a bit of luck that got us here today. We grew as Kiwis got more and more comfortable living online and we’re stoked to be a big part of New Zealand today.”

Mr Macdonald said the company has come a long way since Sam Morgan turned on his fledgling online marketplace. “The story goes that Sam had a frustrating experience buying a secondhand heater for his chilly flat in Wellington, that sparked an idea and Trade Me was born.”

In the space of two decades, Trade Me has moved from being a site for finding a secondhand bargain to the place you go to find your first home, launch a new business, purchase a car or take the next step in your career.

“We’re grateful and humbled that Kiwis still visit us every day - over 1.8 million Kiwis visit Trade Me each day from a range of devices, there are over seven million listings onsite at any one time and we employ over 600 New Zealanders across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.”

Mr Macdonald said one of the things he’s proudest of in his 15 years at Trade Me is the thousands of businesses that have started on Trade Me. “Our platform has given thousands of Kiwi entrepreneurs an opportunity to make their own business and reach an audience they’d never have found without us.

“Many a garage across the country was converted into a new online business and a number of those have grown into substantial stores which still sell with us today.

“I also love how enthusiastic New Zealand gets about a great Trade Me listing - whether it’s the handbag that Tana Umaga hit Chris Masoe over the head with in a Christchurch pub, a $1 reserve Lamborghini or the homes of the rich and famous. These listings capture what’s happening in New Zealand and some even become a piece of pop culture history.”

Mr Macdonald also acknowledged the efforts of Trade Me staff and alumni. “I’d also like to pay tribute to all the staff past and present who have played a huge role in Trade Me’s emergence, growth and evolution over the past 20 years. It’s been fantastic to see the success of Trade Me flow into new businesses and be an important part of the New Zealand business ecosystem.”

20 Wishes
Mr Macdonald said the 20th birthday wasn’t just about celebrating Trade Me and where it’s been, but about giving back to New Zealand.

“We wouldn’t be here today without our members and to thank them we’re granting one wish on every business day in March. We’re giving away everything from an a holiday anywhere in the country to a Samsung Family Hub fridge and we’re going to grant the wishes of a few Kiwis who tell us their story.

“Kiwis can make a wish by visiting the Trade Me Wishlist page and we might just make it come true.”

As well as Wishlist, Trade Me is celebrating throughout March with sales and special offers, exciting product releases, a big announcement for charity and some information on Trade Me’s economic impact over the last 20 years.

The future
“While 20 years is a long time in the tech world we feel like we’ve only just begun,” said Mr Macdonald.

“When we started out using your phone to shop, look at a house or get a job was unheard of, yet now well over half of our visitors every day come via a mobile device. Technology is moving rapidly and advances in the likes of voice search, AI, machine learning and more will create more opportunities for us to make cool things for Kiwis to get the things they want done online.

“What’s important to us is making sure we keep delivering the things that Kiwis need, there’s limitless potential with what we can do, online classifieds and ecommerce is still in its infancy in New Zealand and we want to be here for another 20 years.”

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