Is “Neighbourly” just a “TradeMe Wannabe”?

In this post I pose the question “Is “Neighbourly” just a “TradeMe Wannabe”?

Wannabe

Is this the real reason Neighbourly was set up?

There are indicators that Neighbourly is developing into a “TradeMe” style site.

 

Neighbourly Property has over 6000 listings, presumably “sucked in” from another site since almost no members are aware of this happening and listings go back about nine months.

Some time ago I also noticed that there is now a transactions section in Neighbourly.

TANSTAAFL

In a previous post I said “Has the concept of Neighbourly that we believe in, if it ever existed while Neighbourly was being developed, become merely bait to attract new members to grow a database for commercial purposes?”

Online Business 101: Don’t upset your members by issuing “Tickets” and ramming advertising down the throats of members. Lately a single ad fills up Noticeboard space so that members cannot see a single member post when they first enter the site. Members cannot turn off the paid ads. This should be an option.

We understand that there needs to be a commercial side to Neighbourly. However it is very disappointing that this has been done at the expense of members’ enjoyment of the Noticeboard.

The Neighbourly Team has taken an overtly aggressive stance against anyone who does not like ads on the Neighbourly Noticeboard. I have recently been kicked out of Neighbourly, essentially I believe for this. Supposedly it is claimed for the good of the members but really I believe for the good of NT.

I believe NT has a high/heavy-handed hard-line bullying totalitarian sledgehammer approach that is losing the goodwill of members except perhaps for the 99% of members (lurkers) who by definition seldom (if ever) contribute anything and would not buy anything commercially through Neighbourly anyway.

Almost all active Neighbourly members may become lurkers without your assistance.
Imagine the business consequences since 99% of members are already lurkers.

We are very concerned that the concept has been used as bait by the Neighbourly Team to attract members and to grow the database of members with little (if any) concern for the members or staying true to the original concept. It is sad that the original concept of Neighbourly has been lost … lost forever? 🙁

catserenity1

Maybe it was intended right from the start to set up a site in competition with TradeMe and the concept of Neighbourly was all along merely a means to an end as far as Neighbourly is concerned?

meanstoanend

Maybe Neighbourly only ever intended to pay lip service to the concept of Neighbourly?

LipService1

Whaddya think?

Leave a Reply