FARMERS can now go online and find tractors and machinery for sale throughout the country courtesy of the new AgTrader website.
Tractor and machinery dealers will also be able to list their stock on the site as an extension of their print advertising.
AgTrader manager Rebecca Stuart said the site was created because of demand and changes in technology.
“The AgTrader has been a very popular newspaper with farming families for over 20 years – we see the website as another dimension of our business – offering people another avenue in which to buy, sell and trade.
“People love scanning the paper and seeing what is on offer – with the web they can get additional detail on the items listed, extra pictures and have the ability to email questions, comments etc,” she said.
“We often have dealers saying they know when the AgTrader has come out because their phone starts ringing. We expect our AgTrader website users to generate a similar response via a different mechanism.”
The site went live today.
Rebecca said the site definitely complemented AgTrader. As the paper was monthly, the website would give dealers the ability to change stock as it sold and relist the new trades in the weeks in between the print issues.
The paper would highlight their monthly specials while the website would allow dealers to list additional items.
“In many ways, this site has been built for our VIP advertisers; many of whom have supported our publication for a number of years – through our print/web packages, there will be something for everyone.
“Some dealers have told us they only want to advertise in print – that is fine – the option is simply there for others who want an additional way to attract and target new customers,” she said. One of the benefits was that each dealer could have their own website on the AgTrader site. They would have complete control over the look and feel and the content – AgTrader would simply host it.
“This is a great option for those smaller businesses who don’t currently have a website or who don’t want the extra expense of paying to have one built. “We will also send out email newsletters and use it as a way of communicating with our customers,” Rebecca said.
“Our website is slightly different from others in that we still want to offer superior customer service to our clients so each print/web package will be tailor-made to suit our VIP clients’ needs and competitively priced to reward them for their loyalty to AgTrader.
“Our reps have over 60 years’ experience with the paper and have played an active part in its growth and development; after 20 years in print, it was time for us to expand our horizons and offer our valued clients something more.
“Our expectations are that people will love the site and find it easy to navigate their way around. While we have been extensively testing the site during the building process, we are excited to have our clients go online and see what they think. It’s all about getting feedback and making sure it meets our customers’ needs,” she said.
A number of dealers were involved in the research and testing process and they were excited about the concept. The site is live – an extension of the newspaper – with the ability to search via region, dealer, brand, HP and price. An online copy of AgTrader is also available on the site where readers can flick through the pages.
Rebecca said the beauty of this Realview technology was that it offered readers the ability to link directly to the advertiser’s website from their web address within the advertisement.
“We will have both banners and buttons for sale on the site and while the website has a distinctly tractor and machinery focus, we expect these prime spots to be in demand from any business wanting to target the rural market.
“It’s a bit like the front page of our newspaper, once advertisers get on there – they never want to leave.
“The site’s development over the coming months will largely depend on the feedback we receive from our customers and online readers.”
For those who enjoy the pastime of reading a newspaper, the AgTrader will still arrive FREE in your mailbox each month just as it has for the past 20 years for those who enjoy surfing online they should visit www.agtrader.co.nz and see what it has to offer or contact the AgTrader team on 0800 55 55 44.
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