In a time when accurate, expert advice is more important than ever, RNZ’s Hayden Donnell asks why New Zealand’s entrepreneur community has been so prominent in the media. Reporting on the Covid-19 crisis comes with a weight of responsibility for news organisations. Getting timely, accurate information on efforts to slow the spread of the virus … Read more
He was one of the first employees at NZ tech icons TradeMe, Xero and Vend. He’s just started his first company since the ‘90s. So why does Rowan Simpson want out already? The itch started in Cuba. Rowan Simpson was in the midst of a yearlong trip around the world with his still-young family when … Read more
Alex Casey talks to the woman behind @trademebae, the Instagram account archiving the most bizarre items that Trade Me has to offer. Every detail is somehow funnier than the last. “Sex noveltys” the listing reads. $1 reserve. Condition: Used. Description: As is. Pick-up: Invercargill. Pictured: dildos, vibrators, a butt plug and various other “noveltys”, opaque … Read more
New Zealand’s pioneering online auction site and marketplace has just marked 20 years with a staff reunion. Rowan Simpson went along, and it sparked some fascinating memories and reflections. I was irrationally tentative as I walked up the stairs to the mezzanine level at Whistling Sisters in Wellington, on one of those rare you-can’t-beat-Wellington evenings, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Shareholders approve of sale of TradeMe to private equity firm, family ties between Shane Jones and logging boss, and Newsroom journalists detained in Fiji. TradeMe shareholders have given overwhelming backing to a takeover offer from a British private equity firm called Apax Partners, reports Business Desk. It’s the … Read more
Instead of acting like parents suffering from empty nest syndrome, it’s time we realised that new businesses need to grow up, and sometimes that means heading off on their OE, says Vic Crone. It’s hard to imagine now, but 20 years ago, buying secondhand goods was a bit of a pain. Classified ads in newspapers rarely … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Auckland Pride board survives no confidence vote, Defence Force puts climate change in its sights, and two former parliament speakers weigh in on bias claims against Trevor Mallard. The Auckland Pride Board have survived a vote of no confidence brought by disgruntled members over the uniformed … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Call for Hit and Run inquiry to be open and transparent, scale of risk from rising sea levels revealed, and paracetamol supplies could run short. The long-awaited inquiry into the events described in the book Hit and Run has got underway. To recap: Hit and Run was a book … Read more
TradeMe has just released its list of the Top 10 most-searched toys for 2018. Emily Writes tries to figure out what the hell they are. It’s true I’ve been looking on TradeMe for every iteration of “Cubby house” available to me with a “pick up Wellington” criteria. None are in my price range. And the … Read more
How e-commerce platforms can allow you to build a business from your bedroom, and why Trade Me now has some serious competition. E-commerce platforms Gone are the days where Kiwi businesses relied on bricks and mortar to sell their products. Today it’s normal to solely operate a business online. Online tools like e-commerce platforms and … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. Today Simon talks to tech investor Rowan Simpson. Rowan Simpson has made his … Read more
If robots are going to be the accountants, what is the point of getting a degree? Rebecca Stevenson reports on the future of work, and finds old skills are getting a new relevance. Late last month 100 New Zealand companies including Xero, Fonterra, The Warehouse, Spark and Fisher & Paykel signed an open letter that … Read more
Most people like to watch TV. I like to look at TVs. For the past five years I’ve been trawling through TradeMe and saving photos of televisions to my hard drive, with a collection that totals in the hundreds and is quickly approaching the thousands. It’s a bizarre obsession that started innocently enough. I needed … Read more
With Street Week in full swing and Christmas right around the corner, Alex Casey dredges up the very best in Shortland Street merch from the far reaches of Trademe. // Lionel’s Muffin Cook Book Lionel Skeggins was one of Shortland Street’s all-time greats. The cheery café manager played by John Leigh first appeared in a … Read more
With Sci Fi week in full swing and Christmas right around the corner, Alex Casey dredges up some powerful space junk from the dark reaches of the Trademe TV Memorabilia galaxy. // If there is one place to learn about the nuances of a particular show and it’s fandom, I can highly recommend following the Trademe … Read more