Agents’ Mutual has dropped the idea of having additional products, such as featured listings, on its new OnTheMarket portal.
Ian Springett, chief executive, made it clear that this was a result of feedback from agents.
He told Eye: “During a series of 39 launch briefings held last week it became apparent that the majority of members were opposed to the idea that any individual firm would be able to access additional products in a manner which would give them advantage over other firms.
“This was widely seen as a coercive tactic employed by the existing major portals to force agents to take products, some of which they see no value in, simply to keep up with their local competitors.
“In response to this member feedback, the board of Agents’ Mutual has issued a statement saying that this approach to additional products would not be taken by OnTheMarket.com”
An email to OnTheMarket agents says that the idea has been abandoned because it was “at odds with the wish of the great majority of members that their portal environment should, from the outset, be a level playing field with no opportunity for any individual firm to gain advantage over others by paying for extra services”.
Eye also asked Springett about agents’ marketing associations which have their own websites, and whether these would be subject to the “only one other portal” rule.
Springett said: “We assess what is considered a competing portal on a case by case basis.
“Members are able to contact us if they are unsure of the status in this regard of any websites on which they list or are contemplating listing their properties.”
Comments (117)
I am amazed at the blind faith being put into OnTheMarket’s success being a forgone conclusion, by many firms, especially the smaller agents. On several levels I have serious doubts about its long term success, but only time will tell whether I’m correct or not. While I’m sure there is going to be a lot of noise, from and about portals in 2015. Rightmove and Zoopla have the cash to see OnTheMarket off and so in the long term, I believe it will fail.
What agents seem to be unable to grasp, is that it not a question of what agents want, it what the public wants.
After leaving PrimeLocation Ian Springett started Card Fame Limited in 2011. The success or failure of this business can be seen from a simple look at their accounts. Thinking what can he do next, he goes back to the very same companies with whom he knew from his PrimeLocation days. They come up with, the hardly original idea which is almost exactly the same business plan as PrimeLocation. It is unbelievable that people can be so naïve not to see this for what it is. Anyone who signs up with this outfit is effectively being told how to run their company. One agent in Oxford talks about apathy by agents in the Oxford area towards OnTheMarket, perhaps he should stop and think about what he is doing. Regardless of what people say, small agents now have access to a huge world wide market for actually a small amount of money. In the past the large firms enjoyed an almost monopoly when it came to marketing on a worldwide basis now the playing field is more level the larger firms want to get some of this control back.
I really wonder if the smaller agents really think the reported £500,000 Ian Springett is being paid per annum is money well spent. The larger firms behind this new portal are international and national firms; well known in their field and advertise in a huge number of places and magazines and many people go straight to their sites. They do not depend on portal traffic in the same way the smaller firms do. It is reported today that Rightmove is one of the most searched for names in Google. How can it make sense to stop advertising on one of the most successful website in the UK, and instead commit to a completely unknown and untested portal with limited stock, and at the same time committing to it for five years?
The Duopoly have been effectively collaborating with online agents. It will be great to see the swing in momentum over the next 2 years.
OTM keep getting better and better, listening to agents. Makes RM/Z seem even worse than they already are. OTM will plough all profits back into the company rather than greedy shareholders. The sooner RM/Z go the better for all decent agents in the UK! All OTM members need to upload to RM/Z a few days after OTM. When the public realise new stuff goes to OTM 1st they will give up using RM/Z
I agree, but the main problem I can see is that whether you can phase your uploads depends on which estate agency software you are using. Eg I understand that businesses using Vebra Live CAN phase their uploads, but businesses like mine who use Vebra Solex can't. As much as I like the idea of phased uploads and would definitely use it if I could, I don't think it's enough of a benefit to change the software we are used to.
I had confirmation as an Encore Live user on Thursday that they are working on the "phase your uploads" feature as we speak. They could not confirm in time for 26th January, but we made it pretty clear we will be taking our 5 offices else where if it is not sorted….. the reply was on the lines of "don't worry, it will be sorted in the 4point something or other update"……………… What the AM members need to do NOW is ensure you are asking for this feature if you do not have it and let them know other providers offer the phase feature and not having it is simply not acceptable when this results in us the paying client not being able to control portal uploads for us as businesses and our clients if they don't want the properties on certain sites.
It sounds to me like the OTM is going to be, well, boring… What's keeping customers stuck to the website? It's all fair and well for Mr Springett to bash the portals for adding features like sold house prices, price comparison reports but it's these very features that keep customers coming back to the portals.. Are your customers going to be excited to go back to a lifeless, soulless website run by Mr Highstreet Agent? I think not…
Well if the High Street switch to OTM the market which is happening, you are going to be left out in the cold. As for being lifeless web site, you have no idea what you are talking about if you haven't seen it. I HAVE. ITS VERY IMPRESSIVE, the public will love it.
Well I did ask yesterday what was impressive and I still not got an answer! – as for the high street switching to OTM well last figures I saw were about 4ooo of the 22000 agents have decided to be OTM and the vast majority of them are still on RM
"as for the high street switching to OTM well last figures I saw were about 4ooo of the 22000 agents have decided to be OTM and the vast majority of them are still on RM"…Zoopl & Rightmove say there are roughly 19,000 agents OTM say 12,000 and that RM and Z are doubling up the numbers to include 1 company that's listed for both sales and lettings. There are also many private landlords with say 10+ properties who only ever let privately and list on RM/Z but are not agents. It will be really interesting to see how many bona fide UK agents there actually are, I think it is nearer 12,000 to 15,000.
Boring!? So you believe that users want paid for agent and property adverts. That would make it more exciting? Maybe you you should apply for the usability role at OTM. However, I guess you would have to give up your job as a Zoopla marketing person. We all know we buy these products on RM and Zoopla because we feel we have to be competitive. These products have not real benefit to vendors, landlords, agents, or property searchers. They do however benefit the duopoly shareholders with revenue.
Having recently spent several months on the other side of the fence as a buyer I feel I have gained a very good idea of what the public want / need from a property portal: 1) a good selection of search criteria; 2) a good selection (at least 10) photographs of every property; 3) ability to map search; 4) street view option (although this frequently leads to long searches for the actual property location); 5) floorplans; 6) ability to save a search; 7) ability to create a defined search area; 8) ability to list properties by various preferences including price, latest listing etc. As far as I am aware OTM offers all of these. What I did not want was annoying third-party pop-up adverts; non-matching properties appearing because they were paid to be highlighted; unrelated advertising cluttering up the page; and agents appearing who had paid to get on my screen. OTM will not have these. Of the add-ons which I did find useful were the ability to check the broadband speed in the area and the property history which showed when the property was first listed and how many reductions had occurred (neither will be available at OTM). This last feature enabled me to gain an enormous advantage over the seller in the end and I managed to agree a 15% reduction based on the information provided. I was grateful for that as a buyer but how is that of benefit to the seller or the agent? (who probably lost several £100's in commission as a result of the reduction). I think there has to be a trade-off between what is useful and attracts buyers/tenants to a portal and what is actually damaging to the interests of the advertisers/agents. It looks to me like OTM has found this middle ground perfectly.
I am a London agent and have watched this debate with great interest. I am honestly shocked so many of you have bad relations and experience with the portals. I have owned my own agency for 5 years now but worked for a large independent in London for years before this. I have good and solid relationships with all my service providers whether this is a portal account manager, software provider, solicitors, conveyancer’s, everyone that interacts with my business I pride on getting to know and getting along with. Estate agency itself is a service provider (in fact I would say other than your bank one of the biggest and most costly service provider someone will use in their lifetime) It is the most important factor for my business to be successful that I treat people as I wish to be treated and I appreciate the combination of services around me that help me sustain and grow my business whether this is through their audience, leads, software platforms, customer service etc.
Yes my fees to portals have risen over the years, but so has the market value around me. I track every lead that comes into me and I can quote accurately as to where this has come from. When I first opened I committed to 12 months advertising in a monthly lifestyle magazine as felt I should in order to promote my new name and thats where my good competition was, I’ll be truly honest I didn’t receive one lead that was tracked back to the £15,000 I spent in it. For me it wasn’t a sustainable advertiser at all but perhaps for the bigger agents that can afford 5 – 8 pages each month it is and it works. I believe I receive good value from the portals in particular, my phone rings every day, my inbox receives viewing requests, my negs are kept busy. Both RM and Z have trained my staff over the years on back office systems, tips on online advertising – what works what doesnt. Everything I pay for they give back ten fold. The only time over the last few years I have had an issue with the portals was when findaproperty merged with zoopla – at that time our listings went off site for 1 week and it was a nightmare, they contacted me immediately and reimbursed the time off site. I was more concerned with getting back on than the monetary loss for one weeks membership fee to be fair but they handled this well so I have no complaints.
When I was first and only contacted by the Agents Mutual rep they had no back office system, there was no way for me to track performance – has this position changed? Because as it stands now I simply cannot see where Agents Mutual can offer anything that is appealing and will benefit my business today. Can I ask the AM members is there not any concerns if this site isn’t adopted by the consumers in the next 6 months – 1 year where this leaves their business and their clients properties, that is if you accept you are actually giving each property less exposure.
Ms TB. If you were seriously looking for a property, wouldn't you keep going back to the portal website that actually listed the properties you were interested in? My point is, you may start on RM or Z, but if there isn't much there to interest you, you're not going to be going back there for long now are you?
Taff … From Jan 26th the only portal with anywhere near 100% of the available property will be …… RIGHTMOVE. So by your argument every serious buyer will just look there. As has been said many times AM have strengthened the very 'enemy' they were trying to weaken. AM is a fatally flawed idea.
Morning Taff, I see your point but strangely enough RM was the lesser known portal in London when I started to use 5 years ago, but they still delivered different applicants to those on findaproperty. Thats the only reason I renewed year after year. Only last couple of years have they evened out 50/50 on buyer apps. Zoopla for me is stronger on rentals and always has been since taking over findaproperty (who I used originally). Rental sector is my bread and butter. I think zoopla will always play a part for any homeowner researching their property value and I have seen this from the valuation requests I received through them. 2 of those leads this year converted to actual instructions and have paid for their membership for next 3 years. I cant see consumer interest waning in that section. How could I leave an advertiser that has produced the goods regardless of what my competitors are doing? I guess what Im saying is what is good for the goose is not always good for the gander. My wasted magazine spend in the early days was a learning curb and if I spent where my competitors did just because they did my business would not be profitable !!
We are not all equal. I was a "one man band" operation who applied to join and was refused without explanation. Guess they only want the big agencies!!!
Nonsense, this is a blatant troll.
I "liked" your reply as you are an idiot who is full of self importance. Everything in my original post is true. I await your apology but doubt you will have the manners for this.
Jon, if you have a high street office, are part of a redress scheme and the office is manned at least 5 days a week 9am – 5pm I would challenge that choice. They must have had a reason to not accept you what was it?
I have no idea why my application was ignored. Anyway it is all irrelevant now as I no longer offer sales or rentals. Increased costs all round and the larger agencies poaching my clients saw to that!
I was right a Troll.
So you closed your office because you were not good enough against the competition and that it is OTM fault as they would not let you advertise …. err okay to me this is win win win! Public are protected from you, OTM do not have a poor agent, and you can get a job you are more suited to.
For some reason I cannot reply to your last stupid comment. Where is your basis for your insult? Back it up with fact or shut up. You must be either employed by AM or have invested a silly amount and can't accept that anyone has a different opi ion to you. Woodentop sounds like the right sort of name to hide behind. Maybe you should descend under your bridge.
Seems that all this banter has possibly blinkered some from what AM is all about and its inception. Agents were disappointed with how they were unfairly treated by RM & Z with there add-on(s) which not just from a direct financial penalty to their business for the extra service but also had repercussions for the smaller agent who does not have the financial clout of the big boys and girls. It is not just the vendor being "prime viewed", web portals are also directly involved for example in new instructions, EPC etc a key lifeline for all agents. Top marks have to be given to AM who have clearly listened to their members and acted accordingly, not like RM who do not listen and effectively bribe you into forking out, not to be left out! As for prime viewing, well if we all paid they would all be prime listed, if we don't pay they are still prime listed so to speak. At my meeting it became clear that slots for agents premium listing couldn't be shared around equally, even if they all paid so it wasn't the cost driven objection, it was the fair and practicalities that really forced the way forward, to treat everyone fairly. They have some pretty impressive stuff which the public will like, agents in my area are all signed up, the marketing campaign I have seen is very impressive. No I don't work for AM but this horse is way ahead of the past lot. If you are not on OTM within the first three months of 2105, you will regret it and loose instructions ….. big time.
As a member yet to sign up to OTM – why should I? this is a gueniune question. I am looking for real reason why my business will profit? I don't want to hear its a mutual, I don't want to hear dualopoly, I don't want to hear the usual arguments we have heard them time and again (along with the negative posts back) You have been to a meeting and you are "very impressed" what impressed you, what does OTM have others don't? why will I regret not being on it? – Please do not say "Because others will be on it" – I am here to be swayed, sell it to me!
it's cheap.
At twice the price of Zoopla?
First I have a question for you … what do you not like about the portal you currently advertise on?
The only thing I dislike about the portals I advertise on is the price, not so much Z but RM
You have possibly answered your own question! However for me it is more than just price. I do not like the premium bribe, I do not like the how much is your property, which is nearly always wrong. I do not like the way large agents can monopolise services that I would like to get a crack at. RM & Z are my clients, I do not like being told how my marketing will be done, it is my business not theirs. I want to be in control of my business and not reliant on others who at the end of the day impact on my income/profit that I have no control over and frankly is over charged/rated. So when a web portal that answers these questions to my liking and my customers be seller/landlord, buyer/tenant still get the exposure they expect and without their data being sold on to a third party and will listen to my concerns and act promptly and I HAVE SOME CONTROL ……. not rocket science to make the jump. My customers are not disadvantaged in any way. ……. Good judgment comes from bad experience !
appreciate your response woodentop and you obviously feel passionately about this. I do appreciate your sentiments for signing up – But if there are a lack of options does this not mean you are being told how to market?? – Its a shame as this is the reason for joining I have heard many times, I was hoping that on the grand revealing that there was something to get excited about.
If you are looking for something completely different, you are wasting your time. You can't reinvent the wheel. As I see it, OTM will be an internet portal on which member agents can display their properties on behalf of their clients. There will be searches available for buyers/tenants, properties listed on a map, or in price order, or by latest listing. Enquiries will be possible by e-mail or telephone, and applicants will be able to register their requirements. The agents logo will be visible and more besides – all the functions you need to generate enquiries on behalf of your clients in fact. The difference will be that the available stock will not be visible on more than one other portal, and the cost of membership will be fair to start with and maintained at a fair level thereafter There will be no internet-only companies advertising and no chance of the portal trying to take business away from its members or cross-selling data to third parties. There will also be no third party advertising. The site will be clean and easy to use. The members will have a say on how it is developed over time as has been clearly demonstrated by the recent announcement. I am not sure why the above criteria are not yet enough to persuade you to back it but once you see it I think you will feel differently.
Because it's the only property portal built for estate agents that will be owned & controlled by estate agents. Have you ever come across agent-owned property newspapers before and compared their rates to local newspapers?
It sounds to me like the OTM is going to be, well, boring… What's keeping customers stuck to the website? It's all fair and well for Mr Springett to bash the portals for adding features like sold house prices, price comparison reports but it's these very features that keep customers coming back to the portals..
Are your customers going to be excited to go back to a lifeless, soulless website run by Mr Highstreet Agent? I think not…
double post sorry
SmilePlease, I think Robin summarised it well. Yes it is only another web portal, however it is fresh and DOES NOT have any of the issues a High Street agent is fighting against and paying through the nose for with current portals. And it will restrict the web only non-estate agent portals from some rather dubious practices using the service amongst respectable agents.
The "Featured Agent" feature I can easily live without, but I do like the "Premium Listing" feature. More importantly, some of our clients really like it too. I hope there is a similar feature on OTM.
Imo those agents who don't want to spend too much of their commission on extra client advertising will be the ones shouting loudest for a level playing field.
You mean the ones not doing so well? – could not agree more!
Do you not agree that most "extra advertising" that you pay for on RM eventually becomes the "norm" for all advertisers…….Do you remember paying extra for you agents name/logo?…..it's part of the increased subs now(want it or not)……there are so many agents in our areas that use premium listing/featured property that it looks the "norm" now…little or no advantage. Next thing -Premium listing will be a "normal listing" as they will increase the monthly fees for all to incorporate it. The new "premium listings"- will probably be quarter page/half page will be available for loads extra…….it is never ending, and like I said……sellers only want it because agents think it's important. I have never had someone say "i'll only go with you if I can have one of those featured listings"……It isn't any where near as important as you are making it out to be.
"Do you not agree that most "extra advertising" that you pay for on RM eventually becomes the "norm" for all advertisers"…."it is never ending,"…Precisely Wilko. Next is the area emails to the Rightmove database obtained from the properties we all list, all agents will need to pay for direct area marketing to gain valuations just in the same way they feel inclined to pay for featured/premium listings to keep up with the Jones's and it goes on and on. We are just paying more and more money for the same service.
I do agree with you that the extras become the norm and that does get frustrating. I also think on the other side of the coin that businesses should be able to differentiate themselves with marketing (we are marketers at the end of the day). RM for example a premium box does stand out for the vendor and you do get more clicks which ultimately lead to more viewings, this can only be good for the seller. Where the system is flawed is RM taking the p**s with the cost of these AND agents being too week to give away with every listing free. RM should charge us what they charge the corporates for them and in turn agents should be more selective and look to increase their fee off the back of it. Most (not all) agents are lazy and don't fight for their fee they roll over as scared they will loose the instruction. Love them or hate them countrywide, Foxtons have the mentality right to fight for a good fee (if only they could back it up with empathy and service!).
oh please…..premium listings! really! yep that will sell your property highlight it pinky/purple……it is more "stand out" not to be premium listing on RM nowwa days….. either way…load of tosh.
I don't think they sell a property but they help, why have colour pictures when black and white will do? – Without things such as premium listing, floorplans etc we are all the same the only thing different to the consumer (except staff) is fee so why not go with the cheapest?
So you think "you" and "all other agents" take the same standard of photos, the same level of punchy write ups, use the same order of photos, the same pricing methods, the same everything and only "the staff in an office" and the "products on a website" differentiate between what they offer in terms of marketing?……There are so many ways to be different in how YOU write, take pictures, promo your property……just respect (or believe or even train) yourself as being better at presenting a property on the website than your competitors….. without the need for a product…..if you hand on heart think you can offer no more to a client other than a product on a website to be "better" or "different" then either you are all equally brilliant or equally useless in the area you cover.
I think you looking at that last comment you agree with me, we need all these in our locker which help promote properties. You just begrudge paying for them (as do I) and you have decided to draw the line at that. This is your choice and that's the best thing about running our own businesses. Put it this way if RM rang you tomorrow morning and said "Morning Ric here are 50 free premium listings" would you turn them down and say "No thanks don't believe in them!" – I think you would accept them and use them 😉
and there you go, you really do not know me………. for the RM and Z reps who may know which Ric I am…….. they may confirm I had well over 50 premium listings unused on RM and I was given some ridiculous £2k's worth of premiums to join Z when we trialled it……and I kept getting chased saying you are not using them why………….. I genuinely do not think they do anything and have a STACK of them unused with RM at present…. seriously…. I know a certain ex RM rep reads this site and will know I have always been anti-product…… not just because they cost….if they worked I would buy em but they do not work, they are a feature to massage a vendors ego into making them think you are doing that bit more for them, or trying to keep them happy when all else has failed………however as you believe in them, you can buy mine off me for a £1 each….. cheaper than RM!……………genuinely smileplease you can stand out without any product (although I agree with company logo branding) just great pictures, the correct use of words, NO MORE than 300 characters on the first bit of RM as anything else is hidden…..drop the we are pleased to rubbish and get selling the not so easy to recognise features…….I feel like I should be starting a "how to market your house" training session……
You make some valid points Ric which I think every good agent already does but if you have a stock of premium listings and not using them more fool you. They can only assist not hinder.
Not sure we will ever agree on this one Smile….. have a good evening 🙂
Its Animal Farm all over again, ever asked why the caring sharing AM made the suggestion in the first place?
Go on enlighten us Simon, youv'e been wrong about everything else on this subject perhaps you might hit the jackpot this time round.
Simon please DO let us know what you are talking about here????You have been wrong on everything so far….
If the headline of the story read "AM to auction off extra product to highest bidders" …..What would your post have said then???….Please tell me? Also at what stage would you concede that OTM have done well? Are you just in too deep to actually admit that the project has been a huge success as it approaches its launch….As I said earlier , the anti lobby are posting more and more ridiculous, desperate, innacurate, nonsense posts than ever before.
Have they done well? All they have done so far is take money and not provide any value as yet. The proof as they say will be in the pudding. Plenty of hot air, zero substance yet.
truth……Which of the 39 launch briefings did you go to? It's just that, as you know, they had all the "substance" you refer to on display and ready for launch. What didn't you like about the site, or the TV advert?
So there are some pretty pictures. Big deal. Lets see what the audience thinks come Australia Day. As I am sure you are aware it is about them, not you.
Is that another way of putting "I haven't got a clue what's going on and therefore shouldn't really be commenting on something I know absolutely nothing about"….You should consider changing your moniker.
Hungry? You'll be eating your words in a few months pal…I understand digital business and marketing, focusing on the needs of the consumer…not you navel gazers. There are none so blind as those that won't see.
Another digital business and marketing expert telling agents they've got it all wrong with OTM. Yawn………………
You are experts at selling property – yes (although to varying degrees, like all professions there are the good, mediocre and borderline criminal, but at running digital businesses – no. And again you completely miss the point that its all about the consumer, stupid.
"Professional" marketers jubilant at the fact that they can now all look the same and with a bit of luck all competition will disappear. Brilliant.
Ironic springs to mind!
I am ambivalent as to why OTM has decided to stop the featured agent featured property functions. In the end agents are in competition and should have the right to outspend their competitors should they wish to. However I actually can see that initially, these products may have been ill judged to have been included in the initial release, primarily because in its infancy it needs a certain amount of unity but also because it will be a much harder decision for the fence sitters should the cost be approaching that of Rightmoves. All in all probably the right decision I think.
p.s i dropped advertising in papers 5 years ago!!!!!!
And you dropped zoopla earlier this year and your website needs SEO, may as well go back to black and white advertising to save a few quid 😉
i have found that leads generally come from rightmove, our own website is secondary, although we are looking to upgrade it.
I'd love to drop the local paper however there is the stigma that, if you vanish from the paper you are doing "poorly" so alas we stick one page in there every week. Crazy to think that before I joined they used to spend £450 a WEEK, every week, on paper advertising.
the right thing to do, a level playing field
And that's why you have a banner on Rightmove under Kings Hill? and premium listings? – I guess some are just more equal than others ….
Fantastic response and certainly a positive result which shows that it is indeed run by the agents. Very much looking forward to the launch day.
I don't get it. Why is not having the CHOICE of a featured listing a great feature of OTM??
Because the whole point, as the comment below states, is that it's a fair playing field and agents can't "out do" others simply by paying extra a month to have properties listed at the top. People seem to forget that the ONLY reason RM and Z have featured listings is because they like the extra revenue. Both RM and Z reps have said that the featured listings don't actually make a huge difference. They do however make a difference to the membership fees and some agents are charged MORE when asking for a basic service with no option for featured listings.
Some agents do have a bigger budget though and want the enhanced marketing …. will this not make RM stronger?
So you don't want your clients properties to come out at the top. Nice to know. You don't even want them to have the option (even at their own expense).
I just want my clients properties to come out in price order. When I was looking for a house, that's all I expected.
Not at all.. I'm simply saying that if people search for a property then they should be display in price or address order. Out of interest why do you want featured listings?
The reason that that some portals have them is that some clients like them , I regularly get clients to pay for them . I think that this another example of an agent led initiate rather than a client focused website. It may be perfect for agents but we can only buy one house at a time … I would love to hear the client research that's gone into this , AM are going up against billion pound businesses with a strategy of "we're doing this","we don't like that"….."ok,we won't " even being a mutual you can't run a business like that
I presume your an agent from down south somewhere? As from the impression I get, the majority of agents else where actually see them as a negative thing rather than a positive.
Danny, tell me….have you got featured property boxes on YOUR website? I suppose you must do if your clients want this?. You see sellers only want them when the likes of you suggest them as being important. RM and Zoopla love customers like you…..how much were your increases for 2015?
I cant speak for others but yes I have featured properties on my website.
Smile….do you charge for them? Do your sellers who aren't in your featured boxes get a bit miffed that others are?
No I don't charge for them but I offer them as instruction tool and in negotiating fee, in last few years only one springs to mind that was a bit miffed so we gave it to him, he was also the type that wanted everything for nothing low fee, professional brochures free, floorplans, overly flowery details (you know the type). I n the end we actually disintructed him as he was so hard to deal with one of only 4 I have ever said enough is enough in almost 20 years!
Yes Wilko , I do have them only website and I use this is the MA to highlight your property if you come with me. The problem as I see it with AM is that no-one has actually considered the consumer. There is going to be no enriched information , no standing out , the whole fact is that houses are going to be on there because agents want it, not the public. I can't see one reason why they would go there en masse. And for those agents who are planning on holding back stock I think your going to see a very miffed client base . Has anyone tried telling a consumer your going to put it on this website now and Rightmove later. I had a call from a vendor earlier actually asking why his property wasn't on Zoopla when it's on my website. I told him that it would load overnight as it was brand new this morning and he told me it wasn't good enough! If I can get it on my own website I should be able to get it on the others
If you offer featured agent boxes on your website to all your customers to gain the instruction then does anyone say no?…..Are they all featured then?. In my opinion, I would be disappointed if my agent felt my property shouldn't be included and wasn't as advertised as others on their own website.
This is absolutely fantastic news and a total re-enforcement as to why my company signed up all our branches as gold members. And for those that oppose everything about OTM have a think before you post……Do YOU actively promote (and maybe charge for) a featured property listing on YOUR website. The anti posts here already this morning are amongst the lamest I've seen. Further proof, if any were needed that this project IS working fantastically thus far…..next step office windows.
A great decision, and hopefully the start of a portal that actually listens to it's members' requirements. My office has taken every single added feature box, property box, banner, premium listing and everything else that rightmove have offered this year, contributing to a good year all round, but a DISASTEROUS Click Through Rate, proving the added value items just are not worth the money.
I would suggest getting the rep down and have a look at your adverts – they can change your click through rate very quickly and you can also step it up a fair few points with just minor changes, we had a focus on it a while back. The other thing you may want to consider is "Is it really disastrous?" a good performing branch with say 35 – 45 properties should have a click of about 8 most agents are about a 4 – 5 if you get 6 plus you are doing well. below 4 and you can see big gains quickly.
All very chummy at the outset – methinks 'All Agents Mutual Agents are equal but some are more equal than others' will inevitably creep in quite quickly – just watch!
What evidence have you got for making a comment like this? Especially when the article proves the complete opposite???
Wilko,the very fact that from the outset AM said they wouldn't be doing this and then spent resource and developer time to make it happen is evidence . Be under no illusion that this just in park , ready to roll out when the noise quitens down.
Agents Mutual is one member – one vote. If the majority want it to happen – it will. If the majority DON'T want it to happen – it won't. Simple as that.
Danny, thanks for answering for Property Ear, he clearly couldn't back up the comment in any way…..And Taff couldn't have made it clearer to you in answer to your reply…… Are you all right now that you understand how it works?
I've clearly touched a nerve – I repeat – Just watch!
Why don't AM agents all agree to take no more than half a page in their local newspapers so that 'no individual firm would be able to access products in a manner which would give them advantage over other firms.'? AM bans OL EA's, bans members from advertising on more than one portal (unless you are in Scotland!) and bans any form of advertising which would give members an advantage. Why not insist that all AM members have the same fees?!
We've all gone one better in my town and agreed to stop using newspapers altogether. More savings. Remember Yellow Pages? This simply means that I've saved about £2500 each month which I decide how to spend to further advertise my business.
Which Town is that Colin, I am seriously thinking of opening a branch there.
Yes me too!!! – we talked about it a while back but the usual suspect decided they would carry on so nobody pulled out.
We are in South Shields. The North East as a whole has a very strong grip on this. As an area we pretty much stood firm and sent Zoopla packing when they attempted to 're-negotiate.' As a smaller region, we all shook hands and agreed not to use any other portal than On The Market and stop using newspaper ads as of now. We all know that it has to be all of us or none of us. A 'switch off' date for the other portals has been agreed and we came to those conclusions at a very early stage. This is a one off opportunity to do this. I cannot for the life of me, understand why everyone isn't taking this approach.
I think a lot of regions look at you with envy. I wish we could get 100% agreement on things – we're close but it's probably not 100%.
That's fantastic! – I wish you all the best, this is the way OTM / AM should be rolled out!
What is it about a website that has no users that has convinced you as a professional marketeer that it's ok to advertise your business and your clients properties for £300 a calendar month whilst charging each vendor c£1000-£1500 per calendar month . I can only conclude that you've either all gone raving loony mad or your convinced that come jan 25th thousands upon thousands of eager sellers and buyers will descend on OTM with absolutely no marketing in place . Is this some kind of perverse experiment to see just how much market share one town can lose to online agency in one fell swoop . Pray tell where you are going to spend this other £2500 a month saving , yellow pages ? Are you planning on sending a telex of each property to everyone in your region , hiring a tone cryer to stand outside your doors screaming property details , Since you've all agreed not to use the mediums of papers and the internet I dare you … I double dare you to tell us what your spending your savings on … Leafleting other agents properties perhaps … Or have you all decided that you can't do that … Literally wtf
@harree….We are talking about a portal that advertises our customers houses-nothing more, …..what has that got to do with fees?
Got a felling it was harree who on another thread yesterday said it would be a good idea to get a credit report from agents mutual you can take from agent to agent!
sorry "feeling" fingers have still not received their coffee obviously!
It wasn't me SP.
apologies than harree
Sorry this is the comment, for my moneys its comment of the week, absolutely fanbloodytastic! "ringi on December 15, 2014 at 1:26 pm
The only way for AM to win, is for it to provide a better service to people looking to rent or buy. E.g., it will have to offer something like a credit check that is portable between all agents in a town, or a single on-line system for booking viewings that works for properties regardless of the agent they are with. Or maybe refuse to list any property that does not have a floorplan, along with showing the agents charges with a system to audit that the charges are truthful."
Right decision. Only thing my colleagues and I left unhappy with. The rest looks great.
Springett said: “We assess what is considered a competing portal on a case by case basis." Not actually clear, fair and open!
Wonderful news and perhaps the trigger for those who have been sitting on the fence, a portal at long last on the side of the agent and ultimately the customer.
"No opportunity for any individual firm to gain advantage over others" – Careful what you wish for AM members! It might just be possible that you may wish, at some point, to gain advantage online over others.
Roger,"you may wish, at some point, to gain advantage online over others."…by online I assume you just mean property portals? if so …. Could I ask "Why, and to what end"
In other words it does not matter which agent you go with, they are all the same. Might as well go with the cheapest.
If your featured property subscription is all that makes you better than your competitors you're going to have to be cheap whatever 🙂
I was talking from a vendors perspective… you wouldn't understand.
Didn't realise the size of an agents wallet was a measure of their selling skills.
A positive response to Agents Mutual Members seeking a simple Online Shop Window to display their clients properties. An early however important signal of the Mutual Common Sense required for our industry instead of the existing overhyped Portal Product Race relentlessly pushed by the Duopoly!
I asolutely agree with you GPL. It appears to me that a really important point is that there will be a direct link from the property advert on OTM to our own websites which is how we will distinguish our product/brand so we are not all the same. The product saving will allow me to invest more in my website, SEO and unique marketing to enhance my clients properties. Has anyone considered the massive advantage that link will have to the click through rate of Independent estate agents websites and SEO?