trademe.co.nz are bunch of jerks

[skibumwa]

I cannot use www.trademe.co.nz from the U.S. to search for a new apartment flatmate setup rental in NZ because I don't live in NZ or Australia. They told me over email once I get a LAND PHONE LINE in NZ then I can get a FREE account with them. Huh?!

Has anyone else outside of NZ or Australia had this issue with www.trademe.co.nz. Is this how they treat people trying to use trademe.co.nz to find a new home from 8000 miles away.

They say to re-register when "you have a home and land line in NZ so we can call you on the landline to make sure you live in NZ". How do I find a home let alone a land line in NZ if I cannot browse the flatmates or rentals listing in the first place to find a home to live in from the 1st place???? Catch 22 eh?

Are Kiwis and Aussies that separated from the rest of the world that they make it hard for foreigners moving there by denying them access to view simple FOR RENT or FLATMATES WANTED ads on some stupid Website? Sorry I am venting here because the last thing I need is to be stymied in my flat search in Wellington by some stupid Website that everyone uses to post their FLAT MATE WANTED ads.

I am getting bad vibe here from NZ (the first one)... can anyone help me get onto this Website to help me search for a place to live.... geesh!!



John

[ellenmelon]

wow, i dont think your attitude helps the situation to be honest. they arent doing it to spite you like you are assuming. if its such a stupid website, why are you so desperate to join it?

if you have a friend or employer here, send them an email asking to use their phone number.

ive never had a phone call from trademe to check my phone number by the way..that must be a new thing they've brought in.

[Lupin]

wow, i dont think your attitude helps the situation to be honest. they arent doing it to spite you like you are assuming.

Agreed

[kanatakiwi]

I'd just like to add that the requirement for local residence is to protect all the members of Trade Me so they don't fall victim to some of the scams out there in the world. I'm quite happy with that requirement, and have found Trade Me to be an excellent site. This is the second time you have gone on a rant on this forum about something which didn't seem to be worth the rant, IMO.

If you posted a request for help getting emails or phone numbers of some trade me properties I am sure there would be some kind soul who would go the extra mile to assist you, but your flame out is more likely to turn people off.

[IanW99]

If you are looking for rentals then there are many other websites that can be of use.

For example: realestate, open2view

I am also sure that I have seen other websites listed for flatmates as well.

I'm not sure that it is the best idea to organise long term accomodation from abroad anyway, you really need to see the property, people etc (the location and quality etc are so variable)

Ian

[james the mechanic]

Hi John,
You don’t need a Trademe account to browse items for sale or a least you don’t from the UK.
However I had problems trying to set up an account so that I could advertise my house for rent in NZ. I have a NZ residential address a NZ phone number and a co.nz email address but the account would not allow me to add credit for some reason. (You must do this before you can buy or sell).
I called Trademe and said I was having trouble adding credit and the woman immediately said that’s because your not currently in NZ, you will have to wait until you are back in NZ or Aus.
I have no idea how she new I was not in NZ; I was calling from an NZ phone so not caller ID. The following day I got an email from Trademe, saying that they had canceled my account as, ‘it is Trademe’s policy to only allow NZ/Aus buyers and sellers.’ Clearly Trademe members are not allowed to travel overseas, I do think this policy is very small-minded and I couldn’t be bothered to mail them back.
I can sympathize with you John, Trademe regitration is not very straight forward and to find out that it was a waste of time the next day is very frustrating.
Good Luck my friend.
James

[caseyjones]

I've got to say, skibumwa, you've pushed my sympathies in the direction of trademe. As kanatakiwi says, asking for help to find a solution usually works so much better. Good luck in finding a solution

[marcia]

have to agree with the majority on here, becasue of your 'rant' i decided initally not to reply, but what we did to register on trademe was use a friends phone number (with their permission)

However ihave to agree that you are trading on shaky ground if you sign up for a property without going to see it first, the pictures and description are not always true to life, and this time of year a lot of the rental properties available (or so i have heard) are the cold and damp ones which no one will touch with a barge pole - so be careful!

People in general respond to other people who do not come across as agressive, your post did you no favours in making friends on the board!

[skibumwa]

Hi everyone, when moving across the world and looking for a new home in NZ, of course I will upset if cannot even use a simple Website like TRADEME just because I don't live there yet. I am glad that I am not the only one who thinks trademe.co.nz is a narrow minded Website.. thanks for this James!

If trademe cancelled you even when you have a local address & etc in NZ then that is utterly pathetic? What you are not allowed to travel? Pathetic..

Some notes:

TRADEME.co.nz: Actually I can browse but cannot see their contact information at all nor can't I contact the people looking for flatmates... so it renders this Website useless for immigrants looking like me for a place to live! Good job to trademe.co.nz and their "policies".

NZFLATMATES.co.nz: wants a $20 fee for a month to contact people looking for flatmates. I also checked NZherald.co.nz and they don't have much in terms of ads to browse. Such much for surfing the Web on trademe.co.nz to find a home before I get there. I guess those folks don't realize how hard it is to relocate oneself across the planet without being stymied like this in a critical area of "finding a new home" or new flatmate setup!

Tracing of members: They probably traced your IP address to an address outside of NZ and OZ when you emailed them. Pathetic indeed... Yeah for NZ residents who are members of trademe to be NOT allowed to travel and use their accounts is appalling.

Support at trademe.co.nz: Costs $1.99 NZD/minute!?! Pathetic.. is all I can say..

So yes I guess I will pay NZFLATMATES $20 NZD as I don't have any choice I cannot afford to live in a hotel for a month while hoping to find someone...who knows of someone who has a room for rent that I like...

Hey everyone I have a right to me mad. I was willing to pay the $10 NZD deposit as I also wanted to bid on a new scooter as well. The Internet is a global medium not just a NZ and OZ thing; maybe the folks at trademe.co.nz forgot about that little part...

Geesh, I guess I will have my new employer let me use their office line/address as proof I work/live in NZ...

--John
PS. Where do you live now James? Are you in NZ now?

Hi John,
You don’t need a Trademe account to browse items for sale or a least you don’t from the UK.
However I had problems trying to set up an account so that I could advertise my house for rent in NZ. I have a NZ residential address a NZ phone number and a co.nz email address but the account would not allow me to add credit for some reason. (You must do this before you can buy or sell).
I called Trademe and said I was having trouble adding credit and the woman immediately said that’s because your not currently in NZ, you will have to wait until you are back in NZ or Aus.
I have no idea how she new I was not in NZ; I was calling from an NZ phone so not caller ID. The following day I got an email from Trademe, saying that they had canceled my account as, ‘it is Trademe’s policy to only allow NZ/Aus buyers and sellers.’ Clearly Trademe members are not allowed to travel overseas, I do think this policy is very small-minded and I couldn’t be bothered to mail them back.
I can sympathize with you John, Trademe regitration is not very straight forward and to find out that it was a waste of time the next day is very frustrating.
Good Luck my friend.
James

[skibumwa]

I already asked them for help- and very nice too. They slammed the door in my face...sort of like a rude American company would do.

Did you read about James the Mechanic's incident with them? I wonder how you feel about that? As in a NZ resident with a real address there getting his account turned OFF because he traveled overseas? Do you favor the company still now.... hummmm

They send me a "we are happy you moving to NZ, but you cannot use our Website until you get a home address and land line in NZ". That to me a sick joke.. as I by then I don't need their Website to help me find a home.

In America, they'd be deemed as a yuppie SNOB type company with a major attitude problem. It's the reality of it.

Trademe.co.nz could easily allow foreigners use their Website by validating their ID with their bank info against their Visa card records. This is not rocket science, it's the year 2007 and many websites do just that :-)

I've got to say, skibumwa, you've pushed my sympathies in the direction of trademe. As kanatakiwi says, asking for help to find a solution usually works so much better. Good luck in finding a solution