Allied Press, publisher of the Otago Daily Times, has taken a majority stake in Post A Note, a free classified website and mobile app.
Based in the South Island, Post A Note was a community-based website allowing New Zealanders to connect and buy, sell or trade goods, promote events, rent a flat or find a job, Allied Press chairman and managing director Sir Julian Smith said yesterday. In contrast to existing fee-based sites, such as Trade Me, postanote.co.nz was completely free for buyers and sellers.
''Around the world, newspapers continue to engage with their local audiences through printed and digital media every day.
"Just as we've built our newspaper network across the South Island during the past 10 years, this investment will further serve communities and we are delighted to be involved,'' Sir Julian said.
Post A Note had quickly gained a loyal following with its simple approach to selling second-hand goods, he said.
The site allowed users to buy and sell basically anything - as long as it was legal.
A team of moderators regularly monitored the posts to keep the site free from spam and ensure the content was family-friendly, he said.
Co-founder Nathan Weathington said operating a free site had its challenges, including people at first not believing the concept.
Now, users understood it was not an auction site. Post A Note was like a large community noticeboard.
The more listings users posted, the more useful the site became to all.
In order to keep the service free to Kiwis, Post A Note ran banner advertisements on the site to generate revenue, he said.
