TRADE ME BATTLE WITH BOOIKSELLERS CONTINUES

An interesting listing on Trade me yesterday was from member kelvinm [an Auckland online book dealer] Auction Number: 137409774

RARE NEW ZEALAND BOOKS

No bids

No reserve

Closes: Tue, 29 Jan

Starting bid: $
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Rare, indeed, as New Zealand books have become very hard to find on Trade Me since the removal of the New Zealand category of non-fiction books.
The category was taken from the site suddenly, and without consultation, or notification or explanation, just before Christmas, the major buying and selling season. It was gone in a flash ... just like that!
Good luck if you want to browse for New Zealand books now, because you can't. They're lost among a rag bag of titles in other categories of non-fiction books. Or listed in inappropriate categories, such as the New Zealand-published section of Rare and Collectable books.No wonder buyers and sellers are confused and disgusted, emailing or writing to Trade Me, sending messages to the New Zealand Book Council and approaching National Radio.

You only have to read the 300+ messages in the Books section of the Message Board to see how much of a furore this has caused.Trade Me's reply when asked to explain:Dear .., Thanks for taking the time to contact us about our recent category changes. I've passed it to the appropriate team so they're aware of how this effects you. From time to time we may add, remove or change categories to meet the needs of our sellers and make the site easier for our buyers to navigate. ... I really appreciate your feedback. If you have any further questions or if I can be of any further help please do not hesitate to contact me. Regards, .. Trade Me Support" Interested? No! Evasive? Yes! Sellers and buyers of New Zealand books are asking Trade Me to reinstate the New Zealand sub-category of non-fiction books, perhaps with its own sub-categories. They say it was working well and want to know why it was dropped without warning.They invite you to start your own auction along these lines if you support this cause.
THIS AUCTION WILL BE WITHDRAWN PRIOR TO CLOSING.