Classified advertising firm gave its disruptive technology a boost today with a new generation release that promises a whole new way to shop classifieds. With a new suite of tools and a complete site redesign, Oodle radically improves the way consumers use classifieds, but it does this by delivering a very different model to the conventional print titles. Oodle positions itself as a whole new way to shop classifieds, bringing together more than 30 million listings from over 80,000 classified sites. Oodle sets out to improve the way people buy and sell locally by offering a more comprehensive search, supported by convenient email alerts and relevant information that gives consumers the bigger picture, helping them to make better buying decisions.
Since its launch in 2005, Oodle has grown rapidly and attracts over two million unique visitors each month. In addition, the Oodle Network powers classifieds for over 200 leading brands, including Cox Interactive, Media General, The Washington Post, San Diego Union Tribune and Lycos. The Oodle Network offers media companies and portals a proven business model for classifieds and the best classifieds marketplace for their customers.
Oodle recognizes that shopping through classifieds involves more hunting than traditional e-commerce, taking some time to find the right car or apartment. That’s why Oodle has introduced a personalized home page that includes recent searches, so when users return to the site they can quickly pick up where they left off. Between visits, users also receive detailed email updates of new listings that match their active searches.
"Most people have a love-hate relationship with classifieds," said Craig Donato, CEO of Oodle. "They can find great deals but it's incredibly frustrating and time-consuming. Oodle not only gives users access to millions of local listings, it now provides the tools they need to quickly discover great deals."
Get the Inside Scoop: Oodle enables users to make informed buying decisions answering questions like, "What's a great price?" and "How often do listings like this pop up?" The site also safeguards users against an increasingly prevalent problem in classifieds: fraudulent listings. Oodle's improved spam detection automatically deletes listings it determines to be fraudulent and flags listings that seem suspicious.
Find What They're Looking For: Oodle continues to expand its market-leading search, now indexing over 500,000 new listings every day. Instead of long forms, the site also includes a smart search box that automatically translates keywords into a structured query. For example, a search for "2004 honda accord" is translated into "make=Honda, model=Accord, year=2004," yielding better search results.
"There has been limited innovation among classifieds publishers since the business went online in a serious way," said Greg Sterling, Sterling Market Intelligence. "However Oodle has emerged as one of the most interesting and innovative companies in the category."
