Yellow pages is not great now and its only going to get worse.

Not only have you got global players like Google with its Google places service, which is already handy - I know of at least 1 very large, high profile - well funded NZ business who is seriously looking at launching its own listings service in direct competition .

Yet yellow, stll wallows will an ineffective online presence and the cheapest screen raisers (ie the books) you can find.

Yet another services directory and rating website ..... mytradesman.co.nz, builderscrack.co.nz, overthefence.co.nz, tradeexperts.co.nz etc.......crowded marketplace especially for a small market like NZ. And then theirs the pure online directory services.....

Yellow pages in it's current online form is gone-burger unless they have a radical redesign and 'intelligent' features.  They do have the advantage that they have a massive database of business already. Will it be able to pay off their debt commitments. Unlikey as pricing structure will have to compete with ever increasing competition.

It won't be long before there is a social networking type shake up that wipes most of them out. I hope they've all taken note of what's been taking place in Oz, UK, US, Canada etc... legal action with regard defamatory opinions and businesses disadvantaged because of anticompetitive reviews and ratings spam.

Yellow.co.nz has been an incredible advertising option for my small business, they are cheap in relation to other traditional media options i have tried in the past particularily with the ROI I have seen back from it.  I am a bit peeved at Trademe starting up as it is just another place to spend my money...I would be far happier if it was just Yellow then at least I know I am on the largest online directory in NZ and my investment would go further as my ad would be seen by more people.  All I have seen fromthe Tradem regime is them secure high traffic and then hike up their prices when people are hookd.

This is very serious for Yellow Pages. Why? Well it has been said 90% of their revenue comes from print and this is declining some suggest somewhere between 15-30% per directory book per year (say an average of  20% per book, year on year, despite price increases).

It's a global thing, not just an Australasian or New Zealand issue despite what has been said about in the media about the management of the local operation. The 10% of the revenue that comes from the allegedly troubled online side needs to be able to quickly grow and absorb this revenue leaving the print side, otherwise it will look for a new online home, elsewhere.

Therein is the problem for Yellow, "TradeMe" (aka Fairfax in drag) has the clout, expertise, leverage & is NZ's favourite site for web traffic to crush Yellows online representation and capture "significant" revenue ($20-30+ million may leave Yellow pa). Given what TradeMe have also done with cars, jobs, property, social networking it would seem suggestive to Yellow that things are "not looking rosy" now and ahead and the banks are dreaming if they hope to recover anything even remotely close to $800M from a buyer that has done their homework.

The heavily challenged lady has not sung yet Yellow, but she is out the back tuning her voice.

Correct me if I am wrong here but I believe Fairfax borrowed some $800 million to fund its trademe purchase, now this looks like they are trying to spread there wings away from there core business in some hope of repaying there own massive interest bills

Yeah. I worked at Yellow in their online dept for a year or so and despite my honest attempts with those advertisers I befriended who my own inside research suggested did the best out of their spend, NONE OF THEM ever said some of the supporting things mentioned above... It's fishy. Could it be that newly indoctrinated Yellow people themselves are writing some of these (SME, Robert, NZGirl, Anonymous)?

nocowboys - you have got to be kidding me. They charge you to reply to random reviews - extornsion. WTF are trade me thinking? There are other review sites that actually deliver work - I use builderscrack, but I'm sure there are others (and I'm a builder - not from yellow idealumski)... Tim

Not sure why trademe chose to work with nocowboys who themselves are the biggest bunch of cowboys. They accept reviews that my competitors write, and then try to charge me! I guess their decisions are now being made from Australia.

I will continue to support Yellow Pages as I actually get calls, despite the fact that their advertising is expensive. I will also continue to use Builderscrack, as they only accept reviews from people who have used my services, and provide me with a lot of work.

I say AWESOME to trade me, fantastic idea and I hope it goes really well.  Also it's pretty obvious who on this blog still works for Yellow....SME, Robert, NZGirl, Anonymous LOL  With Anonymous comments it's obvious that person still work at Yellow.."ROI"....etc

I've worked in the directory business both overseas and New Zealand for many years. Yellow Pages New Zealand itself is definitely struggling. It's interesting after the financial news the CFO resigns immediately and the CEO denies any allegations of it being because of the huge financial crisis. The CIO has just resigned and they haven't until just recently managed to get a Sales Director (on contract for 6 months) as many times they have been close to recruiting - but nobody has wanted the position for at least 2 years!  Finda who is part of Yellow Pages deliberately sells against its yellow online counterpart and it's reps try to hide the fact they are part of yellow pages. This in itself misleads customers. Reps in the online department have been misleading the customer also quoting banners at 3 times the price on the standard rate card!  At a recent sales conference the CEO tries to squash rumours about the financial situation - Also announced that they want to be the best places to work in 2 years (um surely they aren't aware of the internal crisis??).  All staff were required to fill out a survey a week or two later??  The CEO has taken a day off today as staff will be told next week who has bought yellow Pages. (again like most things with yellow pages - kept in the dark) I'm sure you will find many PG's and the like against yellow Pages that have not even made it to court. Frankly they have no idea what they are doing, which is disappointing as it was a very good business they have run it down to the ground. Unfortunately their customers will suffer and I'm one of them....  

Whoever seems to think that No Cowboys charges you for reviews and jobs is extremely mistaken coming from a business advertising point of view. I myself am with No cowboys and i pay a yearly charge and that is it...no other costs..even though i dont tend to get alot of work through No Cowboys i do believe that venturing with Trade me could create alot of business for me...Trade me is a highly respected website and since i have paid a yearly fee with No cowboys, maybe my business will now get alot more interest with all the people who are currently on trade me...good on them for trying another approach to advertising!!!

US-based business advisory firm FTI Consulting is expected to take over the management of New Zealand's Yellow Pages group.

It is believed only three private equity buyers remain, who are in talks to buy YPG. Negotiations are said to be progressing steadily.

Consultants from FTI, who are said to have some specialist directories experience, are expected to arrive on the scene soon, but there are still questions over how YPG's employees and considerable client base will react to the new management team.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/industry-sectors/fti-consulting-to-pick-up-new-zealand-yellow-pages/story-e6frg9hx-1225916745919

It's unclear [from the linked report in The Australian] what roll various tiers of NZ's Yellow Pages management would have [if any] going forward given the [now likely] taking over of day to day managerial reposnsibility on behalf of the senior debt holders.

It makes me question what the hell is fairfax doing working with No Cowboys, maybe i should join there website and review them