Zoomf parent company in administration

Arclight Media Technology, the parent company of Zoomf, has gone into administration.

News of the administration of the Marlow, Buckinghamshire-based company comes hot on the heels of the group’s sale of Zoomf to Trinity Mirror, as The Negotiator exclusively revealed on November 5.

One source says: “This is a quick-fire sale of a portal, which is free to list, which raises the question of the viability of free to list portals.”

Arclight Media was created in September 2005 by a group of internet technologists, including managing director Rod Dowler, product and commercial director Mike Carter and technology director Dave Romano-Critchley.

Speaking exclusively to The Negotiator, Carter says that he, Romano-Critchley and a lead developer have joined Trinity Mirror as part of the Zoomf deal.

He adds: "Rod is consulting on the business for a short time and that is it; he is not part of the deal."

The news comes as Rightmove reveals that the net monthly decline in the number of estate agents on the portal fell to between 250 and 300 agents per month for August to October.

As part of an interim management statement published today for the period between July 1 and October 31, Rightmove reveals that its estate agency membership fell to 10,700 by the end of October - a 15% decline from its peak of around 12,600 a year ago.

At least three out of every four estate agents who have left Rightmove over the last year have either gone out of business or were removed for non-payment.

Meanwhile, average revenue per advertiser increased slightly compared to the first half of the year, but the number of advertisers as at October 31 was around 17,500, down 9% year-on-year.

The source says: “Even the market leader is losing 15% of its members, so what chance do free portals have?”

Carter says discussions are underway about the future direction of Zoomf, but insists that it will remain free to list for estate agents.

He adds that there will be free listings with the opportunity to pay extra for additional features, such as video or prime spacing, although these have yet to be determined.

"What you are seeing from us and the likes of Globrix is the first version of these sites' potential.

"Everyone can argue about Comscore numbers, but the product is still very much in its early days."

Job searches and international functionality are two possible developments for Zoomf.

Carter has 12 years’ experience in online media and has worked for a range of firms, including Doubleclick, the digital services company for advertisers and publishers.

Romano-Critchley has also worked in a range of technology roles at University College London, D.E. Shaw Securities and Thinkingcap Technology, a research-based software house.

Meanwhile, PropertyLive.co.uk is the latest portal to be locked in negotiations with Vebra over the IT provider’s plans to charge the free property portal for uploads made via its software.

Peter Bolton King, chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents, owner of PropertyLive.co.uk, claims that Vebra is preventing between 30,000 and 40,000 properties from being uploaded to the site.

PropertyLive.co.uk aims to upload a massive 200,000 properties by the end of the year. With Vebra on board, Bolton King expects the number to reach over 100,000 by Friday.

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