There’s been an explosion of anger about Rightmove’s pledge to undertake its biggest-ever marketing campaign - while at the same time saying nothing new about the portal’s long-term fee structure for agents.
As Estate Agent Today reported at the end of last week Rightmove pledged the biggest-ever campaign as one of 10 points it put forward in a plan emailed to its member agents on Thursday. These proposals were aimed at helping agents recover from the lockdown and the housing market being effectively frozen during the Coronavirus crisis.
However, the pledge unleashed a furious response from the Say No To Rightmove campaign, which is arguing for permanently lower fees from the portal.
It took to social media to say: “Rightmove finally has a response to our complaints … but it turns out that response is to spend, spend, spend on their biggest ever nationwide marketing campaign.”
On Twitter at least, there appeared widespread opposition to the Rightmove initiative.
Abbey Property of Luton tweeted: “What is Rightmove playing at with this marketing campaign? There is no winning back the agents it has lost. Without any stock on your portal, you have no customers visiting, even when they visit they will see no stock, so they won't return.”
And Fife Properties wrote on Twitter: “I don't want you to spend, spend, spend on advertising at my expense. I want you to address my concerns about excessive pricing and bring your prices down to a more realistic cost I can afford. Please listen & stop dictating.”
Agent Nick Harris wrote: “Is ‘spend, spend, spend’ the right approach given agents’ misgivings rather than finding a fair pricing strategy?”
“So Rightmove intend to splash the cash on advertising themselves rather than supporting agents with fairer pricing this is why more agents are #SayNoToRightmove
what does everyone else think they should do?” was the comment by Storehouse Homes.
Other comments included one from Oakwood Estate Agents: “So the Rightmove answer to the call from their clients for fairer pricing is to engage in a massive and expensive marketing campaign - no doubt to justify their crazy costs! Rightmove will you listen to agents? Please.”
Meanwhile Ashmore Lettings agent Salek Miah commented: “Your recent advertising campaign is indicative of your attitude towards your unhappy customers. You;’re not listening…save your advert spend and pass this onto your business life blood..customers!”
Sunderland’s Key 4 Lets Letting tweeted: “Rightmove you’re not listening - we want fairer prices not bigger advertising campaigns - save your money and give it back to your customers with better pricing.”
In its introduction to the 10 point plan, Rightmove commercial director Miles Shipside did make passing reference to the issue of fees, saying: "We recognise that agents will have a difficult period after existing pipelines complete. While we’re only five weeks into our four-month 75 per cent discount, we’re closely monitoring the situation as we're profoundly aware that our customers’ revenue growth is critical to the way we all move forward in these uncertain times.”
You can see its plan in full here.
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Smart companies spend in downturns if they can.
Shld drive more awareness to buyers and sellers to make a move.
Ultimately everyone uses them for eyeballs after all.
No surprise there
More and more are saying the same...
Strike 5?
No wonder we are all furious?
#togetherwearestronger #agentsunite
Say no to Rightmove
Rightmove, the gift that just keeps on giving...🤣😉
No good moaning and pleading with “RM please listen to your customers“, their not interested in agents they’ve made that pretty clear the only way forward for agents is to forget RM, leave and move on, stop going to them cap in hand, FOOLS!
If you don’t want to pay Rightmove’s prices, then don’t advertise on Rightmove! Simple. If someone made a campaign about your fees as an agent would you start charging half a percent instead of 1%? No. You can’t change another businesses pricing because you don’t like it.
#monopoly
Will this be your first and only post on here? So incisive.
RM feel if they add value by continually bombarding us with emails and announcements on how they will advertise on tv they can then say this is why their prices are worth 3x similar portals LOL
These guys should focus on their own business and let rightmove do the same. A fair offer was made (none of my other suppliers offered a 75% discount) if they don't want to accept it move on and stop complaining about every move RM make.
These guys should focus on their own business and let rightmove do the same. A fair offer was made (none of my other suppliers offered a 75% discount) if they don't want to accept it move on and stop complaining about every move RM make.
Yep...Rightmove have. Had the worst PR strategy in the history of property portal globally for years.
Sadly, RM's decision to place such a high budget on advertising has been designed for one thing only... to remind the Great British Public where they can find the property portal of choice. RM's decision has little to do with appeasing Estate and Letting Agents, but has EVERYTHING to do with raising social demand and therefore raise pressure for agents to go back to RM and advertise on their site.
This is a disappointing move from RM, but, not unexpected. They continue to use their size and considerable weight to drive the public to their site. Agents will feel the pressure to go back and use RM if they do not hold firm. Without getting all bitter and twisted, I ask us all to look and see what the dictionary definition of arrogance is!
At this thime it is essential that ALL Estate and Letting agents use trade affiliations to make a stance to RM and be counted. The Guild of Property Estate Agents is doing a fantastic job for us, their membership. However, SAFEAGENT does not seem to want to get drawn into the argument which is a great shame. CVid will be here for a long time and our memories of the current situation will be etched with situations which help our businesses and converseley those which don't... SAFEAGENT where are you... you're very quiet over this???
There is quite a simple solution here.
Instead of the Acorn "Say no to Rightmove" self-indulging movement, why not take a class action to the competition authorities? RM is clearly a monopoly, and is abusing its market power.
I'm pretty sure that a £50M fine will help them clear their pricing strategy. and I'd personally be very happy to contribute to the legal fees.
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