OnTheMarket issues trio of testimonials ahead of first anniversary

Oh dear, this reads like weak tea (not you Graham, the testimonials). I'm actually glad there are agents who like OTM and I'm even prepared to believe that their clients like it to.

There is no doubt that it's a good idea for agents to have there own portal as well and not to be at the mercy of a monopoly or a duopoly. Agents should feel free to advertise their clients properties when they want, where they want and the public should be aware of how to find them.

However, this weak praise misses the point, the point is that two wrongs don't make a right and a 'one other portal' rule that ties up members for five years is uncompetitive, unfair and is putting off good agents from joining OTM, that's the point, please hit the like button if you agree.

• Steve Harwood
• 07 January 2016 15:13 PM

Simon, interestingly the full testimonial for Raine & Co (published by PropertyPortalWatch) suggests that they have pulled away from Zoopla but they are advertising on it today!

So 33% of their testimonials are clearly out of date. How embarrassing!

Full testimonial:

Mike Marsh
Raine & Co
Hertfordshire and Mayfair
Nine offices, a mixture of sales and lettings
November 2015

We decided to join OnTheMarket.com as soon as we reviewed the strategy and costs. We didn’t take much persuading! We were fed-up with Rightmove and Zoopla because of their ever-increasing fees. Whenever we have met representatives from the other major portals, we have felt that they are more focused on increasing the portal’s income than on providing a high level of service to us, their estate and letting agent customers. It was our industry which built Rightmove and Zoopla into the powerful giants which they are today with their enormous profits and stock market valuations. We know that as traditional high street agents who are proud of Britain’s estate agent industry and the service it offers, it is time to put an end to this ludicrous situation. As agents who provide the precious property content, it is absolutely in our power to do so with our own alternative portal.

We were very pleased to learn that the executives behind OnTheMarket.com had already launched a property portal which was an overwhelming success in the form of PrimeLocation. This gave us reassurance and confidence in the leadership of Agents’ Mutual and they have not disappointed us. When it came to which portal to drop, we debated it because it was a difficult decision. Being so close to London, we were concerned about dropping Zoopla but we chose to retain Rightmove on the basis of the superior volume and quality of the leads it was generating for us. The leads supplied to us by OnTheMarket.com are of an extremely high standard. We hear frequently from our customers how user-friendly OnTheMarket.com is and how cleanly it displays the properties on the market. In my own opinion, it is only a matter of time before the property stock on the portal increases and OnTheMarket.com will be able to compete head-on with Rightmove.

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Hmm, smacks a little of them trying too hard to prove a point. Who are they trying to kid?

Reminds me of any film trailer or advert for an upcoming TV drama - endless platitudes, good reviews, hype and praise, when in some cases none of this is deserved or warranted.

Not that I'm saying that there aren't branches/agents who are happy with OTM's service - clearly there must be - just that it all seems a little hollow and manufactured. Almost like a middle finger to the naysayers, to say "you know what, we're doing pretty well and we'll be around for a while yet. So ner ner ner ner."

I think this also needs to be highlighted:
"OnTheMarket has previously said repeatedly that it would overtake Zoopla by its first anniversary, but there was no reference to this in its latest press release."

So we can deduce from this that it hasn't happened, as most sensible people predicted. Bit embarrassing given how much fuss they made about it. Maybe Springett can come out and tell us why it hasn't happened yet and when he does expect OTM to become the number 2 portal. If he'd been a bit more pragmatic, realistic and modest in his ambitions and forecasts, he wouldn't be looking so silly now. Nothing wrong with ambition, but only if you can back this ambition up with results.

Agree that this comes across as bit hollow, contrived and staged. "Look at how well we're doing! Honest! We've got these three testimonials to prove it! We have no stats to prove that we're the second biggest portal, as we absolutely promised we would be, but these three people are very, very happy with our service."

Flippancy aside, I think the Zoopla/number 2 portal thing is key and more should be made of it. Are they now number 2 or not? I'd be very, very surprised - nay, completely shocked - if that were the case. If it isn't, Springett should come out and tell us why. He was quite happy to bleat on earlier in the year about how brilliant the new portal was, but he's gone strangely quiet since things have started to go badly for OTM. Come on, Springett, where's your stats?

Wooohooo "I don't believe we are experiencing any loss of business" That's absolutely terrific news about KF. Everyone should do the same and experiene no loss of business.

Is this really true though?
"to regain control of our industry"

If the master vision did pan-out then we'd all be beholden to Springett and the Savills and KF eminence grise behind him. Classic sucker story. Should read Savills and KF strengthen control of the industry!

So all of their talk about overtaking Zoopla has fallen by the wayside, it seems, which isn't unexpected. To attempt to rival it was silly and arrogant of them, especially with their utterly ridiculous 'one other rule' policy.

But it seems that Springett will continue throwing testimonials at us all, in the hope that it will take away from a less than impactful first year in the industry.