LONDON, November 25 /PRNewswire/ --

- Community Trading Online is Booming

- Schools Trader Page Hits up Over 95%

Universitiestrader - the community trading site for students - is looking for 200 students to join as agents. Each agent will cover one university community in the UK and Ireland.

http://www.universitiestrader.com has just been launched by the outfit behind Schoolstrader, one of the UK's leading online trading sites for school communities. Schoolstrader, which started in a garden shed in 2006, is growing fast; it has just announced that unique visits increased by over 88% and page hits increased by over 95% in the nine months to end September 2009.

Neil Canetty-Clarke, a Director, said:

"http://www.schoolstrader.com started three years ago with three school communities and now covers over 30,000 across the UK."

"The concept is simple - online free-ads - where school communities can trade pretty much anything with each other. The sites are free, green and work well - people like to trade with their community, whether primary, secondary, independent or university."

"We have just extended the service to students with the launch of Universities Trader. Students from Aberdeen to Exeter can now use our unique community trading platform to trade with each other. All for free. Everything from textbooks to trumpets, furniture to flats, laptops to motorbikes."

"We are keen to hear from students who would like to join us as agents. Each agent will cover one university community, promoting the site and selling advertising on commission. We plan to appoint 200 agents over the next few months."

"Schoolstrader is performing strongly in these economic conditions. Families across the UK are using http://www.schoolstrader.com to save money, recycle items and raise cash. The site is open to all."

"We have seen very strong traffic growth in the last nine months, with page hits up by over 95% and unique visits up over 88%, as more and more people across the UK are community trading online."

"Favourite categories include Holiday Homes, Musical Instruments, Property, Jobs and Motors. One of our users has just sold her husband's Classic Red Harley Davidson for GBP2500 - and had two buyers fighting over it."

"We have seen lots of new users after we featured as a Top 50 Website. On the site at the moment we have a Vintage Space Invaders Machine, a GBP3 Fish Tank, some Snow Chains, a GBP16 Four Door Double-Storey Rabbit Hutch, 500 Beano Mags, a Pink Electric Guitar, a 2 Bedroom Cottage on The Isle of Wight for GBP190k, 2 Hot Air Balloon Tickets, a Therapists Couch for GBP150, a Sweet-Tempered Shetland Pony for Loan (called Holly) and even a Free Piano."

Notes for Editors:

1. http://www.universitiestrader.com covers 200 university communities in the UK and Ireland. It is aimed at students, but is open to all. It launched this month. Universitiestrader plans to appoint 200 students as agents. Each agent will cover one university community in the UK and Ireland. Agents will work with Universitiestrader during free-time and holidays to promote the site to their community and to sell banner advertising. The agent's role is commission-only (Universitiestrader pays a sales commission of 40%). Interested students should send a CV to office@universitiestrader.com

2. http://www.schoolstrader.com covers 30,000 school communities in the UK and Ireland, with sections for primary & secondary school communities and independent school communities. It was launched in 2006. Schoolstrader is a free "school community trading" site. It is open to all - parents, teachers, alumni, friends and family to buy/sell anything from a rabbit to a house. The site is useful, free and green (encourages recycling and reuse of items). Top categories in approximate order of popularity include holiday homes, clothes, furniture, musical instruments, toys and games, school uniform, baby gear, property, sports kit, equestrian, jobs & home help, motors, books, courses & tuition, pets, bikes, electrical, ski gear, boats. Users can advertise locally, regionally or nationally. The site is for adults, not children. Schoolstrader has had national media coverage in The Sunday Times, Guardian, Times and Which and has featured as a Daily Telegraph Top 50 Website. The site is funded by commercial banner advertising and business listings. It is easy for schools to launch a Schoolstrader service; they mention the site in a newsletter or website.

Quote from a Schoolstrader user:

Jenni Balow, a Schoolstrader user, said "We use the site all the time - I have just sold my husband's Classic Red Harley Davidson through Schoolstrader for GBP2500 - the asking price. I had two buyers fighting over it - great result."

    Examples of things on Schoolstrader:

    Bridge Tuition With European Ladies Champ
    Chicken House and 2 Birds GBP125
    Free - Cute Pet Rat Sisters
    2 Bed Cottage, Isle of Wight GBP189,950
    Vintage 1970s Space Invaders Arcade Machine
    12 Tickets for ATP World Tour Tennis at O2, 25 Nov, GBP20 each
    6ft Snooker Table, Balls, Cues GBP100
    Therapists Couch GBP150
    Off-Road Pit Bike 140cc GBP350
    Tuscany Apartment From 395 Euros pw
    Golf Bag, Clubs and Shoes GBP15
    4 Bed Holiday Home, Cornwall GBP99,000
    Pink Electric Guitar and Amp GBP125
    500 Beano Mags
    Sweet Tempered Shetland Pony For Loan (called Holly)
    Au Pair Wanted Australia Jan 2010
    Volvo 7 Seater Estate GBP800
    Drum Kit GBP95
    The Old Rectory, West Lydford GBP1.75m
    Free Piano
    Four Door Double-Storey Rabbit Hutch GBP16
    Handwriting Expert Wanted


    All these ads can be seen on Schoolstrader at the following URL:
    http://www.schoolstrader.com/uk/independent/find-ads

    Press Enquiries:
    Schoolstrader Limited
    +44(0)1580-819085
    +44(0)7808-580573

SOURCE SchoolsTrader Ltd

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