Is going smaller the next big thing in the world of eBay-type auction platforms? 

If I must guess, I’d say ‘yes’. Look at this interesting post on Examiner.com.

Ricardo.ch, the Swiss auction platform owned by MIH Internet Europe, is advertising for an online marketing type to join its team in Zug, Switzerland. Advertisements also appeared on German job sites. 

Here is the ad as it appears on the Ricardo site. 

Only problem: The company says it’s looking for someone not older than 35. That’s a BIG no-no in German law. (Even bigger than when a SA firm would “forget” it was an “equal opportunity employer”…)

Jokes apart, should someone complain, Ricardo will be lucky to get away with a warning.

eBay’s recent decision to refocus its business (less emphasis on consumer-to-consumer and more on business-to-consumer) and strengthen its position in the classifieds markets of Europe (west and east), has far-reaching consequences for Naspers’ investment in Europe. [Read on]

Last year it was called QXL, early this year it was known as Tradus, and now it is known as MIH Internet Europe. And consists of two divisions, or “groups”, namely the Ricardo Group (operates in western Europe) and the Allegro Group (operates in eastern Europe). [Read on]

Now, now. Let’s test my theory. 

I’ve been saying “abroad” has become a nice place for SA companies to do things “behind the backs of shareholders”, ie. without telling what they’re up to. This can be dangerous for local shareholders (witness the Sasol episode of last week). [Read on]

Calling all Naspersers. Here’s your chance to brush up on your “Swiets Doeits”, also known as “Swiss German”, with a 5-minute lesson every fortnight. Free. With the compliments of your employer. As a company perk, so to speak. [Read on]

I came, I saw, I got rid of it.

The website of Tradus, the Swiss-based company bought by Naspers in March this year with auction platforms in 13 European countries, vanished from the airwaves recently. Internet users trying to access the Tradus portal, are redirected to Naspers.com, where the Tradus name is also “non-existent”.

[Read on]

Six months ago Naspers, South Africa and Africa’s biggest media company, bought Swiss-based Tradus, an auction site operator with a strong presence in Eastern Europe and (not so strong) in Scandinavia.

Today global auction platform eBay announced plans to step up its effort in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, by buying “a fair number of classified portals in the next six months, or so”. [Read on]