Trade Me
New Zealand's dominant online marketplace and classifieds site.
Trade Me at a glance
Trade Me is an e-commerce website and one of the most visited sites in New Zealand, currently ranked #3 in the country. It was founded in 1999 by Sam Morgan and is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand. Today Trade Me is owned by Trade Me Ltd (Apax Partners). Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 30 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through listing and success fees, property, motors and jobs subscriptions, advertising. Its closest rivals include facebook.com, amazon.com.au, temu.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 28.2 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 29.1 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 30 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 31.8 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct48%
App-first shopping habit
- Organic search31%
- Paid search11%
- Social6%
- Referral & email4%
Audience & demographics
- Women54%
- Men46%
- Age 25-3430%
- Age 18-2423%
- Age 35-4422%
The audience is concentrated in New Zealand, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- New Zealand86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 9 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- New Zealand
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| trade me | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| online shopping | Top 10 | High | — |
| discount codes | Top 10 | High | — |
| free delivery | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the New Zealand web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 76% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading e-commerce apps in New Zealand
Company information
- Website
- trademe.co.nz
- Sector
- E-commerce
- Owner
- Trade Me Ltd (Apax Partners)
- Owner type
- Private equity owned
- Founders
- Sam Morgan
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Employees
- 600+
- Ownership
- Trade Me Ltd (Apax Partners) controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Private equity owned
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Trade Me operates an online retail and marketplace platform focused on New Zealand. New Zealand's dominant online marketplace and classifieds site. Revenue comes mainly from listing and success fees, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Listing and success fees
- Property, motors and jobs subscriptions
- Advertising
- Ping payments
Products & services
Related deals on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, Global Site Index earns from qualifying purchases.
International presence
- Primary market
- New Zealand
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (New Zealand)
- #3 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading e-commerce site in New Zealand
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| facebook.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #4 class competitor | — |
| amazon.com.au | ≈ 13.5 million / month | #5 class competitor | — |
| temu.com | ≈ 9 million / month | #6 class competitor | — |
What is Trade Me?
Trade Me (trademe.co.nz) is an online retail and marketplace platform serving users in New Zealand. New Zealand's dominant online marketplace and classifieds site. It ranks #3 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the e-commerce category.
Who owns Trade Me?
The site is operated by Trade Me Ltd (Apax Partners), founded by Sam Morgan. The company was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand. It employs around 600+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Trade Me at roughly 30 million visits per month, about 1 million per day. Around 76% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 7.4 pages per visit with an average session of 6 min.
How Trade Me makes money
Revenue comes primarily from listing and success fees, alongside property, motors and jobs subscriptions, advertising, ping payments.
Competitors in New Zealand
Its closest rivals include facebook.com, amazon.com.au, temu.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1999
Trade Me is founded in Wellington, New Zealand.
- Growth phase
Expands its e-commerce offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #3 among the most visited websites in New Zealand.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Wide product assortment with competitive local pricing
- Established delivery and returns network
- Local payment methods and installment options
- Mature seller tools and campaign calendar
Cons
- Product quality varies between third-party sellers
- Returns and disputes can take time on marketplace orders
- Commissions and ad costs pressure smaller sellers
- International shipping coverage is limited
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Trade Me?
Trade Me is operated by Trade Me Ltd (Apax Partners). Private equity owned structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Trade Me headquartered?
Trade Me is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand.
When was Trade Me founded?
Trade Me was founded in 1999 by Sam Morgan.
How many employees does Trade Me have?
Trade Me employs approximately 600+ people.
What is Trade Me's revenue?
Trade Me does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from listing and success fees, property, motors and jobs subscriptions, advertising, ping payments.
Who are Trade Me's competitors?
Main competitors in New Zealand include facebook.com, amazon.com.au, temu.com.
How does Trade Me make money?
Mainly listing and success fees, property, motors and jobs subscriptions, advertising, ping payments.
Is Trade Me publicly traded?
No — Trade Me is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Trade Me Ltd (Apax Partners).
How many visitors does Trade Me get?
Third-party estimates place Trade Me at roughly 30 million visits per month, mostly from New Zealand, with 76% mobile traffic.
Is Trade Me safe?
Trade Me is an established e-commerce site founded in 1999 and ranked #3 in New Zealand; use the official domain trademe.co.nz and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementstrademe.co.nz
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageNew Zealand and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos