Finditcomo.com Web site finds its niche, connecting local sellers to buyers

Dissatisfied with traditional newspaper classified advertising and having experienced similarly disappointing results with eBay transactions, two Columbians decided to launch a Web site catering exclusively to local buyers and sellers. After months of development and overcoming inaugural glitches, Finditcomo.com is now experiencing rapid growth.

Co-founders Jeff Niedens and Darren Baldwin devised the Web site idea in February 2006 and officially launched the site in December. There have been quite a few changes in the company in its first 10 months of existence.

“We originally started as a pay site, charging 99 cents for an ad and 10 cents per picture, but since we went with free ad listings in July we’ve seen a 200 percent growth,” Niedens says. The selling point of the Web site is that both buyers and sellers are local.

“We thought it would be nice to have a completely local site that is effective and cost-efficient, where you can go see the items and not pay shipping,” Niedens said.

Individuals can post items for sale in more than 30 different categories, from antiques to farm equipment to video games. Also, groups and businesses can post events, fundraisers, garage sales or sales specials.

Of the variety of items for sale, Niedens says visitors to the Web site will find both typical and more unusual wares.

“You’re always going to have a couch or a truck for sale,” he said. “Today, though, we have two beige chinchillas posted. How often do you see that?”

Baldwin, a graphic designer, and Niedens, a mechanical engineer, take different roles in the business. Baldwin says it has been mainly Niedens’s creation, but Niedens credits Baldwin with being the primary programmer. In addition to Niedens and Baldwin, Finditcomo.com also employs sales associates and an intern.

Brian Whorley, owner of Tiger’s Takeout, said he is pleased with the results of featuring his restaurant delivery business on finditcomo.com.

“I’m really liking it and getting a lot of traffic,” Whorley said. “The beauty of the Internet, unlike traditional advertising mediums, is that I’m able to track customers compared to what price I’m paying for the ad.”

Baldwin and Niedens will only advertise local businesses on their Web site and it appears to be paying off.

“We’ve had banner ads getting 60,000 views a month,” Niedens said.

Looking to the future, Baldwin and Niedens are preparing to launch a local business directory on their site later this month. Also, they have already purchased domain names in other Missouri cities to launch similar locally based Web sites, including Jefferson City, St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and the Lake of the Ozarks area.