Consumer Source Interactive purchased all these sites in the past year and now has declared Rentals.com their flagship product - my question is if you are CSI and have deep pockets would you try your luck on Radio and TV ads for the hot rental markets like Denver, Orlando and Phoenix?
I will guess that they will give it a try this summer - perhaps in the month of July when the rental market peaks for the year.
But before they do, I will guess they need to move the RentClicks back end over to Rentals.com so people coming to the Rentals.com site to post a rental ad don’t get confused by leaving the Rentals site for RentClicks.
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I was surprised that they launched the “Family” in the Winter months. I thought they should have made the launch in May or June combined with a major national advertising campaign.
Consolidating their “Family” of sites is not an easy task. They need to move the PM directories and PM resource materials from RC, RH and HR to Rentals.
They also need to be able to post home rental ads directly on Rentals without going to RC and have the family choices on their shopping menu.
I love the Rentahouses ad copy on their checkout. “For a few dollars more you can be on the family of sites.” It is $39.00 VRS $79.00. It is $40.00 more! Over twice what you are paying for the original ad on Rentalhouses! Funny stuff!
Dave,
Although I think the media metrix issue will be an ongoing contension for a very long time, you have to take a look at what we are seeing ‘InTheIndustry’.
I received the following email from a client recently that I used to share with RentClicks - “Ok we are going to do away with using Rentclicks.com because once they changed their website our response has been close to nil”.
Now you might be saying this is only 1 company that has about 30something listings each month out of the 15k or 45k listings, depending on which ever ‘Family’ site you look at, but this has been a reoccuring conversation I have had with various property managers from various parts of the country. Not to mention it is consistent with the numbers from Alexa.
Obviously I am not privy to CSI’s business plan, but I think they may have bit off more than they can chew.
Property managers are not accepting the new pricing structures very well. As we have discussed in the past with all of the ILS’s -not everybody is paying the same amount each month. Although ‘The Family’ price is listed at $79/ad on the web sites, I have heard of prices at about 65% of that. Based on those numbers RentClicks was running a descent operation at $15-$99 per ad before, RentalHouses was losing their sinking like the titanic, and HomeRentalAds/Rentlist were on treading water - if not gasping for air.
With that being said how can CSI honestly expect to spend about $18M-$25M buying up ILS’s - then pay to support them all plus launch ‘Rentals.com’. We have been hearing about this monster ‘Rentals.com’ ad campaign for the last couple years. How much is that going to cost and what is it really going to yield?
Although I think I might be stating the obvious but it looks like Primedia better have one hell of a crystal ball or else they are going to run this ship into the ground and be forced to sell it off like its’ various other media channels/revenue streams.
Are you scared?
Nope, I am not scared at all - why do you ask?
Can any PM out there with any volume on Rentals.com let us know what they are actually paying?
Just pullin yer leg
yes. Of course they will advertise on tv and radio. That’s what your friend told you. ..and the back end, of course… ” I will guess they need to move the RentClicks back end over” good ‘guess’
Wait till you hear the next announcement(s)
earth shattering
Lark,
Earth shattering? We will see!
Lark,
Are you a RC or RH Rep? CSI needs something earth shattering!
Lark is right. They spent a ton of money last year to test-market on TV and Radio but they would now decide not to go forward with it? Of course they will do TV & Radio.
Yahoo,
Let’s hope they don’t bring back the stick man!
Earth shattering is not as important to CSI as creating a long term sustainable business is. You may mock CSI at the current time while the pieces all seem disconnected, but it seems that they are moving things along quietly and carefully.
Anonymous,
Re: Earth shattering is not as important to CSI.
Let the Larkster know! He is on the edge of his chair!
Re: as creating a long term sustainable business is.
CSI does not have a very good track record of this when it comes to purchasing internet companies.
Re: it seems that they are moving things along quietly and carefully.
They are moving quietly alright! As far as carefully is concerned….that is anyone’s guess! They were not very careful about acquiring that dog Homerentals.
Wrong one……I meant Rentalhouses….now that is a DOG!
I spoke to a property investor/DIY manager from Miami Beach who said she’s heard a lot of Sublet.com advertising on the radio. Has anyone else heard their ads in other markets? I haven’t heard them here in Texas, but curious about others.