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| Rob Hage, a native of Inwood, Iowa, had an idea to help bring farm equipment buyers and sellers together, and The Farm Country Trader was born. Ten years ago Rob just knew that a used farm implement magazine, based on the model of used car magazines circulating on the east and west coasts, was a good idea. Rob, still a college student at the time, set about turning his idea into the now successful Trader Publications. He assembled a staff to bring the Farm Country Trader to the midwest, so that implement dealers could advertise their inventory to a wider pool of buyers. Rob found that farmers in search of equipment, appreciated the ease of finding what they needed by simply reading the then monthly magazine. The Farm Country Trader soon developed into a twice monthly publication. Once the Farm Country Trader was established and moved to a twice a month magazine, Rob moved to develop the Car & Truck Trader. The Car & Truck Trader grew out of Rob's grasp of the opportunity that while the salesmen were out physically visiting implement dealers, they were driving right by car dealerships. With the addition of a twice a month Car and Truck Trader, Rob's publications had evolved into a weekly service to its customers. By 1996, Rob saw that the Internet and the World Wide Web were growing at an unprecedented rate so he added cartrucktrader.com and farmcountrytrader.com to the Trader family of services. The Trader web sites now provide at your fingertip advertisements to almost a thousand visitors a day. Hage and his staff had to go through a lot of trial and error to get the web site going. “We were the guinea pigs for what we were doing,” said Hage. “We got hooked up with a company in Sioux Falls, and were venturing into unknown territory when we started our web site.” The hardest part was incorporating an interactive database which would allow the consumer to search for the car or tractor he or she was looking for. Both web sites, cartrucktrader.com and farmcountrytrader.com, feature a search engine that allows the potential buyer to enter the make, year, and price range of the car or implement. The interactive database then files through the current inventory (which is updated every two weeks) and gets the car or implement that matches the criteria. It’s pretty convenient, considering the hundreds of ads a person would have to individually check in the magazine. Another difficulty added to this is the simple fact that the ads must be updated often. Updating the database takes the whole staff (five in production, five in sales), though it is much easier now that the process has been simplified. Using the strategy of incorporating the web site update procedure into the print side has made it easier; it is now just a continuation of the publishing process. The majority of Farm Country Trader and Car & Truck Trader is still in the print. “We feel the Internet is in its infancy, so to speak, with regard to what we're doing. The majority of the response our advertisers receive comes from the printed ad” Hage consented. He also added that a significant number of responses do come from the Internet. Hage had recently received a testimony from a Rochester, NY, man who had bought a $40,000 tractor in Spencer, IA. The man had seen the tractor in the publication and the web site. The web site is a value added service offered to the customers of both magazines, allowing the advertisement to be seen globally. The core circulation of the publications is in the five state area of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, with about 1500 newsstand locations. Farm Country and Car & Truck Trader boast thousands of subscribers nationwide. This exposure for the web site generates almost about to 1,000 visitors per day now, and Rob expects to see a million hits (file requests) a month sometime next year. In fact the Trader web sites are being re-designed so the information can be updated from the Inwood office in real time and to be Y2K ready. "It's a big investment" Rob said, "But one that we know we must make to maintain our position as the regional leader in Internet advertising for cars, trucks, and farm equipment". The Internet side of the publication is currently offered free of charge to display advertising customers who make a certain annual contract print advertising commitment. Inventories of car and implement dealers who advertise in every Farm Country Trader or Car & Truck Trader automatically have their information put into the web site database. This is now updated every two weeks. "This service is like no other in the four state region we serve. We can put our dealer/advertisers' inventory on line inexpensively, including photos. We are aware of no other print advertising/Internet inventory display system anywhere which matches the Trader Publications speed or value. Some of our advertisers have even built inexpensive web sites they can advertise in print, on television and radio linking back to our inventory system. The Trader provides these simple web sites, which can be as little as a single page, with the dynamic features every dealer needs. I think that is a great idea." Rob said; We have thousands of subscribers”, stated Hage, “And now that we've gone to the Internet with this information, we're picking up a lot more.” Web sites are very important to the growth of a business. “If you're not on the Internet, its not too late to get involved,” Hage assured.“I think people, now with the coming of the next century, need to get serious about getting their own web page.” The Internet has been up and coming for some time, and the time to take advantage is now. Car & Truck Trader and Farm Country Trader have been through the learning curve, and are well able to help others benefit from all the advantages. The fact that all of their current Internet services are value based services, at no extra cost, makes it an easy decision for print advertisers. Internet commerce is the way of the future, and Rob Hage and the Trader Publications have always offered their customers a good view of things to come. Rob closed with "Trader Internet Services are just beginning to take off and I plan to expand the range of services next year" Be sure to watch their sites, cartrucktrader.com and farmcountrytrader.com, closely as big things are on the drawing board now. |
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| The leading Sioux Falls, SD Apple Macintosh dealer, whose goal is to always bring Computer Solutions to our digital problems, recently remodeled their store. Hosted by a highly qualified seven man staff, Computer Solutions is the recoginized regional leader for all things Macintosh. Dedicated to the Apple Macintosh since 1987, Computer Solutions has been dubbed an Apple Specialist Store. This designation is only given to computer retail stores exhibiting expertise, pride and loyalty towards Macintosh computer systems, software, and peripherals. As is fitting to a staff given the moniker of Apple specialist, Computer Solutions boasts a seven man staff whose Mac savvy is second to none. Paul Werner, a certified Apple Macintosh Technician, has been involved in every facet of Apple computer sales. Paul, Computer Solutions manager, has serviced computer user needs ever since the days Apple first wrote the book on how people should look at computers. Ernie Storm, a U.S. Navy vet and a USD Accounting graduate, helps Paul keep the books right and the prices as low as possible. Need service on any Macintosh? Service manager Luke Werner and service technician Mike Dircksen are here to help you. Luke has 12 years experience working on Macs, and his knowledge of the Apple authorized service procedures is a big plus in the service department. Mike uses his 25 years of working around Apples to make sure the customer gets exactly what he/she wants. Mike is also the manager of the Computer Solutions Internet Service. The computer Solutions sales reps also have an impressive background, with Allan Newman and Clancy Mckeever putting their minds together with Digital Media Sales Representative Joel Broveleit. The threesome have a vast knowledge of Macs, and are always looking for a chance to help new and experienced Apple users. Rounding out the sales consultant staff are Aaspas, Bacon, and Walker. They all boast an excellent knowledge of consumer and professional computer use, and are the question/answer guys. Andy Aaspas is also the webmaster, and in charge of Computer Solutions website. Everyone at Computer Solutions located at 1500 W. 41st ST in Sioux Falls is there to help you get the most from your Apple Computer. For Hardware, software, accessories, upgrades, service and supplies, be sure to stop by the newly remodled store. Or visit their web site at www.macsrus.com. Please be sure to let them know you heard about them in the Tri-State Computer Chronicle. |
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