Telstra has licensed out sales for its Trading Post property to Carsales.com.au, in another sign that the days of Telstra Advertising Network (TAN) are numbered.
Telstra has outsourced sales for the Trading Post online classifieds site only days after it licensed Multi Channel Network (MCN) to handle sales across a large portion of its digital advertising network.
The Telstra Advertising Network was only launched last year, combining its range of digital advertising businesses into a single hub. The business unit saw the Sensis Digital Media, Telstra Classifieds and BigPond Advertising divisions come together.
However, after only a year in existence, Telstra is now moving to outsource the sales functions for the majority of TAN.
Carsales.com.au-owned Quicksales.com.au will license the Tradingpost.com.au brand and operate the website.
TAN has already seen redundancies as a result of its general sales overhaul.
Carsales chief executive and managing director Greg Roebuck said: “TradingPost.com.au, powered by Quicksales.com.au, will tap into Quicksales.com.au’s commitment to ongoing innovation. It will offer consumers more choice, but what is also key is that it will enhance the Australian-owned alternative in 'free to list' classifieds.”
Telstra Media executive director JB Rousselot said: “TradingPost is an iconic classified brand held dear to the heart of Australians and in a very competitive market we needed to identify growth opportunities. Importantly, TradingPost will continue as a high-profile classified brand with the additional inventory and features from our partner, quicksales.com.au.”
Along with Telstra's entire classifieds portfolio, the Trading Post has been declining in value following mass consumer migration into the digital space.
While Telstra owned businesses like Yellow Pages and Trading Post have followed consumers into the online environment, they have not been able to maintain growth.
The deal is subject to approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Earlier in the month, Telstra outsourced 42 of its digital assets to MCN, including online portals and sites, tablet, mobile and IPTV.
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