There was a time when it looked like eBay would replace garage sales — or the Goodwill box. But putting things up for sale was probably too much work. In fact, garage sale postings in 2009 were up 80 percent on Craigslist last year.

Craigslist, Oodle and PennySaver have been among the leaders in online listings. Now add Garage Sales Tracker to the list. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, the start-up provides a full platform for local media companies, including community newspapers.

Launched in January 2009, Garage Sales Tracker posts sale locations on an embedded Google Map, and includes useful tips for sellers (“have plenty of single dollar bills on hand”). It also provides related information about local consignment shops, and allows users to filter their search by item or geographic location.

Garage Sales Tracker can also be white labeled by the media partners. It is also a destination site in its own right, selling ads to related categories, including self storage (U-Store-It) and foreclosure listings (RealtyTrac). Mortgage brokers are envisioned too. The site also earns revenues from featured listings. Otherwise, listings are free.

Mobile also plays a significant role in the site’s development. Garage Sales Tracker currently has an iPhone app, which helps garage sale shoppers on-the-go. An Android app is currently in development.

The post ‘Garage Sales Tracker’ Teams With Community Paper Sites appeared first on BIA/Kelsey - Local Media Watch.

There was a time when it looked like eBay would replace garage sales — or the Goodwill box. But putting things up for sale was probably too much work. In fact, garage sale postings in 2009 were up 80 percent on Craigslist last year.

Craigslist, Oodle and PennySaver have been among the leaders in online listings. Now add Garage Sales Tracker to the list. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, the start-up provides a full platform for local media companies, including community newspapers.

Launched in January 2009, Garage Sales Tracker posts sale locations on an embedded Google Map, and includes useful tips for sellers (“have plenty of single dollar bills on hand”). It also provides related information about local consignment shops, and allows users to filter their search by item or geographic location.

Garage Sales Tracker can also be white labeled by the media partners. It is also a destination site in its own right, selling ads to related categories, including self storage (U-Store-It) and foreclosure listings (RealtyTrac). Mortgage brokers are envisioned too. The site also earns revenues from featured listings. Otherwise, listings are free.

Mobile also plays a significant role in the site’s development. Garage Sales Tracker currently has an iPhone app, which helps garage sale shoppers on-the-go. An Android app is currently in development.

The post 'Garage Sales Tracker' Teams With Community Paper Sites appeared first on BIA/Kelsey - Local Media Watch.

Real-time reservations have moved beyond restaurants, hair salons and parking garages and are now being offered for self storage units. G5 Search Marketing, which specializes in self storage, has teamed with Centershift and United Stor-All Management to launch Web sites that integrate G5’s SEO and clickthrough solutions with unit availability, pricing, promotions and payment.

The effort allows United Stor-All to consolidate the Web presences of 80 facilities in 17 states and D.C. that it currently manages, while generating brand awareness and Web traffic for its storage unit owners. It is the first of several third-party integrations that G5 has planned for 2010.

“Integrating at the point of sale enables us to close the loop and truly track a new customer all the way back to the origination point online,” says G5 CEO Dan Hobin. “Our clients like to know that they have a managed service.” At the same time, Hobin says clients expect “full access” to their sites and want to be able to make changes at will.

The post New G5 Venture: SEO Meets Real-Time Reservations appeared first on BIA/Kelsey - Local Media Watch.