Junk Mail adds SMS search functionality

Junk Mail has added a full SMS search functionality to its mobile classifieds service. The new feature ensures that absolutely anyone with a mobile phone can browse and shop through Junk Mail classifieds, just by sending an SMS. Your phone does not have to be WAP-enabled.

“Users can search the latest Junk Mail classifieds ads (over 120 000 new ads per month), for whatever they want, wherever they are,” says Junk Mail Publishing Group’s Managing Director, Felix Erken. “For example: It’s as simple as sending an SMS with the words ‘SEARCH <JHB> SUBJECT <bicycles> to the short code 33795. You will receive a list of ads for ‘bicycles’ or any other subject almost instantaneously.

“Our business is to match people together. Mobile services allow us to interact with an extensive market and brings more people together,” says Erken. “In fact Junk Mail receives over half a million unique visitors per month via mobile alone.”

The company’s move to embrace mobile technology, as an extension to its print and online classifieds offering has paid off. Mobile advertising, which is the ability to list an advert on the Junk Mail site via SMS, has been part of Junk Mail’s service offering since 1999. It provides an important source of content that in turn drives extra traffic. Ads submitted via the SMS service are at 24 000 per month. That’s almost 20% of all ads posted.

He concludes, saying that Junk Mail Publishing is committed to adding value to its users by continually investing in development and looking for new ways to enrich the mobile experience. “Innovation is key but at the same time, you have to time it right. For now the SMS search functionality will be available to Junk Mail users before being introduced to our other titles.”

“Classifieds remain a simple, convenient and very, very popular way to buy and sell,” says Erken. “And with the addition of SMS search functionality, Junk Mail offers users greater exposure to the market. Junk Mail Publishing Group, which has had an established presence in the South African classifieds industry for the past twenty years, was the first mainstream classifieds publisher in South Africa to offer users three mediums (print, internet and mobile) for accessing and placing classifieds ads.