My feeling is ferrit is shaping up to be a school yard bully for NZ online shopping, not really the best system or well thought out but with Telecom’s budget they are trying to swamp out every one else. Unfortunately I doubt it will work until ferrit start to change their direction and provide a usefull and friendly site.

My guess is after this Christmas run they will cut their loses and get out or change drastically and move to a more open retailer network type system.

Ralph has been running Broadband and Ferrit for the last year or so. Just picked up Next Generation Telecom in the recently announced re-org.

Disclaimer – I worked with Bernard at Telecom. We both worked for Ralph. I still hang out with Ralph when I get to Auckland. I buy nappies from Ferrit. Um – that’s it.

With a nation of only 4 million people…can we really expect them to have an international distribution facility with fulfilment being client side.

Ferrit are constantly trying to convince some of the largest B and M retailers in NZ to carry out e-commerce – one wonders why this education process is necessary when the solution is very obvious.

Paul Reynolds job would be like Helen Clark’s or Graham Henry’s…damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Imagine these postings if they’d put 30mil in and pulled the pin.

Just to clarify, I work for an online marketing agency, have never been employed by Ferrit and have never been taken to an e-retail event with them.

Unfortunately Ferrit was built by marketers and not technologist. What was needed was a rock solid platform to move forward for the long term instead they are left with a less than stellar platform and still no signs of real traffic.

Glen (aka barnaclebarnes)

Disclaimer: I used to work for Nielsen Online who supplied some of the research to Ferrit.

I have gone to Ferrit a couple of times, out of pity, and found the images of the products, if any image, are so poor, you wonder why they bothered listing the item.

Come on, you can Google great product shots if you are too lazy to take a few of the product that’s in your system.

I don’t have a problem with the “ideals” behind Ferrit, there is just no one with full time passion in behind it.

On reflection this morning and Bernard’s comments, I think the fact maybe that in some way the reason is a blend of both of your comments.

Firstly I have no disclosure of interest! – never worked for Telecom and am not a big fan of their marketing or operation.

I think Reynolds is the change agent who is re-shaping Telecom – he has that dower Scottish pragmatism, he has started re-shaping and refocussing the company to the core components. He has through natural attrition or persuasive force changed the key leaders and brought his team in. The results will show in 2009/2010 – that is when he will be judged.

This all leads to my belief that Ferrit whilst psychologically important to us in the online world is so insignificant to him that it is not worth his while. The majority of the $30m was Terresa’s folly and whilst killing the sacrificial play-thing would appeal to our psyche; to him a business which whilst not huge (UB’s & $ return) is an e-commerce business without a major competitor (his view)- so for a subsidy of maybe $1 – $3m pa. it is insignificant – he can play a waiting game.

On the other hand almost all of the direct reporting management team has been changed. Coincidence? Not at all. I’ve been very impressed with Paul Reynolds’ ability to make the changes happen without being perceived to be swinging a big axe. It’s straight out of the playbook I would use – change the top first, but he’s done it a nice gentle way.

Simon Moutter and others may well have deliberately given a challenge that targeted their perceived gaps, and been set up to either prove the weakness wasn’t there or fail – and when they failed the door was open. Whether they were pushed or saw the light and left is not relevant. I guess what I am trying to say is although it is much harder to come to a mutual agreement to part ways than to swing an axe, the result is better for everybody.

In the scheme of things he on going costs of running Ferrit should be tiny, despite the millions that have been sunk into it. The question is whether the Ferrit will be fed a budget going forward, and what will happen to Ferrit boss Ralph Brougham.

PS Disclosure: Bernard and I worked together at Fairfax. It was lots of fun.