- Wellington’s Vic Deals, a popular community Facebook page, is for sale on Trade Me.
- The page has 247,400 members and receives 2.45 million views every 30 days.
- 22-year-old Charlie Ward, who bought it in 2022, is selling due to relocating to the South Island.
The capital’s most well-known community Facebook page has been put up for sale.
Wellington‘s Vic Deals has been listed on Trade Me, advertised as offering ownership of a “pivotal piece of Wellington”.
The profile was created in 2012 as an additional service for a recruitment agency. It has since grown to 247,400 members.
It acts as a community noticeboard for the city, where people can list rental properties, advertise events and debate local issues.
In late 2022 it was purchased by brothers Charlie and Michael Ward.
Charlie Ward said that after moving to the South Island he can no longer give the page the attention it deserves.
“It’s a great little starter business, I’ve ingrained myself deep in the Wellington community, I’m only 22 so I’ve cut my teeth on a bit of sales.”
Ads posted on the page have the ability to go “super viral”, he said.
“It’s an organic way to reach customers.”
The Trade Me listing said it reaches 2.45 million views every 30 days.
“Over time, Vic Deals became an integral part of Wellington’s culture, known for its humour, quirky posts, and its role in bringing the community together. It has since become a cherished and iconic institution within the city,” it states.
Ward said he wasn’t ready to share the asking price yet, but said given the platform’s EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes), the price is well below market value.
Asked what type of person he’s looking for in a buyer, Ward said “it’s super public facing, you’ll be speaking to 300 plus business owners in Wellington so someone not abrasive, and definitely someone already in Wellington”.
In 2021, a member posted a photo of a cannabis plant which caught the attention of the local authorities.
Vic Deals was also used to host a Wellington sexual violence survey which saw thousands of respondents raise concerns over the city’s safety.
In 2018, the page helped a women get her stolen number plate back, after her post on Vic Deals prompted the thief to return it.
The listing comes following the reported sale of rival page Wellington Live.
Owner and mayoral hopeful Graham Bloxham claims to have sold that page, however, the companies register shows Bloxham is still the sole shareholder of Wellington Live Ltd.
Former Wellington mayor Justin Lester has recently turned his mayoral Facebook profile into a Wellington community page called Wellington Alive, with an aim to post only positive stories from the capital.
Lester told the Herald he is not considering purchasing Vic Deals for his Wellington Alive brand.
The Vic Deals page is up for a deadline sale closing on April 30.
Ethan Manera is a multimedia journalist based in Wellington. He joined NZME in 2023 and is interested in local issues, politics and property in the capital. Ethan is always on the lookout for a story and can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.