Connecting Buyers and Sellers

by Matthew Wright

About a year and a half ago, 18 year-old Mark Van de Kerchhove saw a need in the growing realm of web marketing and made that link to an industry he knows well - bull sales.

The son of purebred Charolais breeders in Pilot Mound, Van De Kerckhove, used the skills he gained while studying at Assiniboine Community College in Brandon to create his own web site, Bull-Trader.

Launched in the fall of 2008, Bull-Trader provides both buyers and sellers of purebred cattle an easy way of connecting and doing business.

Tradionally, buyers rely on newspaper advertisements, ads posted in community coffee shops or auction marts and word of mouth. Van De Kerckhove’s web site offers two benefits to those buyers.

Firstly, with the click of a mouse, Bull-Trader offers an easy to use format that provides potential buyers with pictures, statistics including bull weights from birth to yearling stage, heredity background and tattoo number all cleverly organized by breed. What’s more, if you find something that interests you, the contact information is all right there at your fingertips.

Secondly, Bull-Trader is able to offer cheaper advertising rates than most other outlets as Van De Kerckhove’s costs to run the web site are low. He can provide much more information than a pre-specified ad space would, it is customizable and of course, there’s no extra charge for full colour. Not only that, but his advertisers get the added benefit that he currently promotes his web site in major and local farm papers thereby increasing overall exposure for his business and ultimately, the breeders that post bulls on his web site.

“The price you’re paying for advertisement (on Bull-Trader) is more of an investment; you’re not paying for a single ad because it also goes into where I advertise the site, like through my mailing list, bulletins, Cattle Country and the Manitoba Cooperator,” he said.

The challenge now, said Van De Kerckhove is alerting both buyers and sellers that the option is available.

“I’ve done my homework and there is no other site like this in Manitoba. So far, the reception has been really positive, there is a lot of interest,” Van De Kerckhove said.
The fact that some cattle producers still haven’t embraced the internet age doesn’t faze the young man.

“The sellers might not be at that stage yet, but the buyers mostly are and pretty much every breeder has a web site of their won,” he said.

Van De Kerckhove grew up in a cattle family and can boast a broad knowledge of the industry, something that will shine through on his web site.

Right now he’s focusing his efforts on Manitoba but hopes to expand his service to the other prairie provinces in the future, essentially growing market opportunities for those involved in the industry.

Ultimately, Van De Kerckhove, who operates his business out of his home in Brandon, hopes to be that middle player that seamlessly links those who are selling cattle, with those who are looking to buy.

“People will always need bulls to breed their herds. I want people to have success with this web site. I want them to sell their bulls because someone saw it on Bull-Trader,” he said.