Press Release

WORKERS tapping at their computers back at their desk may not be as busy as they appear as thousands of unwanted Christmas gifts have been posted for sale online since January 7.

This means that savvy shoppers could scoop post-Christmas bargains without setting foot on the High Street, thanks to a deluge of unwanted presents for sale online. Among the most popular items are DVDs, CDs, video games and consoles, according to Freeads.co.uk, the UK's largest independent classified site.

Freeads.co.uk has seen the number of items for sale rocket by more than 60% since the nation returned to work, and in the first week of the year visitor numbers to Freeads.co.uk soared by 52% against the same week last year. According to Hitwise data, Freeads.co.uk is now the third most visited classified site in the UK, up from 13th place this time last year.

Freeads.co.uk chief executive Duncan Horton said: "With estimates that the average Brit spends more than £600 over Christmas, with an extra £200 or so on top for those with kids, it's not surprising that people want to claw back some money. Putting unwanted gifts for sale online is often easier - and less embarrassing as you don't need a receipt - than returning it to the shop.

"So if there's something you're after in the January sales you might not have to leave the comfort of your sofa to shop for, it's very likely that it'll be on Freeads.co.uk at a knock-down price."

On top of this thanks to New Year's resolutions to start the year with a clean slate, there's been a surge in household items such as unwanted furniture, children's toys and clothes, being posted on the site as the nation goes de-cluttering crazy, as well as a spike in interest in the careers section.

"Every January we see a spike in interest in the household section as people clear out their homes, likewise we see demand outstrip supply for home gym equipment thanks to everyone's New Year vows of getting fit in the New Year kick in," said Horton.

"Interest from the public in jobs within our careers section has also spiked since the Christmas holidays finished. People are not only clearing out their homes, they're looking to overhaul their whole life at this time of year."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

About Freeads.co.uk

• Freeads.co.uk launched in 2001 and had just a few hundred ads in its first month of trading. It now hosts more than 85,000 unique ads on a daily basis. Freeads.co.uk has more than one million users per month making it the biggest independent classified site in the UK.
• Hitwise data: Freeads.co.uk in third position in the online classified marketplace behind eBay-owned Gumtree.com and Auto Trader Group's Adtrader.co.uk for the quarter July - September 2007.
• Freeads.co.uk has held third place marketshare in the online classifieds sector since May 2007 - up from 13th in February 2007 - and is now almost more than twice the size of loot.com.
• For more media information call Louise Prior at Prior PR on 07786 227572 or email louise@priorpr.com