Rightmove will be shutting down its ‘old’ overnight data feed within a matter of weeks, saying that 96% of agents are now on a real-time data feed (RTDF) or in the process of migrating over.
At present 75% of agents who use a feed to upload properties to Rightmove automatically from their software are on the RTDF.
Rightmove say this accounts for approximately 80% of property uploaded to the portal.
Ian Chapman, Rightmove product manager, said: “Transitioning thousands of agents over to real-time data feed has been a huge project.
“We’re very excited that in the near future all agents using the feed will be doing so in real-time.”
Rightmove introduced its RTDF in January 2015, after months of trials with select agents and software providers.
The service allows agents to upload properties ‘instantly’ to Rightmove through their existing software provider.
Prior to the introduction of the RTDF, edits to Rightmove listings would have to wait as long as overnight before being visible on Rightmove.
When the RTDF was announced, the story attracted comments in EYE saying “it should have happened years ago”.
Rightmove state the benefits of the real-time feed centre around instant alerts that consumers receive about new listings.
When asked about software providers who aren’t yet on the RTDF, a Rightmove spokesperson said: “We are helping all of our agents and their suppliers switch over from the outdated Automated Data Feed (ADF) format to the new RTDF before the start of July.”
In response to suggestions about some Rightmove customers not knowing about the switch-off, Rightmove gave sight of emails to software providers suggesting the portal has “written to your customers letting them know they may experience a reduction in service from ADF queries and we’ve also let them know that ADF format will be switched off as of July 4th, 2016”.
Their advice for those on the old ADF feed is to “use Rightmove Admin to upload properties manually or speak to alternative data feed/ software providers (who have implemented RTDF)”.
When pressed about switching off feeds of customers, Rightmove were at pains to explain that their “intention and ongoing communications is to ensure no agent or supplier is caught out by the switch-off”.
Comments (11)
I think my least favourite part of the new Rightmove feed is that there’s a strong possibility that Google’s search engine spiders will crawl Rightmove ahead of our own website. The consequence of this is that it’ll look like they are the owner of the data and we’re the ones copying the content. I’m working on a solution to this which involves instant sharing of new properties on Google+.
Correct, this may also destroy your Google SEO, But don’t panic, you could always pay for RM’s very expensive ‘Optimiser’ product to cover this!!!!!
With respect digitalfix its not.
Part of owning your own business is if you do not agree with something you can make choices.
In respect to £120 your right wont break the bank even with my office network and paying an extra £500 p.a. it will not break the bank.
Sometimes in business its about principle, Why should i pay the extra when its no work to my software provider and others offer it for free? – Sometimes its about working relationships not money.
Works the other way too, guy from the local paper used him for years, he is under pressure to sell some really naff online advertising. I have agreed to advertise as helps him out. This is purely because i like the guy and in the past he has helped me out in the past.
As for why i do not want the feature, why would i? At the moment i still get my properties uploaded to RM twice a day. In-between they are published on my website which i heavily promote to drive traffic to.
You are obviously by your name protech, which is fine but what you do not understand is we are a service and sales industry and a lot of tech waters down what we do. Until a tech provider actually spends time with an agent and looks to enhance their offering not just leach off it. – This is why RM got to where it is today, it came along at a time when no-one else offered it, it offered a low cost option to the papers and offered greater reach, it was ahead of its time and enhanced the experience not just for buyers but most crucially agents which is why it got support.
Fast forward 15 odd years all Z, RM, rating websites, valuation websites, seo, ppc offer nothing new, they are just leaching money off us. Go back to the drawing board and get something we all need and believe in a “Real time data feed” is not what we want or need.
Smile please, at last, an agent, who understands that a real time data feed is a very clever vehicle for RM to further ‘manage’ their agents and take more control of the whole market effectively banning agents who do not comply to their real time and other data demands.
Have RM made any ‘promises’ or ‘assurances’ that as an agents platform they shall never cross sell or data share information drawn in from their paying member agents property listings lately?
Indeed, are they now able to simply dismiss any such data agreements made in the past?
As I have said before….4th July 2016…Mark it in your diary…The day RM finally achieved their independence.
I think many understand but bury their heads.
Its a case of “You do not know what you have until it is gone” – And RM or any other portals case its about giving up control of our industry.
No doubt some point in the next 5 – 10 years Z or RM will start accepting direct to market instructions (well already are by online listers) and we as an industry will complain when its too late.
Problem is the likes of digitalfix above see this as a step forward when infact its 2 steps back. Soon it will all be farmed out to Indian call centers and there will be no service or expertise.
Smile please. I would like to continue this discussion in private and have therefore emailed your generic ‘invisible weekend’ email address.
Seen and responded.
Must admit i am not happy about it, my software provider wants to charge me £10 per month for this feature i do not want or need that is being forced on me.
I am very happy with my software provider but out of principle i will not pay this, i would rather go through the upheaval of switching software providers than pay it.
Smileplease – with respect, that is pathetic reasoning.
Do the maths buddy – just £120 a year for something that serves vendors and applicants brilliantly, improves service levels and contributes towards greater market transparency. You don’t want this feature… because… why? You feel some entitlement to keep it to yourself or your narrow audience? Grow up – this is the internet age.
Good luck with the ROI on switching software providers.
An agents point of view:
So RM are now taking over yet more control of agents, their listings and now their ‘hot’ applicants as real time data enables RM to provide real time instant alerts (RM couldn’t provide these alerts previously, a huge agent advantage).
No perceived need for many ‘hot’ movers to register with agents own sites now …..and all for the price of a ‘free’ data feed.
I remember when the Corporate Finance companies paid £250,000 per branch for this information in the 1980’s.
No wonder RM chose Independence Day to cut off the agent/RM overnight Status Quo feed.
Good time for all those portal juggalists to juggle their listings and blame it on a ‘technical hitch’. Again.