News-Record.com

* Individuals (not businesses) who want to sell items priced at less than $1,000 can advertise for free for seven days if they place their ad through our Web site.
* Each Some print ads will feature a web ID number and will be highlighted with a gray screen that indicates a "click & buy" item. When readers see the merchandise in the paper, they can use the ID number, find it online, and get more information about it or buy it immediately.
* Sellers who place their own ads online can use as many as eight photos, add up to 800 words of text, and upload a multimedia audio or video file. They can also allow buyers to buy immediately, to make an offer, or they can hold an auction for their item.
* Naturally, sellers can check their accounts in real time, and there will be buyer seller feedback ratings.
* The type size in the paper will be larger, making the ads easier to read. (Full disclosure IV: Me and my eyes are getting older.)

Granted, some of the features really just bring us up to speed. Putting classifications in alphabetical order is something we should have done long ago. Same with the improved search. We're learning.

I asked Catherine Kernels, who led the group planning this revamp, about it.

"From the printed newspaper's perspective, the primary reason for the redesign is to build readership. Generally speaking, classifieds are an entry point for young readers, a key demographic for newspapers. And women, also key to our success, do most of the shopping. Enter Triad Marketplace.

"With free ads we hope to create critical mass. At its most basic level ad count equals selection, and selection equals a marketplace, which is vital for buyers and sellers. Selection will attract more buyers to read more often, which leads to results for sellers. Sellers do not really care where they place their ad, they just want results.

"Bringing together the promotional power of a product such as our newspaper that combines local goods and services for sale from businesses and private individuals and delivers these messages to over 221,000 readers each day is huge. The printed paper in this case serves as an sales index for what's online where you can find more info and transact with our new Click N Buy service powered by AdPay who uses Pay Pal.

"The online competitors have shown us a new way to conduct business. They make a lot of money by facilitating the transaction. We are entering this arena. And we are a known local entity; we think that matters. Plus, our Click N Buy is much cheaper than eBay."

In my sheltered world of journalism, the first sentence is the key sentence: "From the printed newspaper's perspective, the primary reason for the redesign is to build readership. Generally speaking, classifieds are an entry point for young readers, a key demographic for newspapers."

Yes. We're a marketplace for ideas, as well as for buyers and sellers. Bring more people together, for whatever reason, will help serve that purpose.