Canadians performed more than 1,300 classifieds searches per minute in 2011

iPhones, snowblowers, and cars top the list of items most frequently Kijiji'd

TORONTO, Dec. 13, 2011 /CNW/ - Canadians performed nearly 22 searches and viewed approximately 185 listings per second on Canada's largest online classifieds website, looking to Kijiji everything from art to video games. In a record-breaking year, more than 100 million replies were sent to fellow Canadians and a whopping 500,000 Canadians viewed a single ad for a couch for sale.

For the first time since the classifieds site launched in 2005, Kijiji is revealing what Canadians craved most in 2011. From top searches to seasonal selling, the data looks at what an estimated 15 million Canadians have been Kijiji-ing* in the past 12 months.

What did crazy Canucks buy, sell, and search for in 2011? Which smartphone is most popular with Canadians? Do Canadians have a preference for North America, Japanese, or European vehicles? Does our shopping behaviour change depending on the season? The answers - based on more than 600 million unique searches performed and more than 4-million live ads on the site - will surprise many.

"Canadians are Kijiji-ing more than ever before," said Zac Candelario, head of Kijiji Canada. "In the last 12 months, almost half of Canadians have visited the site to search for an item or service, or post a free classified ad, and based on this activity we have a pretty good idea of what the average Canadian is wearing, doing, driving, and using."

Searching, searching, and more searching

Canadians are searching Kijiji at a rapid pace. In the last 12-months, Canadians performed 1,332 searches per minute and the top ten search terms reveal that on any given day, Canadians are in the market for a mobile phone or a new vehicle.

This year, the most popular search terms on Kijiji were:

1. iPhone
2. Mustang
3. Honda
4. Civic
5. Jeep
6. iPad
7. iPhone 4
8. Blackberry
9. BMW
10. Camaro

Some trending terms on Kijiji.ca for 2011, based on searches rising through the ranks:

1. Snowblower
2. iPhone 4
3. BMW
4. HP Touchpad
5. Dresser
6. Couch
7. Piano
8. Blackberry
9. Lego
10. Souffleuse

Kijiji-ing* Canadians

One-third of the Canadian population are Kijiji-ers*, consumers who use Kijiji to buy and sell items and/or look for services in their community. Kijiji-ers' habits reveal a lot about Canadians and how our tastes change by region and by season.

This year, nearly two items were Kijiji'd per second with a total of 27.4-million items listed in the Buy & Sell category. Canadians were looking to buy, sell, or trade, everything from iPhones and BlackBerries to chairs, tables, and clothing.

Here are the top items Kijiji'd in 2011 by Region:

Here are the top seasonal items bought and sold by season in 2011:

• Spring - Bikes and  barbeques
• Summer - Bikes
• Fall - BMWs
• Winter - Snowblowers

To buy, sell, or trade goods or services, including some of the most popular items listed above, Canadians should visit www.Kijiji.ca.

The Kijiji Lexicon:*

• Kijiji-er: Someone who uses Kijiji to buy and sell items and/or look for services in their community. A Kijiji-er always has extra cash and can often be spotted checking their listings on the go via the Kijiji mobile app.
• Kijiji'd: The act of selling an unwanted item and/or the art of acquiring someone else's unwanted items using Kijiji. An item that has been Kijiji'd comes with bragging rights.
• Kijiji-ing: If a Kijiji-er has not yet Kijiji'd an item, they're likely in the process of Kijiji-ing it. In 2011, approximately 10 million Canadians spend some time Kijiji-ing each month.

About Kijiji Canada

Kijiji, which means "village" in Swahili, is the number one classifieds site in Canada, connecting ten-million buyers and sellers each month. Kijiji.ca offers Canadians a free, easy, and local way to buy, sell, and trade goods and services in their community. With local sites for more than 100 cities and towns across the country, Kijiji makes it easy for Canadians to find exactly what they're looking for in their own community. Kijiji Canada is part of the eBay Classifieds Group, the global leader in online classifieds with a global presence in more than 20 countries and 1,000 cities.