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Recent Projects

Auctions and Classifieds

Thomas Multimedia has wide-ranging experience in web auction software and online classifieds. There is no better way to get embedded into auction and classified systems than back in 2005 when we were thrown straight in the deep end of a thriving online trade of opals and gemstones.

We find that the people who register on auction and classified sites don't just want to make a purchase - they want to be involved in a community - and that's exactly the way we've structured our applications.

Opal Auctions

OpalAuctions.com has rightfully earned its top place as the leader in opal, gemstone and jewelry auctions on the internet. With over 30,000 live auctions, Opal Auctions is the middle ground for thousands of buyers and sellers from across the globe. It truly is a massive site.

When we first became involved with OpalAuctions.com, it was in its infancy. There were several (hundred) hurdles to overcome, including serious stability, design and usability issues. It didn't happen overnight, but now Opal Auctions has an annual multi-million dollar turnover, and truly is a rare shining example of an independant niche auction site.

Wayne Sedawie, CEO, OpalAuctions.com
"When we started working with Thomas Multimedia to improve our website and marketing, we really had very little knowledge about how to run, market and maintain a successful auction website. Now we have a highly successful website and a team of well trained staff!

Thomas Multimedia took care of all the aspects needed to make the site a success. The feedback from our customers really tells the story. Given the sites' target audience, with an average age bracket of 30-55, usability was a key component in making the site work."

• See the thousands of Australian Black Opals at OpalAuctions.com

Gem Rock Auctions

Opal Auctions' sister site, GemRockAuctions.com surpassed expectations within the first 6 months of its mid-2007 launch by attracting thousands of gemstone buyers and sellers. Built on the same proven auction system as OpalAuctions.com developed entirely by Thomas Multimedia, it really goes to show how successful a niche website can be, even within perhaps the most competitive online e-commerce market of all - gemstones and jewellery.

Between Opal Auctions and Gem Rock Auctions, Thomas Multimedia has an absolute abundance of experience in developing an auction community, which we build on every week. We invite you to tell us about your auction website ideas - at the very least we can offer some obligation-free advise.

• Pick up a Gemstone Bargain at GemRockAuctions.com

Agmates

It's always exciting getting involved in something when you really believe it's going to succeed. With our country Australia origins, Thomas Multimedia is well aware that their are significant opportunities to represent rural Australians on the internet and provide them a marketplace to trade amongst each other.

Enter Agmates - a brand new rural classified and news service with a strong (and rapidly growing) following amongst businesses in regional Australia.

This is one to watch.

• Buy and sell Australian Cattle, farming equipment and other farming related material at Agmates.com

Use Nature

Use Nature has been a major player in nature and lifestyle websites, in internet terms, for a very long time! When Thomas Multimedia was approached to improve their main site, usenature.com, little did we know that this would result in the subsequent development of our Content Management System, Email Marketing software and developing a new classifieds application.

While our ongoing involvement with the Use Nature business is extensive and alot of the work we do is "behind-the-scenes", one of the very recently publically available websites showcasing our latest directory application is usenature.com.au, a directory dedicated to Australian based nature and lifestyle listings.

• Look up your local natural therapist at UseNature.com.au

Alchemix Recording Studios

Alchemix Recording Studios is a Brisbase based music recording studio demonstrating how the internet can be leveraged to enhance an obviously bricks-and-mortar business. Alchemix.com.au has been expanded by Thomas Multimedia to include a flexible booking system complimented by an email marketing system that sends out targetted emails to subscribers based on their musical tastes.

As of March 2008 we are putting together a directory system that promises to be a one-of-a-kind resource for music professionals all over Australia.

• Warm up the vocal chords for this Brisbane Recording Studio at alchemix.com.au

E-Commerce

Many businesses have realised there are significant gains to be made by creating an online presense to compliment (if not replace) a brick-and-mortar presense. Thomas Multimedia is regularly involved in e-commerce website development and everything that goes with it. Here are a handful of online stores we have either built or improved.

Mr Blonde Clothing

Indie clothing label providing funky original t-shirts and singlets with rockstar appeal. Each garment is individually screenprinted with love and care so no two are the same.

I've known the guys behind this site, Adrian and Jess for a long time and gave them a hand setting up their e-commerce shopping site. The site features Paypal/Credit Card Payment Integration, a fully featured shopping cart and alot of highly customised solutions to meet their slick site styling.

This site represents a good example of our Development service, where we can work with an existing design to add functionality and ever-changing dynamic content.

• See the unique alternative clothing range at MrBlonde.com.au

Yowah Opals

From Thomas Multimedia business owner Steve Thomas' hometown of Mildura hails Yowah Opals, a business selling the unique Yowah opal variety from the Yowah mining fields of Queensland through their website, yowahopals.com.au.

We worked with the existing design of this site (developed some years ago by another company) and modified it to become a database driven e-commerce site. The site has a simple yet comprehensive backend which gives Mr Chappell full control of his items and categories.

One of the nifty features is Paypal™ integration which allows a customer to make a payment through a secure payment gateway and be returned back to the Yowah Opals site once the transaction is complete. The customer need not even have a Paypal™ account, they can pay via credit card!

This is a great functional example of how a simple website can become incredibly effective and easy to update, breathing life and fresh content into it for many years to come.

Jeff Chappell - Managing Director - Yowah Opals Pty Ltd.
"Many years ago we had the Yowah Opals website developed and really had let the site run down over the years. With the introduction of new technology of web site design and changes in program systems made the old Yowah Opals web site in-operatable and difficult to upgrade any of the opal pictures.

Steve, of Thomas Multimedia was engaged to upgrade the entire site and developed a simple, but modern looking web site. Thomas Multimedia upgraded the entire site so I can easily add or delete any of the pictures, adding the Paypal payment system was Steve's idea and works perfectly enabling customers a choice of payment methods.

In the months since the website has been remodelled by Steve, our sales have increased substantially and we are now adding opals anytime we like with ease."

• Be dazzled by Queensland's very own Yowah Opal at YowahOpals.com.au

Other Work

At Thomas Multimedia we typically establish long-term working relationships with our clients, however we also do short term projects and fixes for other clients all over the world. Web development work done well often goes largely unseen. On top of that a number of our projects are only visible under secure login systems, and as such not publically available.

We could name dozens of other sites we have worked with however the above is a representative sample of the wide ranging work we have done, and continue to do.

If you have any enquiries at this stage, please visit the contact us page.

Read on to hear about our exciting growing internal network of sites!

Thomas Multimedia Network

Working on the internet day in and day out, it makes business sense for Thomas Multimedia to build up our own portfolio of sites. Of course with our clients taking priority it does take a long time to develop personal projects (hence all the "coming soon"), but all the same we are excited by the growth potential of our very own sites. Having our own network of sites gives us a perfect canvas to refine our production techniques.

Honda CBR250RR

The Honda CBR250RR is a popular learner bike in Australia, and a particular passion shared at Thomas Multimedia. Based on the Gold Coast Australia and on the door step of the world famous Great Dividing Range, we love to breathe the mountain air in-between our demanding workload.

Noticing a distinct lack of fresh information and online communities available for this bike, we decided well - we'll just build our own!

After some initial experimentation with different site formats, a free article and forum community has been developed, and after a late February 2008 launch, we are already pleased with the response from the motorbike community.

• If you love motorbikes like us, check out the Honda CBR250RR articles and Honda forums today at cbr250rr.com.au

Steve Thomas

The personal blog of Thomas Multimedia owner Steve Thomas. This is his space to rant, rave, put up funny pictures, talk about video games, and provide the occasional tutorial or tip for the next crop of web developers.

• Visit the Steve Thomas blog at stevethomas.com.au

Gold Coast Surf Reports (coming soon)

This brand new site runs on a simple formula: Gold Coast surfers vote on where the surf is going off, make a comment or two, and everyone else benefits! Completely free service to given surfers information fast. Next time you head down for a surf on the Gold Coast, be sure to let others know how it went!

• Surf's up! Gold Coast Surf Reports at goldcoastsurfreports.com

Australian Web Designers (coming soon)

Free directory for Australian web designers and developers, built on a model to allow quick growth. Are you an Australian Web Designer or involved in Internet Development? Submit your site, free, today! (coming soon)

Hire An Aussie (coming soon)

Australians have a reputation for being some of the hardest working people in the world. This new job hiring site provides employers and employees a venue to interact with each other in friendly community atmosphere. The site can be used for a multitude of purposes, from fullfilling a simple website update to full-time postitions. (coming soon)

Global Surf Reports, Global Snow Reports (coming soon)

Again finding a lack of free communities for surfers and skiiers/snowboarders, we endeavoured to just build one ourself! This exciting site promises to bring these communities together online like never before!

Memberships and Affiliations

• Membership to Australian Graphic Design Association
• Membership to Brisbane PHP User Group