eBay Can't Stick To Google-Free Diet

from the knew-you'd-go-back dept

Mon, Jun 25th 2007 9:44am — Joseph Weisenthal

Well that didn't last long. After pulling its ads off of Google in a huff, eBay has announced that it will start advertising on the site again, but just not as much as before. If the initial ad pull was really a response to Google's planned "protest" at an eBay conference, then it would be silly of eBay to continue the boycott, seeing as Google canceled its plans. But if the move was part of a broader experiment to see how it could do without Google ads, then we can take this about face as a sign that it can't do very well. Still, the company insists that it's not as dependent on Google as it thought it was, and that it will now allocate more of its ad dollars to Yahoo and Microsoft. While that's good news for Google's rivals, it doesn't fundamentally change the dynamics of the search industry. More advertising dollars won't help Yahoo and Microsoft when what they really need is more users.

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12 Comments

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GoblinJuice, 25 Jun 2007 @ 10:49am

How come this eBay / Google bullshit sounds like a fight between two teenagers? =)

"I can leave you anytime I want! .... PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!!!"
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cutter892, 25 Jun 2007 @ 11:11am

Re:
Actually its a fight between a couple of kids:
Google is 8yrs old and ebay is 12. In reality its more of a fight between the older kid and the more sucessful/genious little kid in the same class. But yeah it is a silly fight that doesn't make much sense.
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Bah who needs one, 25 Jun 2007 @ 12:54pm

What use does eBay have with any advertiser? eBay has succeeded in becoming a household name. Everyone that might want to use eBay knows of its existence by now. There is no more exposure that they could gain. If someone wants to sell or buy something used on the 'net, they already know where to go. Any money spent on advertising after you already dominate the market and have saturated the entire potential market with awareness of your existence might as well have been flushed down the nearest commode for all it buys you.
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Todd, 25 Jun 2007 @ 1:03pm

Re:
In response to 'Bah':

I am not an eBay supporter, nor do I think that all marketing dollars are well spent. In fact I question most advertising dollars. However, even though eBay has brand awareness, they can advertise for products that people might not think would be available on eBay.

I'm sure a lot of people think all the products are used, or that they only have technology products. I'm sure there are a lot of car shoppers unaware of, or at least have never used eBay Motors.

I speculate that this type of awareness is the motive behind their 'get IT' marketing campaign. They are not going for brand awareness, but rather product awareness.
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i_like_google, 25 Jun 2007 @ 1:05pm

power play moves
First off, everyone is afraid of Google. They have expanded like a balloon turning into a blimp. Anyone outside of Googleplex sees them as a threat to something they are doing.

Both sides have big egos and neither wants to admit that the other side helps them in their success. Google checkout is a threat to PayPal, especially with all of the bad PayPal press the last 2 years.

If Google gets their checkout off the ground, don't be shocked to see the two services merge someday. eBay hates to admit it but PayPal has a bad rep and this may be the face lift it needs.
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RockerSocker, 25 Jun 2007 @ 1:36pm

Why can't we all be friends?
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zig, 25 Jun 2007 @ 1:41pm

i want friends
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Faz, 25 Jun 2007 @ 2:47pm

hmm
Ebay is a household name, but it still needs to advertise. people like me find it hard to use and very pissy, especially their paypal. it is so frustrating. I am an IT consultant mind you.

so they need google, because she has gotten huge and ran away thinking they could be OK now returning home with their tails up their bums

end of ramble
if any one did not get it, i HATE EBAY
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Matthew, 25 Jun 2007 @ 8:14pm

Ridiculous conclusions.
The article's conclusion is ridiculous. How many people looking for online auctions don't know where to look? Ebay is as well known as google. Do you really think stuffing ebay ads in google is what causes people to gravitate towards ebay? Without exception, everyone I've know even remotely, even those who are as tech savvy as a retarded afghan hound, would go straight to ebay if they wanted to, skipping the google ads.
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anna, 25 Jun 2007 @ 11:54pm

in response to i like google
"power play moves by i_like_google on Jun 25th, 2007 @ 1:05pm
First off, everyone is afraid of Google. They have expanded like a balloon turning into a blimp. Anyone outside of Googleplex sees them as a threat to something they are doing.."

I'm not afraid of google. I love google. i love how it's expanding and making more tools available online, and how it still has a sense of humor and humanity.

I asked the two people beside me if they are afraid of google, to which they replied they are not.
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SailorRipley, 26 Jun 2007 @ 7:53am

Re: Ridiculous conclusions.
So one would think eBay doesn't need to advertise anywhere...at all...no?
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Free Online Auctions, 8 Mar 2008 @ 8:42am

Ebay sucks and we all know it ... with all the new fee increases and the new policy changes its time we move on ... I did. I know use Online Auction Exchange Free Online Auction Listings No Listing Fees, No Commission or End-of-Auction Fees. List your goods and services for a fraction of what you will pay eBay. Get your own online store for .99 cents a month. Online Auction Exchange. Finally A Good Ebay Alternative.
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