posted on November 14, 1999 06:51:53 PM new
I just posted an auction on the new-and-improved site and was about to post another, when something hit me belatedly. I need to make sure I am not doing a no-no.
I write my descriptions offline and then copy-and-paste them into the listings screen. At the bottom of each description, I have a link in the text that says "click here to visit our website."
After I started the auction, it occurred to me that there is a separate box on Auctions.com for a link to seller's web site, and a separate charge for listing it. I am not trying to circumvent that fee; I just posted the item as I would to -- ahem -- the other guys.
Should I go back and remove the embedded link, or is it okay to leave it?
posted on November 15, 1999 09:41:25 AM new
Katiep921:
First, I wouldn't want to discourage anyone to not list their link in that location and pay us the dollar for doing so.
Now to practical matters.
Are we going to surrepticiously go in and end your auction because of your link?
Not today and I can say with a very high certainty, not tomorrow or the next day. Three months or six months from now, I can't say with that much certainty.
I can say that the fee area for off-site "commercial" links has been there since we first opened for business because we feel it "says something."
So, what does this $1.00 for a link say about auctions.com's attitude toward commercial links?
It says that links designed to take people off our site to another sale site are valuable. Still, this is unlike other sites who have simply prohibited some links and threaten to NARU you if you dare!
To me, the existance of this link tells you, the auction seller, that we don't plan to prohibit links that help you sell elsewhere.
It is just that since we paid money to bring 'em to auctions.com, you ought to be willing to pay extra to take 'em elsewhere.
Do some people pay this dollar for their link?
Yes, and we encourage folks to do so when it is appropriate.
Does everyone pay this dollar if they include an off-site commerical link?
We wish, but as a practical matter, no.
Do we plan to end auctions that have links to other commercial sites including even our competitors?
Not today, probably not tomorrow but sometime in the future. If the seller links to their auctions on other sites and does not pay this fee; we may. We know for a fact that the "RULE" elsewhere prohibits "fairness" -- i.e. an exchange of links to the benefit of the auction seller.
Frankly, we would encourage the other sites to adopt this $1.00 for links policy and approach. That, frankly, was our initial intention in establishing this fee.
Does this "fee" apply to every link?
Certainly NOT!
For instance links that show pictures from your server or image hosting service are not subject to charge.
Neither are links to the manufacturer's web site that will provide additional product information to help your sale.
Even links to counter's, such as those provided by honesty.com or auctionwatch, are exempt.
So, what do I do?
How's this for a deal. Rather than spending the time to go eliminate that link in your existing auction, why not just list another item or two
posted on November 15, 1999 09:51:00 AM new
Thank you, Pat. Before I posted this question, I had almost decided to just go in and remove it, but in case it had already been seen by Someone of Great Importance, I figured I'd better explain why it was there and ask the question.
i have absolutely no problem with considering the $1.00 fee as advertising money. Looking at it another way, I would pay that much just to list auctions of a certain price range on another site.
I was holding off posting any more auctions until I knew for sure. Now I will go be a good girl, take the link off that auction, and post more!
Katie
[ edited by katiep921 on Nov 15, 1999 09:54 AM ]
