franko122
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posted on October 24, 2000 01:42:08 PM
Father found this in the WSJ this morning. Maybe someone here knows how to link to it?
"Online Auction Start-Up Auctiva Stirs EBay's Wrath With Its Web Strategy"
It appears they are giving a free gallery of your eBay listings.
The part that doesnt make eBay happy is that they also will include other sites at your request, its up to the seller.
I guess the arguing point is the interpretation of "vague" eBay rules. I'm not sure this thread will go too far without having the article but I'm afraid to post it with all the copyright issues or whatever. I went to the WSJ.com and they make you sign up to read anything. Maybe someone who knows if it's ok can do it.
franko
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Glenda
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posted on October 24, 2000 02:00:51 PM
The galleries (called 'showcases') are being done by Auctiva, the people who make eBud. I like the showcases better than the gallery (the gallery has a set size for each image and fills blank space with black bars; Auctiva doesn't).
I think the problem with it is that it will put all the auctions from the various sites together - there is just one link for "auctions." Since eBay says you can't link to your other-site auctions or shops, they'll stop it at the door.
If you want to see what an Auctiva showcase looks like, just do a descriptive search for Auctiva, then click on the link in any resulting auction.
[ edited by Glenda on Oct 24, 2000 02:01 PM ]
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franko122
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posted on October 24, 2000 05:49:32 PM
Ok. Somebody wrote to me to say that you have to pay for the WSJ.com site but that MSNBC does reprints sometimes. Sure enough.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/480603.asp
Can someone make that a hot link for me so it's clickable if it doesnt happen automatically. Maybe now we can get some discussion going. This place just seems dead. Either that or I missed all threads on these eBay policies long ago....
franko
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Glenda
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posted on October 24, 2000 05:57:31 PM
http://www.msnbc.com/news/480603.asp
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runaroundsue
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posted on October 24, 2000 06:01:02 PM
I have an auctiva link to my auctions on eBay, but I am only linking it to eBay auctions.
So far this has been a lifesaver when the seller's list has been down this past week.
If someone finds an auction, they can still pull up my other ones, even if eBay functionality is a problem.
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fountainhouse
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posted on October 24, 2000 08:00:44 PM
I'm happy now. Your mention of the Auctiva link, runaroundsue, being able to access the seller list despite the 'unavailability of that functionality' prompted me to try the gallery link I put in all my listings.
It works!!!! <doing the happy dance now>
Sellers being hurt by the inability of their regulars to access their seller page might want to consider investing an extra quarter just so they can put the link in their listings.
[ edited by fountainhouse on Oct 24, 2000 08:01 PM ]
[ edited by fountainhouse on Oct 24, 2000 08:01 PM ]
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franko122
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posted on October 24, 2000 08:40:45 PM
fountainhouse, why are you paying a quarter? It's supposed to be free. I thought was the whole point that eBay didnt like.
You are both right though, I never thought of it as replacing the seller search but that is an excellent point.
franko
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Glenda
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posted on October 24, 2000 08:52:51 PM
fountainhouse: The Auctiva Showcase is free. You don't have to have anything in the gallery at all in order to use Auctiva.
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beadkat
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posted on October 24, 2000 09:00:55 PM
When ebay seller search is down, go to UK homepage and access the seller search from there, they are never down...hummmmmm I wonder why, but it works!
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franko122
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posted on October 24, 2000 09:09:58 PM
Beadkat, that is a fine solution for sellers, but doesnt do any good for my bidders. And always linking them to the UK pages wouldn't be such a hot idea. I think that would scare a lot of them off when all the sudden they start setting everything in UK currencies and stuff like that.
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fountainhouse
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posted on October 24, 2000 09:27:08 PM
I've been putting my auctions in the Gallery for over a year, and plan to continue.
I'm also familiar with Auctiva; in fact I started a thread on this topic a few weeks ago:
http://www.auctionwatch.com/mesg/read.html?num=2&id=269074&thread=268575
The site has a lot of merit, IMO. Problem is, as far as I know, the jury's still out about whether ebay will allow the link, given that it includes auctions on other sites. I won't chance it until they publicly announce their policy.
What I don't need is a long list of nuked auctions.
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franko122
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posted on October 24, 2000 10:07:47 PM
It would appear from the MSNBC article above that eBay is only mad if you include both listings from eBay and another site. If you use just eBay they are happy.
i.e. eBay says, only use eBay.
Surprise, surprise. eBay says jump, I ask how high. 
So I'd think you are safe to use it now. Right?
franko
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fountainhouse
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posted on October 24, 2000 10:15:54 PM
Nope. I've got 40 auctions on Yahoo right now with more on the way.
Like I said, when ebay says I can, I will. If you call that jumping, so be it. It's not worth the risk when I already have the Gallery link anyway.
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tomwiii
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posted on October 24, 2000 11:01:53 PM
I have an Auctiva Showcase & it is better than my Personal gallery for this reason:
IT UPDATES IN ABOUT 10-30 MINUTES!
My personal gallery was taking from 12hrs to 2 DAYS! to update!
Also the Showcase looks nicer than my personal gallery
All you have to do if you're worried about your Yahoo auctions being in the Showcase is to block them! I go in and hide them right after I launch -- it's no big deal!
[ edited by tomwiii on Oct 24, 2000 11:02 PM ]
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franko122
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posted on October 24, 2000 11:41:36 PM
How about just not entering your Yahoo info when you sign up? Then enter it later when the coast is clear.
franko
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bemused
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posted on October 25, 2000 12:30:27 AM
It's curious that eBay would be miffed about Auctiva offering a cross-market gallery when Andale (whom they have a relationship with) did the same thing a day or so ago. I know this because I started using Andale about a month ago. They (Andale) state that their gallery is eBay compliant, maybe they received a special break. The link consists of a small icon which seems to show your eBay pictures first and has links to show all or selected sites.
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Glenda
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posted on October 25, 2000 06:53:37 AM
bemused: The reason eBay would be "miffed" about the showcase is because it's potentially a violation of their "don't link to other auction sites you are selling on" policy. All of the Yahoo and eBay auctions are all merged together in the showcase.
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bemused
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posted on October 25, 2000 01:44:44 PM
Glenda
I fully understand that issue, my question pertained to why they don't seem to have a problem with Andale doing exactly the same thing. Andale (which I use) claims that their Gallery is eBay compliant, I'm just wondering how that is possible since it essentially does the same thing if you list on multiple sites (which I do).
I asked this question on the Andale board and they've been mum so far. I was at least hoping for a nod and a wink to let me know that all my new postings wouldn't be cancelled.
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cdnbooks
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posted on October 25, 2000 01:51:45 PM
I just got over 31000 hits on Auctiva in an eBAy description search. If they cancel auctions which use Auctiva you will be in good company and it will cost eGreed big bucks.
Bill
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eoi
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posted on October 25, 2000 03:12:55 PM
Except that ebay never enforces the rules the same for every seller. It depends on who in safeharbor is on a rampage that day or if your competitors are snitching on you.
I've often though it would be interesting to file a $1.00 suit against Does 1-25 and then hit Ebay with a demand for everyone who has ever contacted them about me. I've read this is SOP for big firms... then use Doe Suits to just fish around yahoo and other messages boards for the ID's of their critics.
Ebay's privacy policy seems to protect everyone but the sellers.
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eoi
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posted on October 25, 2000 03:16:36 PM
These 3rd party auction services should just add a firewall to block ebay employees from access.
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mark090
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posted on October 25, 2000 03:33:06 PM
And to futher the confusion, in another lawsuit, eBay claims that these are not their auctions.....
Seems to me eBay is trying to have only the best of both worlds without any of the pitfalls.
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pepitomendieta
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posted on October 25, 2000 03:44:21 PM
It's clear that ebay does what ever they want in this bussiness and that has to stop!
[ edited by pepitomendieta on Oct 25, 2000 03:46 PM ]
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CleverGirl
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posted on October 25, 2000 03:53:16 PM
I'm probably way off, but it seems to me some *retraint of trade* issues might be operative with ebay's policy, which I think sucks. I've got an Auctiva showcase, but I'm careful to keep it ebay-only at this point. So hey, *I* feel restrained  .
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eoi
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posted on October 25, 2000 04:01:59 PM
Yeah I've felt there are alot of restraint of trade issues. With cases like these 3rd party image galleries, the use of VERO to fix prices, arbitary enforcement of policies (often at the request of your competitors), preference treatmemt for certain sellers like Disney and the USPS.
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dman3
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posted on October 25, 2000 04:10:37 PM
Well I signed up to use auctiva about three weeks agop last friday after noon received email from safeharbor seems some registered ebay user complained about my links to auctiva in my ebay listings.
they didnt ask me to remove the links in current auction but ask that I hide all other items I might have there outside ebay and or to please remove ebay from my user profile at auctiva all togeather.
seems it is quite against there policys to sell anything on the web any where else if you are registered to sell on ebay.
WWW.dman-n-company.com
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amy
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posted on October 25, 2000 04:18:57 PM
Dman3...no, it's not against ebay's policy to sell anywhere else on the web if you are registered at ebay. But it is against their policy to use their bandwidth (and money) to advertise your off ebay business. Seems logical to me.
Using Auctiva on ebay to advertise merchandise on competing auction sites is unfair to ebay. If you owned a brick and morter store, would you want your competition to send someone into your store to advertise your competition to your customers?
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runaroundsue
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posted on October 25, 2000 04:20:49 PM
dman3,
From what I am understanding in your post then, is that eBay is tolerating the use of the link, if it is just showcasing your eBay auctions.
I pay the 0.25 for a gallery listing, but primarily so that a picture shows up when bidders are looking at the categories or through search, and then you get a thumbnail picture beside your listing on the pages. I shop this way.
But I am using the auctiva gallery on my item's page, as it is updated faster, and has proven more reliable than the eBay gallery link I had used in a listing.
Some of my auctions still have both type of galleries accessible on them, but given the ups and downs lately, the auctiva one is the link that I can access my auctions through, and customers are being able to find all my auctions.
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franko122
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posted on October 25, 2000 04:43:50 PM
Amy: this extra text doesnt cost eBay anything, we're paying them 25 cents to list!
Presenting myself in a more professional manner and giving people a gallery and search capability for just my listings helps me sell more, and that is a good thing for eBay. Selling more is better.
Your brick and mortar analogy is also not correct: "If you owned a brick and morter store, would you want your competition to send someone into your store to advertise your competition to your customers?"
eBay is not the store. They are more like a mall made up of thousands of shops. It's these shops that are the stores. My auctions on their site are my shop. And if while a person is in my shop I want to show them other items then I believe I should be able to. If I am out of stock of an item at my shop in Mall A and tell them they can get it at Mall B then the buyer can make their own decision if the want to go get it there. Or maybe my shop in Mall A carries different or less inventory because it costs more money for space in Mall A, than Mall B. Does that mean I shouldn't let them know I have another store in a less expensive area of town that has much more inventory?
I dont these restrictions on our how we run our businesses would be allowed offline, but it seems to be going on on eBay.
franko
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