posted on March 19, 2001 03:55:45 PM new
Anyone at AW want to explain what this article might mean for all of us here? I just received it in a newsletter from Krause Publications, the largest publisher of collector magazines.
>No movement in eBay, AuctionWatch dispute
First Bidder's Edge. Next AuctionWatch?
Fresh off its legal victory to keep Bidder's Edge from perusing its site in order to list auction listings, eBay remains invested in seeking a way to prevent AuctionWatch from doing the same thing.
"We continue talking to AuctionWatch, but (there are) no major developments," eBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove said.
Several auction companies are licensed by eBay to search its listings. AuctionWatch, however, has declined to be involved and has been searching eBay's listings without the online giant's permission.
In November 1999, eBay ordered AuctionWatch to refrain from listing auctions on its universal search feature, claiming its intellectual property rights were being violated. AuctionWatch, however, continues to list eBay auctions on its site, saying it has developed "proprietary technology" that makes it possible to reintegrate eBay auctions on its site.
eBay continues to fight companies it believes are illegally searching its site. On March 1, eBay and Bidder's Edge reached a settlement that saw Bidder's Edge drop its appeal of an injunction that barred it from using its search system to peruse eBay's listings. Bidder's Edge also paid eBay an undisclosed amount of money as part of the settlement.<
posted on March 19, 2001 06:49:03 PM new
They've already zapped the same message out from the Auction Manager board. Guess they'll lock it like they did the thread over there about when we'll be able to access our account statements, you know, the ones that were supposed to be available last weekend.
posted on March 19, 2001 06:57:55 PM new
ultimato,
I didn't delete your 'same' thread in the Services forum, but I can assume the Customer Service folks did. It is more appropriate in this forum since it concerns Ebay and not an AW Services issue only. The Services area is for trouble shooting and q/a as you well know.
We try not to have 'same' threads open in more than one forum - it becomes very confusing.
Joice
Moderator.
*edited for clarity
[ edited by joice on Mar 19, 2001 06:59 PM ]
posted on March 19, 2001 07:03:50 PM new
OK, but the point remains that AW has not addressed this. When are we (the paying customers now) going to know how this affects us?
posted on March 19, 2001 08:06:26 PM new
ultimato,
Ebay has a lot of nerve claiming intellectual anything!
First of all, if anyone has a copyright on listings, including titles, it is the seller posting the item. The last time I looked Kevin Pursglove wasn't coaching me on how to aquire an item, take a picture, write a description and add anything that would make my listing stand out (other than their fee based highlights, etc).
The seller is the author, hence the proprietor of both the item and the description, or sales pitch , if you will. Ebay keeps forgeting they are only a venue.
They also disclaim with a "caveat emptor" on every listing. So with that what do they own about the listing? Nothing.
For them to claim they own it means they own CONTENT and therefore are liable. They say they are not only when it suits them.
For AW to sit by and take this abuse is beyond me. Take the jerks to court and let a good copyright attorney be part of the legal team.
Ebay thinks they own the internet. Every search engine charges web owners to be part of their search. Ebay as usual does it the opposite. What slays me is that it benefits them and they are so stupid they won't acknowledge it.
They are pigs at the trough. A little foot-in-mouth would do them good, and us, even better.
[ edited by Puddy on Mar 19, 2001 08:08 PM ]
posted on March 19, 2001 09:18:10 PM new
It's a bad move by ebay to block any company to search the site. Compatibility is Marketing 101.
As a seller I WANT as many companies drawing in buyers to my auctions.
I think ebay just wants more licensing money, that's it. Greed is not a good thing.
posted on March 19, 2001 09:27:28 PM new
E-mail on in case administration answers this. I've noticed all my auctions launched via AW recently end up with my StoreFront and any other reference to AW not showing up....despite the fact that the HTML is there. Ebay must be blocking it somehow.
posted on March 20, 2001 04:40:44 AM new
I am not sure about the email that was sent to you, but I heard about the Ebay/AW dispute well over 6 months ago. I am not saying that it was accurate, I am only saying that I heard about it a long time ago.
This issue keeps coming up. What I have heard in the past is that when another site searches through ebay, like the universal search at AW, it puts a strain on the Ebay systems. I don't know if it is true or not.
I also saw a thread somewhere that ebay has been changing their html code and the theory is to disrupt services that help sellers out, so sellers will have to use ebay exclusive services.
At some point ebay will end up being the only auction site online. While that may sound good to ebay, they would then face the possibility of anti-trust issues. If they are deemed a monopoly they could end up being split apart.
posted on March 20, 2001 04:57:50 AM new
You may have a clear idea of what is reasonable and just but once it gets dragged through a court room and chewed on by lawyers it will be different. It will be ruled on by judges who never sat at a computer and saw the things first hand and lawyers who make $300 an hour and don't care about anything but winning so they can keep doing that.
