Announcements
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posted on July 24, 2001 11:53:49 AM
AuctionWatch and eBay announced today that we are working together on several initiatives that will improve service to our customers.
AuctionWatch signed an agreement to connect directly to eBay back end systems for launching auctions through the eBay API. This will improve the speed and stability of our service and we will be less susceptible to changes on the eBay site. An official certification agency is currently reviewing our implementation. We will continue to communicate the certification status with you and will let you know the implementation date of this new interface on our site.
As a Preferred eBay Provider, AuctionWatch will also launch several new services for our larger customers. AuctionWatch is dedicated to building exceptional sales management tools for the entire spectrum of sellers on eBay. We are continuing to support, maintain, and enhance our current tools - Auction Manager and Auction Manager Pro to meet the needs of each of our sellers. As we broaden our product offering, we will still be working on and building quality tools and services for our existing sellers.
Also as part of our new business relationship with eBay, we have amicably resolved a long-standing issue of crawling their site and will no longer be including eBay listings as part of AuctionWatch search results. However, AuctionWatch search results will still include several million listings from over 100 auction and fixed price sites. Search results include multiple vendors including those offered through DealTime.
We understand our services are critical to your business and will continue to deliver a valuable service. We appreciate your loyalty and business, and will make constant improvements to our services to help you succeed.
Sincerely,
The AuctionWatch Team
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hwahwahwahwa
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posted on July 24, 2001 12:08:16 PM
so what will happen to the aw stores as they could siphon business away from ebay auction??
do you support webtv??
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and25cents
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posted on July 24, 2001 12:16:38 PM
Having my search call up Ebay offerings was one of the things I liked most about Auctionwatch. Where else can I go to get as thorough an overview of items being offered? I'm rather disappointed by this turn of events, but I suppose AW has to sacrifice benefits to users in order to get to run with the big dogs.
Any input would be appreciated - I guess I'll be programming in a new homepage.
Rosie
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NothingYouNeed
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posted on July 24, 2001 12:43:15 PM
I am not sure why eBay had a problem with eBay items (including MY items) appearing in AW's search results. Don't we PAY eBay to post our listings? I know I am missing something, but I just don't get how free exposure for it's members PAID listings hurts eBay.
On the other hand, getting API up and running between AW and eBay is worth just about anything.
Gerald
"Oh but it's so hard to live by the rules/I never could and still never do."
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dman3
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posted on July 24, 2001 02:03:18 PM
This is going to be a good and bad thing for sure better service and faster to list to ebay are great.
BUT for the last 5 months I have been doing testing to see results of different services and Auction watch works the best my listings launched from here get more hits and bids and the big differnce is the universal search and my ebay listings showing up on it seems to be whatr drives the extra bidding and views.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
Email [email protected]
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ebaypowersellergold
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posted on July 24, 2001 02:19:55 PM
Congratulations on a spineless bowing to eBay's "bullying" tactics.
You obviously know how many people use the site to search auctions. Agreeing to omit eBay listings from that search renders it useless.
It's clearly a MAJOR STEP BACKWARD for AW and will make it much more difficult recruiting new users. Your search was a MAJOR driving force for new visitors.
Form a separate agreement for the API component, but don't back down on the search! eBay's slowly squeezing you out of business and you apparently don't see it coming! The naivety and "short-sightedness" is mind-boggling. Will it still look good when they double their API monthly licensing fees? Quadruple? When you have to continually raise your surcharge for auctions to recover that cost will you still think giving up the search war was worth it? Will your users? You're taking the bait -- hook, line & sinker. Good luck!
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blueyes29
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posted on July 24, 2001 02:37:43 PM
Am I missing something? Why on earth would eBay object to having items on auction on their site show up on ANY search? Seems to me the more exposure those items got, the better it would be...for all concerned. What was their objection?
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dottie
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posted on July 24, 2001 02:38:21 PM
ebaypowersellergold: What choice did AW have in this matter???
This announcement is a great "SPIN" on a cruddy situation for AW.... I believe it's an example of the classic false pride:
When getting run out of town on a rail, jump in front and ACT like it's a PARADE!!!!
*sigh*
- and the band plays on....
Dottie 
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Wedgewood
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posted on July 24, 2001 02:42:51 PM
Alas, I also feel a 'Requiem' coming on for AW over this move. However, if AW is trying to attract the big boys then perhaps the Requiem is really for the small time sellers.
My feeling is that once sellers and buyers discover the fantastic new auction site that is being discussed here in a thread on the Other Auctions board, both AW and eBay will be crying on each other's shoulder. It seems to me that a major player has finally entered this game and the bully's will soon find themselves on the run!
And once sellers start using the other sites great bulk loader program and image hosting service, they certainly won't be fooling around with AW or eBay for long.
Moderators, please let this post stand, as this is an issue that needs to be addressed and it is not promotional in nature.
AW and eBay were better lovers than marriage partners, IMNSHO!
Edited to add: Sorry for the double post. Will delete the second one as it was a duplicate of this one!
[ edited by Wedgewood on Jul 24, 2001 02:45 PM ]
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ebaypowersellergold
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posted on July 24, 2001 04:57:30 PM
Dottie, I think AW DID have some choices...
I would have waited until eBay filed suit before agreeing to drop the search results. Since eBay hasn't done anything, they probably thought they wouldn't win this one (or it wasn't worth the trouble/cost). AW rolling over gives them what they want without any of the effort. In fact, they're PAYING them to boot!
The biggest downside IMHO is that AW is now "reliant" on eBay. With API in place, technically the auctions should upload smoothly when changes are made on eBay (LOL, wanna bet??)
AW certainly could have employed their own developer and modified the code every time eBay changed. Might sound expensive & difficult, but remember -- eBay has proven time & time again they can't tweak the site without a catastrophy, so I don't think there are going to be all that many changes anyway. More importantly, they wouldn't be reliant on eBay and would control other aspects (like continuing to report eBay auctions in the search results)
NOW, AW is at eBay's pricing whim (AW pays an "enrollment fee" plus a monthly "license fee" for API capability). eBay WILL jack the price up. They WILL change the rules to their benefit over time (Hey AW, did you consider how eBay kicks users before committing to paying them a monthly fee?? Did you really think you can "trust" eBay to keep the pricing fair for you? LOL!)
I see it as a no-win situation for AW. A BIG WIN for eBay.
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blueyes29
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posted on July 24, 2001 05:01:31 PM
I'll confess...I'm ignorant. What's "API" and why is it good?
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ebaypowersellergold
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posted on July 24, 2001 05:15:06 PM
FAQ for eBay's API program:
http://developer.ebay.com/getstart/register/faq_tech.html
[ edited by ebaypowersellergold on Jul 24, 2001 05:19 PM ]
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tomwiii
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posted on July 24, 2001 05:27:24 PM
This is truly NO SURPRISE!
I, and others, have been saying for months that AW would HAVE to go with the API program, as eBay is essentially making it impossible to launch from the "SELL YOUR ITEM" page for 3rd party vendors!
The difference is ASTOUNDING! You will be amazed as your auctions launch within 1-2 SECONDS each & every time! No more of that processing...processing...processing happy baloney!
Also no surprise that eBay put the screws to them over the u-search..."I love the smell of spin in the morning" (with apologies to Robert Duvall) 
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NothingYouNeed
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posted on July 24, 2001 05:32:55 PM
Sorry to repeat myself but I STILL don't understand why eBay is opposed to our paid listings appearing in search results for buyers who obviously want what we are selling. What is the cost to eBay? Can anyone explain this to me?
Gerald
"Oh but it's so hard to live by the rules/I never could and still never do."
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tomwiii
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posted on July 24, 2001 05:34:47 PM
I believe it has to do with bandwidth -- from what little I know, web crawlers (or spiders or whatever they are) suck resources AT the site they're crawling on??
Obviously, I'm no expert (), but I'm pretty sure I read that eBay was worried about site performance -- that's why they sued that other DEAD-DOT.COM into early DEATH!
[ edited by tomwiii on Jul 24, 2001 05:36 PM ]
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hwahwahwahwa
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posted on July 24, 2001 05:58:18 PM
i think ebay is afraid these search engines will search the ebay items and give these information to other sites so they can lower their prices.
just think if you sell a resin cast zebra box for 8.95,well,someone at other site will mark it down to 6.95 .
there was a booksite which searches thru amzn and automatically cut its prices below amzn,it is all automatic.it did that every day while it was solvent
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betokodama
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:02:08 PM
As buyer I loved AW Universal Search, now it is useless, since most of my search queries retrieved eBay listings and AW featured items...
I'll give up AW Universal Search and back to brainless eBay search tools...
Farewell, people!
Roberto Kodama from Brazil
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Mikecol
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:05:14 PM
Does this mean we will be getting a lousy ebay pop up to go with the other one.
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NothingYouNeed
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:06:28 PM
Hmmm...I never thought of that. I guess that would be a problem for sellers of new stuff that is widely available (like the new big guns that are coming on line). Little guys like me who sell olde junque will probably get fewer hits when ebay results are no longer included in AW search and if some fool seller on another site wants to offer the same olde junque item at a lower price than me, more power to him. I ain't giving my stuff away just to make a sale!
Gerald
"Oh but it's so hard to live by the rules/I never could and still never do."
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cdnbooks
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:29:54 PM
For some months now, posters here have been banned from this site for saying anything remotely negative or the least bit contoversial about AW or its service provider partners. How long will it be before we will be allowed to say only good things about eBay?
'All praise the mighty eBay, our esteemed partner' may be the only viewpoint permitted. What an 'exciting' Board this will be then.
Bill
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and25cents
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:41:50 PM
I had posted a comment earlier today, and found that many replies to the topic appeard in my e-mail.. when I went to access the AW site, I immediately got a Half.com ad thrown in my face. I guess my little dream-sequence with AW is at an end.
Can somebody out there please tell me of a similar sight that searches/delivers current web-wide auctions?.. I'm currently just a buyer, but about to launch out into the selling world - guess I'll strike AW off my list of researched Auction Managers. A shame, too, as I only found these message boards today (as a result as trying to find out WHY I was no longer getting Ebay hits on my searches)
Is anybody out there in FAVOR of this change?
Thanks - Rosie
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tootstreas
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:44:39 PM
How many preferred eBay providers are there? How many sellers does a provider need to have for eBay to recognize them as preferred?
I've spoken highly of AW for four years. I've promoted it to many dealers. AW has grown because the sellers on this site have believed in it. Now we don't have the ability to search eBay auctions from this site for our efforts and belief in AW.
Some day it would be nice if a group of sellers could create a venue (like a cooperative) that gave us some protection and at the same time we could be recognized by eBay as a "preferred eBay provider" I'd kick in 5 bucks a month to get rid of banner ads and have back end access to eBay. How about the rest of you guys?
[ edited by tootstreas on Jul 24, 2001 06:50 PM ]
[ edited by tootstreas on Jul 24, 2001 06:51 PM ]
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joice
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:44:43 PM
and25cents,
I'm sorry but you will not be able to solicit information about competitors to AW. as the person that posts the info will be in breach of the CG's.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Joice
[email protected]
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cdnbooks
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:48:42 PM
....and soon you won't be able to solicite any info about any of eBay's competitors....
Bill
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and25cents
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:49:48 PM
Okay Joice, like I said, I just found these message boards today - sorry for the mis-step in protocal - I should have realized that big-brother was at work here - my apologies
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hwahwahwahwa
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posted on July 24, 2001 06:56:09 PM
a pragmatic moment please-
AW is no different than any of us,it has to pay its bills,how many of us sit in our office telling ourselves we hate our job but we need that paycheck?
same here
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leadsled7
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posted on July 24, 2001 07:52:03 PM
Good bye AuctionWatch, it was fun while it lasted. I guess we all know that good things always come to an end, the little guys always get trod upon for the benefit of the big guns with the money. I will miss those searches from any computer that was handy. What a shame.....I was just bragging about what a great auction search engine AW was, I guess I will have to eat crow and retract my comments to my friends.
Farewell old friend.
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Libra63
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posted on July 24, 2001 07:54:02 PM
I guess I don't understand what is going on but i have to ask. As I was surfing through ebay I noticed at the very end of a description a box that said Auctionwatch gallery. So I clicked it and lo and behold I was taken to a storefront. Is that legal. I would also like to ask if AuctionWatch is going to team up with any other auction site so we can list from here? All I want to do is sell or buy with no hassel. I have never used the auctionwatch universal search but I also don't go to anyother auction site except ebay. This should be an interesting thread.
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sulyn1950
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posted on July 24, 2001 08:09:17 PM
I have never understood why eBay does not want any other "search" to turn up their auction site! Unless, the "crawling" causes problems for the site????
I absolutely loved the universal search, but to be honest 99 out of 100 times the "good" stuff was on eBay!
I also discovered over a year ago, I could get better results using AW's search than eBays! I never have figured out why either. I just don't get good results when doing a basic "search" on eBay! I'm "search challenged" I guess.
I will miss this feature.
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twinsoft
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posted on July 24, 2001 08:37:06 PM
eBay's API improves service for those who pay, and locks out those who don't. Yes, you could attempt to hack eBay and update your code every few days/weeks. No doubt AW would take heat over that approach as well. Folks, AW is a business. They caved in to eBay. So what? Welcome to the real world.
eBay doesn't want users searching eBay from some third party site. They want users ON eBay's site. You might as well ask why eBay doesn't include competitors in their own searches. eBay is the marketplace. They can set their own rules, and anyone who doesn't go along is out of luck.
Of course you loved universal search! For the very same reason that eBay hates it.
The upside to all this is that AW's service will be much more reliable. But eBay's API is not cheap, and who do you think will foot the bill? Bottom line, I don't think AW had much choice, if they wanted to stay in the ball game.
.
Internet Pioneers
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