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Google and eBay Partner for Click-to-Call Ads
bart_scriv writes "A new joint venture between Google and Ebay will expand the advertising reach of both companies and integrate free phone service with web ads. The partnership also puts rumors of a Yahoo/eBay merger to rest. From the article: 'A deal announced Aug. 28 by eBay and Google now appears to put the kibosh on the notion of an "ehoo" or "Ybay" to challenge Google. Instead, eBay signed up Google to provide Web search advertising outside the U.S. And the pair will cooperate on developing so-called click-to-call ads — which let potential buyers click on a link and talk directly to sellers or their call centers — throughout the world. Tests of the ads in the multiyear agreement will begin in early 2007, though neither side revealed specific terms.'"
So what is going to happen to Googles proposed online payment system? Can't think of the name at the moment, but wasn't it going to be a direct competitor to PayPal? Is this perhaps a way for Ebay to keep that from happening?
I believe the way Google's approach differs from traditional "sign me up for telespamming" crap is that with Google, the telemarketers don't get your personal information and they have to route their calls through Google without knowing anything about you, so if you ask to be removed they really can't contact you anymore. Now, if you expect Google to sell out and betray your trust, *then* it could be a problem. (I don't think they would, as they have too much to lose.)
Apology to Ubuntu forum.
from the press release at Google:
Starting in the near future, Skype will offer its users the option to download the Google Toolbar, to which Skype will add a custom button. The companies will also explore interoperability between Skype and Google Talk via open standards to enable text chat and online presence.
So this collaboration seems like more than just click-to-call. The Skype/Google Talk interoperability sounds intriguing, and might give the low-market-share Google Talk some more standing in the IM world; perhaps this is a reaction to Yahoo and Microsoft, who are getting their IM clients to interoperate.
Do you know what a DDOS attack could do to a call center? A switchboard can't handle nearly the volume that a website can, so you could pretty easily clog the phones at any of these centers forever, pretty much, right? I can't wait to see the prank calls that come out of this -- funny for everyone but the person that gets a zillion calls an hour!
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There's such a misunderstanding of the nature of (most) business competition. It's very much to be expected that two businesses will compete in one market or context and turn around and cooperate in another, and it certainly does not mean that there is no chance for a merger that would end that cooperation. The metaphors of total war notwithstanding, it isn't as if business was about the formation of simple alliances against allied enemies.
Yahoo and Ebay are cooperating in the US market, but Ebay is cooperating with Google in other markets. Microsoft competes with Apple and, to some extent, Mozilla, but goes to some pains to ensure a certain amount of interoperability.
The shorthand version: competition for markets is not the same thing as war. Business-as-war is just a metaphor, and like many metaphors, it doesn't always fit.
You will get negative feedback on your ads?
eh, who?
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Ehoo sounds way better than Goobay.
Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
This deal sounds like Google being lazy. Hmmm, should we compete with eBay (which would take alot of hard work and sound business planning) or just sign some half-assed deal so we can all get along (zero effort, zero results). Google clearly has changed direction from the former to the latter. Isn't sloth a cardinal vice and thereby evil? Sometimes doing evil means doing nothing.
I don't know... The whole reason i do my shopping online is because i DON'T want to talk with people. In fact, most geeks seem the same way, it's much easier to just choose what you want, pay for it, and receive it. I don't think giving me the option to talk to a sales rep is going to boost their sales.
Thank God for this! The 4+ per day hassle average from call centres wasn't quite annoying enough, I'll definately be clicking ad links to speak to even more instantly!