eBay is testing new ads in the UK, and as with many eBay tests, they tend to start "over there" in Great Britain, and roll downhill to the U.S. soon thereafter. New places eBayers will be seeing ads include directly on a seller's paid listing page; in one case, just below the "Seller information" box, and also on the Search Results page. (Look for more information about these confirmed tests in tomorrow's EcommerceBytes Newsflash article.)
Some sellers may bristle at having some of their precious "above-the-fold" screen real estate usurped by a new ad which could prove a distraction to the item they are trying to sell. But others may see it as a positive, in the sense that it's a new revenue opportunity for eBay, allowing the company to move toward more of a Google Pay-Per-Click ad model. (This model certainly has been successful enough for Google!). If they happen to own eBay stock, this may make them even happier.But would it be too much for sellers to hope that, in the event these ads do bring considerable new revenue to the company, eBay throws sellers a bone and reduces their fees, as a kind of thank-you for giving up some of that precious screen space? After all, ads subsidize network television.
Even a small reduction in fees would build seller goodwill, and eBay could figure it so they still net a decent profit when the new ads are added into the whole revenue mix. Or, maybe even, at a minimum, they don't raise fees by as much the next time, and can point to the money made by these ads as the reason?
This space could even be offered for purchase to the eBay seller him or herself. eBay sellers have long wanted a way to link to their own web sites, blogs, or other venues directly from their eBay listings, but eBay has forbidden it, worried this will cannibalize eBay sales.
But if sellers were paying for the privilege to insert that link, might it make money for both eBay and their sellers? eBay could even restrict the paid ads to certain types of items which sellers can't or don't usually sell on eBay, such as large pieces of furniture, other very heavy items, or digital products such as ebooks.
What do you think? Are the ads a good thing, or what would you dislike about them? Do you think they'd be good, bad, or neither for your sales? Would you want to be able to buy an ad on your own listing for an off-eBay web site or other venue?
About the Author:
Julia Wilkinson is the author of "The eBay Price Guide" (No Starch Press, 2006) and "eBay Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks" (Wiley, 2004-6). Her free "Yard Salers" newsletter is at available at
YardSalers.net where you will also find her latest ebook,
Flip It Again.
Could eBay Actually Build Goodwill with New Paid Listings Ads? 
