Search
Related Links

 

 

Informative Articles

Know Who You Are —And Your Brand Will Follow
One in a series of 5, How to brand Know Who You Are—And Your Brand Is on its Way By Karen Post Having a brand is powerful. It adds value to your balance sheet, attracts superstar employees and allows for greater profit margins. Your brand...

Top Ten Ways to Communicate @ Work Effectively!
Whenever I ask people in a work setting, "What would improve work, profits and customer service the most where you work?" the answer is almost always "Better communication!" Once the problem is noted, the next question is, "What are some effective...

Why Branding Is Vital For Your Home Business Success
On a hot Sunday afternoon when your body fluids have been drained dry by the scorching sun, which would you rather order? Coca Cola, or Jeebejus Sweet Soda? The answer is as clear as it is universal. The more established brand would be chosen almost...

Why Radio Advertising Could Be The Best Thing You Ever Did For Your Business
In the marketing world, radio has earned the reputation of being the odd step-cousin. You know the one. No one knows quite what to do with him. Especially at family gatherings when everyone tries hard to avoid sitting with him. (After all, who...

You Don't Have TIME to Sit and Wonder When The Traffic Will Come!
There is so incredibly MUCH you can do to successfully promote your website starting in just a few minutes. In fact, the steps I will give you below can be repeated DAILY for 30 days, an hour a day, for 30 hours of hard-core, tested, proven,...

 
eBay buys Shopping.com - Boon or Bust to Online Merchants?

My first reaction: This could be big

The players:

eBay

Largest online auction site where buyers bid to buy products. Arguably the most well-known e-commerce site with over 100 million registered users. Billions in sales are transacted here worldwide.

Shopping.com

Shopping portal that helps shoppers find the least-expensive merchant to buy their desired product from. Shopping.com is one of the largest shopping portals on the Internet. They achieved success by implementing a model that allows online merchants to acquire targeted clicks from shoppers by paying a per-click fee.

eBay Sellers

Individuals, small businesses, and some larger businesses post products for auction on eBay, and also maintain “stores” within the eBay website where shoppers can make purchases without bidding. eBay sellers must maintain a presence on eBay to participate. This means that the shopper never leaves eBay to make a purchase, and the sellers must coordinate a system to process orders through eBay.

Online Merchants

Internet stores, large and small. Stores ranging from independent specialty stores like Surray Luggage, to huge mass-merchants like Amazon.com. Many online merchants do not do business on eBay because it requires them to maintain a separate store, which has both branding and logistical consequences.

What’s happening?

eBay is buying Shopping.com for $620 million. Shopping.com’s key assets include its product comparison technology, large network of product reviewers (formally EPinions.com), brand awareness, and of course, its advertisers.

Background

eBay was originally founded as an online auction where individuals offered used (and sometimes new) products to the highest bidder. Over time, EBay has introduced services to allow merchants to sell directly to buyers through eBay stores that bypass the bidding process. Since everything is done through eBay, merchants are required to have a presence on eBay that is separate from their online store. In other words, the merchant must have two stores: Their current store, and their eBay store.

Analysis

This could go one of two ways:

1) eBay could be buying Shopping.com to monetize its targeted traffic by sending eBay shoppers outside of EBay to the Shopping.com portal. In other words, they will funnel traffic from eBay to Shopping.com, which will then be funneled to the online merchants who currently advertise on Shopping.com.

- Upside to eBay: Increased advertising revenues.

- Upside to eBay Shoppers: Access to more products and increased price competition.

- Upside to Online Merchants: Access to the lucrative community of eBay shoppers.

- Downsides: eBay


sellers will face increased competition.

2) eBay could be buying Shopping.com to simply enhance its value to both eBay shoppers and eBay sellers. Shoppers would benefit from the product reviews and price comparison technology that Shopping.com owns. Sellers would benefit from the enhanced shopping experience because demand for their products will further increase.

- Upside to eBay: Increased customer loyalty and listing fees.

- Upside to Shoppers: Better version of the service they’re already comfortable with.

- Upside to Online Merchants: None. Many online merchants have been reluctant to establish an eBay presence because they’ll have to maintain two separate stores.

- Downsides: Online merchants won’t have the streamlined access they’re looking for to reach the eBay community, and the value of advertising on Shopping.com would be diminished.

My Take

I can’t imagine that eBay would spend $620 million on Shopping.com only to disband its network of online merchants who pay a lot of money to be featured there. Accordingly, my prediction is that eBay will maintain a version of Shopping.com’s current advertising network where merchants acquire clicks from buyers (contrary to eBay’s model where buyers never click to leave the eBay website).

If I’m right, eBay’s acquisition of Shopping.com will be huge for advertisers. Advertisers will be able to advertise on Shopping.com like they always have. The only difference will be a massive influx of quality traffic from eBay.

I am concerned because eBay’s press release only talks about creating an enhanced shopping experience for current buyers, and mentions the new opportunity for current eBay sellers. The press release does not mention Shopping.com’s advertisers at all, which makes me question eBay’s true motives. In other words, I may very well be wrong.

Bottom line: Watch this closely. eBay’s acquisition could be a tremendous boon to online advertisers, opening up a fertile new market for online marketing. Or, eBay could be acquiring Shopping.com purely for its technology and product review network with the singular goal of enhancing eBay.com. If so, online merchants will be missing out on a big opportunity.

Online merchants should watch this very closely.

About the Author

Scott Smigler has been an evangelist for a serious, ROI-based focus on the online channel since he founded Exclusive Concepts (www.exclusiveconcepts.com) in 1997. Exclusive Concepts provides integrated online marketing strategies, Internet brand consulting, search engine marketing campaigns and results-oriented web sites for hundreds of clients that range in size from small ecommerce firms to public companies.


 

Brand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The brand, and "branding" and brand equity have become increasingly important ... From the perspective of brand owners, branded products or services also ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
Branding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Livestock branding, the marking of animals to indicate ownership; Human branding, ... Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branding" ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
AllAboutBranding.com : Home
Provides resources and opinions on branding. Includes brand development, management and communications.
www.allaboutbranding.com
 
brandchannel.com | branding resource produced by Interbrand | brands
An international online exchange and resource about brand marketing and branding.
www.brandchannel.com
 
Branding Company Corporate Branding Internet Brand Identity ...
Brand Identity Guru Inc. creates, develops and promotes powerful brands. Our clients enjoy an array of innovative, creative and powerful branding solutions ...
www.brandidentityguru.com
 
Branding Blog
Branding and positioning news and opinion.
www.brandingblog.com
 
Branding Asia
Free articles, news and columns on branding in Asia. Market research and Asian marketing.
www.brandingasia.com
 
Pages tagged with "branding" on del.icio.us
All items tagged branding ??? view popular ... industrie./design and branding consultant specialists./ · save this. by kittim to design branding graphic ...
del.icio.us
 
The Brand Called You
Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today, in the Age of the Individual, you have to be your own brand. Here's what it takes to be the CEO of ...
www.fastcompany.com
 
Branding: See what people are saying right now on Technorati
See all blog posts tagged with branding on Technorati.
www.technorati.com
 
Mozilla Branding
The purpose of this document is to describe mozilla.org's branding strategy during and after the release of what has generally been called Mozilla 1.4. ...
www.mozilla.org
 
What Brand Are You? A branding viral by The Design Conspiracy
What Brand Are You? has since been picked out as Site Of The Day by the likes of the Financial Times, Yahoo, USA Today and BBC News, and has received more ...
www.whatbrandareyou.com
 
Julie & Company: Affordable branding, web design, graphic design ...
Julie & Company creates stellar branding, integrated marketing, advertising, web design, web development, Flash, trade show booths - all at affordable ...
www.julieandcompany.com
 
Forty Media - Web Design, Web Development, Branding, Great Websites
a professional web design agency based in Phoenix, Arizona.
www.fortymedia.com
 
Branding - Yahoo! Small Business
Find information to help grow your online business with business plans, Thomas Register, news articles and more.
smallbusiness.yahoo.com
 
Lexicon
Lexicon Branding appears on KTVU News; Lexicon Branding creates Ridgeline for Honda, Viiv for Intel, and GameTap for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. ...
www.lexicon-branding.com
 
Branding and Usability
We're finding that a site's usability can dramatically affect branding. ... There are two basic techniques for branding: direct experience and indirect ...
www.uie.com
 
iMedia Connection: Research & Metrics - Branding
Majority of marketers feel branding opportunities -- online and offline -- aren't ... IAB case studies prove real-world power of online in branding mix. ...
www.imediaconnection.com
 
Small Business Marketing And Branding
Small business marketing and branding advice and how-to guides for small business owners. Learn how to start and grow your own successful business.
smallbusinessbranding.com
 
Beyond Branding
Beyond Branding, published in hardcover in 2003 and paperback in 2005, presents innovative business models for the survival of 21st century organizations.
www.beyond-branding.com
 
 

 

Content Menu
  • 10 powerful networking tips using business cards

  • 1 800 get rich can toll free 800 number domains pay off

  • 42 killer domain secrets exposed

  • 4 steps to unleashing profits in your online business

  • 5 secrets to beating your competitors everytime

  • 6 steps to laying out your competitive strategy

  • 7 steps to highly relevant search engine friendly and people useful web site content

  • 7 ways to profit from other peoples products

  • achievers interview with stupidman

  • adult add a disorder or a secret of success

  • advertising and pr

  • advertising on a budget part 2 thinking small

  • affiliate marketing promoting your own web presents

  • an aspirin or an autoresponder

  • are cyber criminals phishing your identity from your computer

  • are you an entrepreneur whos not afraid to think outside the box and make some money

  • are you brand worthy

  • aspiring webmasters want to know what makes a website grow

  • attract your dream customer

  • benefits of corporate gift giving can never be understated

  • beyond ebooks 10 powerful alternative infoproduct formats part 1 of 2

  • be a web site reviewer

  • be unique and build a brand

  • blogs podcasting and rss ecommerce impact

  • blogs podcasting and rss how will these technologies affect ecommerce

  • book summary the brand called you

  • branding and internal communication

  • branding and marketing

  • branding basics

  • branding do you stand out from the crowd

  • branding fiasco better be who you say you are

  • branding for profits

  • branding its more than just your usp

  • branding more than just a statement a memory scar

  • branding your business

  • branding your business to make more money

  • branding you are the brand

  • brand big deliver a great experience

  • brand moie make your mark with a personal brand

  • brand smart its about the relationship not the transaction

  • brand your business

  • brand your consulting brilliance

  • brand your consulting business

  • building your brand

  • business branding

  • business exit strategy

  • buyer beware business opportunity scams abound

  • buzz marketing marketing to non marketable customer

  • can i advertise my site with a 150 monthly budget

  • can three words in websters dictionary be the key to customer loyalty

  • can you convert your marketing into a religion

  • career warfare a book summary

  • check cashing the future is now

  • choose the right format for your ebooks

  • committing to and succeeding with your new years resolutions

  • communicate your brand

  • company logo design tips for success

  • company logo watches the 30 times a day reminder of your business

  • corporate blogging 7 best practices

  • corporate promotional gifts the fridge magnet is dead long live the computer desktop

  • corporation buys texas town

  • cosmetic toiletries global outsourcing private label manufacturing

  • create viral traffic with brandable ebooks

  • creating an irresistible brand

  • creating a landing page campaign 7 things to avoid

  • creating a space of your own

  • creating value with streaming video content

  • creative people presenting seminars to bump up sales

  • credit cards

  • cultivating the trust factor

  • debunking the myth that search engines bring in the most traffic

  • determining the best web site for your business

  • developing your school brand

  • does your e newsletter or e zine pass the so what test

  • donald trump

  • dont dare brand your business because you may lose

  • dont punish yourself doing type x business

  • don t punish yourself doing type x business

  • do i really need to write articles for e zines

  • do you know where your brand promise is

  • do you make these 7 mistakes in your business

  • dreambiznews

  • ebay buys shopping com boon or bust to online merchants

  • effective advertising

  • ethical finance who benefits from our spending

  • executive resumes 101

  • finding your niche what do you want to be known for

  • franchise resolution in 2005

  • fundamental strategic marketing mistakes to avoids

  • future business leaders of america fbla

  • getting to know the search engine superstar

  • get branded part i

  • get branded part ii

  • get out of your head to improve your business

  • gifts that carry a marketing message

  • global market in the cyber worldgo and get it

  • greasing the path to success finding the confidence to step up to key moments

  • growing your company in todays chaotic market

  • growing your company in today s chaotic market

  • hang tag or swing ticket manufacturers

  • hardcore sales vs the relationship part iii tips and techniques for relationship selling

  • hardcore sales vs the relationship part ii building a relationship with your prospect

  • harness the power of the personal touch

  • has your design firm run amuck with your web site

  • have you forked your fishs tail

  • have you forked your fish s tail

  • hire the right marketing company

  • hologram to protect your business

  • homelanddefensestocks com acquires premier homeland security web portal twotigersonline and the national homeland security knowledgebase

  • home based business opportunity secrets of success in home based business opportunity exposed

  • how can job fairs help your company

  • how coaches find clients online

  • how important is vaule of brand to the consumer company

  • how the brain learns

  • how to become an expert in your niche business

  • how to brand your home based web business

  • how to build and manage a winning brand

  • how to build a business website

  • how to calculate the lifetime value of a client

  • how to choose an affiliate program that will make you money

  • how to commit brand suicide

  • how to create your own 24 7 little sales machines in 5 simple steps

  • how to double your profits peters way

  • how to get customers to flock to your home based business

  • how to get massive sales by increasing your brand

  • how to get more people at your site

  • how to get your contact details across when the organisers wont let you

  • how to maintain a steady cash flow

  • how to start a new business

  • how to start your own business

  • how will your visitors remember you and your business brand yourself from the crowd

  • image and branding advertising­kget over it or go broke

  • importance of branding whats in a name

  • im talking but is anyone listening

  • increase your leads with search engine and lead optimization strategies

  • increase your page rank through seo

  • index

  • industry pro interview branding turning your customers into evangelists

  • inexpensive ways to promote your business part 1

  • innovation makes leaders

  • internet marketing

  • interview with michael murray autoresponder basics

  • in the beginning

  • is a work at home business right for you

  • is nature a marketing guru

  • is network marketing easy

  • is your ad killing your brand

  • is your logo helping or hurting your business

  • its one thing for people to buy your product or service but its another for them to tattoo your logo on their biceps

  • i have nothing to say overcoming the fear of writing

  • key ingredients for starting a catering business

  • know who you are and your brand will follow

  • learn how to make money with reprint rights marketing

  • lessons from the olympics for your business

  • lessons from the power brands

  • lets just get to the bottom of this hill mr frodo

  • list building through cooperative partnerships

  • little know method will make you more sales

  • logo design and branding points to remember

  • loosing my virginity

  • make mine to grow building your solo business to outgrow you

  • make money buying from ebay

  • make your mark by building your reputation

  • make your own brand

  • managing your brand

  • marketing revolution with blogs and rss

  • marketing the government for profit

  • million dollar idea maker

  • minding your own business

  • mona lisa your branding

  • more than just a logo creating your companys corporate identity

  • move over mcdonalds sumosalad expands into uae

  • new content for your website

  • new job tips starting a new job next week

  • new uniforms could be the gold charm for the golden arches

  • new years resolutions and branding

  • no time for ezine

  • one minute feedback

  • on branding

  • part i sales how revolting part i sales how revolting

  • pharmaceutical branding

  • preparing your business for january

  • presenting seminars to bump up sales

  • push button publishing product review

  • quick tactics to brand your business and make more sales

  • raising your rates can increase your business

  • rating the ebook compilers

  • reality branding are you taking advantage of the 40 year social pendulum

  • real estate post card marketing million dollar mailings

  • resources for staying current of it advancements for online business owners

  • road kill mentality why employers arent calling you

  • rotator

  • running your own casino

  • search engine optimization custom graphics and logo creation and newsletter campaigning

  • search your soul the psychology of a search engine

  • selling on ebay

  • setting up your dream home office space

  • setting yourself up for internet success

  • seven smart marketing strategies every business should use

  • shattering the branding myths

  • signage for your business

  • six questions to ask before committing to business web site

  • small business and branding why and how

  • so youre thinking of having your own website

  • start doing online business using b2b portals in six steps

  • stop is your business missing its mark et

  • stop is your business missing it s mark et

  • storytelling for high concept and high touch

  • strategies of successful market offers

  • strategies to increase expression of interest conversion

  • stuck with a zero marketing budget for client gifts

  • swot analysis

  • ten basic steps for building a web site that works

  • text vs pictures shedding light on the debate

  • the 12 reasons why most ads fall flat on their face costing you a fortune instead of making you the money you deserve

  • the 4cs of branding

  • the 5ws of world class customer service training

  • the 5 ws of world class customer service training

  • the 7 deaths of a salesman

  • the advantages of rss websites

  • the arrival of the founder of modern day advertising

  • the art of self branding

  • the art of upselling three tips to generate more sales effortlessly and 3 ways people blow it

  • the branded customer experience we never say no

  • the choice between yes and yes a psychological revelation

  • the expert advantage why it pays to establish yourself as an expert

  • the goldmine known as private label rights

  • the hidden traffic strategy that skyrockets your profits

  • the importance of branding can it really make a difference

  • the incredible image 8 steps to put your business best foot forward

  • the microsoft brand

  • the million dollar idea maker

  • the newbies guide to profiting online part 5

  • the other 80 20 principle insights on selling to women

  • the power of a self brand

  • the power of small business branding through private labeling

  • the power of why a psychological revelation

  • the power of why your psychological ally to marketing success

  • the relationship between colour sales

  • the revolt of the poor the demise of intellectual property

  • the super brand marlboro

  • the top 10 questions for socially responsible leaders

  • the true facts about mlm and downline builders

  • thoughtleading the art of separating yourself from the pack

  • tips for business websites

  • top 10 business e mail basics

  • top 7 tips for new businesses

  • top end alignment

  • top inventory keeping secrets

  • top ten ways to communicate work effectively

  • to website or not to website

  • transform your image and accelerate your success

  • turn your marketing pieces into marketing masterpieces with these five design techniques

  • understanding the different methods of offline promotion

  • using seminars to bump up sales

  • viral marketing techniques every web site should be using

  • walmart and the rules

  • want more money and less stress

  • want more money less stress

  • want more money less stress set some boundaries

  • website design tips by san diego internet marketing professionals

  • web strategy and powerful persuasive writing

  • what does she have that i dont

  • what is the purpose of corporate gifts

  • what part do commodities play in the market and in our shopping

  • when do you stop marketing to customers

  • which web business model is right for you

  • why are customers so indecisive

  • why branding is vital for your home business success

  • why does a business fail and what can you do to stop it

  • why free agent thinking is good for your company

  • why free business cards just dont cut it

  • why is my restaurant not full every monday night

  • why radio advertising could be the best thing you ever did for your business

  • why santas marketing works better than yours

  • why you need to have your prices upfront

  • writing a basic web design proposal

  • your assumptions about job descriptions can harm you

  • your knowledge could be earning you a fortune

  • your website on my forehead

  • you dont have time to sit and wonder when the traffic will come

  • you never have a second chance to make a first impression position your company wisely

  • you quit your job and started up your own business now how do you make it work