Microsoft’s live.com cash-back and eBay webinar

November 26, 2008

ChannelAdvisor are holding a webinar at 2pm Eastern Time (7pm in the UK) focusing on how to get the best from coupons and cashback. Buyers can save anything up to 30% on purchases and 4.5 million buyers a month are performing Live Cashback searches.

This is one for our US readers and sellers that trade on eBay.com, as sadly Microsoft cash-back hasn’t made it across the Atlantic in time for the Christmas selling season.

With eBay getting focused on driving traffic more coupons than ever before are being issued, in the UK with 5, 10 or 15% discounts and as much as 30% discount in the US.

The workshop will also include tips for 30 day listings and keeping DSR scores high over the holiday season along with an update on the UK VAT changes and how that affects sellers.

Written by Chris Dawson · Filed Under Events | Comments Off 

Microsoft Live Search cash back live on eBay.com

June 14, 2008

This post was written in June 2008; specific information contained within it may be out of date.

Microsoft have revealed more of their Live Seach cashback initiative confirming that all fixed price listings on eBay.com are eligible for a rebate.

When a buyer clicks through from Live Search to eBay and goes on to make a purchase, when they check out they’ll be presented with a screen telling them exactly how much cashback they can expect. Payment for the purchase will have to be via PayPal to qualify.

The cashback offers are now live on eBay.com, but currently Live Search cashback is only available in the US. It marks a departure from Google’s stategy where advertisers pay for exposure, on Microsoft Live Search, merchants can offer cashback direct to the buyer with eBay paying rebates for products on their site.

If Live Search cashback proves popular in the US doubtless it will filter across to the UK in the future. One to keep an eye on and no doubt JD will be announcing it to US sellers at eBay Live! next week.

Written by Chris Dawson · Filed Under News, eBay.com | 1 Comment 

Microsoft Live Search Cash Back for browsing

May 21, 2008

This post was written in May 2008; specific information contained within it may be out of date.

Microsoft is expected to offer cash back to users of it’s Live Search platform, when they go on to make a purchase. In an effort to bolster their share of the search market an announcement is expected at the advance08 event today.

Microsoft Live Search Cash Back is to be launched in conjunction with eBay’s PayPal and John Donahoe has recorded a taped message to go out in conjunction with the announcement.

Microsoft’s official statement reads “On Wednesday, we will be announcing a major new initiative that our search teams have been driving. We are getting better and better with our core algorithmic search, and at the same time, we are investing to differentiate in vertical experiences and to disrupt the current model.”

Microsoft will use the technology obtained from the acquisition of JellyFish, where buyers who make a purchase through the service receive a portion of the advertising revenue Jellyfish receives from the seller. Soon instead of visiting Jellyfish the cash back will be available on the Live Search site.

The big question is will you switch from your current search engine for some hard cash? Will you make Microsoft Live your default search engine? Most important of all, can they deliver the same quality of search results as Google and if not will cash convince browsers to put up with an inferior experience?

Written by Chris Dawson · Filed Under News | 7 Comments 

Yahoo! may merge with AOL

February 11, 2008

This post was written in February 2008; specific information contained within it may be out of date.

There were two merger stories in the last week, the first was Microsofts univited bid to buy Yahoo! which is looking increasingly unlikely to happen, with a rejection expected later today. The second was an extremely speculative guess that eBay might buy AOL.

Today The Times reports that Yahoo! are reopening talks to merge with AOL, currently owned by Time Warner. This would protect Yahoo! from the unwelcome attentions of Microsoft, and surprisingly could be supported by Google. One might wonder why Google is so interested in protecting their closest rival, but a strong Yahoo! is more attractive to them than an even stronger Microsoft/Yahoo! partnership. Google own a 5% share in AOL.

Written by Chris Dawson · Filed Under News | Comments Off 

eBay buying AOL?

February 5, 2008

This post was written in February 2008; specific information contained within it may be out of date.

eBay may be a potential bidder for Time Warner’s AOL, reports the San Jose Mercury. Frankly this reminds me of the time a journalist commented to me that “if we put ‘eBay’ in the headline, we get ten times the readers”: “may be potential bidders” doesn’t sound like anything more than speculation, and now would be a terrible time for eBay to buy AOL, when they need to be focusing on reviving the marketplace business. Still, one thing is certain: with the internet rumour mill in overdrive after last week’s Microsoft offer for Yahoo, this won’t be the last story of this kind we see.

Via Only eBay.

Written by Sue Bailey · Filed Under News | 4 Comments 

Microsoft puts in $44.6b offer for Yahoo!

February 1, 2008

This post was written in February 2008; specific information contained within it may be out of date.

Microsoft has today shaken up the rumours over who will acquire who this year with an offer of almost half a trillion dollars for Yahoo!

The real question is, if the offer is accepted, how it will change the landscape of ecommerce shopping. There have been rumours about a possible merger of eBay and Yahoo!, especially as Yahoo! have been closing their shopping sites in recent times.

eBay are lacking search and rely on companies like Yahoo!, Google and MSN for traffic. Yahoo!, Google and MSN all have search, but largely are not destination sites where transactions take place. In the middle are a myriad of shopping comparison sites which direct transactions from buyers Internet searches to merchants ecommerce websites.

Into the mix throw increased competition from Amazon who go from strength to strength, along with merchants own ecommerce websites and any merger is going to affect online sellers to some extent.

Although Google is the undisputed leader in search, including paid search, a joint Microsoft/Yahoo! partnership could become a real contender. Competing for the paid search from comparison sites and destination sites such as eBay is all about the return on investment. Many merchants have found success with Yahoo! relative to Google as there is less competition and thus lower cost to buy keywords in paid search.

Historically Microsoft were late to embrace Internet, for them acquiring Yahoo! will gain a well established, respected brand. One thing is for sure a Microsoft/Yahoo! merger could bring benefits for buyers, advertisers and publishers, as well as giving Google a bigger competitor to keep them on their toes.

Written by Chris Dawson · Filed Under News | 12 Comments