eBay in talks to fend off Google threat

WSJ: Yahoo, Microsoft might be suitable allies

NEW YORK - eBay Inc has had talks with both Yahoo Inc and Microsoft Corp to determine whether one of them might be a suitable ally against common threats from Google Inc, the Wall Street Journal said on Friday.

"After years of working closely with the search giant, eBay last year became alarmed as Google started assaulting its turf in multiple ways," including the creation of a competing classified advertising service, the report said.

eBay's talks with Yahoo and Microsoft began in earnest last fall, the report said, citing people familiar with the talks. (MSNBC is a Microsoft - NBC joint venture.)

Under one scenario, the talks could lead to an alliance in which eBay would boost its advertising spending with its chosen partner and provide access to data it has collected about its consumers, the Journal said.

The report said it remained unclear how much money might be involved and whether the parties have considered a more complex deal, such as one side taking an equity stake in the other.

Officials could not immediately be reached at any of the four companies.


URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12419257/ (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12419257/)

"03-23-2006, 04:23 PM #6
Biggles LLB
Member

Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Somerset, UK
Posts: 59

I realise you guys across the pond get news long before we do, but I heard that Microsoft is in partnership somehow with Yahoo and has declared its imminent intention to take on Google - big time. Anyone able to confirm this?"


As you can see from the above, I posted on this topic a month or so ago in the Yahoo SEO forum. Surely you guys across the pond had this information before us, didn't you? :p

If not, there's an opportunity here just going begging. Anyone wanna know the next big horse race winner?

Biggles LLB :cool:

At the end of the day, either way, the common web surfer loses. The posture and profit margins necessary to feed the greed of these machines transcends the need for organic search.

Search engines are now people driven commercials. You must look at our sales results if you wish to find an organic infomational source and not a product for sale.

Google is the worst. Search for anything, especially non tangable items, and there will be an auto generated paid ad trying to sell you that item. Sad part is, the item don't exist to buy. It's a scam IMO.