Facebook is a popular social network, but could it also be an auction site?
That’s what Buy.com wants to happen, anyway – the company just launched a Garage Sale application within Facebook.
The application’s already got 408 users, so I’d say it’s off to a pretty good start. The application’s fee may keep some people away, though. “Once the sale is made, Garage Sale charges a 5% commission on the total sales price,” according to the main page.
Hmph.
Nonetheless, a press release stated that the application will soon become available through other networks, as well.
None of those networks are named, but Garage Sale is still marked as a beta version, so we may see some changes as these unveilings occur.
Furthermore, Neel Grover, Buy.com’s CEO and president, said, “As the first company to market with this embedded e-commerce capability, we see tremendous growth opportunities in providing the millions of users on business and social networks with an alternative to eBay and the ability to transform their personal profile pages beyond information-sharing.”
Buy.com seems to be banking on its reputation – “safe, secure and trusted,” etc. – and that tactic may work, as in the time it took me to write this article, seven Facebook users added the application. But I’ve seen people add zombie- and vampire-related Facebook applications just as fast. Also, generally speaking, eBay has those same authoritative factors going for it, and it’s much more entrenched in the public’s mind.
As for Garage Sale’s supposed convenience – “Facebook users simply add the Garage Sale feature from Facebook’s application suite and upload product information and photos to begin selling on their personal profile pages using Garage Sale’s secure transaction capability” – the same I-can-do-that-on-eBay principle applies.
Earning even a small portion of this auction market could be quite profitable, however, so Buy.com’s Garage Sale stands a good chance of succeeding.
Hat tip to Search Engine Journal’s Arnold Zafra.
