They have the phone component in place from their purchase of Skype, and now eBay wants all the listings it can get to be the online resource for local search.
In the focus on Google, Yahoo, MSN, and AOL as the big Internet destinations, eBay gets overlooked when the discussion switches to local search. Thinking of eBay means thinking of online auctions and commerce, not search engines.
Ebay wants to change that perception, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Beginning in 2006, eBay will build a search for auto services into its vehicle site eBay Motors. Users could be able to find discounts and coupons for services in that category.
Automotive service would be just the first step for eBay into what could be a broader drive for local businesses to set up shop online. Ebay has been aggressively courting developers to use its APIs when building web applications. In turn, those developers may create tools that help get more businesses to make an online presence part of their business.
Where eBay would monetize those businesses beyond their listings would be with pay-per-call advertising. For Skype to hit financial targets that could reap an extra $1.5 billion in bonuses from eBay on top of the $2.6 billion purchase price, it needs to be a conduit for revenue. Pay-per-call could be it.
Google concerns eBay, even though Google executives say they aren’t competing with the online auctioneer. The unveiling of Google Base, an online application that lets users upload products and services for sale along with other content, certainly looks like a threat to eBay, as far as tech industry observers are concerned.
But eBay has millions of users and an established track record. It could parley that trust into a successful reach for local listings.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
