EBay to add Skype phone sales link to auctions
Published June 19th, 2006
EBay Inc. plans to introduce its Skype Internet calling service in its online marketplace so that buyers and sellers can communicate by voice and e-mail.
The planned introduction of the additional phone capabilities, unveiled last week at eBay’s annual user conference in Las Vegas, will span 14 categories of disparate products such as trucks, diamond rings, and “Lost in Space” collectibles.
The test, to start Monday, marks the first time that eBay is integrating Skype, a blockbuster acquisition from last year, into its popular U.S. marketplace. The addition is intended to bring more immediacy to the eBay shopping experience and boost sales as well as prices for certain products, particularly big-ticket items.
“Skype can facilitate transactions on eBay, especially in higher-priced categories,” said Meg Whitman, eBay’s chief executive, at the conference.
From the start, eBay said it would incorporate Skype into its marketplaces and has begun tests in five countries.
But until last night, the San Jose company hadn’t set a date for a premiere on eBay.com, the world’s biggest e-commerce site.
EBay sellers, while filling out a form to sell a product, will have the option to add a “Skype Me” button to their product listings that will appear in a new “Ask a seller a question” area.
By clicking on the button, users who already have downloaded the Skype service can initiate a voice call, text chat or both. The service opens the door to shoppers asking immediate questions about products, whether about details not covered in the item’s description or about shipping.
EBay selected the 14 categories for the Skype test to cover a variety of products that are generally more pricey, generate a lot of questions or are bought by particularly passionate collectors.
