6 Responses to “ “Lead generation on steroids”

1. TOM says:

   December 13, 2006 at 9:38 am

   Awesome! I just hope the full features/price structures of the ebay.com Classified Ad Format rolls out to all of the ebay sites around the world.

   As I post this comment ebay.ca sellers don’t have the same features/price structures as sellers on ebay.com. We just have the real estate option which is very expensive (no $10.00/30 day ad option here).

   I would appreciate it if the international ebayers who are reading this post contacted their country’s ebay reps. and suggest that we all have full access to this new, amazing marketing venue.

   Thanks
2. Jim Orr says:

   December 13, 2006 at 2:37 pm

   I must say I was somewhat taken back by your newsletter. As the first thought that came to mind concerning this ad format was external links.

   Last week I had both called and emailed eBay support and was told from both sources that the link policy has not changed for classifieds.

   When I saw your latest newsletter and video stating that you were told that they have changed the policy I called eBay again.

   Again they told the policy has not changed. When I mentioned what you said in your newsletter I was transferred to the next tier of support in which I was put on hold while he went to speak to a manager.

   Came back with same answer, No external links allowed and your newsletter was incorrect.

   At that point I told them they have a BIG problem because I could sit and report violations all day long from classified ads using external links.

   I was then told they are going to look into further but meanwhile gave me an email address to someone to further voice my concerns. If I do not get a reply within 5 days or so to call back. Will keep you posted.

   Any comments?

   [[reply from Jim]]:

   SUMMARY: How odd…you mean eBay is being inconsistent in their policies…That has never happened before! (did you pick up on my sarcasm?)

   I am comfortalbe moving forward with the assumption that we have a green flag to include external links in classified ad listings based on all the information I have right now. EBay is a big company and word travels slow when seemingly small changes happen.

   As confident as your eBay rep was that you CAN NOT include external links I was equally assured that external links ARE allowed by 3 different eBay reps and I have yet to hear of a classified ad being canceled for including an external link. As further evidence (as you stated above) most classified ads running RIGHT NOW on eBay have external links in them. Even though this feature has been available to eBay users for several months now it does appear that eBay listing policies have not been communicated to all eBay reps.  If anyone has trouble with eBay (i.e. canceling a classified auction that has an external link in it) let me know. To date I have not heard of one instance of this.

   I have a saved a file that is the transcript of a conversation between me and a live chat rep. In this conversation he indicated that, \”since the whole point of a classified ad is to get someone to contact you outside of the fortmat it is listed under… adding contact information other than the eBay contact would be acceptable\”. I asked if this specifically included links to outside websites and he indicated that \”yes\” – that is allowed. The logic behind eBay preventing external links in a traditional auction listings is to prevent sellers from avoiding eBay fees. With a classified ad the entire fee is paid up front, so allowing external links makes total sense.

   Some facts: EBay is obviously confused about their own policy right now. About 60% (estimate) of all classified ad listings on eBay contain external links and/or external contact information (800# etc.). Real Estate listings on eBay (where the classified ad feature was introduced years ago)  is packed full of links to outside websites. Only the most uninformed home sellers are neglecting to use external links in Real Estate classified ads.

   As the facts roll in I will continue to post updates. The GOOD NEWS: Even IF eBay stops allowing external links the new classified ad systems is a great way to gather leads!
3. JTS says:

   December 13, 2006 at 9:48 pm

   For you history buffs – and those wishing to gather more information about Ad Format – here’s the eBay Announcement, dated 23-Feb-2006, where Ad Format was announced to expand into the available categories we see today:

   ***Ad Format – Expanding to Several More Categories***

   February 23, 2006 | 10:24AM PST/PT

   Hi…I’m Erik Rannala with eBay’s Product Marketing team, and I’m here to let you know about an upcoming expansion of Ad Format into a limited number of new categories.

   As some background, Ad Format brings interested buyers and sellers together, without enabling the actual bidding or buying process through the site. This format has been used in our Real Estate category for several years, where buying or selling is usually a major transaction. Using Ad Format, eBay has brought interested buyers and sellers together on the eBay marketplace for houses and real estate properties, items that require more time and communication before a deal is closed than most other types of items sold today.

   Based on the successful activity we’ve seen in Real Estate, we think Ad Format has the potential to bring buyers and sellers together in other category areas, too, and we’d like to learn more. In the next few days, we’ll be expanding Ad Format as a listing format option in a limited number of specially selected categories, such as Trade Show Booths, Travel, and Websites & Businesses. For a complete list of categories being added, click here.
   http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/adformatfees.html?ssPageName=CMDV:AB

   How Ad Format Works
   Ad Format will appear to sellers as an optional listing format in the Sell Your Item form. With Ad Format, sellers can advertise their item to the eBay marketplace, and interested buyers can contact the seller to get more information and express any interest in purchasing. An Ad Format listing costs a flat $9.95 for 30 days. (There are no Final Value Fees.) Prospective buyers who want more information can use the Contact Seller button on the listing to learn more.

   Ad Format listings will appear with other auction or Fixed Price items when you search or browse. They will have an icon next to them on the Search & Listings pages to indicate that they are Ad Format listings.

   We’ve started a thread on the Seller Central discussion board for members to leave their comments and suggestions about Ad Format. To access that thread, please click here.
   http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000229728

   Sincerely,

   Erik Rannala
   Senior Manager, eBay Product Marketing
4. Richard says:

   December 14, 2006 at 3:43 pm

   Hi Jim how do I handle this for the eaby classified.

   Your listing cannot contain javascript (“.cookie”, “cookie(“, “replace(“, IFRAME, META, or includes), cookies or base href.
5. Anonymous says:

   December 26, 2006 at 2:54 pm

   eBay’s Awesome new lead generation system – the ebay classifieds

   eBay just recently added a new feature called ebay classifieds. The most amazing thing is you can actually put a link directly back to your site. Experts and people who are actually making money are using this to get more leads and so can you. It’s a …
6. Jules says:

   April 20, 2007 at 5:50 am

   Hi Jim,

   Been receiving your newsletter for about 2 yrs now, to be hoonest not done much online, been too busy working for a living.

   These videos got me really excited because have a couple of projects on the go at last and need to generate leads.

   However I am based in the UK and it appears I am unable to use classified ads on ebay.co.uk in the way you describe, which is frustrating.

   Still looking into it but it appears the only way is to re-register with ebay.com and therein lies the problem. Don’t have a USA address! As soon as I go for UK address it takes me back to .co.uk!!!

   Any Ideas??

   Plus us Brits get stung for £12.99 almost 250% of US price but hey, still cheap for lead gen.

   Regards

   Jules
7. Don says:

   February 6, 2010 at 12:58 pm

   I think that is awsome.. I’ already got my thinking cap on for some of the niches that I have going on now…

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