Home › Forums › Archives › Site News & Announcements › Instant Messaging News › AIM News › eBay Enlists New
- This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 22 years, 2 months ago by BigBlueBall News.
-
AuthorPosts
-
March 18, 2002 at 6:00 am #16147BigBlueBall NewsMember
CNET
March 18, 2002
eBay has brought on a new pitchman for its bidding network on America Online: an instant messenger “buddy.”
The online auctioneer has introduced an interactive agent to promote eBay with a limited number of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) users. Launched last week, the agent, called My eBay Buddy, can be added to AIM’s “buddy list”; it interacts with people by answering basic questions about the auction site. For example, AIM users can find out how to sell items, register on eBay or search for merchandise.
The buddys chief occupation, however, is to direct AOL users back to eBays Web site to boost auction participation by AOLs 34 million members.
“The idea is to have an interactive component for AOL members to introduce and educate them about eBay,” said eBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove.
The buddy is the latest facet of eBays multiyear marketing partnership with AOL, which was designed to cross-promote the two networks. The companies market each others services through banner advertisements and links throughout their Web sites.
By adding IM as a promotional tool, eBay can appeal to a widening core of people using instant messenger to chat with friends, get information or navigate the Web.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.