Google Auctions?

rdwarr

It seems that almost every month there's a new online auction set up to "rival eBay". None of them succeeds, mainly because they are unable to attract customers.
Since QXL lost the plot the only viable alternative to eBay in the UK was Yahoo! Auctions but it's now four years since that closed down.

There are now just a handful of companies capable of creating a viable alternative to eBay. I include Amazon and Microsoft in the list but the main player has got to be Google. Speculation has been rife this year that there will be some sort of auction offering and this was further fuelled by the recent launch of Google payments; quickly dismissed by eBay themselves.

eBay's critics claim that its monopolistic position has caused it to offer poor customer service and that security is poor. It's become a Mecca for stolen or non-existent goods, pirate software and scam buyers. Is the time now right for a major rival to chance their arm?

rdwarr

Just found this article which implies they can do it almost at will now.

Soprano

rdwarr wrote:

Just found this article which implies they can do it almost at will now.

Some very interesting points there. As great as eBay has been for me personally, I do not like their total domination in online auctions.

eBay is making too much profit for every other company to just ignore...

D@rkle

I've said this a few times in other posts here.

The only people capapble of taking on ebay effectivly would be google, and because they'd work from the ground up, hopefully they could eliminate some of the fraud elements.

I think very suddenly, you'd see a stark change in Ebay policy!

rdwarr

I was thinking this a few steps further last night and got roughly to the year 2030 when (as well as my Driving Licence running out) it's possible that Microsoft/Google/eBay will be able to assume control of the world's economy.
Think about it - if everybody is using Paypal or Google money who needs the "real" stuff?