Google is beta-testing a "Search Catalogs" feature of over 700 mail-order catalogs. You can enter a search term, like leather boots, and find all leather boots from across all retailers included in the Google Catalog database - with pictures! Right now, there is no charge, but it is likely Google will charge the catalog companies in the future.
This may or may not have implications for eBay, which is chasing retailers, distributors and manufacturers to sell "practicals" (mass merchandise as opposed to collectibles) on its site. It's worth noting that eBay keeps a tight control on how auction sellers can market themselves to shoppers. (You can't link to your own Web site in your auction description; you can't even save a winning bidder's email address to email them in the future.) In contrast, Google is sending shoppers right to the merchants' own Web sites. Keep an eye on Google Catalogs. http://catalogs.google.com
For more information: http://catalogs.google.com/googlecatalogs/help.html http://www.searchenginewatch.com/searchday/searchday.html http://www.msnbc.com/news/673852.asp?0si=-
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