eBay entered into an agreement with Sales OnLine Direct to offer an online appraisal service on its site. eBay will market CollectingChannel.com's Ask the Appraiser service, and the two companies will share revenues. The service costs $19.95 for each online appraisal. The co-branded site can be found at http://www.CollectingChannel.com/ata.
In March of 2001, eBay had entered into an exclusive agreement with eppraisals.com, an online appraisal service founded by Leslie Hindman, which ceased operations several months later. AuctionWatch also stopped its online appraisal service last year.
While the online appraisal service is being marketed by the two companies as a way to "enhance trust and confidence among buyers and sellers by providing accurate descriptions and valuations of the items," appraisers do not see the item in person and must rely on the owner's description. An in-person appraisal is required for insurance purposes, for making IRS deductions on donations over $5000, for estate tax liabilities, for divorce cases, and for functions in which litigation is a possibility.
In February, Sales Online Direct hired David Maloney, a nationally renowned appraiser and author, as Chief Appraisal Officer. In addition to offering their appraisal services, Ask the Appraiser's experts will appear regularly on eBay to conduct live chats and help sessions covering their specialties.
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