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Auctionbytes-Update, Number 147 - July 24, 2005 - ISSN 1528-6703
This & That: Online Auction Roundup
1) More RSS Services for eBayers
By Ina Steiner
Reminder: AuctionBytes does not endorse the products and services featured in the "This & That" column, which often features new Web sites. (Anyone can set up a Web site.) Fraud has become widespread in the online auction world, and you should think twice before giving private information or User IDs and passwords to any third party.
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Uptier allows sellers to create a code to place in their listings so people (hopefully potential buyers, not competitors) can monitor them through an RSS feed (http://uptier.com). And PowertotheBuyer has feeds of eBay categories (http://www.powertothebuyer.com/rss_feeds.php) as well as an email search service.
2) Coolgoose Community & Auction Site
By Ina Steiner
Sam Dentie wrote me to tell me about his Coolgoose.com Website (http://www.coolgoose.com/sites/sam). He says it's a community of 2.5 million members with 97,000 new accounts opened each month, and they have an auction service.
http://www.coolgoose.com/go/auctions
3) Video for Online Sellers
By Ina Steiner
You may have seen services that let you include audio, video and even cartoon spokespeople in your eBay listings. MarketingSherpa did a write-up of how The Discovery Channel's online store tested a streaming-video spokesperson on their home page. Gives good ideas on what factors went into choosing the format and how to test the results. There's open access to the article until July 29, 2005:
http://www.marketingsherpa.com/sample.cfm?contentID=3033
4) Telesign Verification System
By Ina Steiner
Telesign's has a unique verification system that works like this: after filling out a form on a website, the user is prompted to enter his phone number. A robotic system then places a call to that number and speaks aloud a unique three digit code. Once that code is entered into the website, the authentication is complete. TeleSign says the system forces anonymous users to reveal their working phone numbers, discouraging incidents of fraud. They have an interactive demo on their website. (They said they are also working on an auction-specific service.)
http://www.telesign.com/demo.asp
5) Antiques Roadshow Receives Third Emmy Nomination
By Ina Steiner
The Antiques Roadshow has received a nomination for Outstanding Reality Program in the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Nominations were announced on July 14 by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in North Hollywood, CA. The awards recognize outstanding work for the period of June 1, 2004 through May 31, 2005. This is the third Emmy nomination the show has received in its nine years on PBS.
6) Oyster Software Accounting & CRM
By Ina Steiner
Oyster Software was exhibiting at eBay Live and is readying to launch accounting software and customer-relationship management software for eBayers.
http://oystersoftware.com
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