August 2006
***eBay Keywords Program Being Discontinued***
August 23, 2006 | 01:00PM PST/PT
eBay will be discontinuing the eBay Keywords program at the end of September. The program, which allowed eBay sellers to bid for keywords for text ad placements, will be phased out as follows:
The week of September 5th, existing eBay Keywords text box ad placements will be removed from search results pages. eBay Keywords customers will still have access to larger graphical ad placements through the end of the month.
On September 30th the program will close. (No ad placement inventory will be available for the eBay Keywords program.)
"The eBay Keywords program has been used by a very small percentage of eBay members since its launch in 2003. Sellers who have participated in the eBay Keywords program will receive an email with more information about the closing of the eBay Keywords program."
Hmmmm, talk about being transparent. First they jack up store fees to force their hand concerning 'auction style' listings. Then they take away their keyword program. Gee, that makes sense (if you're eBay, that is). I use to run a Featured Store. Using the keywords DID drive traffic to my listings. It DID work. I downgraded to a regular store because I wasn't consistently listing to justify a Featured Store. My best guess is this, they've 'partnered' with Yahoo, wait and see the keyword / search deal they toss out to eBayers later on. I'm sure more money for them! Lol, have they no shame? Methinks not!
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