Google and eBay join forces for advertising partnership

by Sarah Woods, Brand Republic 29-Aug-06, 08:50

LONDON - Google and eBay have signed an advertising and 'click-to-call' phone deal, designed to benefit customers and advertisers.

As part of the deal, Google will become the exclusive provider of advertising on eBay's sites in all countries outside the United States. This will provide Google's advertisers access to the auction site while making it easier for eBay buyers to find the products they seek.

In addition, eBay and Google plan to launch a "click-to-call" service to link eBay's net phone service Skype and Google's messaging and voice telephone service Google Talk. This will allow eBay buyers to call sellers by clicking a link on a webpage.

The auction site and the search engine plan to launch the service, which will be evaluated over a period of several months, in 2007. The companies said the financial terms for the deal involves revenue sharing, but did not disclose specific details.

In May, Yahoo! and eBay formed a similar partnership designed to expand their companies by better serving customers and advertisers. The deal consisted of four major components in the areas of search and graphical advertising, online payments, a co-branded toolbar, as well as click-to-call.

Meg Whitman, president and chief executive of eBay, said: "By combining the power of eBay in e-commerce and Skype in communications with Google's leadership in search and advertising, we can increase the usefulness of the internet for shoppers, merchant and advertisers around the world."

Eric Schmidt, chief executive of Google, said: "Our technologies will allow us to connect users to relevant advertising across eBay's international properties. By working together to promote click-to-call functionality, we are offering advertisers another innovative way to connect with customers."

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