04-06-2006, 09:11 AM
Quote: After years of resisting the idea, eBay is quietly opening up some of its back-end technology so high-tech vendors can run their own B2B auctions offsite.
I chatted Tuesday with Mike Hackett, senior manager of business development for the e-commerce powerhouse, who says eBay has been testing under the radar two different services that could have implications for the channel, especially those of the e-tailer or volume reseller ilk...
The first service, a concept that it has started marketing under the name Private Marketplace, lets companies invite their resellers to compete for excess inventory in an off-eBay e-commerce site. Hackett says the companies who have chosen to use it, such as one of Hewlett-Packards European divisions, generally are limiting who can participate to authorized VARs. Other companies that have signed on: Wal-Mart, Circuit City and the federal government of Mexico...
full article: http://www.crn.com/sections/software/sof...=184428738