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EBay strikes deal with Web retailer Buy.com -NYT

Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:56am EDT

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July 14 (Reuters) - EBay Inc (EBAY.O) has struck a deal with Web retailer Buy.com allowing it to sell millions of books, DVDs, electronics and other items on the online auction website without paying the full complement of eBay fees, the New York Times said.

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The move is an attempt by eBay to lure consumers, who are now showing more interest in fixed-price listings than online auctions, the paper said.

The Buy.com deal has added over 5 million fixed-price listings to eBay.com since the beginning of 2008 for items ranging from Xbox 360 video game consoles to Weber grills, the newspaper said on its website.

The change, one of several under eBay's new chief John Donahoe, has upset several smaller sellers.

Since eBay's search listings favor larger sellers who can add perks like free shipping, which improve their feedback ratings, Buy.com's presence has hurt many smaller sellers that compete in those product categories, the paper said.

The deal will fill gaps in its eBay's product offerings while making shopping more predictable, the online auction website told the paper.

Details of eBay's deal with Buy.com are being kept private, though it appears from the sheer number of Buy.com listings flooding the site that Buy.com is not paying listing fees, the Times said.

EBay was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan in Bangalore; Editing by Quentin Bryar)

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