Similarly, skepticism abounds about Internet phone service, also known as VoIP. Wall Street analysts have long questioned the $2.6 billion that eBay paid for Skype last year. Others wonder about the appeal of click-to-call services.
"The whole purpose of online storefronts was to be 24/7 without a human body," says Andy Abramson of the blog VoIP Watch, in an interview. He adds that click-to-call won't be useful to customers if a merchant isn't around to receive a voice mail. Google and eBay executives both say that they are pleased with the deal. "We think that click-to-call is a great way to monetize Skype," says Alex Kazim, Skype's president. The alliance between Google and eBay, which also includes text-based advertising outside the U.S., came as a surprise. Media reports, which the companies have downplayed, have focused on the growing rivalry between the two, particularly in the areas of online payments. Plus, eBay signed a similar partnership with Yahoo!(GOOG Quote) for its U.S.-based auctions in May. "If anything, I think Google having international is a better deal than Yahoo! having the U.S.," because the growth rates are better, says Pyykkonen.- Loading Comments...
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