Yahoo! Spots Silver Lining in Slipping Auctions Volume

Everything's under control, folks.

That's what Yahoo! (YHOO Quote) is saying after the number of auctions listed on the site apparently plummeted about 90% over the past month.

Coming after Yahoo! Auctions started charging listing fees, the drop-off has been seen, rightly or wrongly, as a litmus test for Yahoo!'s strategy of diversifying its revenue streams beyond the advertising dollars that account for a clear majority of its top line. Along with other efforts, such as expanding corporate products, Yahoo! is beginning to roll out a series of fees for specialized services, despite its consumer image as a place on the Internet where information and services are free.

Yahoo! doesn't dispute articles, such as one in TheStreet.com, alleging that the number of listings on the service has declined. Rather, the company says it expected a drop-off in listings, and the number of listings doesn't matter. ...