CNET reports today on the quiet unveiling of Wal-Mart’s free online classified ads. The retail giant’s listings (currently in beta) are powered by start-up company Oodle, who added its existing listings from more than 80,000 sites to Wal-Mart’s offerings.
Wal-Mart’s service, like Craigslist, allows buyers and sellers alike to post and search for the items they so desire, grouped by category in major US cities. However, the services are not identical: unlike Craigslist, advertisers can pay Oodle to have their products and services placed higher in search results.
Wal-Mart has started programs of this nature in the past only to discontinue them, including movie downloads. I think the overt paid placement listings might hinder Wal-Mart’s success in this project, since part of Craigslist’s appeal is in its lack of sponsored search results.
The average consumer searching for a coffee table is not interested in receiving ads—only in finding the best coffee table for the cheapest price. For now, I’ll stick with Craigslist and see how this plays out.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
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