The Biz of Coding

eBay tells Google to Stop Fcuking Around. Google Stops

by Ujwal Tickoo on June 14th, 2007

I have said it before and I say it again. Google cannot use its might in Search to mess with other online players. When Google launched Checkout I predicted trust issues in my posts Flaws in Google's Strategy and Why eBay Inc is worried about Google. It came in big light with Google fcuking with eBay's official community/partners party and then getting slapped straight in face.

It all started when Google tried to ruin eBay's "eBay Live" Party in Boston — June 14 - 16. Google Checkout Blog announced a party in Boston on June 14 for the attendees of eBay Live party with the arrogant heading "Let Freedom Ring":

Are you an online seller attending eBay Live! in Boston this week? If so, join us for a celebration of user choice at the Google Checkout Freedom Party on Thursday night (6/14).

Dude! They are screwing big-time with a major Ad-partner I screamed in my head when I read this post. Then I kept quite waiting to see what eBay does. They turned around pulled off their Ads from Google. Basically telling Google to fcuking shut-up and behave. Google behaved. After eBay removed its Ads Google relented and cancelled its Boston party:

eBay Live attendees have plenty of activities to keep them busy this week in Boston, and we did not want to detract from that activity. After speaking with officials at eBay, we at Google agreed that it was better for us not to feature this event during the eBay Live conference.

eBay did show some clear sense of purpose and what it takes to teach bullies a lesson. I am impressed. Floored actually. This is what I had in my post Why eBay is Worried about Google:

It is quite clear that Google's un-strategy of trying to be both a search engine serving ads along with a portal like provider of eCommerce and Content services will make it a untrusted entity in the Internet world. 

This is what I had said in my post Google's Strategy Anyone?

The long term result of this "we do everything" un-strategy will be the same results that Microsoft (MSFT) is not very unfamiliar with today:

• animosity and mistrust by other Tech firms
• slow but sure exit of talented and sensitive employees
• diassociation of the term "innovative" with the company
• stagnation of stock prices

Overall it seems like someone in the Google Checkout marketing team just decided to mess with eBay perhaps without discussing with Management. I doubt that if consulted Senior Managers at Google would have agreed to take such an abrasive step against a partner especially of the size of eBay. Here is some more interesting coverage from IDG on this issue. Here is CNET's coverage.

Also of interest Dot Com War 2.0 — eBay & Yahoo Join Forces

POSTED IN: eBay