eBay Contextual Ads Can Be a Bit Too Graphic
eBay launched eBay AdContext a while back and ShoeMoney is currently running those ads on his blog. When I went to his site yesterday, I notice that one of the ads (aka listings) had a racy image of a woman in a bikini (or at leas that is what the ad implied). You can see a screen capture of the ad here.
The ad was contextually relevant, in terms of the service selling web site submission services on a site mostly SEO related. But the image the eBay seller uploaded with his listing, was not contextually related to the ad, nor the site audience.
Should eBay allow merchants to control those images? I think they have no choice in that matter.
Should eBay display those images in the contextual ads? I think they are taking a huge risk by doing so.
Forum discussion at Search Engine Roundtable Forums.
Like The Story? Vote For It On Yahoo Buzz! Or On Sphinn!
rustybrick in Contextual Ads at August 22, 2006 7:47 AM
Comments (2)
Sphinn 
• Tweet This! 
• Digg 
• Delicious 
• StumbleUpon 
• Google Co-op 
Comments
Of course the picture is not out of the line.
The image is uploaded by the seller and eBay has little control over it. As for it being not relevant to their listing, if it were really irrelevant, the seller will be "punished" by less bidding action. Its free market at its best.
Should eBay use image on their banner ads? Of course! That is the whole point! For buyers to see the image and want to buy the item.
Posted by Dominic at August 22, 2006 11:21