Anybody plan on using Kijiji?

[Jeff AMN]

eBay has launched their version of craigslist and it has some pretty decent features. I like that you can sign up for email alerts based on searches. Right now I'm set to receive alerts on anything that would fall under Salt Lake City "arcade" or "pinball."

I think it's safe to say that eBay will be shoving Kijiji in everybody's faces soon enough, even though it doesn't carry the eBay branding at all. With the advertising and media blitz it should receive, I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of average joe sellers using the service along with craigslist. With the email alerts maybe I'll have a bit better luck scoring a nice cab or two.

If anybody's interested in check it out, here's the link: http://kijiji.com

[More Cowbell]

I just heard about this a few days ago and checked it out today. Looks nice, it just doesn't have the following of Craigslist yet. Maybe it will prompt Craigslist to move past the text look and add some gallery pics and other features.

[Angry_Radish]

I thought eBay already owned 90something percent of craigslist anyway?

[ChadTower]

Probably with the intention of taking most of its features, implementing a slicker app, and shutting CL down.  That is how acquisition works in this field.

[Jeff AMN]

Probably with the intention of taking most of its features, implementing a slicker app, and shutting CL down.  That is how acquisition works in this field.

Typically, but I think craigslist will have a different type of audience. I doubt that they'll shut down craigslist in the end. There's a reason there isn't any eBay branding on either site...

[ChadTower]

Ebay doesn't usually brand their "other" sites that I've ever seen.  You don't see very many Ebay logos even on Paypal.

[CheffoJeffo]

Kijiji has been running for a couple of years here and I monitor it regularly. I haven't bought anything I found on it though (and I have from both eBay and CL).

Maybe volume will pick up now that it has launched south of the border. 

[Jeff AMN]

Ebay doesn't usually brand their "other" sites that I've ever seen.  You don't see very many Ebay logos even on Paypal.

Right, and I think that's to keep them separate in the eyes of the general public. Hopefully they don't mess with craigslist though.

[CheffoJeffo]

I thought eBay already owned 90something percent of craigslist anyway?

The number I have in my head is 25% and even that 25% didn't make much sense to me from a business model standpoint.

[ChadTower]

It does if you want to infuse enough cash to keep the venture afloat just long enough to transition its userbase over to your own new service.  I would imagine somewhere along the line Ebay would be acquiring more so that they would have the power to shut it down once it is superfluous.  Could be they started with 25% and then made their way to 90% for that reason.

[Angry_Radish]

Yep, 25, you are right..
This pretty much says it all: http://www.itworld.com/Tech/2987/nlsblog070710/

I thought eBay already owned 90something percent of craigslist anyway?

The number I have in my head is 25% and even that 25% didn't make much sense to me from a business model standpoint.

[Havok]

eBay has launched their version of craigslist and it has some pretty decent features. I like that you can sign up for email alerts based on searches. Right now I'm set to receive alerts on anything that would fall under Salt Lake City "arcade" or "pinball."

You can do this with CL too - just use an RSS feed. I do the same thing with my local CL...

[Angry_Radish]

Yup, same here, Arcade Rss and pinball RSS  on craigslist