Yahoo! Australia is still considering whether to charge for its auction listings, amid reports in the US that the move has led to a drop in auction activity.
"We're still on a free platform, we're looking at the option of moving over to a paid platform for auction listings," a spokesperson for Yahoo! Australia told ZDNet.
In the US, the number of auction listings on the Yahoo! site had plunged in response to a fee paid service established last month.
However, Yahoo! Australia believes this is not necessarily a negative reaction, saying that some listings are shifting across to the classified section, making more room for better quality items in the auction space.
"Somethings are better to sell at the auctions, as they are variable prices; others are better suited to the classifieds," the spokesperson said.
"These fees will ultimately improve the quality of items listed on the Yahoo! site, thereby making it easier for buyers and sellers to connect and transact more easily and effectively as there will be less clutter," she said.
"If they weren't true auctions to begin with, it's actually a very positive thing."
Yahoo! Australia & New Zealand Auction service believes the current no-fee system is working well, claiming the local portal has thousands of listings at any one time.
"There is less of a rush here to bring it in because things are tracking smoothly here. If the US proves to be good and if it would be more profitable for us, we will look at it."
Hi , First off i am not in favour of yahoo charging for thier auctions BUT if and as it is at present all the clutter wasnt on the auction pages it could be a better idea as to what we have now
I have only just joined up to yahoo and i find it extremely difficult to even put any auction on due to all the advertising that surronds a auction page and thats just searching for auctions
I note that to find out how to actualy commence an auction is just about impossible it one big mess up at yahoo.
They need to be a whole lot clearer to the ppl whom wish to put auction on I have been a member of ebay (Fee bay!!) for 4.5 years and have never had such a mess as yahoo has when i put an auction on Its Time YAHOO cleaned it act up and started to make auctions easier and smoother to apply then it is now
So if that was what is going to happen by introducing fee,s i have to say a small fee would be worth not having to go through all the rot we have to go through now
regards
sonya