Oct 10, 2007 06:24 PM
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San Francisco, 3:13 PM
Tue Feb 9
56 posts in the last 24 hours
Online auction house eBay wants you to bring the hammer down, as it were, on the people nearest you. A much-needed redesign begins with the introduction of Neighborhoods, its version of a social network. Neighborhoods are really just a mashup of existing features: eBay listings, blogs, eBay Guides, reviews, and updated message boards. These old features are now on one page and contain the social connections people have come to expect from today's websites. They're also more visually appealing to the simple-minded — look, more pictures! While it's a necessary step, retreading the jargon and features of Web 2.0 and social networks already feels stale. And will it really spur more auctions? The "Neighborhoods" moniker reminds me of nothing more than Mr. Rogers — quaint, cuddly, but antiquated. eBay had better hope that other more functional features like an enhanced checkout, bid assistance, visual "window shopping," and a desktop application actually spur new sales. Instead of being my neighbor, try saving me some labor.
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