Vzaar Allows Video Ads In eBay Auctions

Anyone who has sold items using eBay (or even Craigslist) knows how much more potential an item has to sell when a photo is provided. And 'actual' images are better than the 'stock' photos that some sellers download from the manufacturer's website. Prospective buyers don't just want to read a description, they want to see exactly what they would be spending their money on since some sellers can be very vague with their words.

For this reason, several services such as Auctiva, MyEasyPics, BiggerBids, and even eBay's own Picture Manager have become profitable in offering indispensable tools to eBay sellers.

Now, with the popularity of online video rapidly growing, vzaar is aiming to take eBay auctions to the next level by allowing sellers to include short video ads (2-3 minutes maximum) of their items within listings… YouTube-style. The London-based startup, which was launched last September in the UK (March 2008 in US), claims to already have more than 5,000 sellers now using videos in their auction listings. At the end of every video, users will find information about the seller, such as his/her feedback rating as well as the amount of bidding time left on the auction. All videos use a Flash interface that can be embedded within other web pages (just like YouTube videos), and vzaar even keep visitors to its site updated with the most recent video advertisements uploaded for auctions.

“Videos provide sellers with a distinct advantage in the competitive eBay market, but it has always been a challenge trying to add videos to listings,” said Ken Moss, CEO of vzaar. “Unlike other video solutions designed for entertainment, we built vzaar specifically for video commerce. Once buyers and sellers first see a video-enabled eBay listing, they want them for all listings.”

For free, sellers can post up to 30 videos (2 minutes each) per month with a 1GB storage limit. The Plus ($10/mo) and Pro ($20/mo) service plans allow for up to 3,000 video uploads per month, 2GB storage and an increased 3-minute video time limit (Pro accounts only). The prices seem quite competitive though, considering that eBay charges $24.99 per month for 1GB of storage with its Picture Manager.

Vzaar has done a great job in keeping the service simple and even provides a wealth of help from FAQs to how-to guides and even tips on shooting video. The service proudly states on its homepage that it is not only eBay-compatible, but an eBay-approved video provider and developer, meaning safety and security.

With the widespread use of online video already established, eBay customers will surely clamor over the interactive element of being able to see an item from every angle, and that undoubtedly means that seller will provide what buyers hope to see. Those looking for a reliable, running car will be able to see (and hear) how well a car starts, and people buying electronics will be able to see an item power on and function before committing to buy it. Who knows… maybe video will help eBay get back some of the luster it lost after the web 2.0 era struck the internet.