Hosted VoIP

Web auctioneer eBay (News - Alert) has reportedly blocked embedded voice links from JAJAH on its auction site. Jajah says this move by eBay raises concerns about anti-competitive behavior. According to Jajah, eBay removed listings of sellers who used Jajah’s technology. Some times ago, Jajah had introduced a technology called ‘Buttons,’ which let potential buyers connect with sellers through a click-to-call button embedded in their advertisement. Jajah’s Buttons allowed sellers to place widgets in blogs or emails and the potential buyers make inexpensive calls to sellers without the seller giving out his or her phone number.

 

Although eBay has blocked the JAJAH VoIP links from its site on the grounds of protecting its site from unauthorized or insecure links that could harm its business, Jajah alleges that the underlying reason for blocking its links is clear: eBay wants to discourage users from using VoIP services other than its own Skype (News - Alert). eBay had sent emails to its sellers in the U.S. and Italy telling them that the usage of Jajah’s technology violated eBay’s link policy.

 

eBay’s response to the allegations was that it does not allow Skype buttons either. In a message, Skype’s spokesperson indicated that Jajah’s Buttons violates its links policy in every country in which eBay does business, and that it will continue to remove listings that include Jajah’s Buttons.

 

Jajah maintains that if its buttons are on eBay’s site, it will be profitable to eBay too, as every phone call has the potential to turn into a monetary transaction, and when goods are sold, eBay stands to make money.

 

Certainly, it is hardly surprising that, given the service eBay provides, that it chose to acquire a VoIP service — it is a prefect complement to eBay’s auction service.  However, it is strange that eBay now sees competitive service providers a potential threat, despite the fact they would be working off the eBay site.