DM News: EBay Outlines Integrated Marketing Bid

At a direct marketing conference, an eBay representative outlines the auction giants marketing plans, explaining how it manages more than 100 individual campaigns a month, largely to its 100 million-strong user base. Not surprisingly, the online-only firm employs online marketing to do the heavy lifting.

Print is often used to target potential auction sellers, as are promotions, PR efforts and a very small amount of television. The TV part may rear up, though, as eBay hired Goodby, Silverstein & Partners last fall to start tinkering with creative, and that shop never met a network buy it didn't like.

In the past few years, eBay simplified its set of offers, selling 18 different propositions rather than the two-year high of 32. The basic messaging out there now stresses that eBay sells a diverse set of categories, it's safe and very efficient.

The company relies on partnerships with Yahoo, MSN, AOL and others to manage its search and portal exposure.