Over 300 newspapers have joined together with Ranger Data Technologies to launch a new online auction site called Boocoo that would compete with eBay, and hopefully boost newspapers’ revenues. The auction site puts an emphasis on local auctions.

Could an online auction site help newspapers in the revenue department? Tell us what you think.

If there’s one thing that’s sure to turn the heads of bargain-seekers, it’s the word "free," and a new eBay program capitalizes on this fact by waiving some insertion fees.  Unfortunately, there is a catch or two, and the auction company doesn’t seem likely to win over many of its critics with this move.

Early last year, eBay inflicted some damaging policy changes that sent many sellers running for the hills. Now, they apparently are changing the rules to remove negative comments left by customers towards the sellers.

Psychology researchers have suggested fear of losing drives up auction prices, not more “rational” economic principles. So the next time you sense you’re overbidding on eBay, you probably are, not due to any theoretical “price the market will bear,” but instead due to some competitive wiring in your brain that says win at all costs.

Things aren’t cool anymore once everybody starts doing them, that’s the Law of Cool*. The same applies to selling one’s immortal soul on the Internet, which has entered let’s-throw-a-toga-party-like-they-did-on-Animal-House status**.  Our latest soul peddler is from New Zealand, who learned like others before him that hosted auction websites don’t want anywhere near his soul or lack thereof.

The auction-based process used by Google and other search advertising companies sets the keyword price for ads, in a way that Google’s chief economist described as an efficient and equitable process.

The price for inserting media like books, movies, music, and video games on eBay drops in response to angry seller feedback.

People sell all kinds of stuff on eBay. The past brings us listings for immortal souls (deleted), Britney Spears hair (mostly deleted), and even cruel Christmas presents (deleted pronto). And now someone is selling his personal data to the highest bidding marketer.

The minor shuffling Yahoo undertook last year saw the formation of three divisions to oversee the company’s operations. Yahoo Network Division head Jeff Weiner explained how it’s going to work.

Those “Highlander” movies (and the television series) are fairly fuzzy memories for me, but I’m quite sure that they involved a bunch of guys running around, chopping each other’s heads off, and absorbing each other’s power.  Well, Yahoo Auctions pretty much decapitated itself, but that act effectively leaves eBay as “the only one.”

In June, Yahoo will give up competing with eBay and other auction sites in the US and Canada by shuttering Yahoo Auctions.

Google, Yahoo, and eBay have enlisted satellite carriers EchoStar and DirecTV to help them lobby the Federal Communications Commission about keeping a close eye on how spectrum auctions are conducted. The alliance aims to put tighter reins on incumbent last mile providers of broadband access.

The last mile and who controls it has been a mounting concern among the major "network-less" players like Google, Yahoo, and eBay. The concern rises from suspicion of the telecommunications industry, and its control over chokepoints.

Since the dawn of EverQuest, the godfather of Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORPGs), companies have turned a tidy profit from selling virtual items and currency that only exist within the game in exchange for real life cash.

Google’s plan to adapt its auction-based advertising system to non-search and offline media, plus the gathering momentum of eBay’s E-Media Exchange, have caused the term “Auction Media” to begin appearing more frequently in industry news coverage.

On Monday eBay said that it had a special announcement for sometime Tuesday regarding a new incorporation of Skype technology for its online auction house. Bill Cobb, president of eBay North America, announced sellers can begin placing “Skype Me” buttons alongside product listings.

Welcome to the brave new world of convergence, one in which the Web more closely resembles TV, and new forms of TV advertising rely on methods and technologies which proved their worth on the Web.

There’s nothing like the simple joys of finding something on eBay, putting in a bid, watching the auction clock tick down, and having someone snipe the item out from under the rest of the bidders.

When you leak news of further diversification, the market often punishes. After record earnings, though, this news of Google’s development of an auction service pushes the stock up another six bucks. I suppose that’s a buy on rumor reaction.

Are you planning to sell on eBay? Or have you tried in the past but not had much success with your online auctions? If so, here’s a strategy that has worked very well for me.

You may be in the market for a new website. Perhaps you may be looking for a new logo or a database constructed for yourself or a small business.

Banner-alike real-time auctioning Web Services can be easily incorporated into websites – just like a regular banner.

Many people have not considered the value of using online auction houses, such as eBay and Yahoo! Auctions, to promote their own businesses. No matter your business, with a little creativity, you can use this tool to market yourself.