Ebay’s long history in E-Commerce (its Sept. 1995 launch made it one of the very first E-Commerce companies to launch, although Amazon’s July 1994 launch beat it by more than a year) has always been about consumer-to-consumer purchases. This week, it launched a geolocation-based app called Close 5 that continues the tradition, positioning it for a fight with the likes of Threadflip and Classy, according to a story in Mobile Commerce Daily.
“Close 5 allows users to buy and sell products within their area and perform local exchanges instead of shipping those items and is currently limited to San Diego residents, who now can conduct local transactions with others in their area. To get locals interested, a current contest entices users to submit a photo of their messiest closet or garage to enter for a chance to win a certificate for a closet or garage makeover,” the story said. “Close 5 is also celebrating the launch of the app by making a donation to a San Diego charity every time a user downloads the app.”
The app’s interactions are straight-forward. A seller shoots a photo of the item and uploads it to the app, where the seller writes a description. The app’s chat function allows for any of the specifics to be worked out between buyer and seller, with eBay taking its regular cut.
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