eBay blocks attempts to compare products with rivals

Analysts have condemned eBay's decision to prevent a product comparison service provider from accessing its Web site, claiming that the move runs counter to what the Internet is supposed to stand for.

Auctionwatch.com, which launched its Universal Search service a month ago, enables users to search and compare items across a number auction sites, including those offered by eBay, Yahoo, Amazon.com, and MSN.

But eBay prevented the firm from accessing its servers on Thursday after discussions about allowing it to search the site failed.

Barry Parr, an analyst at IDC, said, however: "If eBay attempts to cordon off pieces of the Net that noone else can get to, a huge advantage of the Internet goes away. To lock off parts of the Net ultimately hurts everyone."

Rodrigo Sales, Auctionwatch.com's chief executive, agreed: ""We are extremely disappointed that eBay has decided to build a wall around their marketplace and put their own interests ahead of their customers and of the Internet at large. We view their actions as anti consumer and in violation of the spirit of the Internet."

But Ebay countered that such a service would violate its intellectual property. An spokesperson said: "It's just trespassing and stealing of information."