Overture auto-bidding

it goes up, but does it go down?

[Weblamer]

Hello,

Concerning the overture autobidding tool. Lets say I want to beat my competetor, so I jack my bid for a keyword to 20 bucks a click. His autobidding tool kicks in, and yanks it up to $20.05. I figure this is too rich for my blood, so i drop it to $0.05 . Will his auto bidding tool automaticcally brings his back down to $0.06, or is he stuck at $20.05?

[Mardi_Gras]

Assuming there is no one else between the two bids, his bid will drop back down.

[jatar_k]

The way I understand it his bid will still say 20.05 but he will only pay one cent more than the person below him, in this case, 0.06

[seth_wilde]

The current auto bidding tool at overture doesn't work the way your described. All it really does is make sure that your only paying $.01 more than the max bid of the listing below you. It will not automatically raise your max bid.

[Mardi_Gras]

Jatar_K - YOur answer was more complete than mine. His bid will not change, but the amount he is charged per click will drop down.

[Mardi_Gras]

seth_wilde - I was assuming the other bidder had a maximum bid of at least 20.05. Of course, that "max bid" ceiling is set by the bidder - not by the level of other bids. Maximum paid per click -up to the max bid - is determined by the other bids.

[Weblamer]

Ok, just checking.

One of our competetors is a company that is buying out the first 3 spots for a primary keyword. They get around the overture rule by having 3 seperate web domains, however it is all the same company. it gets really fustrating at time.

[seth_wilde]

Mardi_Gras - I think you, jatar, and I were all typing at the same time.. My comment was not directed at you two..

"first 3 spots"

Collect evidence that they control all three and then send it to overture. You're only allowed to have one listing.

[Mardi_Gras]

I don't think they are actually getting around the Overture TOS. Overture (per some other posts on this very topic) seems very reluctant to enforce their TOS when doing so drives down bids.

[Mardi_Gras]

My comment was not directed at you two

No problem - you made a valid point :)

[Weblamer]

"I don't think they are actually getting around the Overture TOS. Overture (per some other posts on this very topic) seems very reluctant to enforce their TOS when doing so drives down bids."

I am well aware of the fact. I have reported it before, and i just get ignored.

Overture, like most dot-coms, are more interested in the money than keeping things fair.

[seth_wilde]

It is possible to get them removed you just have to be persistent. The first time I had somebody removed, I called (equipped with incriminating whois data) every couple of weeks for several months before I was successful.

After I got an agency account I was able to get a site removed within a week.

[jatar_k]

Weblamer, overture cares, as long as they are the same company they will stop it. I've had it stopped before.

[Mardi_Gras]

I'm not sure I share jatar_K's conviction on that last point.:) For some other perspectives, check out this recent thread.

[webmasterworld.com...]

[jatar_k]

I admit that I have been burned a few times and I have had people burned. You just have to be able to talk to someone there who can actually do something about it.

I guess I should say they care depending on if you or your competitor is the bigger fish in the overture pond. No conviction except for the fact that they love whoever gives them more money.

[Tropical Island]

We have been complaining for 2 months now about 2 identical sites (one is listed as an affiliate) that have absolutely no content related to the search terms - in other words they are spamming. We have received e-mails from "qualityservices" saying they are looking into it however these competitors are large advertisers while we are small and from what I've read in the forums it looks like we are not going to get this problem resolved. It's really frustrating! I'm beginning to lose a little faith in Over. We've been with them from the very beginning. We have no problem with honest competition however this is totally unfair. Does anyone think an e-mail to their clients, like MSN or Altavista would help????