Yahoo raises rates on biz express (part 2)

[skibum]

Continued from Part 1: [webmasterworld.com...]

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YAHOO!'s business problem is focus. They simply don't have one. Google is leading the pack because they focus on search results, and arguably provide untainted search results better than anyone else. When most people think of Google, they probaby think of good search results, when those same people think of YAHOO!, what comes to mind? Probably nothing in particular.

[mivox]

when those same people think of YAHOO!, what comes to mind?

I think of comparison shopping in the Yahoo Shopping area... find lots of cheap computer/electrnics stuff there. That's about all I use Yahoo for, except for my yahoo-mail-for-when-I-expect-to-get-spam address.

[bigjohnt]

>YAHOO!'s business problem is focus.

I disagree that they have no focus.
They are very quickly moving into a subscriber model, adding services like Yahoo Messenger, voice chat, emulating the AOL model and moving away from the search portal that they were. (I will attend their local upcoming job fair for research purposes.)
The submission fee uptick is a natural, following LS - who could argue that LS is more valuable a listing than Yahoo? ( I am sure that many could, I'm being rhetorical.. ;) )I, for one, am surprised that LS went up FIRST.

[skibum]

I agreee they are moving toward a subscriber model, but IMHO, they are trying to do all kinds of things and that is not focus. Amazon is following a similar path, they've got a very well known name, but known for what? When I think of ______, I think of Amazon (or YAHOO!) - nothing really come to mind. They are trying to do everything.

Successful web companies may use a variety of different models, but they are generally known for something, Google in search results, Ebay in Auctions for example. The focus of AOL is not the subscriber model, but (up to this point anyway) idiot proof Internet access. The only company that can knock Google off its perch is Google. Should Google decide to try to become a YAHOO!; WiseNut, Teoma or some other search company with a focus would probably step in and kick butt.

This is kinda wandering off topic.....

[Liane]

I suppose I represent the "little guy" as well as anyone else. I just submitted my yahoo listing a month and a half ago and am very relieved that I beat the price increase ... but having said that, I have to admit that I would have found the extra $100.00 somehow for the privilege of being in the Yahoo directory.

As others have pointed out, print advertising is *far more expensive* and in almost all cases, you do not get the international exposure you get on the internet. The number of reader impressions the internet offers far exceeds that which any newspaper or magazine can provide!

I do agree that not announcing a price increase is (simply put) p*ss poor customer relations and for that Yahoo gets a big thumb's down. The arrogance is astounding! If they had done this the day before I submitted, I would have been devastated and it would have delayed my plan to list. But pay the extra money? ... yup, I would have *grudgingly* done it just the same.

<Yahoo! lets you in......gives you a good placement and listing......you're site is now there - for good. >

The only question I have is, "How long is for good?"