"Ask the Appraiser" Service Provides eBay
Community with Fast, Convenient, Affordable Access to Appraisal
Specialists
SAN JOSE, Calif., and WORCESTER, Mass., May 2 /PRNewswire/ --
eBay EBAY;
(www.ebay.com), has selected CollectingChannel.com's Ask the
Appraiser(TM) service as a provider of online appraisal services.
Beginning May 2, www.CollectingChannel.com, a subsidiary of Sales
OnLine Direct (OTC Bulletin Board: PAID); (www.paid.com), will make
its "Ask the Appraiser" service available to eBay's buyers and
sellers for appraisals in more than 170 categories of memorabilia,
antiques, and collectibles. The service will help individuals online
learn more about their items before they buy or sell. Sales OnLine
Direct will manage the service and eBay will provide the marketing.
Revenues from the service will be shared between the two companies.
Ask The Appraiser (ATA) is a fun, affordable, and simple online
service for learning the market value of collectible treasures --
from antique furniture and art to collectible cookie jars and
everything in between. Online appraisals offer more than just
opinions of value -- they also provide vital historical and resource
information that enhances the collecting experience. The co-branded
site can be found at www.CollectingChannel.com/ata.
"Our working relationship provides eBay's collectibles community
direct access to ATA experts in scores of collecting categories for
objective information and 'personal use' appraisals of fine art,
antiques and collectibles," said Greg Rotman, CEO of Sales OnLine
Direct. "Technology is revolutionizing the appraisal industry. ATA
is committed to leveraging the Internet and technology to offer the
public easy, convenient, affordable access to professional appraisal
services."
Enhance Credibility, Trust Online
Ask The Appraiser offers users the opportunity to find out how
much their cherished collectibles and antiques are worth in a secure
and professionally regulated environment. Professional appraisals
enhance trust and confidence among buyers and sellers by providing
accurate descriptions and valuations of the items. The ATA helps
eBay buyers learn more about items offered for sale and provides
eBay sellers with the information they need to accurately describe
and price their items.
"Sales OnLine Direct's ATA enhances the online shopper's
experience by giving eBay users convenient access to valuable
objective information, true market value, and qualified experts'
insight," said Jennifer Lindh, Sr. Category Manager of Art &
Antiques at eBay. "We believe the 'Ask the Appraiser' service will
help give eBay buyers and sellers greater confidence in making
purchase decisions."
Ask the Appraiser is unique among online appraisal services in
that it provides users with a link to their appraisal that contains
the valuation, appraiser's anecdotal remarks on the item's
history/origin, as well as the user-provided information and photos
upon which the appraisal was based. Sellers can insert the link on
their online listing page so buyers can view the appraisal.
Industry's Top Appraisers and Specialists
eBay users will have access to fine art, antiques, and
collectibles experts in approximately 170 categories.
"We've assembled appraisers who are the most respected in the
industry for their specialized category knowledge," said David
Maloney, CollectingChannel.com's director of Appraisal Services,
renowned appraiser and collectibles author. "Customers will have
access to renowned experts such as: Fine Arts specialist Barden
Prisant, ISA; Orientalia expert and author Sandra Andacht; Disney
collectibles specialist Joel Cohen, ISA; animation art and character
collectibles appraiser and gallery owner Herbert Barker; wristwatch,
pocket-watch and estate jewelry expert Clark Davis; and
architectural antiques specialists Jill and Web Wilson."
All ATA appraisers are members of the Association of Online
Appraisers (AOA) and subscribe to the AOA's Code of Ethics. All
appraisals are written in conformance with AOA's Appraisal Report
Writing Standard and with the Uniform Standards of Professional
Practice (USPAP).
In addition to offering their appraisal services, Ask the
Appraiser's experts will appear regularly on eBay to conduct live
chats and help sessions covering their specialties.
Fast, Convenient, Affordable Service
While traditional in-person appraisals have long been a part of
the offline world of antiques and collectibles, collectors often
don't have convenient access to professional appraisers for specific
categories of items. Additionally, they may be hesitant to invest
$75 to $250 per hour for a traditional appraisal of an item whose
value is unknown. Online appraisals resolve these dilemmas by
providing easy and inexpensive access to objective expert appraisals
within three business days for only $19.95.
The user fills out a brief questionnaire describing the item's
estimated age, size, labels, maker, condition, and known history,
uploads as many as five images of the item to be appraised, and pays
online by means of a credit card. The completed questionnaire is
then routed to the appropriate specialist to begin the evaluation
process. Within three business days, the customer receives the
appraisal by email, which includes a valuation, a brief history and
description, along with a link to the Internet version of the
appraisal that can be integrated into an online listing.
Personal Use Appraisal
ATA produces appraisals that are intended to provide the user
with information and valuations for personal use only -- such as
valuing an item the user wishes to buy or sell, valuing items for
estate planning or providing historical information. ATA appraisals
cannot be used for such functions as legal proceedings, IRS use or
obtaining insurance coverage.
About eBay Inc.
eBay is The World's Online Marketplace(TM). Founded in 1995, eBay
created a powerful platform for the sale of goods and services by a
passionate community of individuals and businesses. On any given
day, there are millions of items across thousands of categories for
sale on eBay. eBay enables trade on a local, national and
international basis with customized sites in markets around the
world.
About CollectingChannel.com
CollectingChannel.com (www.collectingchannel.com), launched in
October 1998, serves as a gateway to the Internet for avid
collectors of all kinds. Consumers can access the latest information
on every collecting category through timely and thorough written
content and high-impact audio and video programming. Ask the
Appraiser is the most comprehensive source for fast, accurate, and
objective identification and valuation of art, antiques, and
collectibles. The company's network of experts are specialists in
more than 170 different categories -- ranging from movie memorabilia
to vintage toys, art glass to Steiff bears, Asian art to baseball
cards. Ask the Appraiser provides novice and experienced collectors
with a valuation and history of items they own or are considering
buying or selling. Online auction sellers can integrate an ATA
appraisal into their online auction listings.
About Sales OnLine Direct
Sales OnLine Direct maintains and develops portals and websites
for various companies and industries. The Company has focused its
efforts on the antique and collectible industry, developing websites
that enhances the user's experience. Through web-hosting and managed
services, Sales OnLine Direct has provided e-business solutions to
many different companies including their own Rotman Auction
division. This division sells ten's of thousands of items per year
through auction, direct sales, and special events. The Company has
developed the Auction Inc. suite of software to increase revenues
and reduce overhead through sales on the Internet, and offers these
essential e-tools to other companies that they host. Through recent
initiatives, Sales OnLine Direct is establishing itself as one of
the most important collectibles portals, and online auction services
and technology providers to the collectibles industry. Further
information on the company is available on its web site,
www.paid.com, or by calling (508) 791 6710. The Company's common
stock is traded on the Nasdaq OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol
"PAID."
eBay Inc.
Kevin Pursglove
(408) 376-7458
Sales OnLine Direct Media Contact
Julie Shepherd
(847) 669.0633
Julie@paid.com Appraisers Contact
David Maloney
301-228-2279
dave@paid.com Investor Relations
Dennis Evanson
719-534-0292
devanson@paid.com Partner and Affiliate
Richard Rotman
rich@paid.com
508-791-6710
This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are based upon current
expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about
future events, including matters related to "Ask the Appraiser,"
eBay and the Company's operations. Although the Company believes
that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements
and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, it can
give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove
to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to put undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements
are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including without
limitation, successful implementation of the Company's business
strategy and competition, any of which may cause actual results to
differ materially from those described in the statements. In
addition, other factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially are discussed in the Company's most recent filings,
including Form 10-KSB and 8K with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
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