eBay Announces Kijiji: Please let us know your feedback here

[carly@ebay.com]

eBay Launches International Classifieds Websites

We would like to announce our launch of online classifieds Web sites in select international markets. Launched under the brand Kijiji, which means “village” in Swahili, the Web sites offer people in the same city a convenient way to meet, have fun, share ideas, and trade various goods and services.

Kijiji is now available in more than 50 cities in Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. In Canada, Kijiji is available in French only in Montreal and Quebec City. From building friendships and trading large appliances to talking about the city’s best restaurants or looking for a babysitter, Kijiji is designed to help people connect.

We encourage you to visit the Kijiji site, post a classified, and tell us what your experience has been. Is it easy to use? Do you like the site? Would you use Kijiji?

Kijiji

eBay Pink, Kitty will be reading this thread and answering your questions.

Regards,
Carly

[mister_jesus]

I would like to see you back all those block caps up with some solid evidence, particularily regarding the $233 billion dollars. Try to keep it narrow and deep not broad and shallow, as seems to be your speciality.
-Tom :{

[mister_jesus]

-Just to lighten the mood-
A British Columbian, an Albertan and a Quebecor stumble upon a genie. The genie says that since there are three of them, they can have one wish each. The British Columbian says "I want world peace" and so it is; there is peace spread across all the world. The Quebecor says "I want a brick wall built around Quebec, I want it 500 feet tall and 50 feet wide" the genie complies with this, building the largest wall the world has ever seen. Up comes the Albertan, "Fill it with water!".
-Canadian Politics in a nutshell.

[exelentdeelz]

Well Jesus, you got me there, I have to admit I put in an extra digit by mistake. I meant to put $23 Billion. Is this now more acceptable to you?

If I could find the exact proof (A proof is a proof as our endearing M. Chretien likes to say) I would have done what no other can. This government never tells you exactly how much, now do they?

This link contains numbers put together by Jim Allan a chartered accountant in Toronto. His e-mail and phone number are at the bottom of the article if you wish to contact him directly to question him as to how he arrived at these numbers. I hope this is in depth enough for you.

http://www.raspberryxpress.com/CofOBDoc.htm

This is just for the benefit of the doubt.

http://temagami.carleton.ca/jmc/cnews/20102000/c2.htm

[exelentdeelz]

Read all about Bill 101 at the cbc archive.

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-73-1297/politics_economy/bill101/

[mister_jesus]

This will be my last post on this thread.

According to Jim Allen, the estimated 700 billion over 33 years includes the cost for english and french. Also, he factors in private-sector costs, which are not funded by tax-payers. Further, his amount also factors in inflation and interest for the last 33 years. So, using that method, he could easily come up with 23 billion a year. By the same method, the total cost of medicare would be in the trillions. I am more inclined to believe the actual cost for french-language services and 'unity' is around 1 billion a year. In either case, it is infintesimal compared to the potential cost of Kyoto or the current cost of free trade.

Where exactly in the CBC article does it say that the UN declared languge law a human rights violation? It is true that the supreme court declared it unconstitutional, but this is the same court that debated the constitutionality of kiddie porn laws.

If you want a reason to hate Quebec, research Newfoundland Hydro. I personally believe that
Quebec this nation's last hope at having some sort of space where American influence does not choke out all the culture or individuality we once possesed.

[exelentdeelz]

Jesus, I provided the link so go look through it...I'm sick of spoon-feeding you. The information is there and it was ruled on in 1993. Don't ask for facts if you can't deal with the truth they contain.

Quebec is nothing but a Cancer upon Canada. It has been treated better than any other of the country's provinces with untold amounts of taxpayer money filtered into their pockets in order to convince them to be a part of Canada, and STILL they want to leave. I say good riddance (as no doubt do millions of others). And if I had to make a choice, I would much rather become American than French. But in the meantime, I am proud to be Canadian, something the French will never say. They shouldn't even be given a choice about staying or leaving...they should be kicked out and Canada should dictate the terms.

Last post? Good riddance to you to.

[the_ineffable]

Kijiji sucks wind.

[woodal1]

Was this supposed to be a bright, useful idea?
DUH!!

[kashka]

I still think it was one of the ploys of Ebay to distract from the fee increases awhile back..there was the treasure hunt..the board changes..the nickel listing day..the ill conceived and poorly explained canadian penny listings and the recent chatisements of posters on CTS .Yes I am paranoid and believe in conspiracies B-)
lisa

[2uexpress]

http://changchun.kijiji.cn/pages/AreaHome

LIBERAL PARTY SITE posted in kijiji

[seawardorange]

Don't knock the site. If all the Quebecers are there perhaps there will be less telemarketers on the phone.

[cycarax]

How totally ridiculous that only Montreal in Quebec is offered in Canada. Where are the other 9 provinces?

And in French yet. Not only is English the majority language in Canada, Montreal also has a very high number of English speakers.

Hello ebay, has someone fallen asleep at the switch?

[blastido]

I think its stupid that the site is only in french in montreal !! Its bad enough we can't go to a hospital and get served in english here ..Can you believe that the province's police force "The Surete du Quebec " 's website is only in french !!?? I guess they only protect the french ..
In any other situation this would be seen as racism ...Its like we're descriminated against because we're english !! ( in an english country at that !!)
Don't let Ebay be part of Quebec's campaign against the english , make the service available in both official langages

[geny02]

Hi,

My question is for kitty: why ebay have made a new French website instead of french options on ebay? I am from quebec state, not in Quebec or Montreal city...but I don't like kijiji...I prefer ebay! And I will not use Kijiji...
I really don't understand why ebay have done this website (kijiji) when they have one (ebay) with million of members!
Please explain me 😮

[atilio@ebay.com]

wow, what an interesting collection of posts. I absolutely love our eBay community, the best community that I've ever been a part of.

However, in all sincerity, I am quite disappointed with the tone of the posts that I'm reading. eBay, is a business supported 100% by you and all our decisions are done to benefit you first. We do not make any political decisions.

Here are the facts regarding our decision to launch Kijiji only in French Canada (i.e. Montreal/Quebec City). Almost 1 year ago eBay invested/purchased 25% of a company called Craigslist. Craigslist performs the same exact service as Kijiji. The only difference is that they are the largest classifieds site in the world. Here is an article about the investment/purchase:

http://www.techweb.com/wire/30000145

Craigslist, operates in all the major Canadian cities however all their sites are in English. As such, there was no need for us to build English Kijiji sites (as we own a stake in Craigslist).

Your thoughts or questions are always appreciated.

all the best,
Atilio

[cleanpartshere]

Hey Blastido, come to Ontario, we speak ENGLISH at our hospital!!

[auctionslady]

Hello Kitty and Atilio,

I just have a little comment/question. Would it be nice if our ebay ME pages includes a linkup function with the kijiji and cragslit automatically? Well, I still haven't used the ME page as I think not many people would spend time reading it anyway. However, if it includes an automatic link up with both classified sites... let's say, i am selling model cars worldwide, if I put some descirption of my service/goods under the field of toys, and it will shows up on all 3 sites, and have an option to choose "globally" (just like the option on ebay "selling & shipping worldwide"). I WILL DEFINITELY LOVE IT 🙂 .Hope you guys understand what I am saying.

1 more personal opinion, if there's a translator engine which translates languages, it would be great. Language and place are 2 different things. French living in Africa likes to read French website in Africa, English living in Asia wants to read English website in Asia. Think about building a power translator engine, rather than spending money on building different sites B-)

Thanks for reading this long post.

Gloria

[momshobbytins]

😞 Since I do not speak french I will not use kijiji

[sassylilthing]

:-)Would love to use it but I don't speak French 😐 Can you do an English version please? I think you'll have tons of positive feedback for it!!! Thanks 🙂

[gr_marketing]

I am from Toronto and don't speak French but it does not mean that I should hate it. French is a language and it is a fact that more than 31% people in Canada speak French. We should not blast every good idea with our inner hate. If you don't want to post on new site, don't do that but for God Sake, don't fight over the language.
There are literally more than 120,000 Free classified sites in English (I know this because we promote businesses on these sites) and if ebay has offered one site in French, it is not a bad idea at all. If we promote global business idea, then we should know that the globe has different languages, and you must promote your business in regional languages. I have travelled many countries and have seen the international companies promoting their business in regional language. Before they launched new French site, ebay must have surveyed and taken the opinions. They are not stupid people, they are running international business. They know where is the market and where they should invest. Big corporations don't invest in present or past but in future. In Toronto areas where ethnic majority lives, e.g Chinese, Indian, East Europeans etc. big corporations like banks hire people from that particular ethnic groups. Why? Because of business.
So digest this good idea and let all other languages survive too. If Coca Cola in China can promote their brand in Chinese *mandarin/cantonese* why not Ebay launch a French classified site in Canada.
Do not hate any language, as it only increases the inner frustration.
There is one suggestion for ebay. We have many sites and on one of our sites, (which is membership site), we have put a translation software which translates the pages into 8 different languages. It helped us a lot as we got customers from non English speaking countries like Denmark, Belgium, China, France and yes also from French speaking Canadian parts.
Be positive Folks, be the one who makes difference. I am not Christian but I respect all religions. There was written on a wall "One man can make a difference, Jesus did". So make a difference and be positive and friendly to each other. You are on business site and not in the Parliament. Thank you for reading my first posting.