Comments on: EarthLink to target eBay users' vanity

The auction site and Internet provider are teaming up to offer a co-branded Web portal with e-mail "vanity" addresses and auction-tracking services in an attempt to bring Earthlink some of eBay's fierce brand loyalty.

[jegrant]

E-Mail addresses don't matter anymore!

Not since eBay decided to ban them, claiming it as an anti-spam
measure, with the convenient side-effect of forcing all deals to
go through eBay so that they can collect a fee on every single
sale. Gone are the days (to some extent) of making it easy for a
seller's buyers to contact him/her easily. eBay thinks the buyers
are their customers, which is false. eBay's customers are the
sellers, and eventually they will figure this out.

So I don't see the point of a special "PlaneteBay" address if
nobody's going to see it anyway! Or will only those users who
become Earthlink/eBay ISP customers get the "privilege" of
displaying their email rather than just their username? I doubt it,
but as always, the plot thickens.

[Razzl]

Spoofing will kill this idea immediately

The previous writer is correct that eBay long ago made email domain names invisible to people reading the auction pages, erasing any point to using a vanity domain name. In addition I think the first wave of spoofed email bearing the new domain names will make people treat such email domains as a threat to be puzzled over rather than a sign of prestige. Earthlink should give the new idea a go but not be too disappointed when it fails...

[gettingmylogon]

I'd Get One...

...because I am retired, and spend a lot of time on eBay. I also am an eBay Trading Assistant.

Whenever I use the "@planeteBay.com" email address, it shows that I am a true-blue eBay seller. It's a great way to promote my business (in addition to signatures relating to eBay).
People may ask about the domain name, which gives me an opportunity to promote my trading assistant business.

It all depends on your interest in eBay.