Press Release: Auctiva Introduces a Marketplace Platform Called AMP

Written by John Comments
Last Updated February 1, 2010

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Auctiva, a leader in tools for online sellers, is launching AMP – the Auctiva Marketplace Platform. AMP takes item information from thousands of individual e-commerce stores and groups them together into one platform that developers can use to build custom marketplaces and applications. This simple idea offers an opportunity never before seen in the e-commerce space: open development of e-commerce marketplaces. Developers can sign up and start using AMP today at www.poweredbyamp.com.

Only a handful of online marketplaces exist today. Prior to AMP, creating online marketplaces has been unattainable for most, requiring millions of dollars of investment and a sizable infrastructure. Auctiva Founder and CEO, Jeff Schlicht, says, "AMP allows developers to create whatever it is that excites them for the e-commerce world. By releasing AMP we hope to open a new range of possibilities and kick-start innovation in the e-commerce space."

As an example of what AMP can do, Auctiva is also announcing the beta release of Elefy (www.elefy.com), a marketplace with a search-driven interface. Other AMP projects currently in development by Auctiva and its partners include a marketplace for vintage items and another focusing on "green" and eco-friendly products.

A key feature of AMP is that the items for sale on the platform come from multiple "inventory providers." It is this feature that allows AMP to launch with over half a million items from Auctiva Commerce stores and from launch partner BuyitSellit. "AMP will allow our sellers to reach buyers in multiple locations, without a seller having to do any additional work," says Greg Sisung, President of BuyitSellit, LLC, "It took minimal effort to integrate with AMP, and now our sellers will see their items in new marketplaces as they are developed."

With developers able to build apps and marketplaces of all kinds, AMP seeks to put sellers’ items all over the Web instead of locking sellers into one site. Open development on AMP not only allows for multiple marketplaces, but also apps to reach mobile users, and apps to target specific audiences on social networking sites and blogs. "Developers are creative people," says Alan Lewis, AMP Product Manager, "We have only seen the beginning of what AMP can do."

What is a marketplace?

Your Items An online store offers items from a single seller; marketplaces offer items from multiple sellers in one place. In the same way that a farmers’ market has much more foot traffic than a roadside fruit stand, online marketplaces bring more buyers by having inventory from multiple sellers.

The Auctiva Marketplace Platform, or AMP, as we call it, is a technology framework that allows software developers to build custom marketplaces. There are lots of products that allow people to create online stores, but AMP is the first to make it easy to build online marketplaces.

Alex

Thanks for pointing this out John. I think you're right, they will attract a new audience with this. I think it would help if they showed what merchants/products are on their platform.

Hillary

At this point, they could come out with Free Chocolate day and I still would never trust Auctiva again

ColderICE

They do have some challenges with OLD customers that were effected when Auctiva got bit by a virus and shut down eBay seller's items and the fiasco on fees last year. But this tool could pull in a whole different crowd that are not aware of these past challenges.

Not sure how this will be received outside of the eBay seller circles, that could be who they are looking for. This could possibly attract a new user base and hopefully Auctive learned a lot from their own past. The idea is GREAT, lets see how the execution plays out :-)