EBay Partners With FreeFlow To Build Out B-To-B Inventory Services

EBay has partnered with asset management vendor FreeFlow to add pre- and post-auction services for companies looking to sell unwanted inventory.

Under the deal announced Tuesday, FreeFlow will help eBay expand its business-to-business offerings to companies looking to get rid of excess, aging, returned, and refurbished inventory. EBay's business to business services, called the Private Marketplace, are separate from the online auctioneer's consumer services. Businesses are provided their own secure site for bargaining with buyers.

For pre-auction sales, FreeFlow would provide market intelligence for finding resellers, determining pricing, and developing auction strategies. Post-auction services include collections and settlement, shipping, and performance reporting. Financial terms of the partnership weren't disclosed.

The deal expands eBay's B-to-B platform, while providing FreeFlow access to a large customer base. The benefit for FreeFlow customers is the ability to sell to eBay's tens of thousands of resellers that sell through the Internet company, Alan Scroope, founder and chief executive of FreeFlow, said during a teleconference.

The partnership also helps in FreeFlow's efforts to penetrate more vertical industries. The company is particularly strong in the high-tech industry, where its customers include Apple Computer, Creative Labs, and SanDisk.

FreeFlow plans to begin testing its services on eBay next week with one customer, and expects to add half a dozen more after Jan. 1, Scroope said.