Google, eBay Forge Click-to-Call Deal

eBay and Google have teamed up to offer "click-to-call" functionality into auction listings and ads, enabling consumers to initiate a voice call directly to a merchant or advertiser through Skype or Google Talk. The feature will enter testing early next year, the companies said.

In addition, Google will become the exclusive provider of text-based advertising in search results on eBay sites outside the United States. Although the two Internet giants are becoming closer to competitors with the launch of Google Talk and PayPal rival Google Checkout, eBay and Google have long been partners in the advertising space. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.