Software Opens Global Opportunity

With most of eBay Inc.'s 85.5 million registered users residing in the United States, overseas markets represent the biggest opportunity for the online auction site to grow. To make the most of that opportunity, eBay is turning to globalization software that will make it easier to build customer bases in foreign markets.

Globalization software lets companies tailor Web sites to international markets by automating the translation and localization of content. For eBay, that means ensuring that auction pages read correctly in local languages and conform to local customs. The company uses Idiom Technologies Inc.'s WorldServer globalization tool to separate content from its underlying code so that translators can work with the content more easily. That allows faster time to market with new auction offerings, says Debbie Rafferty, director of global content development at eBay.

An upgrade to WorldServer, released last week, includes a vendor-management tool and improved integration with content repositories and formats. Rafferty says the vendor-management module should let eBay more effectively track translation-services costs, while better integration will improve access to content.