Another tool called AdTag allows the user to put a check mark or an x on listings he likes or doesn't like. Then, if something about the ad changes, such as the price, the favorable ads will be highlighted, alerting the person to take another look. Friend is going to show off the new tools this week at the National Business Aircraft Association trade show in New Orleans. The toughest test of the new tools will be to push the business to profitability. The Web site is a popular one, drawing at least 10,000 visits a day, Friend said.
Brokers pay by the day to list advertisements on the site.
The cost of the ads varies according to the amount of information presented. Personalizing Web sites is a trend among online sellers, Internet researchers say. Retailers have rushed to sell online, only to find selling via the Internet is harder than it looks. Customer service is a challenge, and creating filtering tools is one thing that often helps, said Michele Rosenshein, an analyst for commerce infrastructure at Jupiter Research in New York City. But if a Web site is enhanced with tools that help a shopper find a product or understand what a product is like, then e-tailers report success.