Search400 blackmail?

I'd be interested in any other software vendors opinion of this item
received from Search400. Bear in mind that our company is a search400
customer - we place banner ads with them. Does this not sound like a
form of blackmail?

>Search400.com has had vendors approach us about buying search keywords
>that are their competitors' company name or product name.  Here's a
>fictional example --  Microsoft might buy the keywords "IBM" and
>"AS/400" so that all user searches on these terms will result in a
>Microsoft banner above Web results relevant to IBM and AS/400. 

>This is not an uncommon occurrance on other search engines.  For
>example, Yahoo regularly sells keyword banners associated with company
>names to either the company or their competitors.

>Before we begin to accept these orders, we want to offer you the
>opportunity to lock up the keywords for the name of your company and
>products.  We've developed a special vendor keyword package where you
>can buy your company name and three of your company's product names for
>only $250 per month. This special is effective until December 31st. 

>If you're interested in taking advantage of this special offer please
>call me or reply to this email.  We will not accept any insertion
>orders for competitive "keyword" names until January.
  

TrailBlazer Systems, Inc.
http://www.as400ftp.com
AS/400 Communications & E-Commerce Solutions

Chaos, panic, & disorder - my work here is done.


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