strange ebay item

dropes

does anyone know why people sell / bid on things like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290230626341

I've also seen other things like an empty can of coke

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270237351517

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300224474220


I presume the winning bidder doesnt pay for the empty can of coke? if so what does the seller gain from this? he must have to pay ebay fees?

rubadub

The M&M is a collectors item.

The others are clever advertisements. And they worked a treat, you posted them here and I looked at them!

The seller probably bought it himself, pays the small fees and gets advert money from people visiting his site.

jor el

dropes wrote: »

does anyone know why people sell / bid on things like this:

People are idiots, and idiots will buy anything.

jhegarty

The coke can is for charity

Bondvillain

dropes wrote: »

does anyone know why people sell / bid on things like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290230626341


I presume the winning bidder doesnt pay for the empty can of coke? if so what does the seller gain from this? he must have to pay ebay fees?

The winning bidder does indeed pay for the empty can of coke. Viral buzz auctions such as these are generally for charity (as this one is) and the objective is to create as much buzz about them (and , by extension, the seller - the majority of people who look at that auction will invariably check out the sellers other items for sale) as possible via page views & items added to watch lists, etc. by creating a talking point which exists and multiplies outside ebay. Job done then.

Regarding the 'mystery auctions' (where a potential buyer bids 'blind' without knowing the actual complete content of the auction in the hope of getting something cool) : in a sweeping series of changes to listing policies, ebay USA has made them illegal to sell, and .co.uk and .ie are expected to follow. See this link, 2nd last paragraph.

Cactus Col

i think only 10% of the price for the can goes to charity ...

Design_Dude

yea only 10%

Bondvillain

Ok , so it's hardly Bill Gates Foundation territory, but 10% volunteered to charity by a seller who is under no obligation to donate anything is better than nowt.

Anyway, as pointed out above, the general plan behind most "charity auctions" (and by that I mean ones run by individuals, rather than organised charities ) is to raise awareness of the seller!

It's generally recognised that page views increase when an item is highlighted like this one, as long as the wool is pulled over no-ones eyes, the seller gets a little extra exposure for his initiative, and a few bob goes to charity. No crime.

ruprect

Bondvillain wrote: »

as long as the wool is pulled over no-ones eyes,

I wouldn't say the wool was pulled over, but some posters here did read the auction and seemed to think it all went to charity.

I expect some other "sellers" do have the 10% bit in tiny writing somewhere.