Weird eBay Auctions


Weird eBay Auctions

eBay has attracted millions of users. Whilst for the most part, they are all law abiding and relatively intelligent citizens, there are some exceptions in the mix as some people really will try to sell anything, but what’s perhaps even more shocking is that some people are crazy enough to buy these weird, grotesque and quite bizarre items. Take a look at some of our favorites:

window
The JFK Window

This is apparently the window from the book repository which Lee Harvey Oswald used to shoot J.F.K. It sold to an anonymous bidder for around $5 million dollars. It may just be one of the most expensive items ever sold as well!

cheese
Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese

Another sacred relic of the crazy club, this and countless other items such as this which apparently has a mark which resembles the Virgin Mary have been sold for varying sums. This prime example was purchased once again by Golden Palace casino for $28,000. These guys will buy anything! They even bought William Shatner’s kidney stone!

bestfriend
Best Friend for a Day

Advertising his services as a best friend, this auction eventually closed at over $7 thousand dollars. As long as he’s drunk, the seller promised to do everything expected of a ‘best’ friend, but only for 24 hours.

jet
U.S. Navy F/A-18

This partially deconstructed aircraft was sold in pieces for $1 million dollars, however some assembly is required, and for the additional fee of $8 million you can have a ready to fly, fighter craft, but sadly without weapons.

Petrified dead frog

Who knows, perhaps you could make some sort of new age necklace with the thing, but unlike many of the other auctions, this deceased little fellow only ended up selling for around $2.

A Haunted Cane

After becoming scared of ghosts a family sold this apparently haunted cane which belonged to a woman’s deceased father. There was one stipulation, and that was that the winners had to write a letter to the seller’s child to say that the ghost was now ‘happy’. Guess who bought this one? Golden Palace (again).


Arkansas Kid’s Name

A mother of seven children saw an opportunity to make some quick cash at the expense of her son when she decided to auction his name. Unfortunately for her, the auction was legally binding and she ended up selling the naming rights to that crazy casino, Golden Palace. Three guesses what they named the poor child.

Virginity

It’s happening more and more often. In this case, an 18-year-old student from the United Kingdom tried and successfully sold her virginity. She advertised the fact she wanted to ‘learn’ from someone more experienced, and for the grand sum of $10,000 it was a veritable bargain, especially when the businessman who purchased the rights, kindly paid her without wanting ‘delivery’.

Medicinal Nipple Hair

As its owner carefully plucked it from his or her bosom, they then applied it to a wound. Surprisingly, after a period of weeks this minor scratch actually healed! It would seem that their nipple hair has near magical properties! If you are interested, you can probably get another for around $63.

Britney Spears’ Chewed Gum

Can you believe someone actually picked up Britney’s used chewing gum from outside a hotel in London? What’s even crazier is that someone bought it on eBay for $263!

As you can see, people really will buy anything! Golden Palace must have spent millions on these crazy marketing stunts, and who knows, if you sell something crazy enough, they may even buy it!


Best eBay Tips for Beginners


Best eBay Tips for Beginners

Here are some of the top tips for beginners to eBay:

eBay has been going for over a decade now and it is one of the most popular websites on the Internet. Would you believe that it has close to 200 million users? eBay is a great place for selling and buying all sorts of things, but it’s not always easy when you start out. Take a look below for our top tips for buyers, and our top tips for sellers.

Top Tips for Buyers

  • Don’t bid too early! If you prematurely, it will only make things more expensive if someone else bids.
  • Use an Auction Sniper.
  • Buy it Now can be more expensive.
  • Watch out for hidden shipping charges.
  • Check peoples feedback before you bid. If they have negative feedback, don’t bid.
  • Retracting bids on eBay is not easy, so only bid when you want to buy.
  • Before buying a product, check how much it is worth, so you don’t end up paying more. EBay has bargains, but it’s not always cheap!
  • Watch out for scams and fraudsters. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Get a PayPal account. It makes paying for auctions so much easier.
  • Don’t get addicted! Set a budget and stick to it, the last minutes of bidding can be the most expensive ones as it’s easier to get caught up in a bidding frenzy.

Top Tips for Sellers

  • Market research will help you establish whether or not selling on eBay is profitable. Look at past completed auctions for a good reference.
  • Use Turbolister to help you list items on eBay. It’s so much easier than using the web interface.
  • eBay auction fees are not cheap. Don’t add extra categories and extra features such as buy it now and featured status unless you’re selling something of high value.
  • Sometimes adding a reserve price to your auction can cost you. If you’re not selling something expensive, try to avoid using it.
  • You can get loads of free auction templates on the internet which is a great way to spruce up your listings.
  • When your auctions close, send buyers an e-mail to let them know you’re alive and also how long it will be till they get their items.
  • Don’t charge over the odds for shipping. Many eBayers do this and it’s the pet hate of many buyers. If you’re honest about shipping, buyers will love you for it.
  • Package your items well so that they will not be damaged in the post. Get insurance to ensure that if they are damaged, you can claim it back and refund the customer.
  • Always get proof of sending and proof of delivery. It makes shipping a little bit more expensive, but it will help you endlessly in the case of a dispute.
  • Don’t forget to pay your eBay fees! They are normally charged monthly, and if you forget eBay will close your account until you’ve cleared the bill.