Entice the masses, please...

Ebay - The New Center of the Universe

Is Ebay the new center of the universe? I doubt it and so do many others whom have witnessed Ebay's incredible multi-million dollar growth.

The entrepreners, the "innovative and creative", the get rich quick scammers and spammers may have jumped the gun by hopping on the virtual Ebay bandwagon.

The seasoned salesman as well as starry-eyed housewives, (trying to make a few extra dollars to defer family expenses) excitedly pushed all types of knock-off products, ie: "Kate Spade, Luis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, etc... handbags, perfumes and accessories through the internet's largest online auction house.

Is the idea of selling knock-off merchandise shocking? Is the fact that NY Times is publishing a few cases of knock-off rip offs, news? I don't think so, but I can't help but wonder why the NY Times is just now catching on.

I believe it was obvious from the start that knock-off sales would take place and would continue to dominate the number of escalated sales on  Ebay.  

Among the burning thoughts of business-minded individuals, is the lingering smoke of fired-up sales pitches and false advertising. Although there is a great deal of money to be made, on Ebay, common sense tells you if you have a product without a brand name, you had better give it a name, a well-known name, if you intend to make money. 

There have always been millions of people who have no other goal in life, except to make money - these are the people who flock to websites like Ebay, to sell their particular brand of snake oil.

On the other end, the shop-a-holics are looking for a bargain, and they hunt high and low, for the lowest price, brand name products. Ebay reminds me of the discount basements in large department stores - where people aggressively shopped for similar, low price, brand name items. Remember the cabbage patch craze?  

I can't think of better or easier way to push black market items on a frenzied, shopping public, than an internet warehouse. 

The claims of success on auction type websites, state  thousands, even millions of satisfied customers, but you must wonder if the claims are merely sales hype to entice the masses,  just as you might wonder (but not for long) about claims made by purchasers of  commercial tv, and their redundant use of the term; "product guaranteed - millions of satisfied customers". Remember K-Tel products; "guaranteed not to chip, pop, crack or peel" ?

I find it hard to believe people are gullible enough to fall for this sales hype, but someone must be, right? After all, there are millions of satisfied customers, at least, that's what we've been told. The Ebay experience gives the term, "Bay Watch" a whole new meaning, don't it?

I wonder how or if E-bay sales will change now that Tiffany is hot on their trail.

I say, go after them, big boys... just let us read about the settlement without the term undisclosed amount, in the Post and Times, okay?

Enquiring minds, do want to know...

Deborah Russell, © 2006

Image: Ebay Universe, D.Russell, 06