When you turn on the news today, it’s not uncommon to see updates about the pandemic. Ever since COVID-19 hit the world hard, a lot of people had to adjust. Outdoor activities had and are still limited in some countries to prevent the spread of the infection.
With that said, the new normal is rolling in. A lot of businesses are trying very hard to make the best out of the situation. One business, however, is thriving even when there are strict regulations about going outside. The Ecommerce platform is growing stronger now that everyone is home ordering online instead of physically going out to purchase the stuff they need.
When it comes to online shopping and eCommerce, it’d be wrong not to mention eBay. eBay is one of the biggest online marketplaces in the world. eBay is a place where people, both buyers, and sellers meet and transact. Almost everything can be sold on eBay. With proper logistics and patience, a person can just about order anything, anywhere in the world through eBay.
Now that everyone is limited to indoor activities, eBay and other eCommerce sites are growing stronger. With that said, here are some fun facts about eBay that you should know about:
eBay Started as an Auction Site
In the 1990s, Iranian-American Pierre Omidyar founded The AuctionWeb, a site that would auction off items to the highest bidder. One of the most entertaining eBay facts you’ll read about is the story of the broken laser pointer. Initially, the bidding started at $1, and it seemed no one was interested in buying it.
After a week of posting the bid, several curious bidders went, and eventually, the laser pointer sold for $14.83. Astonished at the results, Pierre contacted the winning bidder and asked if he understood that the laser pointer was broken.
It turns out; the buyer was a collector of broken laser pointers! It was supposed to be a small part of a bigger website, but a transaction leading to a broken laser pointer being sold for $14 ended up catapulting the simple site into the eCommerce giant we know today.
A $168 Million Yacht Was Sold on eBay
Yes, you read it right. A $168 million yacht got sold on eBay. This yacht is the most expensive item ever bought on the eCommerce site. Frank Mulder, a naval architect, was responsible for designing this impressive machine. The ship features 10 VIP rooms and eight guest rooms.
If those amenities aren’t enough to impress you, the yacht also has a movie theater, gym, spa, helipad, and a swimming pool. A Romanian businessman by the name of Roman Abramovich eventually purchased the yacht.
A Cornflake Shaped Like Illinois Sold on eBay
There are lots of items for sale on eBay. From electronic gadgets such as power banks, smartphones, and portable speakers, to health items such as protein shakes and supplements, there’s just no shortage of what you can buy on eBay.
And because you can buy a lot of things on eBay, an influx of weird items are also up for grabs. One of the most bizarre items sold on eBay was a cornflake shaped like the state of Illinois. Seriously, a cornflake got sold on eBay. What’s more, that single cornflake was bought for
$1,350. Now that’s some serious money for just a single cornflake.
eBay Loves Scarlett Johansson
If a broken laser pointer and a cornflake aren’t weird enough for you, don’t worry. It gets a lot weirder. For some reason, eBay loves anything related to Scarlett Johansson. While going on the Jay Leno Show in 2008, Scarlett Johansson blew her nose into a tissue and sold it on eBay. She said that she got a cold from Samuel L. Jackson from a movie shoot.
Days or weeks later, the tissue that had Scarlett Johansson’s snot was sold for a whopping $5300. In another Scarlett-related listing on eBay, a 20-minute date with the Avengers superstar was sold for $40,000. You might be asking, where does all the money go? Thankfully, Scarlett Johansson is one of the nicest people in the world. All of the proceeds that she sells on eBay, including the snot-filled tissue, went to charity.
Number 1 Employee
Aside from Pierre Omidyar, there’s also another person responsible for the meteoric rise of eBay. Chris Agarpao is the first employee to be ever hired by eBay. The story is that Omidyar met Agarpao at a wedding. After Agarpao told Omidyar about his boring career, Omidyar called Agarpao a week later to hire him. Agarpao gladly accepted the offer.
Ever since that fateful day, Chris Agarpao is still employed with eBay. He cites a healthy working relationship with bosses and healthy work dynamics as a reason to stay. Chris Agarpao is currently working as a Quality Assurance Inspector for eBay.
Takeaway
eBay is one of the most recognizable eCommerce sites in the world. Once you want to buy or sell something, eBay should always be in the conversation. The facts mentioned above are just some of the interesting things that you should know about eBay.