The art of the sell: The power of a compelling story

[fastcar]

Awhile back I was sent an email with an ebay listing from a disgruntled mother selling of all things a $3.00 pack of Pokemon cards. The listing spread through the internet and email like wildfire. The premise was based on this mother of six who missed one of her kids sneaking a pack of Pokemon cards into the cart at the store.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675

She put them up on eBay and made over a hundred dollars for her trouble. Why? She had a compelling story that pulled people into her listing. Not to mention everyone and their brother emailing it.

Here's just an example of one of the sites that talk about the phenomenon.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/357831/mom_sells_kids_pokmon_cards_on_ebay.html (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/357831/mom_sells_kids_pokmon_cards_on_ebay.html)


Ok, what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

Last year I made a boneheaded move and tried to capitalize on the power of eBay by buying 2 of the NEW Tickle Me Elmos in the hopes that I could sell them for a profit.

Well, I still have said Elmos in the boxes sitting in a spare room at the house.

I tried three separate times to sell off these Elmos and not one yielded a single cent.

So, I took a page from my friend's email and my wife's ire at me for still having these damn Elmos and created a listing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120162984838 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120162984838)


Already up to $27.00 and that is $27.00 more than the last three times I tried it.

[neglet]

I think if you'd posted that you bought the things for sex play, but your wife refused to cooperate with tickle sex, you'd get a lot more.

Or better, that you bought them for tickle sex because she needed it to get pregnant and you were having trouble, but lo! before you could use them she got knocked up.

[rappites]

Thanks for sharing fasty.


I am sharing it with everyone. The story about the mom and her six kids.

Negs is right. SEX SELLS!!!!

[fastcar]

And now people are starting to send comments....
The best part about it is that these are the facts. My wife and I have had these arguments about the Elmos and the Atari that just got posted in the response as well as the dumb cookie jar. She could probably start her own ebay account and successfully sell all the stuff I couldn't.


Q: Hi! Great listing!Made my day! Sep-18-07

A: From fastcar151's wife. Thanks. The husband is actually surprised that there has been this many views. Maybe I should start my own account and sell his stuff that just sits around the house collecting dust. Anyone want a Atari 2600 and some games that he just had to have from my grandmother's house because he thought it would be considered rare and valuable?

[fastcar]

The First Elmo sold for about $28.00. I over calculated shipping by a dollar. Considering that I could never get rid of them before, I'm pleased that it went at all.

I may have went a little overboard with the second one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120164182981

[Kaeos]

It's an interesting read man, your right though, it may have gone a paragraph or two too long, but I don't think it's so far over the top.

Good luck dude! :lol:

[fastcar]

3 days to go and we're already up to what the last one went for. Yes, those tasks that are being completed at each price range are real. I did break the window on the side door to our garage and it finally got fixed this week.