We’re obviously big on selling on Amazon since it allows you to easily list and sell items via UPC, ISBN or ASIN identifier, so when you come to compete with other sellers, you can be very certain you’re both selling the same item, making it easy to reprice your stock competitively and compete on a level playing field.
On eBay, that’s a little more difficult despite the introduction of eBay’s catalogue system and in truth no other marketplace would find sellers trying to list and sell these ‘bargains’. Recently, someone tried to sell a Newfoundland whale on eBay and was about to complete the sale…until the whale floated away. Never mind that whales — or any animals — can’t be sold on eBay, even if they’re dead, that didn’t stop a certain ambitious seller from trying to circumvent the rules. In honour of this plucky would-be seller, RepricerExpress is taking a look at some of the weirdest, wackiest, and just out there items that people have tried to sell online.
The Newfoundland Whale
We’d briefly mentioned in the intro, but someone found most of a washed-up whale just off the coast of Cape St. George in Newfoundland. Once they caught sight of the 12-metre-long sperm whale, they decided they’d go fishing — pardon the pun — for the perfect buyer. eBay, of course, dropped the anchor on that potential sale, but there’s no saying how the seller would have shipped it, anyway.
Mouse in a Jar
Mice make great, low-maintenance pets. They’re small, furry, affectionate, cheap to feed, and don’t require a hugely long-term commitment. Because of that last point, they also tend to not make as big of an impression on pet-owners as, say, dogs or cats. But there are still a core group of people out there for whom the loss of their pet mouse is devastating, and buying a mouse in a jar can be the perfect way to remember them by. This one is selling for a starting bid of $10 right now, but you can buy it now for $13. Shipping is still extra, though.
Chupacabra
The Chupacabra, to non-believers, is a mythical creature about as real as tooth fairies and closet monsters. For those who believe, though, the Chupacabra is a 3- to 4-foot all reptilian-like blood-drinking creature with a particular affinity for goats. And now, according to one seller who specializes in, er, unique sales, you can grab it and make a killing selling it on your own site. It’s only $35 and is certified to be “100% real”.
A Person’s Soul
More than one person has tried to sell a soul on eBay, whether it’s their own or someone else’s. eBay’s policy is officially this:
- eBay does not allow the auctioning of human souls for the following reasons: If the soul does not exist, eBay could not allow the auctioning of the soul because there would be nothing to sell. However, if the soul does exist then, in accordance with eBay’s policy on human parts and remains, we would not allow the auctioning of human souls.
This Business Insider article lists at least three people who have tried to sell souls, leaving us wondering what eBay spokesperson Kevin Pursglove says when you have “to be in a position where you can deliver what you sell.”
Baby Naming Rights
How much is the name of your first born worth? $5? $100? $1 million? A few years ago, a woman in Arkansas — unemployed — decided her seventh child was worth somewhere in between all those figures, trying three times (!) to list the naming rights for her child on eBay for $15,000. Luckily, the online marketplace intervened and put a stop to that nonsense, leaving eBay free to keep hosting the types of products we’re more normally used to.
Final Thoughts
These previous five items are most likely not in your inventory line, as you’re probably a good eBay or Amazon buyer who sticks to the rules. An extension of that, you also know one of the other rules of the game is to use repricing software so you’re always on top of the latest prices and what your competitors are doing. Take advantage of our 14-day free trial today, and have a whale of a time (sorry)!
