01-06-2006, 09:42 AM
Quote:The online auction industry is hoping the next few weeks bring a wave of such goodies to the Internet, even if that means encouraging the rapid, unsentimental disposal of Aunt Tillie's gift.
In early signs that consumers are starting to buy into the idea that its OK to resell what you receive but don't really want, Yahoo! Auctions saw a 19 percent spike in listings the week after Christmas. The iSold It chain, one of many eBay drop-off businesses helping people sell stuff on the online site, claims sales in its established stores rose 40 percent that week.
Yet, a trend seems to be developing in which auction traffic rises just after strong periods of retail sales, said Rob Solomon, vice president of Yahoo! Shopping Group. Online auction sale totals likely won't rival the numbers produced by pre-holiday retail, of course. Some people actually liked their presents.
full article: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06006/633445.stm