Consumers are buying into the idea of selling unwanted presents online

[mandy]

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

[Bidera]

Pretty sure this practice of selling unwanted gifts in auctions has been around as long as eBay has been around if not before that.

Auction Industry does need something to keep it afloat in January.

[amy]

[quote author=Bidera link=topic=2053.msg7532#msg7532 date=1137079821]
Pretty sure this practice of selling unwanted gifts in auctions has been around as long as eBay has been around if not before that.
[/quote]

It has but this is the first year eBay's marketing agency decided to issue a press release acknowledging its existence.

[Nat]

I got unwanted gifts but they weren't orginally given to me as gifts but I ended up with them because I was in the right place at the right time and asked them.  I was with a couple of people at work who got the unwanted gifts as they unwrapped them and I happily took some off their hands to keep for myself.  I got:

- a bag of Truffles Hot Chocolate (yummmmm)
- a $10 giftcard for use at Starbucks (I'll definitely take that)
- a great quality travel mug (I actually needed a new one)
- and a small bottle of tequila (I definitely wanted that)

So what one considers unwanted another might want.  Funny, I made a good haul that day.