Comedian Rick Mercer's eBay Prank leaves him on the hook for huge seller's fee

[mandy]

With the top bid for his Liberal leadership kit auction sitting at an unrealistic $16 million, comedian Rick Mercer is beginning to wonder if the gag has gone a little too far.

The host of CBC's Rick Mercer Report will be on the hook for an eBay seller's fee when the auction ends Tuesday. The fee is a percentage of the selling price and is charged to a seller as soon as the auction closes.

If the auction ended with a $16-million selling price, Mr. Mercer would owe eBay at least $240,000 in fees...

full article: http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/story.html?id=9adc8878-12e6-4ce2-8799-3cab282d9ba9&k=29075

[sneakymagenta]

If he gets a non payer Ebay will reverse the strike just to get its fees. 

[bargainbloodhound]

[quote author=sneakymagenta link=topic=2990.msg10673#msg10673 date=1142110253]
If he gets a non payer Ebay will reverse the strike just to get its fees. 
[/quote]

...and turn him over to a collection agency if he doesn't pay.

I think that for nationally publicizing this auction without thinking beforehand about the possible fees, he (or his public relations person) deserves a award.

EDITED to add:  You wouldn't see Ed the Sock pulling a stunt like this, would you?