Jeremy Lin-sanity hits eBay

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Joe MacFarland

Jeremy Lin is an NBA player on the New York Knicks.  Over the last two weeks, even people who have never heard of the Knicks and have no interest in basketball have encountered the story of his inspirational rise to fame and glory.  As a reflection of the larger culture (albeit with a unique, commercial perspective), eBay has witnessed an increase in searches for items related to Jeremy Lin as so-called Lin-sanity has gripped the nation.

The eBay Top Shared page suddenly was populated with numerous items related to Jeremy Lin, and our internal data shows items associated with him occupy most of the top “most-watched” slots in our Sports category, outstripping those items concerning perennial favorite Michael Jordan.  He is even more top-of-mind than the other New York favorites, the World Champion New York Giants football team.

One of the remarkable items we found was this 2010-11 Jeremy Lin Playoff National Treasures Prime Patch Card:

This Jeremy Lin rookie card is reportedly in great condition. If Jeremy continues his stratospheric rise from star to superstar, this card could be worth a lot someday (or even now – the auction is already over $4.5K!).  In fact, we found numerous Jeremy Lin rookie cards on the site; take a look here to see our search results. The question is, do you believe in Jeremy Lin’s sustainability as a celebrity player, or is he just a flash in the pan?  There is a lot to be said on both sides of the equation; after all, who talks about Tim Tebow these days?

But Jeremy’s unique background and current success bode well for his future.  He is the most unlikely of sports heroes: someone who overcame the odds, had a little luck, but most importantly continued to believe in himself when others didn’t.  According to reports, Lin wasn’t even offered a basketball scholarship out of high school, and went to Harvard as much for his good grades (an impressive 4.2 GPA) as for his ability to play basketball.  Once he graduated from college, he went undrafted by the NBA, finally ending up with his hometown Golden State Warriors.  Their style of play did not suit the 6-foot 3-inch point guard, and he was cut on the first day of training camp for the 2011-12 season.  He briefly played with the Houston Rockets, but was cut by them as well, finally ending up at the New York Knicks in December last year.

Even with the Knicks he did not initially shine.  The coaches kept his seated on the bench for most of his early games.  Finally, on February 4th 2012, due to injuries to other starters on the team, Lin got his chance.  He grabbed that opportunity, and hasn’t looked back.  Since then, the Knicks have won six games in a row, and Lin has scored an impressive 20+ points in each game.  According to ABC.com, “(t)hanks to Lin’s fairy tale February, ratings of Knicks television broadcasts have soared 70 percent, and the publicly traded stock of Madison Square Garden has hit a 52-week high. Lin’s T-shirt is now the No. 1 seller on NBA.com, and arenas around the NBA are selling out tickets to Knicks games.”  Heady stuff for a guy who is only 23 years old.

And the Lin-sanity continues on eBay.  Two other items have hit our Top Shared radar, and in deference to those not able to find a Lin T-shirt on NBA.com, here is a very popular Jeremy Lin T-shirt with Chinese Characters:

 

Finally, this sweatshirt was offered up too, a BalLin New York Knicks hoodie:

However you decide to show your support (and even if it is just cheering at the TV when he plays), eBay is likely to have something for you.

Will this level of attention continue into this season?  We say it’s most likely, as we love our underdog heroes.  But time will only tell if Lin’s skills on court will soar in the future, or if he will meet a more humble fate.  But we are rooting for him and his unlikely success, and wish him well.

You can search for more Jeremy Lin-related items here.

 

 

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Making it right for New Orleans

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Joe MacFarland

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the devastation to the city and its residents was unimaginable.  Eighty percent of the city was flooded, and over 1,500 people lost their lives. The lower 9th ward was hit the hardest, as approximately 4,000 homes were destroyed.  It is hard to believe but, even today, seven years later, the city is still digging itself out of that disaster.

Enter Brad Pitt and the Make it Right New Orleans non-profit project. According to the organization’s website, “Pitt established Make It Right to build 150 green, affordable, high-quality design homes in the neighborhood closest to the levee breach” in the 9th ward.  The effort has been extremely successful, with over 130 homes already built.  But there is still work to be done, and Pitt enlisted some of his friends to help out by offering remarkable experiences and other items up for auction on eBay.  And 100% of the proceeds go to support Make it Right.

We took a look at the trending items on our Top Shared page to find out which of the 38 listings on offer were the most shared via Facebook and Twitter, and the most watched here on eBay by our shoppers.

First up you can bid on the opportunity to spend a day with Rachel Zoe! Office tour, hair & makeup by Joey Maalouf & lunch

For those of you who don’t know [Editor's Note: and I was one of them], Rachel Zoe is a stylist who stars in the reality TV show The Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo.  The show follows Zoe as she struggles with her successful business and busy life.  You can read more about the show at BravoTV.com.

The listing sums up the experience:

“Spend an unforgettable day in Beverly Hills with Rachel and Team Zoe! Members of Rachel’s staff will welcome you for a tour of the fashion icon’s headquarters. Then meet superstar stylist Joey Maalouf for a transformational hair and makeup styling session. Finally, get all the best tips for your look from Rachel Zoe and Rodger Berman over a private lunch at Beverly Hills Hotel or Soho House.”

If you like playing tennis more than hanging out with a Hollywood fashion icon, this next item might better suit your tastes. In this case you get to spend a day Playing Tennis w/ Kevin Spacey & Visit the set of his Upcoming Film:

 

Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey is a very versatile actor, memorable in roles from American Beauty to The Usual Suspects.  Aside from the tennis game with the 52-year-old actor, you will see the set of his film and potentially get to watch the famous actor do a scene from his new movie.  We have no idea how good he is at tennis, but he might have some tricks up his sleeve similar to his character Keyser Söze in The Usual Suspects.

Finally, we had to throw in our own favorite, the opportunity to go to a pre-release private screening for 20 of World War Z hosted by Max Brooks

 

World War Z is a post-apocalyptic tale that relates the state of the world after a horrifying zombie war.  Told in first-person accounts (an ‘oral history of the zombie war’), the bloody storyline is not your typical zombie warfare story about an isolated few against a rambling, crazed horde.  Instead, it provides interesting social commentary and a somewhat Machiavellian view of the world we live in today.  As a reviewer in The Eagle put it, author Max Brooks “knows his strength lies not in characterization but in an understanding of not only the nature of zombies but also the nature of humans. [In the book,] (e)arly warnings are missed, crucial reports go unheeded, profiteers make millions selling placebos, the army equips itself with tools perfect for the last war they fought and populations ignore the extent of threat until it is staring them in the face – this is, surprisingly, a post-Katrina zombie tale.”

Which brings us full circle to why these auctions matter, as they help those still affected by the hurricane and those living in the 9th ward in a post-Katrina world.

Finally, as you can imagine given the title of our blog, we love writing and reading stories.  If you share that passion, take a look at the section of the Make It Right foundation’s homeowner stories.  Reading how these people’s lives have been affected and then positively influenced by the work of folks at Make It Right is truly an inspiration to us all.

 

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The ultimate Valentine’s Day KISS

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Joe MacFarland

Love is in the air, and we thought we would take a look at some of the more interesting and remarkable items up for sale today.  We turned to eBay’s Top Shared page to find the products people were already talking about this Valentine’s Day.  We found a bunch of unusual ideas, so if your chocolate and flowers gift falls flat this year, think about giving one of these gifts next year, or this year (especially if you are a KISS fan!)

According to history.com, Valentine’s Day started being celebrated in the USA in the 1700s, although the holiday was celebrated in the UK about a century earlier.  How the holiday got started and its association with love and romance is shrouded in mystery.  The site notes one origin story: “Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first ‘valentine’ greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl–possibly his jailor’s daughter–who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed ‘From your Valentine,’ an expression that is still in use today.”

No matter how the holiday started, the tradition of giving gifts is firmly ensconced in our collective consciousness, and here are a few suggestions for your special someone.

First up is the LEGO Heart Necklace. Silver or Gold Plated plate brick

 

These are made with two 2×3 Lego plates that are joined together in the shape of a heart. The seller states, “there is no clasp on the necklace the LEGO plates make the clasp by attaching together to form a strong bond.”  We like the idea of a Valentine’s Day necklace formed by a strong bond — after all, isn’t that what you hope to have with your loved one?

Up next is the Frankford Classic Clear Bubble Umbrella with Unique Colored Trim & Handle:

Who wouldn’t like to receive this cute umbrella, adorned with many red hearts, as a gift?  OK, not many guys would be seen carrying this around, but perhaps they would enjoy the next item instead (although any KISS fanatic of any gender is sure to want to bid).

We found this once in a lifetime experience, to Be the first Couple Married at KISS “Hotter Than Hell” Vegas Wedding Chapel with KISS!:

 

This rock ‘n’ roll wedding event looks amazing.  If you have moved beyond the exchange of valentines and the chocolate, flowers, Lego necklaces, and bubble heart umbrella gifts, it’s time to step up to the altar and get married (or maybe just renew your vows) at the Las Vegas KISS wedding chapel.  You and your betrothed and 20 guests are in for quite a treat.  You will need to read the entire description (it is quite amazing) to get a sense of what is on offer, but highlights include:

  • A two night stay at the Rumor ultimate Mega suite at the Rumor Hotel.
  • The night before the wedding, enjoy a dinner at the Hard Rock Hotel’s 35 Steaks & Martini’s restaurant.
  • On the wedding day, the bride will be treated like royalty by Sumita Beauty “Beauty to The Stars.”
  • On the wedding day, the groom will have his choice of a full KISS costume of his favorite KISS character, including boots!
  • Tour of Las Vegas for you and your guests, with wedding party photo.
  • Ceremony: Walk up that aisle with your KISS song of choice blasting surrounded by theatrical lights and cranking Fog Machines to an alter fashioned after KISS’ album cover for Love Gun.
  • Once the ceremony is over, it’s back outside to smash the official ceremonial guitar
  • And much more.

We only hope that there will be photos or videos from this event that will be posted, so we can see what it is really like to Rock and Roll All Nite!

 

 

 

 

 

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How to find the perfect handbag

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Joe MacFarland

You know how it feels when you find the exact right bag?  Maybe joy, maybe relief.  You might spend a vacation comparing styles and brands, or a weekend hopping between boutiques.  You may or may not find the piece you want at the price you want.  Chances are, however, you can locate exactly what you need on eBay.  This is particularly the case when a vintage or rare handbag is in order.  Take, for instance, today’s listing of interest, an iconic handbag currently garnering 34 bids and a high bid of $1,240, the Chanel Brown Quilted Leather Classic Small Double Flap Bag

No handbag evokes the image of shopping along Paris’ Avenue des Champs-Élysées more than Chanel’s iconic brown quilted leather bag.  The logo on the closure, the gold chain, and the supple sheen of the finish bespeak expert craftsmanship.  The seller describes the purse’s condition as “previously loved,” adding “Signs of Love: This bag shows minimal and hard to notice scuffs around the base and light surface scratches on the interior.”  Consider these small signs of wear a vintage bag’s street cred.

If your taste runs less timeless luxury and more bohemian chic, a hobo bag has slouchy cool.  Consider the Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Large Hobo Handbag in Ebano/Chocolate Brown

This is the type of bag you see on celebrities’ shoulders when they’re weekending in Malibu, because it holds a good amount of supplies without looking like a backpack.

Join in on the bidding for these fashion-forward handbags, but take heart.  If you lose out on these auctions, you have an option to help you secure a particular handbag style on eBay.

We are talking about the new eBay Fashion handbag finder that will help you visually navigate handbag styles, from baguettes to shoulder bags.

Let’s face it: sometimes it is difficult to find just the right style of handbag by sorting through the many active eBay listings.  Sure, if you know exactly what you want, it’s simple to search for a style, brand, and so forth.  But sometimes you may not be certain of the style that best suits you or works for a particular occasion.  In such cases, the eBay Fashion handbag finder comes in handy as a way to narrow down your selection with its easy to use, intuitive tools.

Let’s say you know the particular brand you want, perhaps Coach.  Doing a search will land you on the Handbag Finder page, where you can further narrow your results by simply clicking the types of handbags you’d like to see.  The search results will automatically update, and only the types of handbag that interest you show up on page.  If you want to see several styles, simply click multiple styles and the results will be updated.

As you can see from the image on the left, you can further refine your search results by color, material, condition, or price.

Whether you are a handbag connoisseur intent on finding that one-of-a-kind clutch, or an on-trend shopper seeking a new cosmetic bag for Spring, eBay can help you find the right style, with style.

 

 

 

 

Posted in eBay Products, Remarkable Listings | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments