On this page we catch up with and diagnose the search trends on eBay from the previous week. We get our information by matching the top 20 items spiking daily in search trends from eBay itself with other topics currently being searched on outside the eBay walls.
Top Search Trends: Week ending Friday November 2, 2012
Often the trending searches on eBay reflect the activities of the world outside the eBay walls. Before Halloween, we find searches for costumes. Before Christmas, searches for decorations or specific toys prevail. Last week we saw the trending searches reflect the tragedy of Hurricane Sandy that ravaged communities on the East Coast of the USA. Starting last weekend, we noted only a few searches that had to do with disaster preparedness including portable generators, natural gas generator, and propane generators. Once the hurricane struck, the sense of urgency was palpable: the searches for generators (or all types) intensified, climbing to the top of our search queries for several days.
While the devastation on the coastal areas is well documented, the rain that blanketed the region as well as swelling waterways caused even more damage. Likewise, our searches (which still included all of the above), started to include items like sump pumps and the like. Of course, one of the biggest problems still evident in many communities is the lack of electricity. We can only pray that services be restored to normal, and that life continues as before.
If you’d like to find out more what eBay and PayPal are doing in response to the disaster, head on over to the eBay Ink blog and find out how you can contribute to help the victims of the hurricane.
Around the rest of the country, life continued as normal, and our searches also reflected that normality. Searches still were spiking for San Francisco Giants, as fans looked for gear to support their team. The team returned triumphantly to San Francisco on Wednesday, to much fanfare and a huge parade. Congratulations to the new world champions!
We had to don our pointy hats and Vulcan ears to understand one of the search terms trending last week. Queries for Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock jumped out at us, somewhat familiar (who hasn’t heard of the game Rock, Paper, Scissors?) but also a bit intriguing (Lizard? Spock?). After a quick search, we found a number of T-shirts with the Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock pentagram on them, such as this one, which also has the rules imprinted on it:
Our favorite? Paper disproves Spock.
It turns out there is quite a backstory to this phenomenon. The game was invented by self-described geek Sam Kass, but achieved notoriety through the TV show The Big Bang Theory in 2008 on an episode entitled The Lizard-Spock expansion. Here is a clip that explains the game:
Selected high-value items listed or sold on eBay this week:
Please note this a sample of high-value items on eBay. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it is a representative list.
2008 Donzi ZR 43 – $170,000
2009 John Deere 6330 4×4 tractor with loader – $57,900
RAREST AMAZING BREITLING EMERGENCY SOLID GOLD FULL DIAMOND CASE & BRAC LTD 10 – $26,000
STANDBY GENERATOR Generac – 80 kW – 277/480V – 3 Phase – Nat Gas & Propane Fired – $21,912
Vintage French Mirror, Louis XV 1840 – $20,000
Knucklehead Barnfind Survivor Chopper 1947 Bates Vintage Tank Sissy Bar Panhead – $17,120
Miro, Miró, Joan, Woman, Birds, Star, Lithograph with Pochoir, Hand-Signed – $15,000
**A Romie Baby**SOLID Full SILICONE DOLL***LENNOX***#4 by Romie Strydom -reborn – $15,000
‘Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock’ is from the TV show “The Big Bang Theory”. Sheldon created the game because…’Rock, Paper, Scissors’ needed more options. He also created the rules for the game. The group of guys that star in the show use this game frequently to settle disputes.
The Big Bang Theory has a LARGE fan base who LOVE ALL THINGS BBT related. Check out Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty also. It’s REALLY popular too!
Re: BBT: Is this the long predicted point where nerds really did take over the world? (the T-shirt if as shown omitted “Lizard poisons Spock”, knew it didn’t make sense. The whole point of R/P/S is it leaves nothing undecided)
Leaving one wondering if that item will be open for not as described refunds or make the wearer look very foolish to in the know BBT fans?
Duh ~ it appears on eBay because all us geeks are looking for T shirts that say it, either for ourselves or for Christmas presents. Big Bang rules!!