This is just fabulous: an apparent Flippa ad that uses eBay’s flaws when it comes down to validating domain ownership – right on eBay!
It’s almost certain that the Australian domain marketplace placed this viral listing on eBay.com that alleges to sell …eBay.com for AUS $10,000 as the opening price.
The “small print” describes it as a “screenshot” sale; the seller is from Australia and the “item” will be shipped from San Jose, California – where the eBay HQ is 😀
eBay.com for sale on eBay.com - or is it?
Then the real fun begins, as the description appears to be a well-thought promotion of Flippa:
Why Not Sell This on the Flippa Website Marketplace?
I’d love to sell this on Flippa.com. It is the #1 marketplace for buying and selling websites as it has the largest number of qualified website buyers and sellers in one place. Unlike eBay, everything on Flippa is about buying and selling websites: from the auction listing process through to the listing descriptions and search tools.
Having said this, there are two main reasons as to why I’m not selling on Flippa.
Firstly, Flippa are very focused on creating a safe and secure marketplace for buying and selling websites. For example, Flippa doesn’t let any websites go for auction unless the seller has verified ownership. I don’t actually own Ebay.com so they won’t let me try to sell it on Flippa – but I can sell it on Ebay (ah, the irony!).
Flippa also encourage website sellers to provide Google Analytics reports which they then verify with Google so you can trust the website’s traffic claims. Again, I cannot do this for eBay.com on Flippa as I do not own Ebay.com
Secondly, the website buyers and sellers on Flippa are serious about buying and selling websites. They would call-out a highly questionable listing such as this one in a flash!
What is Included in the Purchase?
Just to be clear, you don’t actually get to own the ebay website by bidding on this listing for eBay.com. On offer here is a screenshot from the website which will be emailed to you. Maybe this listing belongs in a different category. There are so many to choose from. Internet Businesses and Websites seemed about right though … it was that or listing under Art in “Mixed Media and Collage”.
Simply brilliant! 😀
Update: The listing has now been removed, either by the seller or by eBay.
You can view a cached version here.
That is fantastically clever! I would like to buy the man, or woman, that created that listing a hat.
Smart ad and I like flippa also.
And removed from Ebay.com in a matter of hours.. lol..
Matter of hours? Seems to me like it was closer to a day (and nearly 1,000 views) later … 😉
Great job, Andrew! Best ad conversion for low $$ ever!