I was at the local strip mall in our neighborhood yesterday to refill my fridge. There usually are a couple of stores locked up with a sign ‘for rent/lease’. Interestingly, I saw a new flashy store this time. I had the familiar logos of eBay all around. “Whats eBay doing here?”.
[from iSold It.com]
A quick closer look revealed that that the store is apparently i-Sold It and invites anyone to drop off anything to be sold on eBay. I have read earlier that small retail stores are popping up in the American cities that ‘broker’ auctions in eBay. I didn’t realize its a fledgling chain business until I checked their website today. Apprently, i-Sold It has 500 stores (open or on contract) across America. Another sign infront of the store asks me ‘Want to be part of $3Billion business?”. I don’t know that but the chain already has small pie in the $3B by taking $38 out of your item that would sell in eBay for $100. Win-Win business I guess.
This kind of busines also makes a lot of sense in India, where millions may have items for sale in online auctions, but not a computer or the expertise to auction it themselves. If thats true, it just a matter of time…
