Case 16-2
Buying that Special Something Online
Auctioning pieces of the original Hollywood sign from 1923, McDonald’s
[http://bi.galegroup.com/essentials/company/305566?u=tlearn_trl] Happy Meals toys from 1979,
Hawaiian postcards from 1897, and gum chewed by Britney Spears in 2004, eBay
[http://bi.galegroup.com/essentials/company/441427?u=tlearn_trl] is the world’s largest marketplace for
collectibles. The site facilitates the purchase of $60 billion worth of goods and services every year, from
everyday objects to special somethings that draw hundreds of people eager to make the winning bid; rare
Happy Meal toys sell for about $200; the 1897 postcard (one of 160,000 postcards listed on any given
day) went for $1,085; and Britney’s gum was purchased for more than $15,000.
What makes these items so special? Happy Meals collectibles may tap into adults’ nostalgia for
childhood visits to McDonald’s. Postcards offer an opportunity to own a tiny piece of the past or a
memento of a place that has personal meaning, such as the consumer’s hometown or honeymoon
destination. And possessing gum chewed by Britney gives the purchaser a small but direct connection to a
well-known celebrity.
According to eBay’s research, consumers who unintentionally build a collection do so, in part,
because they get pleasure from using these special items in daily life. Consumers who consider
themselves collectors tend to buy more frequently and spend more money to expand their collections than
others do. Some seek out specific items that have meaning because of family traditions, whereas others
acquire items that represent their interests or aspirations. Even occasional collectors mob the eBay site
when particular items are up for bid, as when 60,000 people visited during a weeklong auction of Walt
Disney memorabilia to benefit a children’s charity. For $37,500, one consumer won the right to have his
name and a funny saying etched on a mock tombstone featured in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion
attraction. A Disney spokesperson observed that the company has been part of the childhood experience
for many people and “here was a chance to be part of that on a very big scale.”
Other online auction events are also satisfying consumers’ cravings for acquiring that special
something. When the St. Louis Cardinals tore down the old Busch Stadium, the team auctioned off the
seats, pieces of the walls, dugout equipment, telephones, bathroom fixtures, pennants, players’ lockers,
and even the manager’s clubhouse desk. After right fielder Larry Walker autographed his locker plus a
trash can, a telephone, and several other items, the lot sold for $11,553. In all, more than 17,000 fans bid
on more than 50,000 pieces of the old stadium. “People want this stuff. It’s not about stuff being fancy or
good-looking. It means something to people,” says a team official.
Price is not always the primary concern. Consumers who yearn for a piece of history or a seat from a
favorite stadium may be willing to pay whatever they must to acquire that special something. Bidders
sometimes get so caught up in the excitement that they pay more than they expected to spend. Of course,
auction websites like eBay frequently offer consumers the option of paying a fixed price to buy something
immediately, a means of avoiding the delay and uncertainty of participating in an auction. For auction
enthusiasts, however, the process of buying from an online auction adds to the fun and the suspense—and
gives the successful bidder a special story to tell about acquiring that special something.
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Case Questions
1. Would a consumer who buys a Busch stadium seat tend to find cultural meaning or emblematic
meaning in it? Why?
2. Is it likely to be the symbolic value, mood-altering properties, or utilitarian value that would cause a
consumer to bid high to have his name in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion?
3. Under what circumstances might someone giving a gift of a used item bought on eBay be happy to
tell the recipient about the price paid?
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Amanda Fehd, “Executive Who Steered eBay’s Rise to Retire,” Washington Post, January 24,
2008, p. D2; Matthew Summers-Sparks, “When Old Stadiums Go, Everything Must Go!” New
