ed howard
10-16-2011, 01:24 PM
Ebay $bomb fundraiser. Like it or DUD?
We are all painfully aware that few of us can donate to the campaign as much as we would like.
In addition to the traditional money bombs, what about creating an Ebay bomb.
With the holiday shopping season approaching, if an organized effort to list/sell items we are willing to part with
combined with a concurrent buy effort, it seems like we could raise money.
With 100,000 donors who could be invited to participate,
if 25% participated with 3 items each (or 13% with 6 items) with an average value of $25, it could raise over $1.5 million
Many want to contribute more - but can not afford to. (but they've got stuff)
Many want to contribute time - but want to be effective. They can post for non-Ebayers
Many may need a little inspiration to get it in gear & do more.
A nationwide Ebomb (Ebay bomb) organized where supporters would post ebay listings to sell stuff they don't need, all auctions timed to end on a certain day.
Possible locations where supporters could take items - locations in cities that were set up/manned by volunteers at certain times/days to help post listings for those who don't have an ebay account, don't have enough positive feedback to get maximum bids, or could just drop stuff off (if they are lazy, busy or already donated the max).
Another scenario might have the campaign announcement include a check-box if you are willing to help other RPfans post items (only persons who donated at least twice in the past to the campaign would get listed - to create a level of trust). Then that seemingly useless volunteer map on the RP website could be put to use listing local ebay helpers.
The call to action should include a list of things that sell well & things that do not (for those who don't know).
Here is what it "could" look like.
Format - During a designated time-frame (or ongoing time-frame), Items being sold where the seller intends all of the proceeds
(minus costs) to be donated to the RP campaign, have a code added to the listings (RP12, RonPaul2012 or qxvz for instance).
This way people who are looking for gifts/stuff who support RP can add that code to their ebay search (500gb seagate Hard Drive RP12)(Baby Clothes RP12) and see if a supporter listing shows up. We all have stuff around. Many people NEVER find the time/energy/motivation to post listings (I am guilty of this).
Some of us might even be tempted to do some of our Christmas shopping from these listings.
But the main goal would be to create some critical mass to this alternate form of money bomb
Just looking around, I see quite a few items I would part with (estimated sale price) 4 500gb hard drives ($25 each),
a large tub of Legos($35) my son left when he went off to college, 6 building replicas ($25-$50 each),
an antique globe ($125) and I didn't get out of my chair yet.
An Ebay Bomb might be more likely to get news coverage for its originality.
One could do a search of completed items with RP12 in them to come up with an approximate total on sales.
The volunteer locations would probably need to have a particular structure to be election law compliant.
But it isn't worth figuring this out if the concept is a DUD.
So, before I ponder this further, I would just like to hear some opinions.
Obviously this would require the campaign embracing the Idea...
So before I waste their time or mine...
Great Idea or Stupid?
We are all painfully aware that few of us can donate to the campaign as much as we would like.
In addition to the traditional money bombs, what about creating an Ebay bomb.
With the holiday shopping season approaching, if an organized effort to list/sell items we are willing to part with
combined with a concurrent buy effort, it seems like we could raise money.
With 100,000 donors who could be invited to participate,
if 25% participated with 3 items each (or 13% with 6 items) with an average value of $25, it could raise over $1.5 million
Many want to contribute more - but can not afford to. (but they've got stuff)
Many want to contribute time - but want to be effective. They can post for non-Ebayers
Many may need a little inspiration to get it in gear & do more.
A nationwide Ebomb (Ebay bomb) organized where supporters would post ebay listings to sell stuff they don't need, all auctions timed to end on a certain day.
Possible locations where supporters could take items - locations in cities that were set up/manned by volunteers at certain times/days to help post listings for those who don't have an ebay account, don't have enough positive feedback to get maximum bids, or could just drop stuff off (if they are lazy, busy or already donated the max).
Another scenario might have the campaign announcement include a check-box if you are willing to help other RPfans post items (only persons who donated at least twice in the past to the campaign would get listed - to create a level of trust). Then that seemingly useless volunteer map on the RP website could be put to use listing local ebay helpers.
The call to action should include a list of things that sell well & things that do not (for those who don't know).
Here is what it "could" look like.
Format - During a designated time-frame (or ongoing time-frame), Items being sold where the seller intends all of the proceeds
(minus costs) to be donated to the RP campaign, have a code added to the listings (RP12, RonPaul2012 or qxvz for instance).
This way people who are looking for gifts/stuff who support RP can add that code to their ebay search (500gb seagate Hard Drive RP12)(Baby Clothes RP12) and see if a supporter listing shows up. We all have stuff around. Many people NEVER find the time/energy/motivation to post listings (I am guilty of this).
Some of us might even be tempted to do some of our Christmas shopping from these listings.
But the main goal would be to create some critical mass to this alternate form of money bomb
Just looking around, I see quite a few items I would part with (estimated sale price) 4 500gb hard drives ($25 each),
a large tub of Legos($35) my son left when he went off to college, 6 building replicas ($25-$50 each),
an antique globe ($125) and I didn't get out of my chair yet.
An Ebay Bomb might be more likely to get news coverage for its originality.
One could do a search of completed items with RP12 in them to come up with an approximate total on sales.
The volunteer locations would probably need to have a particular structure to be election law compliant.
But it isn't worth figuring this out if the concept is a DUD.
So, before I ponder this further, I would just like to hear some opinions.
Obviously this would require the campaign embracing the Idea...
So before I waste their time or mine...
Great Idea or Stupid?