I’ve been wondering this but can’t really get a definitive answer…
on eBay there have been some really strange items like this (click here) for sale. And before that there was the phenomena of the ‘ghost in a jar’ auction. There’s also an auction of ‘absolutely nothing’ that’s going for 10 dollars so far. My question is, there seems to be a blurred line of legality… what CAN’T you sell on eBay? What makes things like ‘ghost in a jar’ legal to sell? As well; what are some other strange items that have been on ebay? I’ve heard of a haunted painting and such…
This one has piqued my interest. I’m tempted to buy it. (Though I suspect it’s nothing more than someone hoping to get some news coverage out of the post itself).
Secondly, very few things are ‘illegal’ to sell. Unless the product (or service) contravines law, anything is fine. A ghost in a jar? Sure. ‘Absolutley nothing’? Go for it. My sweaty shoe? If you can find a buyer…
Ebay has rules about what THEY allow to be sold, so that may add a few things to the list. (Guns are legal to sell, but Ebay won’t allow it).
I once saw a guy selling his mom for an opening bid of $10. The fine print explained that you could win the chance to have his Mom be your “Mom for a Day” (She’ll make your dinner, do laundry, etc.) See the difference there? Selling people? No; illegal. Selling someone’s (non-illegal) services? Sure.
I also saw a guy selling a polished silver kettle once. The item itself was not odd. The picture was. The picture showed the kettle sitting on his stove. If you looked at the reflection in the silver finish, you could see the seller taking the picture. -He was naked.
Oh yeah, one more. I saw someone once selling home-made children’s stories on audio cassette. The stories themselves were laden with brutal violence and twisted religious undertones. I’m pretty sure I found that auction from a link in this board…but my search can’t turn up the original link. Here’s a whole website of weird auction items.
Thanks for all this info! I teach an ebay course at my library and had been searching for some unusual auctions to warn people about scams–these listings will be perfect.
Thanks for the response. Man, they really do seem to have an almost clear cut line of what you can and can’t sell. Though the ‘absolutely nothing’ really amazes me. I love it. I should sell absolutely nothing.
One day I was bored so I started searching for bizarre things on ebay for the hell of it… the strangest I came across was a guy selling a bag of his own pubic hair that he had recently shaved off. Amazingly, it had several bids
In the name of fighting ignorance, I think someone should buy the film that was linked in the OP and let us all know whats on it. I would volunteer myself but after reading the seller’s description I came down with a severe shortage of money.
Weirdest thing I’ve ever seen on e-bay was 100 live fighting roosters. It’s against e-bay’s policies to sell live animals, so I contacted them, as well as the Humane Society in Oklahoma (where the seller lived), and PETA. The auction was closed by e-bay. I don’t know what eventually happened…if the seller was in trouble for promoting cock fights…if the roosters were taken away…etc. I wonder what does happen to poultry if they’re taken away from their owner? I can’t imagine too many people adopting chickens from a humane society.
i live in Oklahoma. Cock fighting was just outlawed over this past year, and that doesn’t seem to be standing. a lot of counties are fighting the vote, so they have set aside the law temporarily.
IANAL, but from what I remember from my business law classes: in order for a contract to be enforceable there must be an exchange of consideration (i.e., something of value). If you try to sell “absolutely nothing,” the buyer would probably have a personal defense.
Man, they really do seem to have an almost clear cut line of what you can and can’t sell. Though the ‘absolutely nothing’ really amazes me. I love it. I should sell absolutely nothing.