eBay has announced a partnership that aims to connect consumers with celebrities' eBay activities and favorite charitable causes.
eBay Celebrity offers exclusive charity auctions to let consumers get "up close and personal with their favorite celebrities through the purchase of one-of-a-kind merchandise, concert tickets, and meet and greet opportunities," eBay reports.
Celebrities whose auctions are currently being featured include Christina Aguilera, Jeff Bridges, Robert Duvall, Katy Perry and Brad Pitt. The stars have their own profiles on ebay.com/celebrity, where buyers can see what they might be searching for on eBay, what items they are auctioning off for charity and what causes they're supporting. Celebrities' profile pages also invite buyers to follow them on Twitter.
This new collaboration allows consumers to purchase unique items directly from the celebrity while, at the same time, supporting a great cause, according to Richelle Parham, eBay North America's chief marketing officer.
"Only eBay has the innovative technology and large portfolio of tools to combine celebrity, charity and commerce to engage consumers with the causes they care about most," Parham says.
Celebrity charity auctions aren't new to eBay. A pair of limited edition Nike Mag sneakers and an annual lunch with Warren Buffet are just two examples of successful auctions-for-a-cause before the launch of eBay Celebrity.
More than $230 million has been raised through eBay Giving Works since 2003, funding thousands of nonprofit organizations across the globe. Of that number, $51 million has been raised in 2011, alone.
eBay expects the new venture to give a further boost to fundraising through Giving Works.
"We couldn't think of a better time than during the holiday season to unveil eBay Celebrity, when giving back to a good cause is always a top consideration," Parham says.
Auctiva staff writers constantly monitor trends and best practices of those selling on eBay and elsewhere online. They attend relevant training seminars and trade shows and regularly discuss the market with PowerSellers and other market experts.
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