Well, I'm just speechless on this eBay Live promo...

(ok, maybe not entirely speechless)....

Today on eBay's Chatter blog/news site, they revealed the theme for this year's eBay live. The theme is "eBay Heroes" (see image at left - note this is not a joke).

"SCOT!!! Who are these eBay Heroes!?!" You ask, well according to the post:

"They're ordinary people who buy or sell extraordinary things!"

Based on this cover image, we have three eBay heroes:

• The guy (GuitarGuy!) in the center is either buying or selling that guitar.  In the meantime it looks like he's ready to clobber some low-DSR sellers right on the head with it as he is holding his axe, much like, well, an axe. Nice Mullet dude.

• To the right we have BeanieGal - She is clearly in love with that beanie that she is dragging on the ground by the stretched arm and looks as happy as a rented mule to be involved with the eBay Hero team.
• Last but not least we have green-sweater-ed "digital camera lady". She stands at the ready to photograph the exploits and obvious heroics of the eBay Heroes.

This book is kind of a teaser. According to chatter, here's how it will work:

Here's how it works: at registration, you'll receive a small black-and-white comic book about the Heroes. It won't have the complete story in the book, only bits of what is to come. You can then collect colored stickers over the rest of eBay Live! to complete the story.

So if you didn't plan on attending eBay Live, you'll see me at the participating booths chasing down some eBay Heroes!

Comments

[Ebay Website]

Business as usual.

[John Paul]

Anybody going to ebaY Live 08 have fun I had a great time in Boston 07. I won't be making it to Chicago so can someone going do me a favor? Can you ask the ebaY higher ups why do they continue to promote Kim Kardashians fake Charity auctions on there homepage. Do they know that she is only donating 10%? I would love to know why she is always on the homepage when there are plenty of auctions out there donating 100%? This is really bothering me among many of the other ebaY moves this year.

[Fruity]

That's not a guitar, that's a ukelele! And I'm offended they're representing our Hawaiian culture with a haole in socks. And we all know what's going to happen, they're gonna pump happiness into the air shafts to make everyone delirious and tell them part of the STORY and then 6 months later you'll find out what they didn't tell you was they were gonna screw all the small sellers. They've done that for 3 years in a row. Even Blues Clues would of caught on by now. lol. What, they give you a book so they can justify it?!@$@ Everyones gonna clap like seals getting thrown fishes. You're gonna keep clapping until you realize everyone around you are cut out paper people with looped laugh tracks. hehe

[kimbers]

'So if you didn't plan on attending eBay Live, you'll see me at the participating booths chasing down some eBay Heroes!'

Scot, oh God I hope not!

I want you become a real live eBay hero and track down some honest answers for the rest of us!

Thank you!

[eBay Live! Pin Collector]

I heard that everyone is dressing up like their favorite hero for the sessions on Friday. I've already got my Bill Cobb costume all lined up!

[Beyond the Treeline, Inc.]

{{quote}} "You can then collect colored stickers" {{end quote}}

Collect stickers? Are "Live" participants six years old?

For that matter, is this a business conference or a treasure hunt?

It makes you wonder if this cartoon-approach (insert R-rated bubble quote here) has anything to do with the decision to *not* hold "Live" next year. It would seem that perhaps they would have been better off skipping this years event. With the recent news of an over-abundance of spoiled tomatoes on the market, we sure hope they have some good dry cleaners in San Jose.

[Steve]

It would be more appropriate if they would distribute A Survival Handbook for eBay sellers.

[steve]

I think handing out an Ebay Survival Manual for sellers would be more appropriate.

[Brian S]

And to think.....someone actually got a paycheck to come up with this campaign. I think my 4 year old nephew must have submitted the idea for the sticker book!

[dimes]

Jim Carrey holding a ukulele is eBay's idea of a hero?

Alrighty then.

[Chris @ TameBay]

Sorry Scot, but stickers just don't have the same appeal as metal pins. The book will be in the bin within weeks whereas the pins last a lifetime.

What would you rather your customers committed enough to attend your conference have? A dog eared sticker book in the trash or a bunch of pins they'll find at the back of a drawer in five years time to remind them what a great time they had?

[Anne]

"They're ordinary people who buy or sell extraordinary things!"

More like, "ordinary people who pay extraordinary fees" "In this issue, see our heroes be price-gouged to
death by one of histories largest corporate monopolies. Our heroes didn't expect a free lunch, still, they
are worn out from 2 and a half years of spin and ballyhoo.

The only happy seller attending ebay live this year will be Buy.com (yes, I'm sure there are others getting an under the table deal in the near future, but we don't know who they are yet)....