eBay is teaming up with various celebrities to build a charity auction destination that harnesses the power of celeb culture and uses it for good.
You can already see evidence of our fascination with celebrities by performing a quick eBay search. Whether it’s something basic like a guitar pick autographed by Eric Clapton or something a little more extreme like a T-shirt worn by a Jonas brother – eBay has become a destination for people looking to buy and sell items that have been touched by celebrity in some way.
And celebrity.ebay.com is tapping into that potential for a good cause.
The new site, which launched on Monday, provides a platform for celebrity items or celebrity experiences to be auctioned – with the proceeds going to the particular celeb’s charity of choice.
For instance, one current auction with 9 days remaining is for the chance to hang out with Brad Pitt for a night. Right now, the current bid is $10,000. All of the money generated from the auction will go to Pitt’s cause, the Make It Right Foundation – a program that builds homes for New Orleans residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Another example is with Katy Perry, whose sequined red dress will go up for auction on November 9th. All proceeds for that will benefit the American Red Cross.
As of launch day, there are 13 celebrities involved in the project inlcuding NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson, famous actor Robert Duvall, boxer Vladimir Klitschko and NFL athlete Troy Polamalu.
As you can see, each celeb has their own page that includes information on their charity, as well as any current auctions taking place. The page also suggests other eBay searches based on the celebs’ interests and links to associated eBay items.
So even though eBay isn’t taking a portion of the proceeds, they will benefit from the new initiative.
“We know that our customers have been coming to eBay specifically to look for and connect with their favorite charities and celebrities,” says eBay CMO Richelle Parham. “For many years, the eBay platform has been the choice for celebrities who are looking to raise funds for their charities.”
Celeb-crazy fans will pay an unbelievable amount of money to own items that bring them closer to the culture – no matter what the cause. So why not benefit the less fortunate is the process?