The eBay Experiment Every Creator Should Know About
How the Insignificant Objects Experiment will make you rethink your role as a storyteller
There’s an eBay experiment I’ve learned about which has changed how I think about marketing, selling, and all types of content creation.
I almost didn’t believe it when I first heard it, because the results are so astonishing.
It comes with a clear takeaway for all you “creators” out there, whether you sell products, offer services, or produce content you want people to consume.
The experiment took place in 2009 and started with a big bag of junk.
100 Rather Insignificant Objects
In 2009 Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn set off around New York city scouring flea markets and thrift stores.
They were on a mission: to find useless junk they could sell on eBay.
They rounded up 100 random — and pretty unremarkable items — which included a plastic banana, a Russian figurine, a globe paper-weight, a shot glass, a kitty saucer — the kind of knick-knacks that clutter up many people’s homes.
The average cost of the items was $1.29 — but the two believed there was potential to sell them for much more on…
