Nothing For Sale

A guy selling nothing on eBay is promoting it as the dumbest eBay auction ever. Since the idea isn't new (nothing has been sold on eBay before, as even he admits), it may just live up to the claim. The seller writes:

Rather than put up some arbitrary item that's worthless and intangible, I figured I'd just put up something of equivalent value: nothing. You are bidding on absolutely nothing. I won't send you anything if you win the auction. Shipping on this particular item is free. I will send you exactly what is described here, including no item and no packaging.

What gets me is that he then becomes all fussy and uptight about possible hoax bids. As if he would actually have something to lose if a hoax bidder won the auction.

eBay

Posted on Mon Feb 07, 2005


Comments

For those of us who've sold on e-bay, and have been burned, we tend to add these enormous terms/disclaimers at the end of our auctions. Sometimes, the text of the fine print can be more than the auction. I'm guessing that he added that stuff to keep in the mood of things...
Posted by azog  on  Mon Feb 07, 2005  at  11:02 AM
He claims this is the dumbest eBay auction ever. I'd like some kind of independent edudication on this.
Posted by Nick  on  Mon Feb 07, 2005  at  11:23 AM
With the stuff selling lately, there should be plently of buyers for something that is so easy to find room for.
Posted by sbnature  on  Mon Feb 07, 2005  at  02:11 PM
Of all auctions, this has to be the most vulnerable to hoaxing.
How could you be sure you were getting the genuine nothing advertised instead of a counterfeit nothing?
If the nothing didn't not arrive, how could you prove it?
Posted by Big Gary C  on  Mon Feb 07, 2005  at  05:09 PM
Nothing is nothing except Nothing, right? So if he's auctioning off nothing, then it really is something. And that intangible thing is - an Idea. The idea to try to auction nothing. I give him credit, at least for existential concept, if not practical reality. Maybe I'll bid a penny - conceive that.
Posted by stork  on  Mon Feb 07, 2005  at  10:12 PM
Or, maybe I'll just bid - nothing. It occured to me after thought that my last conclusion mirrored the adage, 'A Penny for Your Thoughts'. Sucks to be me. But wouldn't, perhaps, the best response to this auction to be simply to not participate? After all, if you bid nothing for nothing, you are actually bidding something of absent value for an idea that has no substance - still concepts of ideas - NOT nothing!
Posted by stork  on  Mon Feb 07, 2005  at  10:30 PM
It occurs to me that this auction has more value than it might first appear. Would the Christian contingent agree that nothing is better than God?
Posted by Nick  on  Tue Feb 08, 2005  at  08:52 AM
Why is anyone paying this nut? What morons... they know very well they're just throwing away their money, yet they're doing it anyway.

What I notice in the questions and answers are that some people are hoping to use this to get themselves some positive feedback.
Posted by PlantPerson  on  Tue Feb 08, 2005  at  02:45 PM
Doesn't eBay charge you based on the selling price of your item? If he get's hoax bids, they will charge him for money he didn't earn and he will be out a buck or two.

Money for nothing! Har har har!
Posted by Nat  on  Tue Feb 08, 2005  at  03:36 PM
"Would the Christian contingent agree that nothing is better than God?"

Flip answer: No, God is better than nothing.

Theological answer: As the ultimate ground of Being, God transcends categories such as "better" and "worse."
Posted by Big Gary C  on  Tue Feb 08, 2005  at  06:28 PM
At this point, the high bid is $10.50, tangible money, for his claim of selling Nothing. No one can sell Nothing!!!! Forget the cool, but cheesy certificate, which is what you're really bidding on, besides a positive feedback on eBay. I'd bet this guy the rest of my life's earnings and pensions, Social Security, etc, if he can prove that he has Nothing for sale! The ONLY place, or not, where Nothing exists, or not, is what will be where the expansion of the Universe has not yet been, before. You cannot own Nothing, therefore, you cannot sell Nothing.
Posted by stork  on  Tue Feb 08, 2005  at  08:28 PM
Hey, it's the only thing that can stop the Duke of Earl. If you are the purchaser, then you have to worry about it, and doesn't everyone want nothing to worry about? But you know the kids will be in it constantly..."What are you kids into?" "Nothing...". Is nothing dangerous, toxic, carcinogenic? I don't think we should allow nothing around the children...besides, how does one show it off? "What's that?" "Oh, nothing..." "It's fabulous!" "No, it's really nothing."
Posted by catlady  on  Tue Feb 08, 2005  at  08:58 PM
Funny, there, catlady. Guess you're experienced with children. My son was always about, "What did you bring me?" I would've been in serious trouble, if I answered that question with 'nothing'. Nevertheless, this guy thinks he's selling nothing, when he is selling an idea - again, not nothing. It can't be done.
Posted by stork  on  Tue Feb 08, 2005  at  10:22 PM
Actually he isn't selling an idea since the idea can be had for free.
Posted by shamus  on  Tue Feb 22, 2005  at  09:47 PM
Interesting point - but didn't anyone else pay for your education? Since around 80% of the thoughts we humans have are instinctual, and about another 18% or so are learned from our upbringing, that leaves only about 2% for free thinking. And the ability to use that time wisely, as any parent can tell you, is the reward of a good education. At least, that's the party line; e.g.-there is NO free thought!
Posted by stork  on  Tue Feb 22, 2005  at  10:20 PM
Here is a great place for buying nothing: http://www.nothingforsalesite.com/
Posted by Timo Kosonen  on  Mon Jan 30, 2006  at  04:18 AM
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