One Oz .999 silver Canadian Maple Leaf

As a Canadian I tend to find miscategorizations like this a little amusing, specifically when the keywords "silver eagles" yield this as an actual result. I have a certain perception of American patriotism, and figure that coming across Canadian iconography when seeking Americana wouldn't come across very well to the patriotic eBayer. 

Interestingly enough, the seller is based out of the States as well.  Hmm...

VINTAGE AYDS REDUCING PLAN CANDY BOX VANILLA CARAMEL

Finally, a bizarre product!

Some may recall an old South Park diet parodying Jared Fogle (aka the Subway guy), called "Jared Has Aides", referring to a very poorly named product to help a weight loss diet.  Oddly enough, a similarly named 1960s product is also in existence.

"AYDS" seems to have had a resurgence on the internet and eBay because of its close sounding name to a real life disease (AIDS), which generally isn't considered a laughing matter (at least more so in the 1980s and 1990s before better treatments were made available).  Obviously, the product in the auction is not for human consumption (it's an empty box, just for kitsch value).

NWT COCKTAIL DRESS SIZE 11 CHRISTMAS PARTY EVENING GOWN

Evening dresses are another huge category on eBay, with that keyword generating dozens of pages worth of results.  Really can't think of anything funny to say about the item, but with the difficulty in finding properly fitting women's clothing (not for me personally, because I'm a guy), unless you are very well versed in your own size and measurements, you'll have to check the return policies for eBayers very carefully.

Or, expect to have something that fits as well as Gwyneth Paltrow's Academy Award gear when she won for Shakespeare in Love.

Blackhead Blemish Remover Tool Acne Pimple Extractor x1

With the internet subculture that seems to revolve around pimple popping and the associated videos (just run a search on YouTube and you'll get an eye-full), it's only appropriate that there are things on eBay to facilitate that.

Blackhead removers are some of the most common tools which extract the contents of your pores (one by one) by gently pressing on the surrounding areas without causing bruising associated with the "standard" method in which you just find the pimple and squeeze it with your fingers.  Mind you, you don't get the fun explosion that comes with the standard method.

Fat Chance: Your Best Chance for Permanent Weight Loss

With all focus being put on quick solutions and finding things like the best weight loss pills for women, this is probably not a bad thing to think about, considering that Christmas indulgence comes with a lot of weight gain for some.  Me, I'm on the sea food diet.  I see food...

The seller is moving a copy of Fat Chance: Your Best Chance for Permanent Weight Loss, which is signed by the author.  I don't know if it affects the value, but considering it's made out to someone named Linda, it might not be as meaningful if your name isn't Linda.  Books are otherwise great resources, but still requires a lot of self-motivation.

Alli Weight Loss Pills Refill 120 Count

I'm mostly a believer in proper diet and exercise when it comes to making changes to one's body type.  I've even taken to trying out the P90X program myself, although I wouldn't necessarily judge if one wished to use weight loss pills or supplements to improve one's chances of success.  However, it is best to always do so with proper consideration and with a doctor's advice.

This is important, when you consider the side effects of a lot of things that claim to be effective. This one particular drug, Alli, works by blocking fat absorption, which sounds great, but if it's not being absorbed, it can only go in one place.  Yup, you guessed it.

medical exam table/OB/Gyn tables

While it's relatively easy to find a medical exam table on eBay, for whatever reasons, this eBay auction was the only one that I found that had actual bids on it.  While I'm not about to make assumptions about the bidders, I tend to assume that actual medical doctors will want unused, clean, and factory sterilized equipment, for which this does not necessarily qualify, unless the doctor is operating in a Médecins Sans Frontières type scenario (at which point, they'd probably get their equipment donated).

This is where I start speculating on the actual use of said item.  But I won't judge.

Acne Zit.com SKIN CARE/Products/Pimple Treatment Domain

For $2500, you can be the proud owner of a domain name, "AcneZit.com". Some marketing plans will involve buying as many possible domains as possible, like how AOL would buy "AOLSucks.com."  As to whether or not a company manufacturing and selling acne treatment products would immediately look up "AcneZit.com".  In this tech savvy age, most of us are familiar with Google and would rather do that instead of typing in random URLs.  However, with proper SEO, one might be able to bend it to their advantage...and would probably not even bother with novelty URLs.

Justin Bieber Personalized Pillowcase Iron on Transfer

Regardless of your opinion of Canada's boy wonder musician, his face can move merchandise.  Authorized or not.  Personalized gifts are available through eBay, although you can get a lot of stuff like this, which can be easily reproducible with the average home computer with Photoshop. How cheap?  They didn't bother to change the auction description, which suggests that they also sell stuff with Twilight on it.

400MH METAL HALIDE OUTDOOR PARKING LOT LIGHTING FIXTURE

In the age where traditional brick and mortar retailers are slowly giving away to online, we can start to see a lot more auctions like this. As far as outdoor lighting fixtures go, it will do the job for $149, although unless you're a traditional business owner, it might not suit your purposes.  It might look a little funny on your lawn.

Vintage Social Security Benefits manual 1942

Got $7.99 lying around?  If you do, you can be the proud owner of a vintage social security benefits manual.  This might have limited use to the average person who actually does have need for social security benefits. Companies such as Allsup might get you a little bit further, although their services presumably will run you slightly more than $7.99. 

For specialized buyers, it's great.  For the average Joe, not so much.

2 Night Branson, MO Vacation Package+ 2 Dixie Stampede!

It's another one.  This time promoting a Branson vacation package for $59, it seems to be pretty good, giving you a hotel stay and a chance to see a Dixie Stampede show.  Of course, not just anybody can qualify for this, as you're required to attend another timeshare presentation.

These tend to be very high-pressure sales tactics, although if you keep your wits about you, you might be able to avoid getting taken in, although if they are only selling this for $59, they are likely making huge profits from their timeshares.

Family Orlando Vacation package + FREE Disney Tickets

File under caveat emptor.  Always look beyond the price when considering how you're going to spend your holiday, such as when looking for Disney vacation packages on eBay. At $329 (no taxes), you get a hotel stay for 4 people and 2 adult tickets to Disneyland.  (Homer Simpson: "But there are 5 of us." Itchy and Scratchy representative: "I said I have THREE tickets.")

Read beyond what you get, and you get the actual cost.  Most annoying is the fact that the word "timeshare" pops up in the eBay auction, which is enough for me to want to ignore this altogether.  Yes, you have to attend a timeshare presentation.  

100% Legal Brazilian Extreme Diet Energy Pills 18+ ONLY

Calling themselves "Brazilian Extreme Diet Energy Pills", I can't say if it's the best diet pills for women. Actually, it seems a little intimidating, when it claims to promote mind-stimulating euphoria.  Even more frightening is that there is no indicator to what's in it, whether it's stimulating like caffeine or it has an appetite suppressant of any sort.

The fact that they're bragging about the likelihood of their product getting taken off the market for being potentially hazardous also raises a few flags.

Chocolait a l' orange John Abate Dark Tanning Lotion

I was asked to write about tanning lotions, and as much as it's my mandate to try to find funny and interesting eBay auctions, the first thing I thought of was whatever bronzer they use on Jersey Shore in order to induce the whole "whorange" look.

Alas, I found nothing.  The closest thing I could find with those keywords was this. It's meant to accelerate the tanning process, so I can't say it's really a health promoting product, as it doesn't offer UV protection, but UV acceleration.  But, for those that wanna live fast, die young?  It's perfect.

SUPER PLANT GROWTH HORMONE SPRAY - BIGGER BLOOMS - NEW

When I think of "gh sprays", I think in terms of human growth hormone.  I'm not at liberty to discuss the possible health and legal implications of these products, as they are not all subject to FDA testing and regulations, although ones derived from natural substances can bypass Canadian health regulations.  And here's a product that will definitely pass Canadian health regulations.

Surprisingly, this is for your plants. But, this is sort of a unique product and they don't tell you what's in it. 

Find Phentermine Online . com - diet pills website

As phentermine is one of the few diet drugs on the market that are proven to work with minimal side effects (so far), one would figure that it'd be a highly sought after item on eBay.  But not without a doctor's prescription, as there seems to be a lot of things that are quasi-related...like a domain name.

Given that it has some chemical similarities to methamphetamine, it's a controlled substance in many jurisdictions.  And thus, probably not something that's easy to obtain on eBay.

Hoodia Power-Pops, Energy, Weight Loss,Appetite Control

Those looking to get some appétit control have a lot of options on eBay.  Most of them have very little scientific backing...actually, I don't think any of the ones I found have any sort of scientific backing, especially those claiming to contain hoodia gordonii.  If you happen to have $70 burning a hole in your PayPal account, you can always go for the option of eating candy to lose weight.

Sounds promising, until you read that hoodia gordonii doesn't pass the blood brain barrier, and these candy pops contain sugar and corn syrup, the latter of which has been implicated in metabolic syndrome and obesity.  Your choice, folks.

MUSEUM ITEM antique JEWISH HANUKAH AUSTRIA 1836 SILVER

As holidays tend to be commercialized in the mainstream, I wonder what observers of secular holidays such as Yom Kuppur and Hanukah have to go through.  Certainly Red Envelope hanukah items could fill the bill, but will go a long way to reaching the crass commercialism of Christmas and Valentine's Day.

Those looking for something truly unique could go for something like this, but most would be hard pressed to come up with that much cash for something like this. 

2 DVDs : Vault of Horror + Sexy Girls Slideshow

File under ghetto.  This guy is selling DVD slideshows, on home-burned commercial DVDRs. 

The seller claims that the material is in public domain, although that is debatable, considering the film The Vault of Horror was made in the 70s, whereas the bulk of films in the public domain are pre-1950s.

So far, they've attracted ONE bid.  ONE.  For one cent.

Sony VAIO VGN-FS550 *LAPTOP-for parts/repair**

The Sony VAIO is a pretty solid machine overall, but like all commodity electronics, it's subject to wear and tear and breaking.  So, it makes sense that eBay is a spot for people to hawk their no-longer functional laptops for parts in order to cut their losses. 

This thing is pretty beat up as it is, but obviously, the guy can't sell it for full price.  Interestingly enough, though, is that he's up to 11 bids, which will definitely go up as the auction reaches deadline.  Given that any piece of electronics will be worth more in parts than fully assembled, getting them for cheap is always a good thing.

I just wonder why the seller felt the need to copy and paste the full description from the Sony website, though.  It's not like the buyers are going to care about features.  They just want to make sure that it's the correct model number.

Wholesale Lots= 100 VGA SVGA Y Splitter Cable Adapter

This is when you're just getting plain greedy.  For very specialized buyers, wholesale lots can be great when you need a hundred of one single item.  But when the item is something that's of limited use?

This guy is selling 100 SVGA y-splitter cables.  This is what allows you to get your video signal to travel to two separate monitors.  And if you want, you can buy TEN of them.  That's right, folks. 1000 SVGA y-splitters.

As the signal going through opposite ends of a y-splitter is identical (and may suffer from degradation), it's not going to give you the benefit of dual-screen, and it's not exactly HD.  And you'd have to be a very, VERY specialized business in order to need 100 of an older piece of tech. 

DuPont Real Touch Elite laminate flooring, 8 boxes

Apologies to my readers...I really can't say anything funny about laminate flooring. 

The gaudy looking layout of the auction page lends a little more credibility (it's not done by some huge impersonal eBay store), and for $250 ($31.25 per box, more than half off the original price), although it's for a very, VERY specific buyer.  With 8 boxes, you're not going to get a ton of coverage, especially since this particular colour has been discontinued.

Craigslist is usually a bit better for these things, but you do whatcha gotta do.

Cheap Car Insurance Bad Credit Card Loans INFO DVD Cash

I think that the snake oil salesmanship of this eBay auction speaks for itself. Speaking to the desperation of a recession and taxed ravaged people, it's a little too promising to get something for nothing, especially when you hear stories of constant layoffs of people who've worked hard for years and now just want a little break.  Cheap car insurance, low mortgage rates, anything to help.

The seller's feedback rating, a comparatively low 90.6% rating, is enough to give most people pause.  Caveat emptor.

Barcode Scanner - SYMBOL LS2208 ***** VERY CHEAP *****

Small retail business owners can probably benefit from a Symbol LS2208, which is abundantly available on eBay.  However, one can probably benefit from looking a little harder, especially when the auction purports itself to be "VERY CHEAP" at $54.99.  This is where one learns the art of sniping, when you see current bids for the same product for around $30, but could easily go well above $60 towards the last few seconds of the auction.

I don't know how people can do it, but the ones who are good are really successful.

Sperry Top-Sider Mako 1 Eye Cream Boat Deck Shoes Men 8

When reviewing cosmetics auctions on eBay, such as top eye creams, I have a really tough time, given that I have absolutely no need for them.  When punching in those keywords, I ended up with a pair of shoes, which was kind of weird, but I'm rolling with it.

These aren't the kind of shoes I would find myself wearing.  It doesn't look so much the type of shoes one would wear if they had problem feet (no full laces), although they go into exhaustive detail as to the features that are on them, going on to call the eyelets as "rust-proof." As deck shoes, it would make sense, as you're exposed to a lot more saltwater, although for most people, it's probably not a huge deal.

500 + MG GORDONII HOODIA NATURAL HEALTH SLIMMING PILLS

I used to review a lot more of these types of auctions and I'm surprised that they're still around.  Slimming pills, like all other diet and exercise supplements, are huge on eBay, but it's been a while since I've seen products containing hoodia gordonii, which hasn't been been as popular lately.  There has been a lot of controversy over that product in particular, especially given the questions about the efficacy (still no scientific evidence), but also the questionable marketing tactics.  There are at least three ongoing lawsuits regarding hoodia gordonii and the companies that are selling products that are purported to contain it, but actually don't.

Suvorna Blackhead Pimple Remover Extractor Lancet 1104

For most people, acne is a fact of life the instant puberty is achieved, which have made popping zits a regular ritual for teenagers everywhere.  Getting rid of blackheads also has been a source of satisfaction for some (myself included).

However, the "manual" method of doing so is pretty discouraged, due to the potential scarring and skin damage, for which these tools are used.  These things are a little more fun than they should be, which stretch the skin around a pore and allow whatever stuff is inside to escape.  Chalk this up with cracking joints to the list of stuff that we're not supposed to do, but we do anyway.

WEIGHT METABOLISM/FITNESS SUPPLEMENT LOSS DIETARY DIET

In my eBay reviews, I see new supplements for weight loss all the time, which makes it increasingly difficult to keep up with.  There have been a lot of trendy weight loss supplements, all claiming to be the "best weight loss supplement." Since they're coming and going at such a rapid clip, they're usually gone by the time that there has been sufficient research in place to verify either their efficacy or their safety.

This is one of the latest ones.   With the buzz-word worthy "Evomine-X" name, it sounds promising...although further research reveals that the primary ingredient is bitter orange, which is not necessary safer or even as effective as ephedra, which has been subject to an FDA ban since 2004. 

3 VHS Ball Workout Videos Total Body Abs Pilates Walker

In this day and age of the internet and digital media, this is practically an antique.

It's not so much that the concept of getting your abs workout is an antique concept, but the technology needed to view it is becoming harder and harder to come by.  With VHS to DVD being one of the most major leaps in entertainment electronics (even more so than DVD to BluRay).  I don't know if 99 cents is a fair price to pay, as it assumes that you even HAVE a VCR.  I haven't owned a VCR in 3 years.

Brand New 2010 City Select Baby Stroller by Baby Jogger

Can't really think of anything clever about this one, a Baby jogger city select stroller. Baby products are always huge on eBay, which are generally not cheap.  In my days of riding public transit every day, baby strollers were actually getting SUV sized, which ended up taking up a stupid amount of space on the bus/Skytrain.  Can you tell that I really don't like children that much, or the unwarranted sense of entitlement that surrounds parenthood in general?

Royal Caribbean Cruise line Shipshape Logo Yellow Visor

I routinely see a lot of these types of auctions when I'm doing reviews. With the vast majority of eBay auctions being unsurprisingly useless crap, I now actually realize the value of auctions like this one. Having just come back from a quick one-day road trip to Seattle, I picked up a few souvenirs while at the Science Fiction museum. Which I promptly managed to leave behind on my way back home.

If you're doing the cruise Royal Caribbean, this is probably one of the most butt-ugly souvenirs that you can get (my mom got me a towel with their logo on it).  But, people lose stuff like souvenirs, so hey.

TEAR AID RV Camper Awning PVC Vinyl Hole Repair Patch B

If you're looking to RV repairs, it's probably best left to the professionals.  However, sometimes that's not always an option, especially if you're half-way through a camping trip out in the middle of the sticks, with no repair shop within a short driving distance.

For that, there is emergency stuff like this.  I'd probably go the Red Green route and just employ duct tape due to its millions of uses, although this is recommended as a more long-term solution rather than a quick fix.  Still, worth a look.

1953 Kent Cigarette Micronite (asbestos) filter TEST Ad

Finding a Mesothelioma lawyer has become a fairly large business on the Internet, although it hasn't quite reached eBay yet.  But for a truly morbid twist, there's one enterprising eBay seller who has a 1953 ad up for sale.

This is a slightly chilling reminder of what we didn't know 60 years ago, or people knew and didn't bother telling anybody about it. And back then, it was decided that it was a good idea to put asbestos in cigarette filters. As if smoking isn't bad enough, now you gotta go ahead and add another carcinogen to the mix.  Thanks, guys.

NEW Valeo Dual Ab Wheel Workout Equipment Gym 2-DAYSHIP

It can be largely agreed that a good exercise routine has a lot of variety and doesn't need a ton of fancy equipment.  With ab workouts being one of the most popular training areas, simplicity is always good.

I like this one myself, although it takes a while to build up to use it properly.  I saw a fancier version of one of these at a mall kiosk, but it was almost too complex (ie: it looked like it was more likely to break).  The guy at the booth demonstrated the exercise while on his knees, although I saw something a different version with straight legs.  I mention seeing Jackie Chan doing it in a movie once (Rumble in the Bronx, if I'm not mistaken), to which the guy responds, "I once saw him jump off a building, but I'm not going to do that too."

Good point.

COUPON for Electronic Cigarette Kit Ecig E Cigarette !

For those looking to quit smoking, there's now the option of the electronic cigarette, which allows users to get their nicotine hit without a lung full of carcinogens.  After doing some quick reading on it, it sounds like a really good idea, although a lot of organizations aren't completely convinced, such as the World Health Organization and Health Canada, who state that it's not really a smoking cessation aid, although it may serve as harm reduction.

eBay still considers it a tobacco product, and hence selling similar products is a violation of the TOS.  So, the best people can get is a coupon.  Here in Canada, these are banned for sale, but if you're American, smoke 'em if you got 'em!

INSURANCE QUOTES - LIFE : HEALTH : LONG TERM CARE

This is one of the few reasons why I'm glad that eBay charges for its listings, but for auctions like this, they aren't charging enough. 

This is for an online life insurance company...or, at least I think it is, and given that they aren't actually selling a tangible product via eBay (it's for the purpose of punting insurance quotes, which are supposed to be FREE), I'm surprised that this isn't considered a violation of eBay's terms of service agreement.  If it isn't, it really should be. Or, at least it should be better enforced.

2000 Geico Auto Insurance " Like An Air Bag For..." Ad

When looking for interesting auctions for auto insurance, I was hoping to find something different like if there was any merchandise associated with Geico advertising, more specifically the gecko that shows up in some of the older ads.  Alas, this was the best I could find.

Slightly disappointed, as it seems that it's about the best I can find, but even more so considering that this is cannibalized from a magazine that is at most 10 years old, yet is considered "vintage".  Trash and treasure is coming up a lot here, folks.

PEE WEE HERMAN Suit TUX TUXEDO T SHIRT Mens S emo punk

Tuxedos can make the average looking schlub into a GQ model. One of the cheesiest fashion accessories ever manufactured are the t-shirt with silk-screen printing of a tuxedo on them, and will turn a GQ model into a schlub.

For those with a love affair of all things 80s, there is the Pee Wee Herman Tuxedo t-shirt.  This is purely aimed at the kitsch and camp crowd who would gain the most appreciation from this item.  Never having been a fan of Pee Wee's Playhouse, the Paul Reuben-portrayed manchild holds a place in my pop culture as fodder for late night television standup.  This of course refers to his various run-ins with the law.

The Philadelphia Daily Sun Newspaper July 24, 1846

For those looking to see what it was like looking for Philadelphia jobs a century and a half ago, there's this.  Okay, I mostly kid...without owning a copy of this item, I don't know if classifieds and job postings were a feature of the daily rag that long ago.

Something like this is of historical value to some people, if something important also happened on that date...but it's hard to say.  For history buffs only.

Unique sofa and loveseat

Selling stuff on eBay can be a huge challenge, especially with the competition from Craigslist.  In the times that I have moved and tried to sell furniture, Craigslist is seen as a more attractive option, especially since you don't have to pay if the item doesn't actually sell.

Here, a seller is trying to get sell a used sofa and loveseat.  When among other brand new contemporary sofas  for sale on eBay, it's going to be a hard sell, with only the $150 starting price being the only selling point.  And the reserve hasn't even been met yet.

In this case, stick with Craigslist.

DHC Multiple Vitamin Diet Supplement (basic health) 30D

With the overall nutrient value of food dropping, multiple vitamins are being looked towards for supplementing health.  But, as the supplement industry isn't as regulated, it's hard to know what you're getting.  It's even harder when the product isn't written in a language that you understand.

This auction is for a multivitamin product that was made in Japan.  Indeed, with certain food stuffs and herbs that are Japanese in origin, there may be a good reason to trust this product.  But when the seller doesn't attempt to translate the text in full and puts the onus on the buyer, it's a little tough to place your trust.

Certified VS GH color diamond ring wedding band #3969

I found it slightly amusing myself that the seller's name is "tightwadtwr." So, you check out his auction and think it's an amazing price that the seller is setting for $9.99.  Sounds great...yellow and white gold, certified diamonds...it's a steal...or not.  "Reserve not met."

I don't know if this is a sales tactic or not, presenting an artificial price (much, MUCH higher than $9.99), and then having the price disappear when people start bidding.  One should probably expect this when the seller calls themselves "tightwadtwr."

40LB WEIGHT VEST EXERCISE EQUIPMENT ATHLETIC WEIGHTED

Previously to seeing this on eBay, I previously thought that this type of exercise equipment was only found in the Dragon Ball comics.

Something like this will help the wearer instantly gain 40 pounds, which sounds bad at first, but adds resistance to all your movements, which is great for rehabilitation.  I don't know if it's something that fitness trainers will recommend that you wear all the time, however.  We've heard reports that exercise balls are not ideal for sitting on at the office, as you're essentially doing exercise all day. And then there are those electro-stimulation devices that are supposed to do the equivalent of a thousand sit-ups in five minutes, but leaves you with burn scars.

Lot of 11 HHP Model IT3800 Barcode Scanners/Cable/Ac

In my time reviewing eBay auctions, it's largely reflective of current business trends.  Given the economic downturn, it's highly probable that your favourite places to do business have ceased operations or severely cut back on services.  Hence, tools and equipment for business are available at firesale prices on eBay as people try to recoup their losses wherever possible.

If you're looking for a barcode scanner, eBay would probably be a pretty good place to look, as with the prices they're offering, you can start a business a lot cheaper than you could before. Mind you, you can probably do cheaper, but it's something to consider in your research.

INOGEN ONE PORTABLE SYSTEM

For emphysema patients or those needing higher concentrations of oxygen, something like an Inogen oxygen concentrator can serve as a viable alternative to having oxygen tanks, which can run the risk of blowing up if abused.

This auction in particular is for a portable system, supposedly selling at a fraction of what it used to go for. From what the seller indicates, it was for a family member that wasn't able to use it. One can easily read between the lines and figure out that there was a family tragedy associated with this one (it can be surmised that they can't return something like this, as specialty medical equipment is probably harder to return).  How about helping a family out?

Publish Post

Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal 90 v.caps

Now for a product that I have a little more faith in, specifically, prenatal vitamins. Partly because my current employer is largely funded by these types of companies, I'm going to promote these a little more.

This eBay auction in particular is for Garden of Life's Vitamin Code vitamins. These are particularly important, especially since those 9 months dictate how much of a chance the youngin is going to have through their entire life.  I do think it's interesting that a supplement company will attempt to capitalize on the popularity of a book and film series (The Da Vinci Code) to sell their product.  I don't know if it helps them out sell their products.

LIPOFUZE-eXTReMe FaT BuRNeR WeiGHT LoSS DieT SuPPLemEnT

Lipofuzeis a new diet supplement that has shown up lately and is so new that there isn't any solid information available on Wikipedia yet.  I can't really say anything good or bad about it, with the lack of information that is available, save for a lot of advertising hype that is up to the consumer to decide if it is worthwhile or not.

With sufficient research, the customer can see past the hype and make an informed decision.  Make sure you do the same.

DEPRESSION TREATMENT & HAPPINESS SPELL by Real Witch

I've been seeing a lot more of these as time goes on...while I'm not about to discriminate based on one's belief, I'm surprised that people actually still go for this stuff.

In this case, there is someone who's selling non-pharmaceutical depression treatments. More specifically, for $9.85, you can have a real certified witch cast a spell and cure you of your depression.

I do feel that depression is a valid condition which affects a lot of people directly and indirectly, which makes this seem like they're trivializing clinical depression.

1972 Continental Insurance ad Superman, more superheros

Insurance advertising shows up a lot on eBay, which is a nice thing to have if you're looking for term insurance rates.  This one in particular depicts superheroes from mixed properties, namely The Lone Ranger, Captain America, Superman, Dick Tracy, and what could be Tarzan (or Joe Kubert's Tor, it's kinda hard to tell).

This is a bit of a limited-use item for most normal folks unless they happen to be an insurance sales agent, but this is kinda cool if you're a comic book guy.

I don't think he had any takers and I don't know where the source for this image is..

Original Natural Weight loss Product NUEZ DE LA INDIA

In terms of the top weight loss products available on eBay, there are many to choose from, although this one in particular seems to show up the most.  This is called "Nuez de la India," but it's difficult to find anything about it, at least as far as being a diet supplement.

The Nuez de la India is known by other names, such as candlenut, due to the oils that the seeds produce, which can be used in candles, although the oil has medicinal properties in traditional folk medicine. The wikipedia entry doesn't indicate weight loss properties, although they do indicate that the seeds are toxic if eaten raw.

Caveat emptor, people.

ALLI Weight Loss Aid Refill 60mg Sealed 90 Caplets 2012

You may not necessarily find alli reviews on eBay, but you will find plenty of alli. Like many of the eBay auctions I review here, this is a weight loss supplement. As I'm not a regular consumer of the products, I can't really say anything about their efficacy, save for what I've read on Wikipedia.  It works by blocking absorption of fats into your system. While great in theory, the fact that there's dietary fats in just about everything, it's gotta go somewhere.

Am I the only one that finds it amusing that the seller's name starts the letters "BM"?

NEW- 1993 Country Comfort 36' 2 Slide Outs - Never Used

eBay has many used RVs for sale, some of which have interesting stories and histories behind them, like this one.

While it technically has never been used, according to the auction it is about 17 years old and has been sitting on the lot for the entire time as the manufacturer went out of business, and presumably, that's why they still have to label it as used in the item description, but for the potential bidders, it's a steal at its current price of $6100 and 16 bids (with 5 days remaining).

This is a towable unit, but has all the stuff you would need in it.  

Villium 10mg Sleeping Pill Pills 50 pcs

This auction is a reminder of why it's important to pay extra-close attention to the auction when you bid. This is for a pack of Villium sleeping pills, which doesn't seem to have a lot of information available, as running a google search will ask if I meant to say "valium."  The product shot included only adds to the confusion, as it has a photo of a prescription drug, Valium Diazepam. 

While diazepam is used as a short-term treatment for insomnia, this is clearly misleading.  But, at least seller assumes responsibility for this auction.  We hope!

SUBLIMINAL END HEADACHE-MIGRAINE TREATMENT/TREAT/RELIEF

This may be an indicator of where modern medicine chooses to divert their resources, as when looking for migraine treatment on eBay, the most prominently featured item up for bid is a subliminal message CD.  Having been in a relationship with someone who had chronic migraines and took a lot of medication for it, this isn't particularly promising, as all it seems to mean is that the only solution is to take more and more medication which can induce addiction or cause tolerance.

Hair Loss Spell Grow Back Thick Wavy Hair Men Or Women

Hair loss treatment for women is fairly big business on eBay, with a large mix of products ranging from topical treatments, products designed to preserve one's self-esteem while undergoing cancer treatment, to...this.

For whatever reasons, there is a large incentive to separate the fool and his/her money through any means possible, although stuff like this is surprisingly still allowed on eBay.  This is not a product or service that has any sort of scientific evidence or actual study to support apart from anecdotes and they can't give any actual guarantees as to the efficacy of the service either.

DARK CIRCLES AND/OR BAGS UNDER YOUR EYES? TRY THIS!!

After reviewing eBay auctions for several years, they all start looking the same after a while. This is one for getting rid of dark under eye circles, although this is for a non-conventional method that you won't find at the local Mary Kay or cosmetics counter, as the seller is just selling the recipe for a traditional recipe.

While this could be for a virtual product (ie: the information could be sent via e-mail), the seller still insists on sending out traditional mail via US Postal Service Priority Mail.  Of course, it's not my place to judge, but when the seller makes an emotional plea by telling the readers about her husband's health issues, it might not be a bad idea to consider a digital format where you don't have to leave the home?

Palmer's Skin Success Acne Medicated Cleanser 8oz

I really think that someone in eBay's moderator department has been sleeping on the job as there have been a lot of slip-ups in terms of quality control and auction management.  This auction is for anyone looking for the best acne cleanser. But for whatever reason, it's showing up in the Women's Clothing section. 

I tend to liken online service like eBay to message boards and forums, but I'm guessing that with the millions upon millions of items that are flowing in and out of eBay on a daily basis, it must get quite difficult to manage.  Maybe it's unintentional, but considering the crossover between the women's beauty industry and the fashion indsutry, somehow I don't think so.

2 No Fat Chick Warning Decal Sticker ATV 4 Wheeler O

Those with an interest in ATV riding may or may not appreciate this item.  Given the number of eBay auctions I've written for weight loss supplements, I do think it's somewhat inappropriate and tasteless, but for a mere $4.99 USD, you can have two.

This is intended as a sticker for your visor (which you typically won't find on an ATV, despite the fact that ATV is one of the search keywords for this auction), and I can picture many scenarios when a male driver is picking up a woman for a first date, and she lowers the visor to check the vanity mirror to adjust her makeup.  Buy this if you want to become single, boys.

SUN MOON & STARS 3D SPIRO SPINNERS OUTDOOR DECOR NEW

File this auction under MIS-filed.  This should be catagorized under outdoor décor, but for whatever reasons, is categorized under Everything Else/ Metaphysical/Wicca /Other.  This item is just a simple hanging wind charm that you see under the door ways of many suburban homes, and the package doesn't even purport it to be anything that can ward off evil spirits.  It's not even a dream catcher.

BEST WEIGHT LOSS TIPS w/ 3pk Acai Diet Supplement Pill

Searching for the best weight loss supplements on eBay will yield tons and tons of results, the most recent being yet another acai berry supplement.  This has become a little bit too popular on the internet, and the fact that a person has been able to fill an entire page with this stuff (about 37 items, all identical), makes me wonder about this.

With our nation's obesity rates at an all time high, I think we should be focusing on the tried and trues...

2 PORT USB PS/2 KVM Switch + 2 Cable 4 mouse KB Monitor

If you want to make your eBay auction look professional, you may wish to use slightly more sophisticated tools than Microsoft Paint.  Otherwise, I don't want to rag too much on these guys (given that they're from my hometown and all), because a KVM switch (keyboard, video, mouse) can save you a lot of desk space if you have to switch a lot between systems.  At work, I actually have to run to multiple systems, which I've actually learned to adapt to (my desk has both a PC and a Mac, and three monitors on it).

However, I'm thinking that I could use the opposite of that, connecting one PC to two monitors, keyboards, and monitors for a home theater type system.  Just have to dig into the old sofa cushions for that.

Acai Berry TRIM QUICK Weight Loss DiET PiLL COMBO~SLiM

Recently, açai berries have been touted as one of the keys to quick weight loss, and as one of those people that are not supposed to complain about weight, given my inability to relate to the subject, I really shouldn't talk about this much.

I've eaten açai berry bowls during my time in Brazil, and they were delicious (probably made more so by the fact that you can't get it here).  I can't say if it necessarily made me lose weight, although there is a lot of controversy as to the efficacy of açai berry extract.  There has yet to be any scientific evidence of weight loss benefits, and yet it is highly touted for that.  Caveat emptor, folks.

SKIN FOOD Black Raspberry Eye Cream (Wrinkle Care)

Maybe it's not the best eye cream for wrinkles, but then with hundreds of other products vying for that title, it's going to be difficult to choose.  But otherwise, something about this auction comes across as a little intimidating. Relatively low feedback rating (5), product that looks like it was wrapped by hand.  Black raspberries certainly do have health benefits when eaten (vitamins, antioxidants), but not really as topical beauty aids.  Proceed with caution, folks.

Joe's Jeans Cigarette In Tessa size (30) BNWT

Okay, I can't say anything really funny about this auction for Joe's Jeans, but it does give me an opportunity to make a comment about buying clothing on eBay.  Unless you are very, VERY certain about what size you take and how a specific article of clothing will fit on you, it may be best to make your purchase at a traditional brick & mortar outlet.

If you're looking for a better deal on clothing, there is always the option of finding the exact item you want in a store, trying it on, writing down the information (size, etc.), then looking for what you want online.  I'll leave the comments about the fashion industry and the unrealistic expectations they put on women's self-perceptions to the experts.

Nokia Prepaid Cellphone-New

I'm suddenly thinking that either this seller of stuff either wasn't paying enough attention when addressing his settings when writing his item description or eBay simply doesn't allow the option of "out of the box, unused", as the description describes one of the many prepaid cell phones available on eBay as being "new, never opened."

The photo does clearly depict it being opened (and yes, the description does address this as well).  I recognize this as the cell phone I had back in 2004 and he's selling it for $7. He might be better off selling it on Craigslist, given the age of the item.

14pc TUXEDO LOT-3 Coats, 3 Pants, 2 Vest, 2 CB, 4 Ties

This item is for 14 pieces of wedding attire, including various jackets, tuxedo vest or two, pants, etc.  The seller is moving items that were originally available for rent, which is a lot more benign than some of the other reasons people are selling wedding stuff on eBay, such as if the marriage ended in divorce.

Stories like this are really sad and always reinforce how really tough it is for couples to make it, period.  People sell their wedding dresses to rid themselves of the painful memories, usually at a fraction of a fraction of what they originally paid, all of which underscores how ridiculously expensive weddings are for everything - hall rental, jewelry, gifts, feeding of guests...and when you spend thousands of dollars on a wedding, the divorce that can follow is even more expensive.

HOME THEATER SEATING from Radio City Music Hall in NYC

Got $349 burning a hole in your paypal account?  You too can be the proud owner of authentic home theater seating taken straight from Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Considering that $349 only buys you a single seat and you can get a whole couch for maybe a little more, it's not the best value for most people. And indeed, flaunting your wealth by having actual theater like seating in your home won't earn you a lot of friends either. But, to get to own a piece of one of the world's famous performance venues, is worthwhile in and of itself.

Custom make 12" Steve Mcqueen nude figure

In honour of the late Steve McQueen, who would've celebrated his birthday just a couple of days ago, what would be the more perfect way to commemorate one of the coolest actors of all time than with a nude action figure in his likeness.

Okay, to be fair, the face is a pretty accurate likeness, and out of respect they didn't make him anatomically correct. But, considering his image, couldn't the guy have made clothes for him, like say as Frank Bullit or Thomas Crown?

I wonder if Steve McQueen didn't develop Mesothelioma Cancer and was still alive today, he would enjoy the same level of success of actors in his age group such as Sean Connery.

16psNew BODY PIERCING Starter Kit,Hemostat SPONGE CLAMP

I always get a little bothered by stuff like this, especially when it pertains to human health and the like.  This particular item is a body piercing equipment package, including things like clamps, forceps, and scissors.  The idea of body piercing doesn't bother me as much (I've chosen not to undergo the process), but it's the fact that it's something that involves exposure to bodily fluids and requires a lot of understanding and knowledge to do the job properly.  To sell something like this on eBay really trivializes the amount of knowledge that is required for the job.

If I were to suddenly develop an interest in body piercing, I'd be weary of being on the receiving end of a piercing tool starter set, unless the practitioner had the experience.

NEW Vitamin B-6 Metabolism in Pregnancy, Lactation, ... Item condition: Brand New

Whether you're looking for the best pregnancy vitamins or just looking to kill small house pests, this item has it all for you.

The relatively high price for a hardcover book strongly suggests that this is a reference text, or at least the kind that would be assigned as required reading for a university level course.  I will say this about the item, though...whereas today's university students can look forward to their material being outdated following their course (ensuring that their books will have no value during the textbook buy-back), it looks like this book is still current.

Just make sure you have more than $300 ready go to.

General Insurance Company - BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE

Looking for a western general auto insurance review on eBay is pretty fruitless, as it's way too specific to find anything useful. Usually, when I'm looking up anything to do with insurance companies, the best I can find are vintage print ads and giveaways from insurance agents (branded paperweights, calendars, etc.).

So, I ended up with this...it's a business template.

This is from Einstein Consulting, which does up business plans for all types of small and large businesses. Given the difficulties that are associated with developing one's business, their use of a well known deceased figure to promote them opens up a few questions about copyright. However, given that they didn't "create" this brand, it could reflect on their business practices.

How to save 30% on Auto and Home insurance (free quote)

eBay certainly does have its limits, especially when it comes to certain things like life insurance. You won't be able to find a WholesaleInsurance.net life insurance quote, but you can find weird and random stuff like this item here.

It's a postcard that this guy got in the mail and he's selling it for 98 cents. He goes on to say that it has prices listed on the back. Considering that he's shown us most of the information that we need in the product shot (especially the website that one is supposed to go to get the insurance quote), he saved us 98 cents. Thanks, dude!

PANDIGITAL 8" Digital Photo Picture Frame DPF80-2 As-Is

A digital frame is a nice little decorative option for a lot of people, especially since it can show a complete slideshow of images. Mind you, once the digital dark age hits, you might be wishing that you had old school film prints.

But, like any discerning customer, one should always do their homework and get the best value for their money. And not get this.

For manufacturers of dirt cheap electronics, it's been a known practice to name them after vaguely similar names to pre-existing names (Saony, Sumsang, and in this case, Pandigital), but not only that, this thing is pretty much broken. According to the auction, it's missing the power supply and it has lines running through the screen. And the guy STILL wants $14.99 for it.

Given the disposable nature of electronics, the repair by far outweighs replacement costs and only for very specific applications will this be useful.

RHUMATOL Relieve Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Naturally

Finding a viable treatment for rheumatoid arthritis should probably be done under the supervision of a doctor, as opposed to blindly popping pills for stuff like this.

With a starting bid of $67 for 60 pills, you are looking at over a dollar per pill and they don't even tell you what's in it. The eBay auction just reads as an extended sales pitch and attempts to debunk modern medicine.

Given the things that rheumatoid arthritis sufferers have to go through, the least they can receive is a little honesty.

Compression garment for men reducing belly Fat burner

The sad part about this particular item is that it actually comes up when you type in "fat burners for men."

I'm probably the last person to comment about how a person should look, and indeed, this item does have practical applications that go beyond the cosmetic, namely back support and...that's just about it. IT'S A GIRDLE FOR MEN, PEOPLE!

Supposedly, this will help accelerate weight loss, but only if you actually put in the effort, such as diet and exercise.

LUSTRASILK TEA TREE CHOLESTEROL HAIR TREATMENT 20 OZ.

If you're looking for the best cholesterol treatment, be sure that you read the auction carefully to avoid disappointment.

Growing up in a household where my father had hypertension and my mom had high cholesterol, I was taught proper eating and cooking habits, especially when they started pounding out all this stuff about saturated fats being bad for us. And then they found out that hydrogenated fats were worse for us. And now, we're supposed to put them in our HAIR?!

This looks to be some sort of fancy conditioner, although it may be flammable, as the auction says to keep away from open flame. It also says, "For external use only."

JAPAN RAPID WEIGHT LOSS DIET PILLS USA BEST SELLER

After seeing this particular gem on eBay, I'm tempted to go see if I can find it at the local Daiso, which is a Japanese $2 store in Richmond BC.

It's always a challenge to learn what are the best weight loss pills, and the description for this particular item isn't really giving me much faith with the product. How is what the description calls "green algae" going to help one lose weight faster? It's algae.

Alternately, my theory is that they're saying that it works for Japanese people. Given the tendency for Asians to be smaller than the average North America, OF COURSE it'll work. If you're Asian and skinny anyway.

Rare Career Success/Find A Job Spell from Ancient Genie

Now how did this seller get their rating so high?

For those looking to find a job, you're not going to find one on eBay. That doesn't stop some snake oil salesmen from trying to dupe the desperate, especially in this economy. For $5.99, you can have someone wish on a genie to have you grant you your wish of getting a job within the next 90 days.

On the plus side, they're offering a 90 day money back guarantee if you don't see any results. But, I'm thinking that they're banking on people to be too embarrassed to pursue refunds.

PRUDENTIAL PAID UP LIFE INSURANCE POLICY 1926

You can definitely find it all on eBay, even if it has zero value to the average individual. Like this item in particular...it's a fully paid up life insurance policy. Sounds like a good deal, right? That is, until you realize it's from 1962.

I'm really racking my brain as to the possible applications in which an item like this would be useful to the average individual. Maybe if the person actually works in an insurance office or even for the actual Prudential Financial institution...but then, if a person actually worked for Prudential, wouldn't they have this old stuff kicking around somewhere, and not actually have to buy it off of eBay?

Trash, meet treasure.

Kafka Cheap Insurance Paint Filter CIW

I have no idea what cheap insurance has to do with this product, and if I knew a little more about the industry, I could probably figure it out.

This is a paint filter by a company named "Kafka", which I tend to associate with cockroaches and surrealism (ie: Kafka's Metamorphosis), so a brand name like that would probably be more associated with pest removal or something like that. Given the expense of car restoration, I guess "cheap insurance" is an appropriate name, but it's a severe stretch.

The Service Of Security And Information,1896,Cpt Wagner

I don't know if this will be required reading if one is pursuing an MS in information security, especially since "Security and Information" took on different meaning back then.

In this day and age, with everything converted to digital formats, this only makes sense. This is a day and age where your personal information is given up constantly and passwords are vulnerable, the demand for this type of work and education will be on the up-and-up.

Some of it, I'm a little weary of, however...governments and lobby groups are actively trying to restrict freedoms, especially with DRM and the DMCA. A balance must be struck at some point, and we don't seem to be quite there yet.

encore Plus 2 Natural Male Enhancement Capsules 10ct

You've likely seen your inbox flooded with junkmail for "male enhancement" products, which is why spam filters are programmed to block out specific key words ("male enhancement" being a couple), and surely enough, eBay is a good chock of items such as zencore.

There isn't much available on eBay for this particular item, but they're there...all from the same seller. The name "zencore" doesn't really give much indicator of what the product is capable of doing, unlike some of the other natural health supplements I've seen, such as "Erexium" or "Testoboost."

(ONLY) TRUE Skin BLEACHING Bleach Lightening Age Spots

Good lord. Could they have used a less appropriate celebrity to push their products?

This eBay seller is moving a skin bleaching product, which is purported to help with age spots removal, birth marks, scars, and the like (surprisingly, not vitiligo, which Michael Jackson allegedly had, which the skin treatments were intended to fix). Personally, I choose not to mess around when it comes to stuff like this as skin treatments are best left to the professionals.

Given the nature of these chemicals, it's really easy to botch the job if you do it yourself and it's probably not the best idea to get it from eBay of all places.

VOODOO-WITCH-SPELLS

Alongside the endless ads for teeth whitening, you will have seen the endless web ads stating "get rid of belly fat," or "lose belly fat" or any variation. The ads themselves have been pretty notorious just because of pure penetration, some of them because they are scams. And then there's this one.

This is an eBay store that "sells" magic spells, that will supposedly help you lose weight. For those that believe in this stuff, more power to you. Personally, I believe in the power of hard work, smart planning, and realistic expectations. Why is it that eBay allows this type of selling? And how is it that the seller has managed to get a high feedback rating?

FINAL REPORT (OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING 4-19-95)

This might be essential reading for an Oklahoma City attorney looking to represent victims of the Oklahoma City bombing back in 1995.

This isn't really fresh in our memories anymore as it's been supplanted by bigger and worse disasters on US soil. While it generated its fair share of controversy in its day, the conspiracies are nowhere near the scope of 9/11. But, on the other hand, Oklahoma didn't have nearly the same effect on society in general.

Had it happened more recently, it might...with a world still numb from 9/11, incidents such as the DC shootings, various school shootings, and the like actually affect us more now.

Garden Of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal~Support for 2

Working for the company that I do, I am a believer in healthy living and eating. Occasionally, I see auctions on eBay that aren't necessarily amusing. Like this one for prenatal vitamins. Although I think it's a bigger issue for developing nations (hence, the existence of organizations such as Vitamin Angels), but for us, it's still important.

Things like folic acid are great for preventing neural tube defects, iron supplements will prevent deficiencies, and the like. But why is this under "Home and Garden"? I just wish eBay would get on this...Craigslist has.

Giant Microbes - ACNE, PIMPLE- New Plush - Low Shipping

Not quite as cruel as giving a year supply of Clearasil to a sufferer of adult acne, this is a plush Giant Microbe that is intended to represent a pimple.

The girlfriend collects these and they're everywhere. These are also ideal for the science geek as they are available in a number of strains and varieties...beer yeast, mad cow disease, chicken pox, cold virus, and necrotizing fascitis ("flesh eating disease"). Not exactly the cutest subject matter, but they find a way to make science and learning fun.

Quick Trim Burn and Cleanse 14 Day Diet System

Big celebrity names are major selling points for weight loss products, and now pseudo-celebrities the Kardashians have their own product, the Quick Trim Burn and Cleanse. Mind you, the Kardashians have a rare look all of their own, which would probably be why women want to look like them.

Mind you, I am slightly curious as to why this particular seller is selling a partly consumed box. This was a 14 day program, but with the first two pills taken, it's now a 12 day, 14 night program. My suspicion? The seller didn't look like Kim Kardashian after two days, so she gave up on the program.

Haunted Crescent Moon Blue Necklace Weight Loss Spell

With New Year's resolutions fading fast, people just want to know how to lose weight fast, rather than how to keep it off or adopt healthy lifestyle choices. Of course, not everybody gets to look like a cover model or a bodybuilder, and with about 99% certainty, regardless of your best efforts you won't. But, you can look better.

Although this isn't exactly what I had in mind, when looking for effective weight loss products and I find this. On one level, it might be an attractive and inexpensive piece of hand-crafted jewelry, and if you believe in that stuff, more power to you. If it inspires you to take better care of yourself, great. If you just buy it and continue your horrible lifestyle...

Going Out of Business: Lot of 100 COLON CLEANSE bottles

I'm not sure what one could do with 100 individual bottles of colon cleansing pills. But, if you just happen to have $750 lying around, you can probably find out.

For the "Hollywood Miracle Colon Cleanse", $7.50 vs. the $49.99 sounds pretty good (at least as far as the seller is concerned), although it does seem a little overpriced compared to the other auctions that actually charge about $7.50 a bottle or less.

Really, if you're doing something like this, get the advice of a doctor or nutritionist first. If you eat properly, there is no need for that.

BOWTROL ™ COLON CLEANSE Dual Action Cleanser ONE

On this blog, I review a really large range of eBay auctions, many of which are talking about the many benefits of colon cleansing. Given the fact that the colon is largely self-cleaning with a proper diet, I don't really need them myself. But, that doesn't mean that I don't find amusement in some of the weirdly named products, like "Colonblow" and "Bowel Buddy."

The pickings are a little slim lately, though...the best I could find is "Bowtrol".

1979 Halekulani Hotel Hawaii brochure & Price list

This is my regularly scheduled rant about items shoveled onto eBay which makes it harder to find anything legitimately useful, but with a slight twist...this particular item actually has a bid on it.

If you're looking for old souvenirs from Hawaii hotels to replace the original mementos of your last vacation, you might actually find it on eBay, as this seller is moving an old hotel brochure from 1979. As Hawaii is one of the better known vacation destinations, these things are not likely in short supply, and it's quite possible that there would be the odd person who would actually want such a disposable item.

Trash, treasure, y'know.

Classic Life Insurance Sales & Careers Films DVD

For those in the industry, a life insurance lead can be useful for generating sales if you depend on commission. Looking on eBay MAY get you something useful...or you could find something like this.

This seller is moving a DVD set that features old corporate videos from the 1940s. The first was produced by Metropolitan Life (MetLife) and the other is a vocational film.

It's highly likely that the seller is generating the DVDs himself or at least has them made to order, given that his licensing fees are probably negligible as well. At $12.99, he's making a profit if he only sells one.

Good news everybody!

According to a green study undertaken by Carnegie Mellon, shopping online is actually better for the environment than driving to the local retailer and back to your place of residence.

This makes a lot of sense in a few respects...individual automobile use is horrible for the environment, as most drivers are making the least efficient use of a vehicle (driving for the sole purpose of picking up your stuff, usually alone, usually taking the least efficient route).

Mind you, with the mentality towards environmentalism, I'm not sure how much good this will be doing in the long term, as people tend to use environmentalism to offset their guilt. As in, because they donated money to the World Wildlife Fund and recycled their newspaper, they're completely justified in living in their house in the suburbs, complete with an hour-long commute to work.

Sticker for Home Security Camera Alarm System NEW!

As we all know, when the economy goes down, property crime generally tends to go up. So, the smartest investment one can make (provided that one actually has a home to defend!) is in home security systems.

But for those that don't quite have the budget, they always have the option of putting up a realistic sticker in the hopes that the potential thief/burglar won't take the risk of a B&E. But, given that all the potential thief would otherwise calmly leave if the alarm is tripped, if it turns out that the sticker is just a visual deterrent, it won't do much.

This seller for this auction is probably aware of the limitation of his security stickers, but probably doesn't care. Doesn't make it any less amusing...or ineffective for that matter. But hey, it's $2.