It’s a special day, and I’m not just talking about Force Friday Eve: It’s my birthday! I’ve known for years that I share my birthday with a few interesting entities like Charlie Sheen. But there’s one thing I did not know I shared a birthday with until today: Twenty years ago, a little company named eBay was born.
eBay’s online auctions changed the way we amassed stuff because it turned shopping into a game. Yes, you could find weird shit, but the fun part was trying to outwit cowgirl842. Sure, now you can “Buy it now!” but let’s face it, eBay was way more awesome before we could bid through an app and get text messages reminding us that time was running out. I remember many a day I set actual alarms, sprinting back to the computer to WIN.
I just went back through my eBay purchase history for fun and boy are there some interesting memories. A few years back I bought a bunch of souvenir plates and pennants to use as decor for my wedding. But some of my purchases have been more impulse-y and less useful; last year I went on a big bidding spree for 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics buttons, pins, and stickers, all of which is pretty much still sitting in the closet. But now that LA got the 2024 bid, maybe I’ll break them out in celebration (LA! LA! LA!).
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever bought or sold on eBay? Or maybe you have a good story of winning the heck out of an auction back in the olden days. Ah, eBay and I — we’ve both grown up so much.
[eBay]