Tag Archives: ebay

The Rise of the Staycation – Top Destinations 2012

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The Staycation is going to be biggest since the recession began with the UK tourism industry set to benefit by a record £8.7billion

 

Cornwall is the top Staycation destination for 2012

 

In spite of 2012 being a tough year for many Britons, the one thing they are refusing to give up; is their summer holiday according to Travelodge’s annual holiday index out today.

 

The hotel chain surveyed 5,000 British adults to investigate their summer holiday intentions and discovered that 41% of Britons are holidaying at home this year (up 6% on last year) with the average week’s holiday costing  £433.47 (Up £10.78) on last year). This investment is set to benefit the UK tourism industry by £8.7bn (Up £1.5bn on last year).

 

The travel report also revealed that 48% of Britons will be taking four domestic breaks this year. (Up on the average of three breaks taken last year). The top three summer Staycation destinations for 2012 are: Cornwall, Edinburgh (Jumping to second position from fifth position from last year) and the Lake District.

 

Listed below are the top ten Staycation destinations for 2012 and 2011

 

           

2012 Destinations

 

2011 Destinations

1

Cornwall

1

Cornwall

2

Edinburgh

2

Lake District

3

Lake District

3

Devon

4

London

4

L ondon

5

Scottish Highlands

5

Edinburgh

6

Devon

6

Scottish Highlands

7

North Wales

7

Wales

8

Glasgow

8

Blackpool

9

Yorkshire Dales

9

Great Yarmouth

10

Blackpool

10

Scarborough

 

 

The annual holiday index also revealed that a third of adults are reliving their childhood and taking a traditional British seaside holiday this summer. Whilst 30% of Britons are taking a UK city break and a quarter of Britons are planning to explore the British countryside. Just one in ten Britons are taking a thrill seeking theme park holiday.     

 

Nearly half of British adults (49%) have waited until now to book their summer break due to financial budget constraints. Sixty five per cent of Britons have had to make major sacrifices to their household budget; in order to afford a holiday this year. Some of the financial cutbacks have included:

 

  • Not going out for a meal or drinks with family and  friends
  • Buying cheaper groceries and cuts of meal
  • Not buying new clothes
  • Not buying a present on a special occasion for their partner 

 

Around a fifth of Britons have relied on selling goods on eBay to cover the cost of their holiday this year.     

 

Grant Hearn, Travelodge, Chief Executive said: “It’s fantastic news that the Staycation is going to be bigger than ever this year despite British household budgets being attacked by a second recession. Our research highlights even in difficult financial times, Britons will make the necessary sacrifices in order to have a summer break. I guess everyone needs something to look forward to during these difficult times.”

 

“2012 is such a momentous year for British tourism and it’s a great bonus that the economy will be further boosted by £8.7 billion due to more Britons holidaying at home this summer”.

 

Further findings from the report revealed that over a third of British families (36%) are breaking up their traditional one week Staycation holiday into three shorter breaks, at different locations this year; so that their children will think they have gone on lots of holidays. 

 

A third of Britons are using their Staycation break to catch up with family and friends. One in ten Britons reported that taking a UK weekend break with friends was cheaper than a night out at home, whilst a quarter of couples surveyed stated they are taking more UK short breaks, so that they can spend quality time together.

 

Findings also revealed that 72% of Britons will travel to their Staycation break by car. Just 12% will go by train, whilst four per cent will choose to travel by coach and six per cent will opt for air travel.


Little Monsters Warned of fake Lady Gaga Tickets.

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Lady Gaga may be stirring up controversy by tweeting that “pop stars don’t eat” but her fans now have even more to worry about.

Ticket marketplace viagogo predicts ticket fraudsters could make £3m from the upcoming Lady Gaga tour

 

With tickets to Lady Gaga’s tour going on sale today viagogo is estimating that fans could lose £3 million to ticket scams.

 

Brits are collectively conned out of £30 million* a year by illegitimate websites and auction sites, such as eBay who do not offer customers any guarantee that they will receive their tickets according to research by viagogo2.

 

viagogo, Europe’s largest online ticket marketplace, is anticipating that the 75,000 tickets for Gaga’s September Manchester and Twickenham dates will sell out in a matter of minutes and desperate fans may turn to illegitimate sites and other unknown sources in an attempt to get their hands on a ticket.

 

Edward Parkinson, Director of viagogo UK, said: “Lady Gaga is a global superstar and the rush for tickets will be fierce presenting the ideal opportunity for scam artists to take advantage of Gaga mania. Fans need to be extra vigilant when they see a site offering Lady Gaga tickets and should not judge a site by its appearance; they must do their homework before they buy.”

 

Just four hours after Lady Gaga announced her tour on Tuesday 10 April, viagogo found tickets to the concert already listed on eBay – despite not being available to the general public until the end of the week.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lady-Gaga-Tickets-Twickenham-Stadium-London-08-09-2012-/251038139712?pt=UK_Tickets_Tickets_LE&hash=item3a730a0540

 

Parkinson continues: “Based on early site traffic, we predict that up to two million fans won’t get a ticket, presenting scammers with a very large payday opportunity.”

 

WRAP UP AGAINST POVERTY 2012

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EXCLUSIVE CELEBRITY AND DESIGNER CLOTHING AUCTIONED TO RAISE VITAL FUNDS

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2012

With London Fashion Week falling at the end of February, showcasing trends for autumn and winter 2012, charity Elizabeth Finn Care is celebrating all things fashion by auctioning a selection of unique items, donated by top celebrities and designers.

At Elizabeth Finn Care, a national charity whose grants team offers financial support to those in need, we know people can struggle to afford the items of winter clothing they need to stay warm and healthy during the colder months. There are 13.5 million people living below the poverty line in the UK, among them 3.8 million children[i]. Through Wrap Up Against Poverty, money to help buy more people in financial need buy essential clothes.

The inaugural Wrap Up Against Poverty campaign was launched in 2011. Over half the people the charity helps had to go without new clothes before they made the approach. By bidding for the fabulous pieces available, the public can not only boost their style credentials but also enable people in financial need survive the winter months.

Each item available reflects both the style and personality of the individual or designer who has donated it. Bidders can go for the classic look of Sienna Miller’s Doma fleece coat, or follow in Dame Helen Mirren’s footsteps by opting for her beautiful Alberta Ferretti coat. Glamour puss Kimberley Walsh’s plush Louis Vuitton scarf will be up for grabs too, as will a beautiful Alexander McQueen suit from Fern Britton, and stylish winter coats from comedy heroes Mathew Horne and Ruth Jones. To add to a spectacular celebrity list, exclusive designer items including a golden Martina Spetlova shift dress have been donated alongside beautiful items from high street stores such as Ted Baker and Topshop.

Wrap Up Against Poverty was a huge hit in 2011, raising both funds and awareness of the fact that millions of people in the UK are living in financial need and many can’t afford to clothe themselves through winter. Wrap Up Against Poverty 2012 will be even greater and grander.

Malcolm Tyndall, Director at Elizabeth Finn Care, said: “We hope that, with the generous support of top celebrities and the fashion industry, not to mention an incredibly enthusiastic public, Wrap Up Against Poverty 2012 will enable us to help even more people find and access the help they desperately need.”

Following the move to the digital catwalk, Elizabeth Finn Care’s auction will be hosted on eBay from Thursday 26th January, and will close on Sunday 26th February. The list of donations is growing longer by the day. For more information please visit www.elizabethfinncare.org.uk/WrapUp

 

 

MONSTER-SIZED SLIPPER TO BE AUCTIONED FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

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Back in October, it made headlines across the world. Now the oversized slipper big enough to fit a man inside is to be auctioned for “big money” in aid of Children in Need.

The size 1,450 Monster Claw slipper – made following a clerical error between the manufacturer and its Hong Kong factory – is to be sold on eBay as part of the official BBC Children in Need online auction 2011.

The furry novelty footwear has been donated by British company Monster Slippers. Its dimensions are 210cm x 130cm x 65cm and it weighs 16-17 kilos. Measuring the same length as a grizzly bear or a family car, it is currently being assessed by the Guinness Book of World Records to ascertain whether it’s the world’s biggest slipper.

A spokesman for online slipper company Monster Slippers, based in Dunmow, Essex, said: “This is the biggest monster slipper of them all and every single penny raised by the auction will go towards making a positive difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people right here in the UK.”

To bid for the slipper and help support Children in Need visit http://tinyurl.com/monsterslippers

An Alternative To Ebay?

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Ebay may have a stonghold, but now there are other ways to turn your old CDs, DVDs and games into cash.

TurnIntoCash.com is a new, free to use website that allows users to get cash for old unwanted discs without the hassle of an auction.

The Manchester-based company was founded by Rob Fox and Pete Petrondas, the team that developed the first ever cash for old mobiles website over eight years ago. It aims to give users the highest possible quality of service, while being more convenient to use than traditional auction websites.

Those looking to sell old CDs, DVDs and games simply enter the item barcode into the TurnIntoCash.com website for an instant valuation. When they have built up their trade (10 items) they are emailed Freepost labels or if they have 45 or more items, offered a free courier collection service. Payment for the old items is sent within seven days of receipt.

The TurnIntoCash.com system has been developed to provide a valuation for hundreds of thousands of CDs, DVDs and games including newer Blu Ray discs.

There is no limit on the number of items a user can trade-in and the amount offered ranges from 30p up to £10 depending on a number of factors including type, age, popularity and demand of the items. Old discs collected through TurnIntoCash.com are refurbished with new disc cases or by polishing out damage prior to resale worldwide. Items that cannot be resold are recycled responsibly.

“Users are always looking for ease, convenience and the highest possible quality of service, so we have made sure that quality is at the heart of our unique valuation and trade tracking system, “ commented Fox. “Our system regularly communicates with the user telling them what stage their trade-in is at, and, as our system tracks each item of their trade individually, we can tell them exactly the status of each item ensuring they receive their payment as quickly as possible with no delays.”

“If people want to sell their old CDs, DVDs and games they have a number of choices from car boot sales to auction websites, but because we have considered the user from day one, we think TurnintoCash.com will be first on their list in the future, “ concluded Fox.

 

 

SUPERSTAR ARTISTS AND WRITERS SUPPORT SECOND PHASE OF CHARITY AUCTION TO RAISE FUNDS FOR JAPAN

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Personal items donated by global stars to aid the Japanese Red Cross’s disaster relief efforts, via charity auction at www.ebay.com/EMIfamily4Japan

Artists and songwriters including Katy Perry, The Beatles, David Bowie, The Beach Boys, Iron Maiden, Gorillaz, Sting, David Gilmour and Tinie Tempah have donated exclusive personal items and memorabilia to the second phase of the EMI family’s charity auction to raise funds to help the Red Cross support people affected by last month’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

The latest round of the charity auction, which is one of the biggest in eBay’s history, kicks off today and closes on April 21. There are still four days to go until the end of the first phase of the auction, featuring items from artists and writers including Coldplay, Beastie Boys, Jane Birkin, Depeche Mode, 30 Seconds To Mars, Simple Minds, Alice In Chains, and The Chemical Brothers.

Items added to the auction today include the 1987 Ferrari 412 as featured in Daft Punk’s film ‘Electroma’, a cupcake trampoline used on stage in Katy Perry’s current California Dreams world tour, access to private concert rehearsal by Sting, a one-off diamante head used onstage by Deadmau5, a limited edition ‘Yellow Submarine’ bicycle issued to mark the re-release of The Beatles’ famous movie, three framed and signed prints of David Gilmour taken in Gdansk, and more than 30 albums individually signed by David Bowie.

Also included in the auction is the MacBook used by David Guetta to create the demos for his hit album ‘One Love’, the hand written lyrics to ‘God Only Knows’ from the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Tinie Tempah’s pink blazer from the ‘Frisky’ video, and one of the four original handmade “Zero” shirts worn by the Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan for the release and tour of ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’.

All funds raised from the charity auction will be used towards the Japanese Red Cross disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Funds will be used for the on-going provision of immediate relief to support the affected population during their recovery. EMI Group has committed to match all funds raised from the auction up to a maximum of one million euros.

The first phase of the charity auction ends on April 15th, with the second phase ending on April 21st. All the items can be viewed at ebay.com/EMIfamily4Japan.

Beastie Boys said: “Japan has always been a special and important place for us as a band. We’ve made so many friendships there in our personal and professional lives. We hope in some way that our donation can help the people of Japan rebuild after the devastating earthquakes and tsunami.”

Billy Corgan, the vocalist, lead guitarist and songwriter for The Smashing Pumpkins, commented: “The people of Japan are an incredibly strong and proud people, and their love of life and culture has had a profound and positive affect on the way I view my own life. There are a million things I wish I could do right now to help soothe the pain and sorrow that so many of our fans and their families are experiencing, and my heart hurts when I think of the losses they have suffered, and are still suffering. I wanted to contribute to this auction to show my gratitude to the Japanese people and offer something that was particularly meaningful to me. I’m also proud of all the other artists who have pitched in to help, as well as my old label EMI for stepping in to organize and also match donations.”

The list of items for sale in the second phase of the charity auction from April 11th – 21st includes the following:

Anne Murray – 18 holes of golf with Anne Murray at the prestigious Angus Glen Golf Club course
Arcade Fire – four VIP tickets to their Hyde Park show on 30th June 2011
B-52s – signed guitar
Beach Boys – signed limited edition Pet Sounds plaque, plus hand-written, autographed & framed lyrics to The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” from Brian Wilson
The Beatles – the last of an extremely limited edition Schwinn bicycle featuring the ‘Yellow Submarine’ artwork
Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) – one of the four original handmade “Zero” shirts worn by Billy Corgan for the release and tour of ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’, with a letter of authenticity signed by Billy
Billy Idol – limited edition portrait print by Shepard Fairey, signed by Billy Idol and Shepard Fairey
Bret Michaels – signed cowboy hat
Chris Tomlin – handwritten and signed lyrics
Coldplay – a framed guitar signed by all members of the band and a triple platinum sales award from Canada for ‘Viva La Vida’
Corinne Bailey Rae – a personal favourite Prada dress worn by Corinne on her first album tours, along with a note from Corinne
Daft Punk – 1987 Ferrari 412, used in the Daft Punk film Electroma
David Bowie – 35 albums signed by the artist
David Crowder Band – signed Yamaha keytar
David Gilmour – three framed and signed prints of David Gilmour in Gdansk, photographed by Anna Wloch, including David, Polly and Lech Walesa, David on stage at soundcheck and a selection of David’s guitars.
David Guetta – his Apple MacBook, used to create the demos for his album ‘One Love’.
Deadmau5 – his famous diamante mau5head stage costume, autographed, plus VIP tickets to Deadmau5’s live concert in London’s Victoria Park later this year
Dean Martin – the opportunity to record a duet with Dino at the world-famous Capitol Studios
Duffy – the bicycle used by Duffy in the making of her 2009 Diet Coke commercial
Duran Duran – a painting by the band signed by Simon Le Bon
A Fine Frenzy – the outfit worn by Alison to the 2011 Grammys, plus the handwritten lyrics to a song of the winning bidder’s choice
Gorillaz – limited edition lithograph, with certificate of authenticity, signed by Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn
Helene Fischer – a dress worn by Helene on stage
Huey Lewis & The News – hand-written, autographed & framed lyrics, plus a personalized gold album award for Greatest Hits, and a VIP concert experience & personal phone call from Huey to the winner
Iron Maiden – exclusive limited edition ‘Ed Force One’ A2 print signed by Iron Maiden, two pieces of original Iron Maiden Japan 2011 event artwork signed by artist Herve Monjeaud, plus signed Nicko McBrain drumsticks as used on The Final Frontier World Tour
Jeff Bridges – signed guitar including a drawing of a symbol that is meaningful to him, “The Seed”
JLS – Aston and Ortise’s bowling shirts from the filming of ‘Stars & Strikes’, plus two signed albums
Jonas Brothers – signed record bag
Juan Luis Guerra – the hat worn on the cover of ‘La Llave De Mi Corazon’, signed by the artist
Katy Perry – a cupcake trampoline featured on stage on her current California Dreams tour
Kylie Minogue – signed ‘Kylie’ large lettering in white wood, from the ‘Fever’ album promotional campaign
Lykke Li – waistcoat worn by Lykke at the Way Out West festival last year
Marisa Monte – signed limited edition CD kit
Megadeth – a guitar signed by Dave Mustaine
Norah Jones – a signed guitar
Pat Benatar – Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo autographed B.C. Rich Eagle 1 electric guitar
Pet Shop Boys – the Rubik’s Cube jacket worn by Chris Lowe on the US leg of the Pandemonium tour in 2009
Philippe Jaroussky – signed and framed gold disc
Priscilla Ahn – a watercolor painting created by Priscilla following the Japanese earthquake, entitled ‘Falling, Tumbling, Raindrop Hearts’
The Prodigy – Signed Roland tr707 drum machine used by Liam Howlett on ‘Invaders Must Die’, along with a signed 7” limited edition of the single
Professor Green – large signed poster of the album art to ‘Alive Till I’m Dead’
Rosanne Cash – the blouse designed by Catherine Malandrino that Rosanne wore on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ in 2006, autographed copies of her “Black Cadillac” and “The List” albums, autographed copy of her memoir “Composed,” and two tickets to any concert of the winning bidder’s choice with a meet and greet backstage
Scouting For Girls – signed Brits memorabilia
Selena – framed commemorative Selena stamp, signed by the Quintanilla family and Chris Perez
Simply Red – signed and framed setlist from their last ever gig in Japan
Slash – signed Gibson Slash ‘Appetite For Destruction’ Les Paul electric guitar
Sting – attend the private rehearsal for Sting’s forthcoming exclusive fanclub-only show at the Apollo Theater in New York featuring the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as VIP tickets to the show itself on the 28th April
Tinie Tempah – his pink blazer worn in the video for ‘Frisky’
VV Brown – signed megaphone as used on stage
Willie Nelson – signed guitar

eBay offering 50 free listings per month to sellers

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Frost has learned after this article went to press that Ebay is only offering American’s 50 free listings a month. The UK has been left out. Very disappointing.

eBay have announced new pricing introductions which will see all eBay sellers being offered 50 free item listings per month. The online auction site hopes to tempt back sellers following competitor site Amazon’s introduction of their marketplace area.

Summary of changes to eBay seller fees:

  • 50 free listing’s per month
  • Free ‘Buy it now’ option to auction listings
  • Reducing Final Value Fee rates (for stores and fixed price listings only)
  • The Final Value Fee will be increased to include postage and packaging charges also

The updated Final Value Fee structure takes effect for non-store sellers on April 19, 2011, and for Store and Fixed Price sellers on July 6, 2011.

“We think these changes will really improve the marketplace for both buyers and sellers. We’re listening to our customers. We’re trying to understand their needs.” – Vice President Todd Lutwak

eBay’s changes to the feedback system have supposedly contributed heavily to the dwindling number of users on the site. Allowing buyers to leave anonymous feedback has left the system open to abuse and sellers are finding it hard to sell with some claiming to have been victims of sabotage by competitors. The loss of choice is increasing prices of items on the bidding site and buyers are looking elsewhere.

The changes seem to give with one hand and take with the other but will hopefully go some way to apease both sides of customers and buyers.

Derek Lam’s Ebay Capsule Collection {Fashion}

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TOD’s creative director, designer Derek Lam has teamed up with online auction site, eBay to create an exclusive capsule collection. The collection will be shown at New York Fashion Week in February, after which, members of the public will be able to vote online to choose which pieces should be put into production. The collection will then be available from Spring 2011.

.

Ebay say the prices will be ‘accessible’, which sounds like there will be fashion bargains galore. If you can’t wait until then, visit Lam’s online store for the AW2010 collection.

 

by Tamar Kendall