The NonProfit Times - August 15, 2008 - (Page 21) UNIQUE ITEMS of June, when school ends in most places, Carson said. Schools comprise about half of cMarket’s auctions while other groups include human services (8 percent), the arts (8 percent) and health care (7 percent). cMarket has seen the volume of its online auctions at least double every year since the company started in 2003 and expects to surpass 4,000 auctions this year. PLASTIC, OR MORE PLASTIC? Everyone agrees, if there’s one thing to make your auction a success, it’s being unusual. Sometimes they can be so unique that they garner more attention than dollars. The Disabled Online Users Association (DOUA) knows all about that, having raised money from torn Wal-Mart bags thanks to members of the eBay community. The Wal-Mart bags sold for $24.50 after 17 bids.“This is one of the most unusual auctions run on our behalf. It wasn’t about the money so much as it was about bringing awareness of DOUA to the community,” said Marjie Smith, founder and executive director. The organization doesn’t have any employees but it does have about 60 volunteers, along with numerous supporters within the eBay community who put items up for auction to support it. DOUA, which Smith runs from her Buford, S.C. home, teaches disabled people how to make a living through eBay.“We try to get them off The following are the most popular items on cMarket, based on the cumulative number of bids since its first auction: • Dining certificates • Half-year subscription to New York State Lottery • One-hour massage • Parking at One Financial Plaza • Red Sox tickets • iPod Shuffle • Gas card • Teeth whitening • One vacation day • Dinner for two • Cruise-for-two certificates • Autographed baseballs • Minnesota Wild tickets Social Security, disability and public assistance, and we start by teaching them eBay,” Smith said.“If they can learn eBay, they can do their own Web site and spread out and do other things.” Founded in 2000 and serving almost 2,000 members, DOUA regularly gets notice about people conducting eBay auctions on its behalf, with donations ultimately ranging widely. The item auctioned off for the most cash went for about $1,200 a few years ago, Smith recalled, for a one-on-one meet- ing with a venture capitalist. The most common items are those one might find on eBay -- doo-dads and knick-knacks -with users designating all or part of the proceeds for DOUA. MissionFish, the nonprofit that administers eBay Giving Works, takes a 20 percent cut of a donation between $5 and $49.99, with a smaller percentage as the donation gets larger. Expenses – mainly Web hosting and graphic design – run less than $1,000 a year for the DOUA. “Everything we do is online,” Smith said.“It doesn’t take a lot of money to help people.” A charity listing sells every two minutes on eBay and it’s estimated that charity listings raise more than $55 every minute. The largest price ever recorded for a single eBay charity listing was $2.1 million, a letter signed by 42 U.S. senators, paid by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, benefiting the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Fund. Also in 2007, a lunch with investment guru Warren Buffett sold for more than $650,000, raising money Unique Items, page 22 AUGUST 15, 2008 THE NONPROFIT TIMES www.nptimes.com 21 http://www.nptimes.com http://www.boxwoodtech.com http://www.boxwoodtech.com http://www.nptimes.com
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