buySAFE, Inc. which offers one of the highest levels of protection from online auction risks through the buySAFE with The Hartford program, today announced it is organizing the eBay Community Celebrity Auction, which allows reception guests to bid on having lunch or dinner with a high-profile community member at a New Orleans restaurant during eBay Live. The auction will be held during The Seller Spectacular which takes place from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., June 24th at The Aquarium of The Americas in New Orleans. The Seller Spectacular is being hosted by the eBay Elite, a preeminent group of approximately 520 high-revenue, high-volume, top eBay sellers, and will benefit the Disabled Online Users Association (DOUA), a first-of-its-kind organization dedicated to helping differently-abled individuals start their own eBay businesses and become financially independent. Proceeds from the auction will raise funds for the DOUA.
The eBay Community Celebrity Auction will enable the winners to exchange ideas and stories with some of the most successful and well-respected players in the eBay market. The auctioneer is Skip McGrath, founder of the Auction Seller's Resource Web site, author of several books about successful selling on eBay, and eBay PowerSeller. Participants include:
-Ina Steiner, editor of AuctionBytes
-Scott Samuel, founder of Honesty.com and CEO of Ethical Technologies, L.L.C.
-Marsha Collier, author of eBay for Dummies and Starting an eBay Business for Dummies.
-Jeff Grass, CEO of buySAFE
-Marjie Smith, founder and executive director of the DOUA
-Scot Wingo, CEO of ChannelAdvisor
-Marie and Jay Senese, known on eBay as jayandmarie and renowned for having the highest eBay feedback rating
-Bill Bogardus, eBay shooting star PowerSeller known as biggbill.
The event also will include a silent auction in which guests can bid on a variety of items donated by eBay Elite members and sponsors. Items up for bid include six months advertising on the eBay Radio show hosted by Jim "Griff" Griffith provided by wsRadio.com; a one-ounce gold bar from Western Union; and = karat diamond stud earrings from an eBay Elite member. Proceeds from the silent auction will also benefit the DOUA.
"The eBay Elite conceived The Seller Spectacular as a supercharged opportunity for the eBay community to interact and build relationships with top eBay sellers and celebrities," said Joe Cortese, founder of the eBay Elite. "It is first of several efforts to give something back to the community."
"We feel it is of the utmost importance to actively participate in the eBay community, and being a part of The Seller Spectacular is just one of the many ways buySAFE is reaching out to this important group," stated Steve Woda, founder and senior vice president, buySAFE. "buySAFE is about making the online auction process more secure, enjoyable and profitable for all participants. We're pleased to be joining with the eBay Elite and the DOUA to kick off eBay Live, while supporting such a worthwhile cause."
"We are thrilled that the eBay Elite and buySAFE are organizing The Seller Spectacular and the eBay Celebrity Community Auction to support DOUA," said Marjie Smith, founder and executive director of the DOUA. "The funds raised will literally help change the lives and livelihood of many DOUA members."
The event is open to all eBay Live participants, but attendance is limited. eBay Elite members and sponsors should contact theebayelite@hotmail.com to request tickets and DOUA members should send their requests to marjie@doua.info. In the email message, be sure to indicate that you are an organization member and provide your best contact email address.
All other participants can bid for tickets on eBay from seller "nestegg2001" until June 22nd or until tickets are sold out.
To donate an item for the silent auction, please email silentauction@evanp.com.
