Barack Obama's upcoming inauguration on January 20th is already stimulating the economy if online marketplaces are any indication. Amazon.com launched an Inauguration Store with items featuring "everything customers need to get ready to attend the event, host an inauguration party or watch from home." The Amazon.com Inauguration Store features a countdown to the event, along with product ideas to help customers prepare and Barack Obama-related souvenirs and memorabilia.
A search on eBay for the word "inauguration" reveals tee-shirts, pins, bracelets, limited edition Barack Obama Metro (Subway) cards, and even short-term housing rentals in Washington DC during inauguration week, as well as commemorative items from previous presidential inaugurations. Interestingly, only 46 percent of the 1671 items found were in auction-only format. A search for "Barack Obama" netted 9,152 results.
Niche site ArtBeads.com jumped with its own inauguration celebration, sending an email to customers informing them of a pre-inauguration sale of up to 60 percent off on "patriotic beads."
