The provided source material contains no information regarding free samples, promotional offers, no-cost product trials, brand freebies, or mail-in sample programs related to eBay in Brisbane or any other location. The documentation focuses on eBay's corporate acquisitions, marketplace policies, and selling strategies. Consequently, the provided source material is insufficient to produce a 2000-word article on the requested topic. Below is a factual summary based on the available data regarding eBay's operations and policies.
eBay Corporate Acquisitions and Expansion
According to the source material, eBay Inc. acquired Shopping.com Inc. for approximately $620 million in cash. This acquisition was expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2005. Executives indicated that the purchase would introduce eBay sellers to a new set of potential buyers and increase the number of fixed-price sales listings. The deal also aimed to expand the auctioneer's efforts to provide more reviews and customer feedback about products listed on the site, as Shopping.com controlled Epinions, a site containing over 400,000 amateur reviews.
The documentation notes that this acquisition was part of an aggressive buying spree by eBay. Other acquisitions mentioned include the real estate firm Rent.com for about $415 million in stock and cash, India's Baazee.com for $50 million, and the Dutch classified site Marktplaats.nl for about $290 million. Revenue outside the United States was reported at $393.8 million in the last quarter, a 52 percent increase from the same period in 2004.
eBay and Coles Partnership in Australia
Source material indicates a partnership between eBay and Coles in Australia to drive online grocery shopping. The partnership offered a glimpse into the future of online grocery shopping, noting that only 3 percent of Australians currently shopped for groceries online. Coles Online Chief Executive Alister Jordan stated that the partnership provided customers another convenient way to access products and have them delivered straight to their door.
The partnership featured a specific offer for the first 5,000 shoppers in metro Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, providing 25 percent off their first Coles on eBay order. The service offered a simple unattended delivery option, allowing orders to be dropped off even if no one was home. The announcement emphasized that eBay is one of the world's largest online marketplaces, connecting people with items they need and love virtually anytime, anywhere, with 179 million active buyers globally.
eBay Policies Regarding Restricted Items
The documentation includes forum discussions regarding eBay's policies on restricted items, specifically Nazi-related memorabilia. Users reported that items such as Hitler figures and replica German WWII badges were removed from the site. One user noted that eBay utilizes technology to detect such items, mentioning that a badge with a barely visible swastika was removed.
The source material clarifies misconceptions regarding the ownership and religious affiliation of eBay's leadership. It states that founder Pierre Omidyan is Iranian-born and raised in France, former President Jeff Skoll is Jewish, and former President Meg Whitman is not Jewish. The company is public, and stock can be purchased by individuals of any background. The consensus in the discussion is that eBay has the right to choose not to allow such items on its platform.
eBay Selling Strategies and Sourcing
The source material describes methods for selling on eBay and sourcing products. One method involves using eBay's search functionality to analyze sold items. By filtering search results to show only "Sold Items," sellers can view prices at which items have actually sold. The documentation explains how to click on a listing title to view details and how to click on the number of items sold (the hyperlink) to see specific sales data, including price, date, and quantity per sale. This data is available for products on eBay in any of the 37 countries where eBay operates.
Regarding sourcing used products for resale, the documentation lists several avenues: - Council cleanups (items put outside houses) - Facebook Marketplaces - Gumtree - Garage sales - Bundling - Charity thrift shops (with the advice not to disclose intent to resell on eBay) - The "three Ds": deceased estates, divorce, downsize - Police auctions - Car boot sales - eBay incorrectly listed items (though noted as harder to find due to the Cassini search engine) - Billboards at shopping centers
Conclusion
The provided source material does not contain information regarding free samples or promotional offers for eBay in Brisbane. Instead, it details eBay's acquisition history, a specific grocery partnership in Australia, policies regarding restricted memorabilia, and strategies for selling and sourcing products on the platform.