There have been a few specific attempts to create competition and alternative platforms for buying and selling original props and wardrobe at auction, leveraging the power of the Internet. What follows are examples of companies and individuals that have offered alternatives to selling and buying props, in an auction format via the Internet, and the current state of those endevours.<\/p>\n Yahoo! Auctions<\/strong><\/p>\n Probably the most well known overall direct online auction competitor to eBay has been Yahoo! Auctions<\/a>.<\/p>\n Looking back at Archive.org (LINK)<\/a>, it appears that Yahoo! Auctions began in February 1999 or earlier. While Yahoo! Auctions had categories for a wide variety of items, just like eBay, it also had original prop-specific categories.<\/p>\n Movie studios (like Fox) and auction houses (like Butterfield & Butterfield) used the traditional auction and live auction services offered by Yahoo! to offer original props and wardrobe.<\/p>\n Even with the financial backing and name\/brand recognition of Yahoo!, it was never able to find the success it sought against the eBay juggernaut.<\/p>\n Yahoo! Auctions recently threw in the towel for the entire suite of services for the U.S. and Canada territories, with all auctions ended on June 16, 2007 (leaving just Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan).<\/p>\n Of all competitors, Yahoo! had the greatest potential and made the largest and longest concerted and well-funded effort to support a viable alternative to eBay, and managed those services for years. I think the fact that it finally abandoned these efforts in their entirety illustrates the futility of competing on a service for service level against eBay. That Yahoo! Auctions shut down with few even taking notice really says it all.<\/p>\n Amazon Auctions<\/strong><\/p>\n Amazon.com, like Yahoo! – another long term, brand name fixture of the web – has attempted to stake its own ground in online auctions, but I’m not sure if many hobbyists even know such a service exists, as I’ve never seen it referenced anywhere.<\/p>\n Amazon Auctions<\/a> currently has a category relevant to original prop collectors: Auctions > Movies & Video > Memorabilia > Props & Wardrobe<\/a><\/p>\n As of the time of this writing, there are only 137 items listed in this “Props & Wardrobe” category. Of those listings, I would categorize the majority as “movie and television memorabilia”, not so much original props<\/a>.<\/p>\n In its current state and with no apparent marketing or promotion, I do not envision this service progressing beyond what it currently is – a hopeful placeholder in the auction space. For all intents and purposes, it is not currently a competitor.<\/p>\n New Line Cinema Auctions<\/strong><\/p>\n New Line Cinema<\/a> managed their own in-house auction service linked from their homepage as New Line Cinema Auctions<\/a>. These were first party “Studio” auctions, in which they sold the assets directly to collectors, along with their own Studio COAs. These auctions were well managed, with good customer service, and New Line Cinema Auctions was well respected among original prop collectors and hobbyists.<\/p>\n Again, referencing the “Wayback Machine<\/a>“, it looks as though New Line Cinema Auctions began sometime in 1999 as well. They did not do high volume, and, as noted, they auctioned only their own props from their own features, but it did well with its narrow focus.<\/p>\n Without any fanfare, New Line Cinema Auctions closed down their services early this year (January 2007).<\/p>\n New Line did resurface with some original prop auctions this past July – not on its own site and service – but via listings on eBay under the username newlinecinema<\/a> (see “Notable Studio Auctions: Hairspray & The Return of New Line Auctions<\/a>“).<\/p>\n I think these events and changes in business strategy support the notion that, in many cases, it likely makes more business sense to partner with eBay to leverage their services and reach their customers, rather than develop and manage something independently, as New Line had done for years.<\/p>\n Original Prop Auction Houses<\/strong><\/p>\n Most auction houses leverage eBay via eBay Live Auctions<\/a>, often in conjunction with onsite live bidding and phone\/fax bidding (i.e. Profiles in History<\/a>, Premiere Props<\/a>\/Hollywood Roadshow<\/a>, etc.).<\/p>\n There are a few exceptions. Christies<\/a> has developed its own online bidding software program (bidders download the software to their PC), which appeared to be successful with the Star Trek auction last October, for instance.<\/p>\n Heritage Auction Galleries<\/a> also offers online bidding outside of eBay, with bidding conducted by bidders on its own website.<\/p>\n These periodic one-time live auction events appear to be the only current original prop-related online auction bidding services, outside of eBay, that are successful.<\/p>\n With Christies, they are really their own brand and obviously entertainment memorabilia represents a very small part of their business and offerings. They have merely translated their longterm known and established business to the net. They have their own client\u00e8le, and really run their own business and events in an exclusive manner, which is consistent with their offerings, image, reputation, and services.<\/p>\n I would imagine it is a more realistic proposition, in part, because these live auction events are marketed and promoted regardless of how customers bid, so they can direct bidders to their own services just as easily as they can to eBay Live Auctions. And the fact that it is event-driven means that it has a smaller management window, which requires less in terms of ongoing management and maintenance.<\/p>\n Original Prop-Specific Auction Services<\/strong><\/p>\n Another trend has not, in my estimation, found any success in the hobby to date: services developed and put into the marketplace that are intended specifically, more or less, for prop collectors (as well expanding somewhat to include general “Entertainment Memorabilia”).<\/p>\n One of these services, ePropAuctions<\/a>, launched last year (if I remember correctly), and offers categories outside of original props that encompass a variety of entertainment memorabilia collectibles. I have monitored this site for some time, and have not noticed any substantial or sustained original prop offerings. The site is populated with what I would characterize as placeholder listings, likely to avoid maintaining an empty category (i.e. 61 listings of “movie money”, 5 “back-up original” pieces that appear to be replicas, and 1 “authentic screen used” piece).<\/p>\n Another similar service, The Motion Picture Prop Company<\/a> (“The MPPC”, reviewed in part previously: LINK<\/a>), has a small variety of entertainment memorabilia categories as well. I have not noticed any significant or sustained activity on this site for quite some time (zero listings in all categories).<\/p>\n With these boutique, prop-related auction services, I do not see any circumstances in which they could flourish. There is, to my knowledge, no advertising or promotion. I have not monitored any sustained or significant auction or listing activity. As a result, of course, I would imagine that the main problem is that, as a consequence, there are no “eyeballs”. Even if a collector is aware of these sites, he or she is given little reason or incentive to “check in”, as there is nothing to evaluate or bid on.<\/p>\n As a potential seller, why would one choose to sell an item on one of these boutique sites, with little to no marketing or promotion, low awareness, and so few potential buyers? Especially when compared with eBay or the option of consigning with a professional dealer or auction house?<\/p>\n People sell props to get the best possible return. Electing to sell via one of these boutique auction sites, common sense would suggest, would result in the lowest possible return .<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n As much as some don’t like it, the simple fact is that eBay owns the online auction business.<\/p>\n Players, big and small, have attempted to carve pieces out, big and small, with little to no success (with the exception of established auction houses with their own events and client\u00e8le).<\/p>\n Given how entrenched eBay is with auctions, just as Google<\/a> is with search engines, Amazon<\/a> is with commerce, YouTube<\/a> is with video, iTunes<\/a> is with downloadable music, and Microsoft<\/a> is with operating systems, sometimes, all we are left with is the old saying…<\/p>\n It is what it is.<\/p>\n Jason De Bord<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When someone mentions an auction on the Internet, chances are you assume its on eBay. Why? “eBay” has become synonymous with the “Internet auction”. Others have tried to move in on eBay’s business, on large and small scales, and for the most part, have failed miserably when measured against their goals and objectives. How has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-790","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-editorials-features","7":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\n![\"eBay](\"http:\/\/www.originalprop.com\/blog\/dylsoagh\/2007\/09\/main-image-ebay-auction-space-x600.jpg\")
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