eBay's Auction for America raises $10m

Money will go to 11 September victims and families

John Geralds in Silicon Valley, vnunet.com 07 Jan 2002

Over 100,000 auction users raised $10m through eBay's online charity effort to help the victims and families of those affected by the 11 September attacks. eBay initially set a goal of raising $100m in 100 days.

Auction for America, which ran from 17 September to 25 December, allowed people around the world to buy and sell goods online to raise money for a number of charities.

More than 230,000 items were listed as part of the fundraising drive, and several major companies, including Starbucks, Wells Fargo and Pepsico, donated items for the auction.

eBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove explained that, even though the company had hoped to raise more money, a number of benefit concepts and options had developed after the attacks, such as public service announcements and different ways in which people could contribute.

Meg Whitman, chief executive at the online auction company, said: "Given the massive outpouring of support that occurred following 11 September, I'm pleased with what we achieved."

She added that by sharing the fundraising tool developed for Auction for America, the company hopes to make eBay useful to even more groups.

New York Governor George Pataki and the then New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani helped kick off the programme by donating a photo of Joe DiMaggio and a baseball signed by Yogi Berra.

eBay also waived its fees for items sold through the programme, and created a way for payments to be made directly to designated charities.

But some sellers criticised the programme and refused to participate, maintaining that eBay was promoting its Billpoint payment system.

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