Web Site Arranges Week-Long Bricks-and-Mortar Stunt

Beginning this weekend, online auctioneer eBay will open a physical store at 3 West 57th, next to Bergdorf’s. From today’s Commercial Observer:

EBay will be stocking the 5,000-square-foot pop-up with items gleaned from its millions of sellers: Michael Kors handbags, Anthropologie dresses, L.A.M.B. shoes. How will bidding on, say, a Gucci wallet be impacted by the prices of a real Gucci boutique just blocks away? It’s difficult to say. Also difficult to say is how actual live eBay bidding will work. The company has said only that shoppers will have access to Internet kiosks, handheld tablets and eBay mobile phone applications. Let the bidding begin.

Apparently this is more a marketing gimmick than a serious retail endeavor, which is good, since it seems unlikely people will travel to a store in order to bid on things online. The shop will be open this Friday through next Sunday.