Bidorbuy spots Internet shopping trends

Top searches

The most searched-for items on bidorbuy in the second week of May, with about 1000 searches, were World Cup 2010 tickets. However, the FIFA frenzy came to an abrupt end on Sunday 16 May, following the dti's announcement that unauthorised sales of tickets for this event will be criminalised and punishable with a fine of up to R200 000 or five years in jail.

Other coveted items were:

• iPhone - almost 450 visitors searched for this device; eighteen units were actually sold, most of them brand-new, with prices ranging from R3500 to R8499 for different models. The cheapest was a used iPhone, which changed hands for R1400. New models went for between R3500 to R8499;
  
• iPad was second - out of about 400 people who searched for it, three were willing to pay R6499, R6900 and R8760 for different models;
  
• Metallica, one of the Guitar Hero video games - searched for 350 times and was bought by fifty buyers - ranging from under R100 to just under R1000;
  
• Blackberry recorded over 300 searches and 49 units were sold, some used, but most of them brand new. One brand-new Blackberry 8330 Curve ended up being snatched up for R31, but that is a rarity. Most new Blackberries went for between R725 and R3999;
  
• Diamonds were the fifth most popular search term on bidorbuy, with just under 300 searches and 48 sold. Some tiny sparkling stones, 0.01 carats big, went for R22; two that were over 2.0 carats in size achieved prices of R27 000 and R28 000.

High trades

The highest priced item sold during the second week of May was a 2005 BMW M3. The seller placed the car on a one day, one rand no reserve auction on the site - and it went for R343 000

• 2.02 carat oval cut diamond (R28 000);
  
• Gabriel de Jongh painting (R24 000);
  
• Canon 7D digital camera with lenses (R17 500);
  
• Collection of silver two rand series (R14 600);
  
• 64GB Apple iPad (R8750);
  
• Art deco table (R4500).