T-Shirts For The Animals Auction
by Scott
(Delaware, OH, USA)
My partner and I are very much into animal rights and welfare issues. We also belong to a group that meets once a month to discuss these issues and come up with ideas to help the pet overpopulation situation.
On one such meeting, I suggested that we sell T-shirts on Ebay and donate the money to the local Humane Society. Everyone thought it was a good idea, because I was known in the group as the person who was always making their own T-shirts. I offered to make the T-shirts if people would help me to pay for the actual T-shirts and ink/iron-ons for my printer.
We took up about $200.00 from the group for this event. I made two different styles of T-shirt. One was for cats and one was for dogs. They stated "This shirt helped save a cat's/dog's life" and had a clip art picture of a cat or dog on them (sorry I was not smart enough to save any pics after the auction closed). The T-shirts were black 100% cotton and only came in size XL. With the $200.00, I was able to make 25 T-shirts.
I listed them on Ebay with a starting price of $8.00 (to be sure we at least got our $200.00 back) and explained in the details what the auction money would be going to. I sent out an email to all of my friends and co-workers, as did my partner and all the group members. I also posted an add on Craigslist announcing the listing on Ebay.
I am happy to report that all 25 T-shirts sold within the first 3 days of the 7 day auction. We used the "Buy it now" feature along with the auction, pricing the T-shirts at $25.00 a piece. They all sold!!! We were able to raise $625.00 for the local Humane Society (including our initial $200.00 investment). The Humane Society was so happy! It was just a great event.