July 13 , 2010

eBay rewards Canada's savviest online shoppers

Contest attracts over 12,000 entries

Designer bags, plus-size clothing, hard-to-find storybooks, wedding supplies, and bamboo diapers are just a few of the items that have been purchased by Canada’s savviest shoppers and winners of eBay Canada’s Brilliant Buyer Awards.

More than 12,500 entries were received for the Brilliant Buyer Awards, which recognized Canadians in five categories, ranging from the Stylish Shopper and Business Buyer to the Consummate Collector, Budget Buyer, and Enthusiastic Eco-consumer.

“We were looking for Canadians who have a passion for shopping,” said Andrea Stairs, country manager, eBay Canada. “The five Brilliant Buyer award winners demonstrated that their savvy shopping skills have allowed them to fulfill a personal or professional passion, whether this means using eBay to keep up with the latest trends, save money, complete a collection, make eco-friendly decisions, or help grow a business.”

Among the almost six-million Canadians who have purchased an item on eBay.ca, the following five Canadians have been recognized as eBay Canada’s Brilliant Buyers:

The Stylish Shopper award goes to Jennifer Jones ( Edmonton, AB). Faced with limited selection and availability at local stores, Jennifer keeps up with the latest trends by shopping on eBay. As a chic shopper who is also eco-friendly, Jennifer likes to purchase gently used items and give them a second home. Her favourite purchase – a designer diaper bag – puts a stylish twist on diaper duty.

Valerie Tymryk ( Marathon, ON), owner of a small north-western Ontario plus-size clothing store, has received the Business Buyer award. To weather tough economic times, Valerie has been using eBay to connect with a group of plus-size clothing suppliers to whom she otherwise would not have access. She also uses eBay to refresh the inventory in her store, selling off surplus inventory to pay for new stock.

The Consummate Collector award goes to Nydia Robin ( Toronto, ON), who lists her favourite purchase as a collection of Enid Blyton storybooks. Nydia believes that reading will help her two young boys to grow up with huge imaginations and the storybooks are part of a growing library that comprises more than 300 titles, many of which she considers to be rare treasures.

Valerie Collings ( Chapleau, ON), a part-time teacher, receives the Budget Buyer award for educating brides that planning a wedding on a budget doesn’t have to compromise the quality of the big day. Dedicating time to the task each evening, Valerie uses eBay to purchase wedding supplies at a fraction of the regular price. Her next big purchase on eBay will be a chocolate fountain.

To avoid the premium pricing on eco-friendly products available in his community, Pascal Bérubé (Sept-Iles, QC) has been using eBay to purchase bamboo diapers for his baby. Many Canadians find it difficult to lead a green lifestyle because of the high prices and a lack of options. By shopping on eBay, Pascal has found a solution to his diaper dilemma that is both eco- and budget-friendly and for this he has been recognized as the Enthusiastic Eco-consumer.

“There’s a certain sense of satisfaction that comes with an eBay purchase,” added Stairs. “By asking Canadians to brag about their purchases, we were able to uncover the great shopping stories that we knew were out there and reward the country’s savviest eBay buyers.”

The five eBay Canada Brilliant Buyer Award winners receive $1,000 in eBay gift certificates and bragging rights as the country’s savviest shoppers.