Ebidz will sell items donated to hurricane relief at no charge

SUSSEX n When the opportunity to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina presented itself, new business owner Gary Constantine jumped at the chance. He is providing a service that will allow clients to donate merchandise for auction on eBay with the proceeds going to hurricane relief. His business, ebidz, a computer-age depot for unwanted items, made its debut in April of this year and, for a limited time, he will donate his time and expertise to help those who wish to make donations. Constantine was prompted to do this when the auction website, eBay, offered to waive its fees to clients who donate merchandise with the proceeds being contributed to the relief fund. Constantine, and his son, Nick, a freshman at Sussex County Community College, decided to take the idea one step further. In addition to donating their share of the proceeds, they will also provide to those wishing to make a donation through the sale of items their normal services at no charge. This includes accepting an item, researching its value, posting it on eBay, completing the sale and shipping the item to the new owner. The customer may choose a charity from among the 114 currently dedicated to the relief of hurricane victims. The client will receive full credit, and Constantine will provide a certificate of the transaction for tax purposes. "It's an important cause," said Constantine. "A lot of people may not be able to donate money, but if they have an item that has any value, they can donate it and we'll do the work. We will donate 100 percent of the value." Ebidz will continue to accept items for normal auction, with the profits going to the seller. Constantine charges commission on a sliding scale, with 20 percent being the highest and the percentage decreasing as the sales price of the merchandise increases. All fees and commissions are deducted from the proceeds of the sale. Clients can also e-mail a photo of an item with a brief description, and ebidz will research and appraise it with no charge. Constantine said that ebidz ships internationally. "It opens up the whole world to what we have available. Shipping internationally allows you to receive the highest value for your merchandise," he said, noting that some items fetch greater prices abroad than at home. Constantine also offers house appraisals and can arrange for items to be picked up. "As long as we can package it and fit it through the door, we can ship it," he said Ebidz is a franchise business founded in 2004 with locations throughout the state. The Sussex store is located at 12 Main Street, Sussex. Store hours are: Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday by appointment only. For information, call 973-702-1258, visit goebidz.com or e-mail www.goebidz.com.