Global General

Special

Newsmaker

Asia Pacific

America

Middle East

Europe

Africa

Life for sale on eBay disappoints

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-06-30 09:52

PERTH - A man who auctioned his life - his house, his car, his job, even his friends - on eBay said Monday he is disappointed with the selling price: almost $384,000.

Ian Usher, a British immigrant to Australia, put everything he owned as well as introductions to his friends on the online auction site after a painful breakup with his wife prompted him to want a fresh start.

Ian Usher stands behind a sign promoting the auction of all his possessions in Perth, on June 18, 2008. When Usher's partner of 12 years left him broken-hearted, he knew he needed a drastic change so decided to auction his life on eBay with the package including his house, job, car, motorbike, clothes and even friends. [Xinhua]

Bidding closed Sunday and reached nearly $384,000 - an amount Usher said his house in the western city of Perth was worth on its own.

"I guess I'm a little bit disappointed at the final price, I'd hoped it to be a little higher than that," Usher told Nine Network television on Monday. "But I am committed to selling and moving on and making a fresh start."

He declined to reveal the buyer's identity, or what his next step would be.

Usher said he had hoped to get at least $480,000 (a half-million Australian dollars) for his life - his house and all its contents, car and a motorcycle, a jet ski, skydiving gear, an introduction to friends and a trial period in his sales job - but that the final result was enough for him to make a new start in life.