Pokemon, Pikachu, and my "aha" moment

Rebecca over on the Late Night Coffee blog (http://www.latenight-coffee.com/) posted a very informative “Dooyahavwun” article about Pokemon plush, and the wide range of Pokemon collectibles selling well on eBay.

Being an obviously out of touch middle-aged guy, I never understood the power of Pokemon until one day in a local department store. While waiting for Ella to finish shopping, a woman came by pushing a young boy in a stroller.  The boy was mesmerized by the character bed sheets, pointing his finger, and speaking in a hushed, almost reverent tone, “Pokemon.”

To say the least, it was an “aha” moment.

Now, I grab everything Pokemon-related that I can find.  My latest collectible to sell was an “I Choose You Pikachu” that I picked up for a buck at a yard sale.  His biggest selling point was that his ears wiggled, his mouth moved, and his cheeks lit up when he was talking. It sold for $24.99. 

Interestingly enough, at least to me, was the fact that the Pikachu was my first listing to use video to help sell the product.  My thought process was that showing potential buyers that the Pikachu wiggles its ears is a lot better than just telling them about it.

So, I picked up my little Flip camera, filmed about 30 seconds of Pikachu in action, posted it on YouTube, and coded my listing to feature the video when the listing was viewed. It was easy.

I was so impressed with myself that I did the same thing for my Tickle Me Elmo, also bought for a buck.

Both sold rather quickly.  Now, I realize that both items have good sell-through rates, but I figured seeing the products in action might sway a potential buyer my way.  Apparently, it worked.

Now, I always consider how/if a video can help sell my products, and never, ever underestimate the power of Pikachu.