While the world is still abuzz with the boundless possibilities offered by electronic commerce, the Internet this week is aflame with reports on the sale of the most unusual goods and services. Just like the real one outside. Already riven with doubts and controversy over the Net's myriad possibilities, the brave new world was shocked last week by the offer for sale by a healthy individual of a single kidney. But the auction got underway early last week unnoticed by the site managers. Unbeknownst to eBay, amid a welter of sales of the most unusual items, a seller identifying himself as hchero from Sunrise, Florida, upped the ante.
Buyer pays all transplant and medical costs.
Of course, only one for sale, as I need the other one to live. EBay woke up when a stray surfer blew the whistle. While the auctioneer itself said the event was quite likely a hoax, medical experts maintained it would have been near impossible for anyone who bought the kidney to turn up at a hospital and seek an organ transplant. There would have been too many questions. Hoax or not, the incident ignited another controversy about the boundless and scary possibilities arising from e-commerce.