'Sell on wheels': EBay's first-ever mobile boutique arrives Thursday in L.A.

Taco trucks, Korean BBQ mobiles and four-wheeled grilled cheese sandwich vendors of Los Angeles make way for the newest in portable purchase pop-ups: the first-ever mobile EBay boutique, an 18-wheeler crammed to the mudflaps with buy-now, suitable-for-gifting possibilities that's scheduled to roll into the City of Angels eight days before Christmas.

Popping up at the Hollywood & Highland retail complex this Thursday and Friday, Dec. 17 and 18, we're told it's supposed to include interactive shopping kiosks, personal shoppers, trend experts (including EBay's "Tech and Toy Director" Cat Schwartz) and some 200 of the most searched for and most popular items sold through the online auction and retail site.

If the prospect of scoring that elusive Zhu Zhu Pet (for which EBay logged 206,466 faux hamster and accessory purchases last month alone) or Elmo's Tickle Hands isn't enough to entice you, EBay is promising to hand out $50 gift cards to the first 100 folks to show up at noon Friday with the "secret password" (for more information on tracking that down, click here).

The company has also pledged to match the first $200,000 of shopper donations (an option at the time of purchase) at each of the 12 city stops to a local charity. In Los Angeles, funds are earmarked for the Toys for Tots program.

And if the folks piloting the city's assorted taco, Korean BBQ and grilled cheese trucks are smart, they'll be idling nearby. After all, Santa can't keep that "bowlful of jelly" physique on baby carrots, alone, can he?

The EBay mobile boutique rolls up to Hollywood and Highland Center, 6801 Hollywood Blvd. (on the north side of the street next to the Kodak Theatre), on Dec. 17 and 18 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

-- Adam Tschorn

Photos: Chicago was one of the 12 cities in the inaugural cross-country jaunt of EBay's mobile boutique -- essentially an 18-wheeler packed with some of most popular gift items sold through the site ready for shoppers to buy on the spot. The pop-up shop features some 200 of the most popular items sold through the online retailer like this display of "holiday deals for the stylista." Credit: EBay Inc.

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Comments

[nickspat]

Awesome

[Dexter Franklin]

So is Ebay now competing with Ebay sellers?
That wouldn't come as a surprise to anyone familiar with their business practices.

[Thaddeus Smith]

I can't wait till I bring out my retail clothing truck and park it front of all theses desperate stores ruining other Restaurants business!!

[SHOPITLA sell it on eBay]

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