Got himThat’s what one enterprising 23 year old asked himself when he heard the news of Bin Laden’s death.

The answer? Race home and set up a T-shirt shop on the Internet, selling t-shirts saying things like, “Obama GOT Osama,” and “Thank You Seal Team 6.”

He set the website up that night, working until 3:30 in the morning. By the next evening he had sold more than 10,000 items at $12 apiece.

$120,000 gross in 24 hours – not bad for an evening’s work.

Check the story out here

Whether you think this guy is brilliant or just plain morbid, it got me to thinking… how can you and I profit from what’s in the news? Believe me, I no longer look at CNN the BBC or any other news sites quite the same, and it’s got my head spinning with ideas.

How about you?


    4 replies to "How Do You Profit From Bin Laden’s Death?.."

    • Alan Abelove

      Hi Kim,

      Your post certainly inspiring in its general application. Yet, about this fellow, hmmm, I don’t know what to say. I wouldn’t describe him neither as “brilliant” nor as “just plain morbid”. Let me ask you like this:

      And how should I have capitalized and profited when the Twin Towers were knocked down and 3000 people killed in one shot?

      Wishing you much success in all that you do,

      Alsn
      Alan Abelove recently posted…Basic Video EditingMy Profile

      • Kim

        I think you maybe missed my point Alan. For a start there is absolutely no comparison between the 2 unless of course you think the death of Bin Laden was a huge tragedy. (I certainly don’t).

        I’m sorry you missed the marketing point I was trying to make.

        Kim

        • Alan

          Sorry for not being clearer. I very much appreciated the marketing point that you made. That’s what I meant by “Your post is certainly inspiring in its general application.”

          As for me, personally, even if I had the skill to run home on Sunday evening and have an e-commerce site set up by 3:30 am, I would never do it for such products, and I wouldn’t wear such t-shirts. Bin Laden with all that he did and all that he represents is so evil and what he did so horrific, personally, I wouldn’t express my joy about blotting out such hideousness from the world by putting his name on my chest nor his face on my stomach.

          I realize that this is a point of sensitivity about which the more I have to explain it, the less it will be understood. The murder in cold blood of close to 3000 innocent people in one fell swoop stands before my eyes like it was yesterday, I haven’t forgotten an iota. The happiness that I feel about the assassination of their murderer fills me with a solemn joy that I wouldn’t celebrate in the same way as I would in Times Square on New Years Eve. And I wouldn’t choose to make my fortune from the tens of thousands who don’t feel the way I do, even for $120K in two days.

          There are much better businessmen in the world, but I have to be fair to my heart. I would rather make less by selling and promoting other things that are in the news, like I learned from your genuinely inspiring post.
          Alan recently posted…Basic Video EditingMy Profile

          • kimstanderline

            That was beautifully put Alan, it was obviously me that missed the point of what you were trying to say, my apologies.

            For the record I agree with you entirely..

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

CommentLuv badge