Northland's "shy carrot" made the Trade Me Top Listings of 2023.
A Whangarei man’s carrot has made the top 10 ranking of a nationwide, end-of-year top-selling items list.
The man known as ‘Glenn’ and the sale of his “shy carrot” placed number seven in the Top Trade Me listings for 2023.
The carrot, dubbed “shy” thanks to its sheepish appearance, was advertised on Trade Me earlier this year to help raise funds for the Cancer Society.
“Looking for a new home for my pet carrot,” the listing read.
“Has its original haircut, it’s a little shy at times but otherwise a very easy pet, doesn’t eat anything, doesn’t drink water, can be left at home whilst away on holiday, really likes a cold environment to have a longer life expectancy.
“Re-listed pet, so rigidity is slipping! Gotta admit it’s pretty cute (proceeds donated to Cancer Society).”
The final bid for the shy carrot came in at $160, meeting the ad’s reserve and receiving close to 42,000 page views.
It was the shy carrot’s large engagement that landed it in the top 10 items of Trade Me this year.
The popular Northland carrot wasn’t the only vegetable or food item to feature on the 2023 list of top views, with a “heart-shaped hole chip” coming out on top as Trade Me’s most viewed auction of the year.
For the winning item, instead of just eating the chip, seller ”Bianca” listed the treasure on Trade Me to raise money for Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital.
According to Trade Me spokeswoman Tiana Barns, the 10-year-old had been tucking into a bag of chips on a Sunday afternoon in July when she found the item.
“104,000 views later, Bianca raised $5,000 for Starship and walked away with the title of our most viewed listing of 2023.”
Barns said without fail, every year the organisation had also seen at least one funky fruit or vegetable make the most viewed listing of the year.
Third on the list this year was a radish in the shape of the male reproductive system, with the root vegetable gaining 58,000 views and raising $151 for the Auckland flood victims.
An “excited Kiwifruit” came in fifth place with 52,000 views, followed by the shy carrot and in tenth place, a hot wee “prick” or chilli receiving 25,000 views.
“The proof is in the pudding as the top 10 listings featured, not one, not two, but four phallic-shaped foodstuffs,” Barns said.
“This just goes to show Kiwis love to have a laugh at what mother nature can produce.”
Barns added many of the top auctions had also featured a topical event that had occurred throughout the year.
Coming in at second place was a natural wonder - a rock found on the West Coast of the South Island that had a natural lime deposit appearing remarkably like Aotearoa New Zealand.
The rock caught the attention of 82,000 Kiwis, yet failed to entice anyone to hit the eye-watering $20,000 Buy Now button.
An iconic TV interview with a very casually dressed incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, also had the nation talking, with the cap and sunglasses worn by Hipkins during the interview going up on Trade Me the same day.
“The listing description called it Chris’ ‘hutt-issue headgear’ [that] gives you the cred to hustle … or become Prime Minister,” Barns said.
“It wasn’t long before the auction went viral, clocking up 51,000 views making it our fourth most-viewed listing of the year and selling for $1,580.
“New Zealand rugby league fans were also out in force this year and it was no surprise that in the wake of the Warriors winning streak we saw thousands of fans flock to the site in search of merchandise.
“Coming in at number six was a personalised number plate UPDWAH.”
According to Barns, that auction also gained lots of attention, selling for $9350 after almost 45,000 page views.
Trade Me’s top listings of 2023:
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.