One Red Paper Clip

Kyle MacDonald's quest to trade a red paperclip for a house

blog
interestingviral-marketingmarketingentrepreneurshipbarteringtrading2000s-internet

Kyle MacDonald's original 2005 blog chronicles his viral experiment to trade up from a single red paperclip to a house through a series of 14 increasingly valuable exchanges. Starting with the simple goal of making continuous "up trades," MacDonald documented each step of his journey that captured global attention. The blog shows his progression through items like a fish pen, doorknob, camping stove, and eventually movie roles before achieving his goal of owning a house in Saskatchewan

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