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News of Hostess going out of business led to a run on Twinkies and other iconic products from the bakery, which has in turn led to the snack cakes being listed for thousands of dollars on eBay and Craigslist, the AP reports. One unemployed man spent hours collecting 16 boxes of Twinkies and Ding Dongs, then listed them online at $300 for three boxes. Another spent around $100 for 20 boxes, and plans to sell them for $1,000. (A quick search of completed eBay auctions shows that while prices in the million-dollar-range have been ignored, some of the more exorbitant offers have apparently been accepted—though we have to wonder if the auction winners are really planning on paying up.)
The Atlantic Wire hopes most of the ridiculous eBay listings are just jokes, but also notes with astonishment that some people are indeed paying about $50 for a box of Twinkies. "Quick reminder: The difference between liquidation and extinction is like the difference between a fire sale and an actual fire," writes Derek Thompson. Hostess products will almost certainly continue to be made by some other company, so the only reason to spend so much on any of them is if you're a Twinkie addict or a billionaire dedicated to spending your money "by the most bizarrely random means possible." Even so, if you need a Hostess snack right now and can't afford eBay prices, click to find out how to make your own at home.
