Roald Dahl Day: Matilda tops eBay list

  • Searches on eBay for Roald Dahl’s Matilda have risen 69 per cent
  • Over the last six months, eBay UK reports that one shopper every minute has searched for the book on the online marketplace
  • Roald Dahl’s much-loved character has been searched on eBay 48 per cent more times than Willy Wonka, the online marketplace’s second most sought after character
  • Signed first edition of the title now on sale for an eyewatering ‘buy it now’ £4,500 price tag

Roald Dahl’s Matilda continues to inspire young children and it doesn’t look like this is set to change, new research – released to coincide with Roald Dahl Day – shows.

According to eBay, there has been a staggering 47.7k searches for the title this month alone, with fans of the much-loved book scouring the website for limited-edition copies, costumes and accessories.

The significant surge in searches has resulted in the retailer seeing a shopper search take place every minute over the past six months.

Matilda reigns as the most searched for Roald Dahl character, with 48 per cent more searches than Willy Wonka, the second most popular on eBay UK. In the past six months, Matilda has accounted for nearly half (46 per cent) of the 1.2m Roald Dahl book searches on the online marketplace.

The popularity of Matilda comes as no surprise since a survey from the Roald Dahl Story Company this month crowned Matilda a modern-day bravery hero.  Since this announcement, eBay has reported a 6% surge in shoppers searching for red bow headbands as little ones look to replicate Matilda’s iconic look.

One eBay seller is cashing in on the craze, offering a signed first edition of the title for an eye-watering £4,500. The retail giant is encouraging Brits to search their bookshelves for the title and, if unwanted, sell it on the platform to inspire the next generation of Matildas.

The nation’s top 10 Roald Dahl books according to eBay UK:

  1. Matilda
  2. Beware of the Dog
  3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  4. The Witches
  5. Tales of the Unexpected
  6. James and the Giant Peach
  7. Kiss Kiss
  8. The Twits
  9. The BFG
  10. Danny, the Champion of the World
Chris Price