- Google's habit of slowly rolling out its new services to select groups of people through "invite-only" beta launches has been the root of much annoyance among consumers in recent years — particularly among those who have had trouble scoring said invites.
That said, the company's all-too-familiar method of seeding early invites to employees, reporters and lucky "influencers" never fails to get the public hyped for what's to come.
Yet despite the fact that Google often gives its beta users the opportunity to "share" invites with a select number of friends, there always seems to be a shortage of invitations to be found — and a plethora of people searching desperately for them online. - On Wednesday, Google once again sparked a mad rush on invites when it announced the exclusive beta launch of a new app it calls "Inbox."
Aimed at "making it easier for its Gmail users to find and manage information while on their various mobile devices," the service is able to sort information into different bundles so that they can be more easily grouped, ignored, or recalled as the user sees fit. 
An inbox that works for youToday, we're introducing something new. It's called Inbox. Years in the making, Inbox is by the same people who brought you Gmail, but it's not Gmail: it's a completely different type of inbox, designed to focus on what really matters. Email started simply as a way to send digital notes around the office.- Almost immediately following the company's announcement that Inbox had been launched, Twitter began buzzing with news of the invite-only service.
Some expressed excitement over the service's potential, while others simply humble-bragged about the invites they had received.
Many others were — and still are — on the hunt for an invite of their own. 
Anyone got a Google Inbox invite? Hook me up and I'll retweet you incessantly ;-) #inboxinvite #pleasepleaseplease- Noting the demand for invites online, dozens of enterprising Google Inbox users (who gained the privilege of sharing up to 3 invites over the weekend, according to Mashable) have listed their invitations on Ebay.
Approximately 100 listings can currently be found on Ebay by searching for "Google Inbox Invite," the highest in price being $300 US (or best offer.)
One Ebay user, whose listing was linked to by TechCrunch, has already succesfully sold an Inbox invite for $205 US. 
Google Inbox by Gmail InviteInbox by Gmail is a whole new experience designed by the Gmail team to help you stay organized and get back to what matters. Learn more on the Official Gmail Blog. If you're a new user of Inbox by Gmail, welcome!- While some may find the thought of buying invitations to a free app a bit frivolous, it's important to note that this is far from the first time Google beta users have cashed in on invitation sales.
In 2004, Gmail invites were going for up to $125 on Ebay while invites to the ill-fated Google Wave fetched up to $70 in 2009.
And of course, many attempted to sell invitations to purchase Google Glass in 2011 for hundreds of follars — which, as BetaBeat noted, didn't actually include the $1,500 device.
Some on Twitter are criticizing Google this week amidst the demand for Inbox invites, suggesting that it is perhaps time to end the "invite-only" stage of their product roll outs. - Those who don't mind waiting can sign up for a free Google Inbox invite here.
Google Inbox beta users selling invites on Ebay
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