| If you mention online auctions to most people the first | | | | Now it has also expanded its operation into the USA. |
| name that comes to mind is eBay. This is not really | | | | You can list items for free and use the list until sold |
| surprising when you consider that eBay is the largest | | | | feature. A final valuation fee of 3% I normally charged |
| online auction site with over 233 million active users | | | | but it is possible to upgrade your account to seller+ for |
| worldwide. In the UK eBay.co.uk is well established as | | | | a price and then you do not pay any final fees. There |
| the leading online auction site. | | | | are charges for additional items such as gallery or |
| Ebay.co.uk was launched in October 1999 with offices | | | | featured. There is no doubt that eBid is a cheaper |
| above a shop in London. Currently eBay has 14 million | | | | option than eBay however, it lacks the quantity of |
| registered users and can have as many as 10 million | | | | bidders of the larger site. Quite a few eBay sellers |
| items listed for sale at any one time. EBay has given | | | | have moved over to eBid in the last 12 months which |
| many individuals and small businesses the opportunity | | | | must say something. |
| to establish themselves as online retailers. Currently | | | | Some of the small UK online auction sites that are |
| eBay estimate that there are around 178,000 people | | | | worth taking a look at are One Way United Kingdom, |
| who use eBay as their primary or second source of | | | | Auction1.co.uk and There are some sellers who prefer |
| income. | | | | to use these well less known sites but they all suffer |
| However, eBay.co.uk is not the only UK based online | | | | from the problem of not being able to attract enough |
| auction, the second largest auction site is CQout | | | | buyers or sellers to make them viable alternatives to |
| (pronounced seek you out). This site usually has | | | | the larger online sites. |
| around 700,000 listing running at any one time. Unlike | | | | There are a selection of other smaller and specialist |
| most other auction sites CQout does charge a small | | | | online uk based auction sites but they seem to come |
| registration fee when you register but does not charge | | | | and go very quickly. Two of the bigger UK online |
| a listing fee. There is a charge of 1.5% on the final sale | | | | auction sites that have gone out of business are QXL |
| value which is considerably cheaper than most of the | | | | and Tazbar. The fact that eBay are themselves |
| other online auction sites. CQout is a totally British run | | | | moving more to fixed priced items and away from the |
| operation which was launched in December 1999.eBid | | | | auction format might suggest that the online auctions |
| auctions was launched over 10 years ago in the UK. | | | | sites are beginning to lose favour with the public. |