±±¾©Èü³µpk10

The Auction Channel has launched an online bidding system,

NetBidLive, which allows the user to take part in an auction in real

time.

Bids are sent from the user’s computer through to a monitor beside the

auctioneer in under a second, thanks to a server dedicated to

pre-registered bidders. Those not wanting to take part can watch the

auction’s progress by going to the company’s more highly trafficked home

site (www. theauctionchannel.com).

NetBidLive will host daily auctions from January, building up to 10 a day

by mid-1999.

”Registered bidders go on to a dedicated server, which means there’s none

of the usual baggage you get with normal web sites,” said The Auction

Channel’s head of marketing Veronica Kruger, stressing the speed of the

NetBidLive system. ”Our first auction with this system was with Brooks

Europe’s sale of 30 classic Ferraris, and the only reason we didn’t

accompany it with one of our interactive TV auctions was because we

couldn’t get a slot. Once we have our own TV channel, that will no longer

be a problem, and we’ll be able to run the two systems simultaneously.”