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Online auctions

Auctions - introduction

These days, you can buy and sell pretty much anything - as long as it's legal - on an online auction site. Features of online auctions may include reserve prices and/or prices that a seller is prepared accept immediately in return for closing their auction early. For traditional auctions, it's usually free to join and bid, with charges applying only to sellers.

Online auctions - featured sites

eBay
The world's largest marketplace, eBay offers the option to buy and sell at a fixed price or through fully-featured online auctions. eBay offers buyer and seller protection, easy payment through PayPal and helpful feedback scores.
QXL
Offers consumer and business-to-business auctions in a secure and easy to use web-based trading environment. Run by UK publicly traded company QXL ricardo plc, which also operates 11 other European auction sites.

More online auction sites

Auction Air

A different take on an auction site, Auctionair runs regular (highest bid wins) and reverse (lowest bid wins) auctions on a sealed bid basis. There are no buyers or sellers commissions - you instead pay a set fee per bid placed.

eBid

This UK internet auction site has no listing, reserve, Buy Now or store subscription charges. Features include happy hour auctions with savings on featured fees and 60 minute auctions, which start hourly every day.