"Using the Web for Office Deals - Online Auctions

Save Money with Auctions!  Internet auctions are the hottest trend on the internet, but how will they help solve your business problems?

Do you have business assets that you need to sell? Use an auction site to get top dollar for these items. There are several standard auction sites out there. Most people have heard of and used eBay. There are other sites out there as well for selling your unneeded assets: ComAuction, DoveBid, Egghead.com, TradeOut.com, and ZoneTrader.com.

If you are just looking for the lowest prices on products and services you can use a reverse auction to allow sellers to come to you. All you have to do is to request a product or service and then choose the best offer you receive. Some great reverse auction sites are: BizBuyer.com, Buyingedge.com, eWanted, Imandi, Onvia, and Respond.

If you are a small business and would like to obtain the bulk rates that the larger firms receive, join an online purchasing coalition to qualify for lower rates. Group buying sites pool the resources of several smaller buyers to allow for large purchases at lower costs. Some of these sites are: Accompany, Mercata, PointSpeed, and Shop2gether.

Some companies and people sell through auctions so much that they need the extra help to stay on top of the details. Use an auction management service to create ads, post items and images, track transactions, and correspond with customers. Try these sites: Andale, I-Escrow, and Search4bids.

Your company may have a need for specialty items such as raw materials or industrial parts. There is probably an auction out there for you. Check out these sites: AsseTrade, FreeMarkets, iMark, MaterialNet, and VerticalNet.

If you don't want to buy or sell on another site, why not start your own auction. Adding an auction to your existing site can be quick and easy or very complex depending on the type of auction you want. Many web design firms offer online auction packages. There are also several pre-made auction sites that can be purchased. Many offer good functionality, but lack in visual appeal. Check out these pre-packaged auction sites for your business: Add Auction Software, FairMarket, Moai, and OpenSite.