| New-home builders try auctions, some online, as the market softens
Could something akin to eBay auctions be the next stop for new-home builders facing a glut of unsold properties? Inland builders in recent months have been cutting prices and throwing in extras such as free swimming pools to move their new houses in a slowing market. And recently, joining a national trend, some are finding success with public auctions, traditionally seen more as a way to sell artwork or rare antiques. Some of those builders are incorporating online elements into their auctions, giving Web shoppers a chance to bid in real time against the on-premises participants. .
Web traffic to eBay and Yahoo continues to grow
Web traffic to Yahoo has increased by 3 percent since last year and eBay has seen a 12 percent rise in the same time frame, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. Yahoo parent company increased three percent year over year, from a three-month average monthly unique audience of 104.7 million unique visitors in Q1 2006 to 107.5 million unique visitors in Q1 2007. In online advertising, estimated revenue from image-based impressions on Yahoo grew 54 percent from Q1 2006 to Q1 2007. Sponsored links on the Yahoo property grew 16 percent in the same time period. Web traffic to the eBay parent company increased 12 percent year over year, from a three-month average monthly unique audience of 60.9 million in Q1 2006 to 68.2 million in Q1 2007. EBay brands eBay, PayPal, Shopping.com Network, and Skype all ranked number one in subject categories in March 2007, including classifieds/Auctions, Financial Tools, Shopping Directories and Guides and Long Distance/Local Carriers.
Go Shopping Via Reverse Auctions
I've found myself in an interesting and illuminating loop lately. In February, I wrote an article offering some money-saving shopping tips. Good enough, right? Well, I quickly heard from some folks who offered me additional advice, especially about where to find great discounts and coupons online. So I then wrote about how to be a smart online shopper. And then -- you guessed it -- I heard from more folks. So here's my next installment, this time focused on ... (drumroll) reverse auctions. With traditional auctions, such as you'll find at eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY), buyers bid on items, driving up the price until no one wants to bid anymore or the time runs out. With reverse auctions, an item's price starts out high, and then drops -- until someone buys it, ideally. This is similar to the "Dutch auction" concept, which Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) used for its IPO.
PSO bidding date extended to May 19
KARACHI: The Privatisation Commission (PC) Board has declared Attock Group ineligible to participate further in PSO privatisation and extended the oil marketing giants bidding date to May 19.
The PC Board, which met here on Thursday with Zahid Hamid, Federal Minister for Privatisation and Investment in the chair, decided to accept the recommendations of Pakistan State Oil Privatisation Transaction Committee to disqualify the Attock Group of Companies from participating in the privatisation process of the PSO.
This decision has been taken in accordance with the PC law, rules, regulations and procedures and keeping in view the guidelines contained in the judgment of the Supreme Court in Pakistan Steel Mills case.
The decision has been taken inter alia for non-disclosure of material information by the Attock Group as required in the RSoQ (Request for Statement of Qualification) rendering the Group liable for disqualification.
Bids low for Pope's VW
SAN FRANCISCO -- While Pope Benedict celebrated his 80th birthday, the latest eBay auction for his old Volkswagen Golf ended without a winner on the weekend. Although bids for the 1999 metallic grey hatchback surpassed $204,000 US, a reserve price wasn't met. EBay spokesman Catherine Fisher said she didn't know what the seller's minimum price was. A message left with the owner, Texas-based online casino GoldenPalace.com, was not returned. Benedict celebrated his 80th birthday a day early yesterday with a Mass in his honour on the flower-bedecked steps of St. Peter's Square. Benedict was born in April 16 in Marktl Am Inn, a riverside town in the Bavaria region of Germany, and sprinkled among the crowd in the square bathed in brilliant sunlight were fellow countrymen and women in traditional dress, including feather-trimmed hats.
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