Anyone who has used the Internet knows that a big chunk of e-commerce comes from auction sites. EBay is the world leader, but many other Web sites exist, too, some filling special niches (gun auctions, government auctions, car auctions, etc.) and some handling general merchandise but doing it differently. And, yes, some operate just like eBay, only with fewer listings and fewer sellers.

Oltiby.com has a unique spin, however, in that it uses reverse auctions. Instead of a seller listing his item and many buyers bidding for it -- thus raising the price -- on Oltiby.com, the BUYER lists what he's looking for, then lets the SELLERS offer him a price. Whichever seller offers the lowest price, that's who the buyer does business with.

When looking at auction sites, you want one that will get you the best merchandise for the lowest price. So using a regular site like eBay doesn't make sense. Why use a site that is oriented toward sellers (i.e., getting sellers the most money) instead of buyers (i.e., helping sellers save money)? That's great if you're a seller, but for buyers, a reverse auction is more logical.

Another important factor in choosing auction sites is the fees associated with them. Is there a charge for listing your item, plus another one based on how much you wind up paying for it? Oltiby.com is free for buyers to list what they're looking for, and free for sellers to post descriptions of what they have available. The only fee is based on the final selling price of the item. With no other hidden fees, it's easy to see why Oltiby.com is a smart alternative to the regular Internet auction.

About the author:

Richard Verker has been writing business articles for 15 years. After studies in general economy and e-commerce, his work on online auction make his articles top-rated by magazines and thousands of readers. Read more on www.oltiby.com