Auctions last between three days and a week. When the auction closes, the seller contacts the highest bidder, usually by E-mail or telephone, and the two parties work out the payment and shipping details. Each auction site has a slightly different approach, depending on its specialty. OnSale, an exception in the online auction world, buys merchandise it auctions from manufacturers and resellers. OnSale, which has 820,000 registered buyers, guarantees the merchandise it sells for at least 30 days.
Buyers have the opportunity to rate the sellers online.
Sellers who get more than four bad ratings are thrown off the site. With customers buying sight unseen from unknown sellers, the ratings system develops a sort of virtual goodwill for a business. Williams has 614 positive ratings posted where she lists her goods. Price, for one thing. Fanning turned to OnSale because he had previously had a good experience with the site buying electronics for his personal use.