The first growers to try the new system were South Island farmers Peter and Joy Wilson. For them the ability to deal direct with the buyer was invaluable. It works for buyers, too. The screen-based sale works best for standard wool, he says. For non-standard wool, buyers are likely to want to see it.
Farmers are also able to sell wool on the system, even before it is shorn.
Greg Boland, general manager of the New Zealand Futures and Options Exchange , says the desire to trade at any time is driving the change. So far there's been limited action on the virtual wool auction. The average physical auction trades 10,000-12,000 bales per day. Wiggins is confident, however, the future lies with the Internet. Send it .