Even information has a price in the on-line world. Several Web sites field questions and answers in an auction format. If you want some information or a service, you consult a specific adviser, or throw your question out to all advisers. You'll receive an initial response that describes the information or service available. If you accept it, negotiate a price with the adviser, get the info or service, and then receive an on-line invoice.
Responders reply by stating their qualifications to answer the question.
If both parties agree, the answer is sent to the questioner, who pays only if he or she is satisifed with the answer. The appeal is to bargain-hunting media buyers who can bid for what they want without having to spend time negotiating with sales representatives from each media outlet. Considered a neutral marketplace, buyers get market-driven prices that are lower than those of traditional brokers, while sellers get higher prices than they normally could, with FastParts earning up to 8 percent in commissions. Employers can even rate their performance. Name your banana Bidding on established time-sensitive services such as airline tickets and hotel space, where prices can fluctuate based on demand and availability, is catching on.