Clicking the "bid" button, Zhang Ziyue, a 27-year-old Shanghai resident, joined a real-time online auction on Thursday. After three rounds of bidding, the virtual hammer fell - and a pair of pearl earrings were hers for 400 yuan ($64.42).

"It was a huge bargain. At a department store, the price is some 2,000 yuan. What's more, I really enjoy the fun of bidding and competing with other buyers.

"It feels good to get the things I want at the price I want to pay," said Zhang.

An increasing number of online auction services are meeting mounting demand from Chinese consumers who want new ways to shop.

Chinese consumers like the fun and excitement of bidding at auctions, and they have changed their view of auctions, which they used to believe were only for the super-rich, said Deb Weidenhamer, chief executive officer of American Auction Co and founder of Shanghai-based ipaiworld.com, a website that offers real-time online bidding.

"Fashion items, accessories, designer purses, jewelry, watches, sunglasses and electronics such as mobile phones are among the most popular items, and the fast pace of bidding creates a different kind of shopping experience," said Weidenhamer.

"Unlike traditional live auctions, the auctioneer must be more alert. Competition is fierce, and the process is fast. Sometimes from the opening bid to the fall of the hammer may take only one minute," said Alan Gu, a Shanghai-based certified auctioneer.

Online bidding also makes previews and bidding easier, as embedded tools may help bidders to view the items using search engines or bidding by proxy, said bidders.

In China, hundreds of auction services have launched online auctions, which enable bidders to preview items and bid online. At some e-commerce platforms including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's Taobao and JD.com, many items are auctioned by theme, from fashion items to collectible books.

wuyiyao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 01/26/2015 page13)