New Publicly Traded Auction Site Auction Mills to Open 9th December

[mandy]

Another new auction site, but this one is publicly traded (stock quote)  and already has more traffic than most existing auction sites (including such sites as Auctionbytes advertiser Whabam who have received considerable press coverage in Auctionbytes.  I do have a few choice words I could say on the lack of journalistic integrity shown by giving preferential editorial coverage to advertisers.  ).  In June Auction Mills hired Lance Ayers, the co-founder of one of the Internet's most successful ecommerce sites Woot.com.  Press releases show the company raised approximately $550,000 in an initial funding round in 2004.

Auction Mills Incorporated (Pink Sheets:AUML - News) is set to unveil their updated website Friday, December 9, 2005. The revamped site's structure allows easier navigation and the site's services will also be drastically changed. This new structure is a less expensive alternative to eBay.

Beginning December 9th, Auction Mills will offer auction services at flat rates, rather than charging for listing fees, final value fees and other miscellaneous fees often associated with sites such as eBay

full press release: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/051206/20051206005709.html?.v=1

The company's Pink Sheets Company info statement indicates they originally provided eBay consignment services with plans to open a chain of franchised eBay drop off stores before changing their business plan earlier this year:
https://www.otcstockinfo.com/repository/...66_FR1.pdf .

On the negative side, it does seem this company is now listed as "Not A Registered User" by eBay.  The same feedback record also indicates several customers were unhappy with lack of email communications.

EDITED to add:  Very interesting reading here: http://news.teamxbox.com/comments/9813/A...e-Xbox-360

[bargainbloodhound]

It gets better  :

A press release and their home page both say they have chosen AlertPay as their preferred payment method.

Since Mandy's post made me really really want to list at this place (and on a suspicion after seeing a couple of PayPal claim comments in that feedback profile), I decided that as a show of support I would send a donation of $1 to the company's founder via PayPal ...well, guess what, I received this message when I hit the send button:

This recipient is currently unable to receive money.

...explains why AlertPay is the preferred payment provider.

:

[bargainbloodhound]

Very nice modification job of the ubiquitous $195 PHPProBid auction software   

http://auctionmills.com/auction/release/register.php
http://www.phpprobid.com/auction-softwar...gister.php

http://auctionmills.com/auction/release/sitefees.php
http://www.phpprobid.com/auction-softwar...tefees.php

http://auctionmills.com/auction/release/stores.php
http://www.phpprobid.com/auction-softwar...stores.php

http://auctionmills.com/auction/release/help.php

On a Dutch Auction, the auctioneer has more items of the same product for sale. The bidder will enter a maximum bid he/she is willing to pay for an item, and the number of items he wants to purchase. The highest bidder(s) will receive the number of items they have bid on, and the remaining bidders will receive the number of items still available. Buyers are able to bid more than once for the same item.

http://www.phpprobid.com/auction-software-demo/help.php

On a Dutch Auction, the auctioneer has more items of the same product for sale. The bidder will enter a maximum bid he is willing to pay for an item, and the number of items he wants to purchase. The highest bidder(s) will receive the number of items they have bid on, and the remaining bidders will receive the number of items still available. Buyers are able to bid more than once for the same item.

http://auctionmills.com/auction/release/...irect=sell
http://www.phpprobid.com/auction-softwar...irect=sell

http://auctionmills.com/auction/release/...rid=100002
http://www.phpprobid.com/auction-softwar...rid=100769


:

[iron_chick]

Ya know . . . if I was going to start a new auction site,  I'd try my best to make REALLY sure I had more than a couple dozen listings ready to go come opening day.

[regic]

I noticed this when I was updating the auction traffic charts tonight.  Their bullshit auction site apparently didn't fool anyone.  The auction site is closed and they merged with another penny stock.  The new game plan is cars.  Their stock is trading at 2 1/2 cents per share.

Auction Mills Lacks Sufficient Funding to Conduct Operations
Wednesday February 1, 8:00 am ET

DALLAS--Feb. 1, 2006--Auction Mills, Inc. (Pink Sheets:AUML - News) announced today the company faces significant liquidity problems and does not have sufficient funds to continue conducting operations. Auction Mills currently has a working capital deficiency. In the event that Auction Mills does not obtain adequate financing to complete its Plan of Operations or if we do not adequately implement an alternative plan of operations that enables us to conduct operations without having received adequate financing, we may have to liquidate our business and undertake any or all of the following actions:

full press release: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060201/20060201005159.html?.v=1

Auction Mills, Inc. Purchases Carforce1 and Accepts Resignation of Jason Brola
Wednesday February 8, 8:34 am ET

DALLAS---Feb. 8, 2006--Auction Mills, Inc. (Pink Sheets:AUML - News) announced today the resignation of Jason Brola. New CEO Jim Womack will take over operations effective immediately. Mr. Womack brings 15 years experience in the automotive industry. Carforce1 (www.carforce1.com) will instruct automotive dealers across the U.S. through its training and dealer development packages on how to implement marketing procedures and solutions on platforms such as eBay (EBAY), Google Base (GOOG) and Overstock (OSTK). Mr. Womack states, "Many dealers across the country are not efficient in selling cars online through these platforms. These dealerships are missing out on major revenues and profits because of their lack of knowledge within these online arenas. Through the development of our programs, we will teach these automotive dealerships how to use the Internet as an additional sales tool."

Package pricing available to automotive dealerships will range from $3,500.00-$10,000.00 per month.

Jason Brola will relinquish to Jim Womack his personal 5,300,000 shares thus creating a non-diluted situation for all current shareholders.

full press release: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060208/20060208005510.html?.v=1

The new CarForce1 has issued several press releases in the past 2 months: http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=AUML.PK

The latest press release has them planning to host wholesale auctions from other vendors:

CarForce1 to Start Hosting Wholesale Auctions from Other Vendors
Thursday April 6, 8:00 am ET

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2006--CarForce1 (Pink Sheets: AUML - News) is pleased to announce the hosting of other vendors eBay auctions. "CarForce1 has begun hosting links to other vendors eBay auctions as well as the ones that we are directly involved in posting," says Jim Womack CEO of CarForce1. Mr. Womack was also happy to add, "This will be another source of revenue for our young and prosperous company. The response from other dealers that are looking for wholesale vehicles that our clients have posted has been an unexpected, but very welcome trend. CarForce1 has been asked by those dealers that already have eBay auctions ongoing to post their links on our website to give them the added exposure to our dealer network."

full press release: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060406/20060406005278.html?.v=1

[mandy]

How predictable. : The POS only lasted 3 months.  

[bargainbloodhound]

[quote author=mandy link=topic=1642.msg12050#msg12050 date=1144498020]
How predictable. : The POS only lasted 3 months.  
[/quote]

Be nice.  On the bright side, if you run your mouse over the different buttons on their new carforce1 site you can make some reallllly annoying sounding songs. 

[bargainbloodhound]

has them planning to host wholesale auctions from other vendors

Nope, they're hosting links to other vendor's eBay auctions

[Powerbuyer]

What a Waggle-Poopy thing to do.  :twistedevil:

[sneakymagenta]