"Tired of being outbid at the last second?" That's the question posed on the website AuctionByEmail that offers "live, on-line, weekly auctions with 100+ great items each week."

Each auction lasts seven days, beginning and ending on Saturday. Owner Fred R. Tousignant, 54, promises that goods will be "truly sold to the highest bidder by continually extending bidding beyond the auction end date."

So when the auction ends on Saturday at noon, if there's been a bid on an item in the 15 minutes before noon, the auction for it proceeds until there's been no bidding in a 15-minute interval.

Extended bidding is just one feature that Tousignant built into his online auction business in January 2001 when he began selling household items on http://www.auctionbyemail.com.

After almost 30 years as an auctioneer and owner of Fred's Auction House in the central Massachusetts town of Leominster (pronounced Leh-mun-ster), Tousignant was burned out from holding live auctions.

At the end of every live auction, he realized "it was an awful lot of work for not tremendous results."

As online auctions became popular, Tousignant began selling items for customers on eBay and realized how much easier it was to sell them online. About the same time, his son-in-law Marc Pilon, a computer programmer, decided to take a break from his corporate job. That's when Pilon helped Tousignant start an online version of his auction business.

Today, Tousignant sells about 150 items a week on his website, including "all sorts of household items - furniture, art, housewares, tools, collectibles."

But even he gets surprised sometimes, especially when a ratty, old hooked rug sells for $1200 because of an uncommon design - a cat.

How does it work? Much like an eBay drop-off store. Customers bring their goods to his showroom in Lunenburg, next-door to Leominster, where Tousignant or one of his two employees will determine if the item is likely to sell, and, if so, take photographs, write a description, and place it on the AuctionByEmail website. But after that there are some important differences.

"It's local," said Tousignant, who cites his 30-year reputation as reassurance to customers that they will "not get ripped off."

All sales are final, so it's a good idea to be sure that you want an object before you bid on it, using both the online pictures and descriptions, but also by examining it in person in Tousignant's Lunenburg showroom (open every day but Sunday).

Risks are minimized to both buyers and sellers more than on eBay, maintains Tousignant. "We are a broker in between the buyer and the seller," he explained. "Neither has to interact…(and there are) no checks or mailing." He accepts payment by cash, money order, credit card, PayPal, or personal checks by approval.

Tousignant guarantees payment to the seller, who must agree to several conditions: the fee structure; accepting the results of the auction; and it has to be something Tousignant believes will sell. Sellers pay a commission based on the selling price ranging from 10 % to 50%.

As in any auction there is the risk that sellers may not get the price they wanted, but they still must sell it to the highest bidder. AuctionByEmail does offer the seller the option of a reserve or minimum price on an item; the fee varies between $10 and $20, depending on whether it sells.

Buyers pay a 10 % Buyers Premium on top of the auction price, and of course 5% Massachusetts sales tax. Treasures must be picked up within one week at the Lunenburg showroom.

For buyers who don't have access to the Internet or don't want to bid online, Tousignant offers his services as a "proxy bidder." Customers can then bid either in person by phone, or by email.

There are new problems to handle in this eBay knock-off business. Though it's less stressful, Tousignant says "the movement of goods is slower," and he has to make sure he has the warehouse space for storage since buyers have seven days to retrieve purchases. "At live auctions, people haul the stuff away," he said. Like many small businesses, Tousignant calls on talent from his family. His daughter, Nichole (Tousignant) Piro, runs the AuctionByEmail program.

There are signs of success. "I have doubled my sales…and my gross," said Tousignant. "There's less work, more money, and more expense." And he's handling fewer items - from 200 in a live auction down to about 150 a week in the online auction.

On the same website, Tousignant also promotes goods with a link to MassAdvertiser.com, where buyers and sellers can list and sell items without an auction. However, he admits that this part of his business is still "in its infancy." Two additional services are advertised on his website. The professional assistance directory hasn't been developed yet, and there's nothing listed on eBay auctions for AuctionByEmail.

So far Tousignant hasn't seen any competitors, but like many entrepreneurs with good ideas, he has plans. "We hope to possibly franchise AuctionByEmail…making it available to other auctioneers," he continued. " It's so much easier, and no stress."

Not to mention that customers can always get in the last bid.

http://www.auctionbyemail.com