It's got the whole of North Yorkshire's Internet lovers gripped.

Up for auction: Beanies

AuctionHunter (www.AuctionHunter.co.uk.) provides the thrill of clinching a bargain - auction-style - without users having to leave the comfort of their home.

The Internet auctioning site was launched just over a month ago by Newsquest Media Group - owners of the Evening Press - and it's already proving to be a huge hit.

The service allows readers to take part in live auctions on line. Buyers are able to bid for household goods, memorabilia, sports equipment, collectibles, or antiques.

Newsquest financial director for York and the North East, Stuart Watts, surfs the auction site most evenings with his family.

Stuart, who admits to being a bit of an addict, said: "We're Beanie collectors (eight-inch bear-like characters) and the site is an excellent way to pick up bargains.

"My oldest son, Peter, sees himself as a bit of an entrepreneur and has already sold five Beanies and made a profit on them all.

"We spend most evenings in front of the screen monitoring how our bargains are doing and what's on offer. I can see how it's addictive, but it's also harmless fun."

For those who have yet to experience the shopping revolution here's a rundown on how to go about it:

The site breaks down into two main areas: items for sale and articles and news. There is a master list of categories of the items for sale.

For each item, there is a description, the Start At price (the starting bid), the Bid At price (what the price is currently), and when the auction closes.

When you are ready to start bidding you need to register, which is free and only takes a minute, and then you receive a password.

You then have two choices. You can name a price which you hope will be just high enough to win.

Or you can take advantage of RoboBid, Newsquest's special service which automatically executes bids up to a pre-determined amount.

You enter the maximum you are willing to pay and RoboBid will automatically handle the bidding in your absence, upping the ante incrementally until it reaches your maximum amount.

You will be emailed automatically if your RoboBid maximum price is reached and until the last day of the auction you will be informed if you've been outbid so that you can come back and increase your offer if you wish.

Click here for Auctionhunter

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.