Mobile phones now ready for online bids
By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:28:00 10/12/2008
Filed Under: Technology (general), mobile phones, Electronic Commerce, Internet
MANILA, Philippines -- A Filipino firm has started the first online auction system dedicated to wholesale buyers of mobile phones. Bid4Mobile Philippines is hoping to entice mobile phone dealers and distributors to do online transactions when purchasing mobile phones in bulk.
But instead of using the traditional highest bid approach, the lowest bidder will set the price for the entire stock of mobile phones. The other bidders will be able to purchase the stocks at the winning bidder's price.
The auctions will be set during specific days and there would be two auction periods per day, lasting two-and-a-half hours.
Bid4Mobile Philippines President Mike Meily said in a phone interview that the online auction system is more efficient as it allows users to monitor the bids in real time.
Likewise, he said the company offers other options that other wholesale distributors do not offer such as free delivery to buyers and also take back options for faulty units.
An online auction system also lets buyers get phones at much lower prices than from other wholesale suppliers.
Meily said that bidders have to open accounts with Unionbank, which handles the payments made to Bid4Mobile.
So far, the company is offering mostly entry-level to mid-range mobile phones. They also have a limited number of high-end models. Current brands are from Nokia and Samsung although Meily said they will eventually be introducing more brands and models.
He said the phones they offer are from suppliers Altus and First Mobile.
Meily said they are expecting relatively slow pick up from phone dealers and retailers but would gradually grow as more of them go to make business transactions online.
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