FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Metro online auction eBid tops $1 million mark in first four months

November 12, 2002
For further information, contact:
Nancy Whittemore

Less than four months after going online, Metro’s eBid auction site sales topped $1 million, Mayor Bill Purcell announced today.

Since the surplus auction site went online July 8, 2002 sales have totaled $1,223,260.00 Purcell said.

Metro is taking advantage of the opportunities the Internet offers to sell surplus property efficiently and at the best price on the market," Purcell said.

Metro surplus items including automobiles, heavy equipment, electronics, furniture, and landscaping equipment are sold at the online Web site. The Web site address for eBid is: http://ebid.nashville.gov/auction.

Anyone interested in buying surplus property can view the items on the Web site, register, and purchase items. Visa and MasterCard credit and debit card payments are accepted online.

"This online auction application has exceeded our expectations, said Nancy Whittemore, assistant director of finance for Metro Government. "We knew it was going to be a good investment with solid, long-term benefits but the short-term results have been a pleasant surprise. And there are expansion opportunities within Metro for the eBid auction site."

The eBid site was developed by Nashville-based Link2Gov Corp. which assists Metro with web site design. Link2Gov is an e-Government technology solutions provider and electronic payment processor. In addition to Metro Nashville, Link2Gov is the electronic payment processing contractor for the Internal Revenue Service.

Link2Gov President Tom Tarver said the Metro Nashville site was designed to be consumer-friendly. "It’s not only convenient and cost-effective, it gives citizens the opportunity to participate in a Metro surplus auction where they would otherwise not be able to attend a physical event."

eBid Nashville currently has over 1805 registered users.