Upside-Down Auctioneering

The Web site’s slogan, “We bring people together for maximum value,” sounds a little like a dating service. And in a way https://www.accompany.com is one, only it brings together groups of Web users for something better than a lunch date--a reverse auction.

The more people who buy an item, the more the price goes down. For example, if two people sign up to purchase a 3COM Palm V Connected Organizer (starting price $449), the cost is reduced $115.01 for each buyer. If additional people decide to buy the same item, the cost is reduced even more. Part of the fun is watching the cycle to see how many other people have purchased your product.

Since going live in April, the site has had thousands of visitors, says Judith Hochhauser, marketing communications manager for the San Francisco-based group.

The site acts like a bulk shopping club, but the products are fairly serious--digital cameras, software updates, even a coffee maker. Purchase prices include a 3.49% fee to the site.