Method and apparatus for holding a two-stage live auction for on-site and on-line bidders

1. A method of performing an auction of an item, the method comprising:

during a first stage of an auction, using one or more computer processors:

accepting live bids for the item from on-site bidders at a live, in-person auction;

communicating the live bids to on-line bidders;

accepting a maximum proxy price from a given on-line bidder, the maximum proxy price indicating a maximum price that the given on-line bidder is willing to pay for the item; and

updating bidding information associated with the item to reflect a current bid associated with the item; the current bid based on one of the maximum proxy price and the live bids;

during a second stage of an auction, based on one or more on-line bidders having submitted a maximum proxy price greater than a highest bid from the first stage, continuing to accept live bids from the on-site bidders until at least one of the following occurs;

all of the maximum proxy prices are exceeded; and

no further live bids are received.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including automatically bidding on behalf of the given on-line bidder by increasing bidding information associated with the item by a current bid increment supplied by the seller of the item until the maximum proxy price is reached, or a live bid exceeds the maximum proxy price.

3. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising a third stage, the third stage preceding the first stage and comprising:

establishing a starting bid for the item by performing a pre-bidding process in an on-line environment for a predetermined amount of time; and

using the starting bid for the item to initiate the first stage of the auction.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the establishing of the starting bid for the item by performing the pre-bidding process in the on-line environment includes:

receiving an on-line absentee bid;

comparing the received on-line absentee bid with a current on-line absentee bid;

based on the received on-line absentee bid being greater than the current on-line absentee bid, updating the current on-line absentee bid to equal the received on-line absentee bid.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the establishing of the starting bid for the item by performing the pre-bidding process in the on-line environment further includes:

based on the received on-line absentee bid being less than or equal to a current on-line absentee bid, but greater than a second highest received on-line absentee bid, updating the second highest on-line absentee bid to equal the received on-line absentee hid.

6. The method of claim 4 , further including:

based on the received on-line absentee bid being less than or equal to a current on-line absentee bid, but less than a second highest received on-line absentee bid, discarding the received on-line absentee bid.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

transmitting, using one or more communication devices, to one or more remote auction bidders information about an item being auctioned in a live auction at a live auction site;

receiving one or more remote auction bids from the one or more remote auction bidders for the item being auctioned;

choosing, by at least one computer processor that is coupled to a storage device, as a starting bid in the live auction the highest bid from the one or more remote auction bids;

transmitting the starting bid to an auctioneer of the live auction site who receives live bids and remote auction bids;

receiving from the auctioneer of the live auction site, an accepted auction bid, wherein the accepted auction bid is selected from a plurality of onsite auction bids and the starting bid; and

transmitting the accepted auction bid to at least one remote auction bidder.

8. The method of claim 7 further including:

receiving a maximum remote auction price from at least one remote auction bidder, the maximum remote auction price indicating a maximum price that the at least one remote auction bidder is willing to pay for the item, the maximum remote auction price being higher than the accepted auction bid; and

bidding on behalf of the at least one remote auction bidder by increasing bidding information associated with the item by a current bid increment supplied by the seller of the item until the maximum remote auction price is reached, or a live bid exceeds the maximum remote auction price.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to execute the following operations:

transmitting to one or more remote auction bidders information about an item being auctioned in a live auction at a live auction site;

receiving one or more remote auction bids from the one or more remote auction bidders for the item being auctioned;

choosing as a starting bid in the live auction the highest hid from the one or more remote auction bids;

transmitting the starting bid to an auctioneer of the live auction site who receives live bids and remote auction bids;

receiving, from the auctioneer of the live auction site, an accepted auction bid, wherein the accepted auction bid is selected from a plurality of onsite auction bids and the starting bid; and

transmitting the accepted auction bid to at least one remote auction bidder.