Auktionsfynda, Swedish online auction search engine service launched today. It’s focusing on listing the auctions about to close, thus triggering the great feeling of satisfaction when finding the best bargain. The service initially indexes five auction sites (Tradera, Auktionskompaniet, Brabud, Metropol, Lauritz) and is planning to add two more in the next coming weeks. For time being only Swedish auction sites are included.
Auktionsfynda is a service with a simple search and clean GUI, the main page displaying random selection of items that have 10, 30 or 60 min. left to bid. The search results include a short description of an item, time left to bid and link directly to the respective auction. No transactions, nor bidwatching is handled by the service, at least not yet. I think on demand notifications on auctions closing shortly would add value, since many of the bidwatching applications and services on the market are made service specific, especially for eBay.
The business model is no different to any other niche search engine service: Advertising and finding value added features the indexed online auction sites are willing to pay for.
The two co-founders behind Auktionsfynda are no less than Ted Valentin and Henrik Berggren. By their side they have co-owner David Kjelkerud. Henrik and David are most known for Listentoblogs and their latest addition to online music scene, Citysounds.fm. Ted, serial entrepreneur and founder of 24 Hour Business Camp, 24HBC, has previously started a similar site, Annonskartan.se, a local add search engine. It was at the 24HBC that Ted and Henrik met and soon after decided they wanted to work together in a project. Couple of months and lunches later the idea of Auktionsfynda was born.
To add additional value to the service, Auktionsfynda is providing an expert blog on auctions. Neta, “auction veteran” and Ted’s mother, will be guiding the users with her best tips and tricks in the world of auctions, antigues being her line of expertise.
As Fred Wilson wisely points out regarding online retail, it’s when you focus on making users active first and foremost and give them a lot of things they can do on your website beside transact, you boost the sales. Keeping that in mind, at the same time as eBay, the dominating online auction business, just reported continuing declining numbers, I think services like Auktionsfynda ought to be welcomed by the market to give a hand in converting users to transactors.
