Net buyers see live images of the vehicles on sale and hear the auctioneer conducting the bidding. They can then bid in real time against bidders in the auction hall with the status of their bid shown on their computer screen.

Only buyers already approved by BCA are eligible to log on and participate. This avoids the risk of frivolous bidding by unknown customers.

The first van sale in which LiveOnline bidders participated saw 73 log on, with as many as 30 online at any one time. They made bids on over 30 per cent of the 134-vehicle entry and accounted for 13 per cent of the units sold.