Online Auction House Opens Bidding at $100 on Mercedes Sport Utility Vehicle

11 November 1999
Online Auction House Opens Bidding at $100 on Mercedes Sport Utility Vehicle
    WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 -- Opening the bidding at one dollar on
baseball memorabilia from Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams to
celebrate its first month online was just a start.  Now, aCargo.com is
auctioning off a new Mercedes ML-320 class sport utility vehicle starting at
$100.
    Bidding on the Mercedes SUV will begin November 15 and end December 14 at
http://www.aCargo.com.  There is no reserve bid, which means the $40,145 vehicle
conceivably could be purchased for $100.
    "Of course, we hope the bidding won't stop there because part of the
proceeds -- in fact, a percentage of all our sales for 30 days -- will go to
charity," said Hooshang Tebyanian, founder of aCargo.com.  "This month, we've
selected The Salvation Army, and we'd like to be able to fill several of their
Christmas kettles with cash."
    Each month, the new online auction house is donating a share of its sales
to a non-profit organization.  In its inaugural month, it selected The Ripken
Museum at Aberdeen, Maryland, a baseball museum and repository of memorabilia
from the Ripken family -- Cal Sr., Cal Jr. and Bill -- and other Major League
players.  Other non-profits chosen for future support include the United Negro
College Fund, American Heart Association, Friends of the National Zoo, Easter
Seal Society and Disabled American Veterans.
    Each month,aCargo.com  also will offer items of high value for bids
starting at one dollar.  For example, bidding opened at one dollar on November
10 and will close December 15 on a pre-owned, two-tone men's Rolex "Date Just
Quick Set" watch which retailed new for $4,700.
    Original items offered for bid at http://www.aCargo.com are fully authenticated,
and all items are guaranteed to be exactly as described. Tebyanian said the
inventory regularly will include artwork, crystal, art glass, silver, jewelry,
coins, carpets, sports memorabilia and many other offerings -- from food to
vacations.
    "This is a place where you can find something interesting, and something
valuable, to bid on every day," said co-founder Joel Hoffman.  "The Mercedes
SUV is a perfect example.  Somebody is going to get a great deal, and the
bidding should be a lot of fun."
    He noted that the SUV's buyer will be responsible for payment of taxes,
license tags, registration and insurance on the vehicle based on its retail
value.