Online auction optionally including multiple sellers and multiple auctioneers

A method, comprising:

• receiving auction definition information from an auction host for defining an auction event, the definition information including:
• a description of a plurality of items to auction in the auction event;
• an auctioneer who is not the auction host designated to auction at least one item in the auction event;
• providing to each of a plurality of computing devices instructions for displaying on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the computing device a representation of an auction event gallery including:
• visual representations of the plurality of items;
• a visual representation of the auction host;
• a visual representation of the auctioneer;
• and
• an option to join the auction event;
• receiving from a first computing device information that a user has selected the option to join the auction event;
• providing to the first computing device instructions for displaying on the GUI a representation of the auction event including:
• a visual representation of an item on auction;
• links to visual representations of other items to be auctioned;
• a visual representation of the auction host;
• a visual representation of the auctioneer;
• and
• a showcase to display one of:
• the item on auction and a current highest bidder.

A system comprising:

• a server running an application for defining and controlling an auction event of multiple items, wherein a description of the auction event is published over a network, wherein the auction event includes a lobby phase followed by a live auction phase, wherein the server is in selective communication with a plurality of computing devices over a network, and wherein the application is configured to provide display information during the auction event substantially simultaneously to each computing device to use in determining the contents of a graphical user interface (GUI) display on the computing device;
• a set of controls for controlling the character of the auction event and for communicating with auction event participants, and display information regarding visual representations of the controls in the set of controls;
• display information regarding the lobby phase specifying for the GUI to include visual representations of users that have selected to participate in the lobby phase, wherein the visual representations of the users are specified to be placed in the lobby display according to user movement commands received by the application from the computing devices;
• display information regarding the live auction phase specifying for the GUI to include visual representations of:
• an auction host who defined the auction event;
• an auctioneer who is auctioning an item in the auction event;
• a showcase area;
• a countdown indicator;
• and
• a bid entry area including an option for submitting a standard bid in a predefined increment over a current bid, wherein after the application has received a predefined number of standard bids from a computing device, the display information specifies for the contents of the bid area to include a selection option for defining a special bid and a selection option for submitting the special bid;
• and
• display information regarding an intermission display to present between item auctions in the live auction.

A tangible computer-readable medium comprising instructions for a computing device, including instructions for:

• receiving auction definition information from an auction host for defining an auction event, the definition information including:
• a description of a plurality of items to auction in the auction event;
• an auctioneer who is not the auction host designated to auction at least one item in the auction event;
• providing to each of a plurality of computing devices instructions for displaying on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the computing device a representation of an auction event gallery including:
• visual representations of the plurality of items;
• a visual representation of the auction host;
• a visual representation of the auctioneer;
• and
• an option to join the auction event;
• receiving from a first computing device information that a user has selected the option to join the auction event;
• providing to the first computing device instructions for displaying on the GUI a representation of the auction event including:
• a visual representation of an item on auction;
• links to visual representations of other items to be auctioned;
• a visual representation of the auction host;
• a visual representation of the auctioneer;
• and
• a showcase to display one of:
• the item on auction and a current highest bidder.