First in New Zealand: Online Car Auction Uses Rewards Points, Not Cash

First in New Zealand, there were online auctions for cash. Now there are online car auctions that use points earned online alone.

In a virtual world twist on real world rewards points, SmileCity (www.smilecity.co.nz) is auctioning two cars where bidders can use the points they earned online through its website, as denomination. Two car auctions are currently under way and the winning bidders will not hand over any cash during the auction to receive the cars (except for delivery).

SmileCity says this is the first time in New Zealand that a car auction has used online points accumulated in this way.

“These car auctions – worth around $20,000 each – are the largest auctions we’ve undertaken in recommended retail value”, says SmileCity spokesperson Tom Skotidas. “It will be a huge win for someone.”

It works like this: SmileCity (www.smilecity.co.nz) is a free-to-enrol online community, and New Zealand’s leading internet-based rewards programme. It has more than 110,000 members who have signed up and agreed to receive email marketing offers and surveys. Members are also able to shop through SmileCity, which has over 90 online retailers. The relationship with members is incentivised with rewards points - awarded when they shop online, click on email offers from advertisers, or participate in surveys.

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Posted: 03|6|06 at 9:28 am. Filed under: Auction News.